What is CouchSurfing
CouchSurfing is a pretty cool way of traveling that a lot of people haven’t heard of. It takes the great parts of hosteling and makes them better since its free. Basically, CouchSurfing is when someone opening up their house, and more particularly couch, to travelers going through their area. Everything is arranged through an online community of CouchSurfers, both those looking for and offering couches. In 2006, Casey Fenton created the first online community of Couch Surfers, which can be found at CouchSurfing.com, and now boosts over 300,000 members. It is gaining more and more popularity as websites like Fenton’s create safe communities that build trust between those who are surfing and those who are opening up their homes.
How CouchSurfing Works
CouchSurfing.com is a social network for CouchSurfers and a perfect place to learn more about the community. To participate, all it takes is creating a profile, joining discussions and contacting potential hosts when you will be in their area or offering your couch up for stay. After arranging the details, you meet up and get to offer or receive a local’s perspective on the area and have a blast hanging out. It doesn’t cost anything to join CouchSurfing.com and their philosophy encourages that no host charge to let travelers stay. It is, however, encouraged for travelers or couch surfers, to help out or bring gifts to the host, but that is entirely their decision.
Is It Safe?
One of the major concerns with Couch Surfing is safety, since you will be staying with a stranger. CouchSurfing.com has a verification process to help ensure trust worthy members, in addition to a trust circle philosophy where verification can only begin once a currently verified member vouches for a new member. Read more about their CouchSurfing verification process.
How can I get involved?
CouchSurfing.com is the first CouchSurfing community and where I would recommend that you start learning about the community. However, TripUp, an online travel community, just launched CouchSwap, a Facebook application that allows you to arrange CouchSurfing with other Facebook members and friends. CouchSwap would also be a great place to start getting into the Couch Surfing crowd. I personally have not done any CouchSurfing yet, but have friends who have been surfing a few times and always have fun.
