Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch At A Time
There are
many ways to travel the world, whether it is on foot or by mechanical means,
but at the end of each day we all need a place to rest our heads and stash our
baggage. This calls to mind the well-sung words of a 1983 UK chart topper by
Paul Young, ‘Wherever I lay my hat is my home’.
When
travelling aboard, there are a multitude of options and types of places to stay
on the market and budgets vary accordingly. A hotel, however, whilst a comfortable
option on the one hand, remains an impersonal one, even after you have finished
plundering the mini bar. Also, from your ivory tower you have to make a
concerted effort to get out and get to know the city and its inhabitants and
hope that your guidebook is still up to date.
Enter an
increasingly popular solution in the form of CouchSurfing. No, this is not a
modern twist on the Walt Disney musical Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization that was set up in 2004, and boasts
connections in 230 countries and territories around the world. Their aim is to
promote cultural exchange, understanding of others, friendship and education
amongst world citizens.
By becoming a member you become part
of an international community of travelers and can Surf or Host or both.
Hosting is when people around the world offer their ‘couch’, as a place to stay
to someone planning on visiting their country, the length of time being
pre-determined between the two parties. Or you can Surf for ‘couches’, in
countries you would like to visit. The only requirement of becoming a member of
CouchSurfing is that you too will reciprocate your ‘couch’ to a fellow traveler at some stage in your life. On top of this via their website
community, they also organize regional events and activities.
The advantages of such an exchange are
many. By staying with the people local to an area, it is a far more interesting
way to explore a new country. From your host up to date information on places
of interest, things to see and do will be at your fingertips, plus if you get
on particularly well with them you may even be included to join in their social
scene. It’s a way of leaving the realms of total tourist behind and being privy
to a country from your host’s perspective as well. Also, from reading a few of
the testimonials on their website, a far cheaper option than the afore
mentioned hotel. For the host there is the fun of meeting new people and
learning about new cultures from around the world without leaving the comfort
of their home and of course they can also use CouchSurfing too and may even end
up on your couch in the future!
For more information: CouchSurfing
First
published in the Connections magazine #26
Winter 2009
View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)
