The year was 2016. Five days before arriving in London, my accommodation AND backup accommodation plans fell through. With hostels costing $40-$60 per night and a ten-day trip planned, there was no way I could afford a place to sleep and still have money to do things on my super-limited budget. Luckily, I discovered Couchsurfing.
Couchsurfing is a website and community for travelers. The premise is travelers providing other travelers with free accommodation in the form of floor space, a couch, or sometimes even a spare bed, with the idea that the giving and receiving of space and time is reciprocated throughout the world. It can be a great way to travel on the cheap, make new friends, and see a place through the eyes of a local. As someone who has hosted and been hosted, here are my top do’s and don’ts to make sure your experience (and the person’s hosting you) is the best it can be.
Do
Read profiles. Use the inner stalker I know you have to look at pictures, read every word, and get a feel for the person you’re requesting to stay with. Hosts can receive several messages a day, and sometimes will have key word on their profile to include in your message so they know you’ve read it. Other hosts will have blurbs describing the sleeping arrangements, which under some circumstances might be a deal breaker for you. At the end of the day, you want to be able to get along well with your host.
Do
Read references. These have been written by people who have stayed with the person, hosted the person, or encountered the person somewhere in life. Here, you’ll get a feel on what your experience could be like and what others’ experiences have been.
Don’t
Send a generic request to stay with someone. Include details to show you’ve read their profile, understand their surfing terms, and why you think you and them would be a great fit! Sell yourself, because no one has to say yes.
Don’t
Send one request to one person and expect to have a play to stay. Hosts can receive several messages a day from different people, sometimes for the same time frame as you, and can be too overwhelmed by surfing requests to get to them all. Send requests to several potential hosts and think about alternative accommodation options in case you receive no replies.
Do
Discuss your expectations ahead of time with your host. Are you looking for someone to hang out with and show you around? Do you prefer to spend time alone or have plans scheduled for your stay? Sometimes hosts are busy with work and life but can give you a place to sleep and are looking for a low maintenance Couchsurfing experience. Others are hoping to get to know you and show you around or be included in some of your time. By discussing these things before hand, each person knows what they are getting into before meeting and have appropriate expectations in place.
Don’t
Sleep with your host, or try to, or feel pressured to. Yeah, they might be cute, and hook ups can be fun, but if things don’t go well you could be without a place to stay.
Do
Trust your gut. Vibes are telling, and if something doesn’t seem right, or makes you uncomfortable, don’t initiate a request to stay; or, leave the space politely and respectfully if you have already arrived. Your safety and comfort are important. Always let someone know where you are.
Don’t
Show up empty-handed. Arrive with the intention of giving back to your host somehow. Bring something small from home, a bottle of wine, or make your host dinner. It’s not required, but it shows your appreciation and giving back feels good for everyone!
Do
Be respectful of your host’s time and space. Be communicative, keep your space clean, and treat their home better than you’d treat yours.
On a road trip through the States, I was coming into Denver, Colorado and had no idea what to do in the area. I reached out to a few people on Couchsurfing and connected with someone who had actually hosted the same traveller I had the summer before! My planned three-day stay in Denver turned into a six-week adventure, and my host and I went on several mini trips together. We’re still great friends to this day and visit each other often!
Couchsurfing can be an awesome way to have free accommodation around the world, see things from a local’s perspective, and even make new friends! Be sure to be careful, be respectful, and enjoy those extra dollars in your pocket.
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