What is couchsurfing, as it was my first experience

It is a community of hospitality exchange. It is mainly thanks to this site that I stayed for free and made friends in more than 40 countries in my travels. And it is here that I get when I can and lodge, travelers from around the world.

It is therefore as a bridge between travelers and hosts willing to know a new culture from the perspective of those who live in a place other than itself. You can get from a mattress on the floor, a sofa or even a private room as in many of my trips. Generally use couchsurfing for 2-to 5 days stays.

 

During Easter in Slovakia with all its traditions and delicious food, my hosts made me feel like part of the family and even did a buddy!

My experience:

Out of the numerous friendships and places to stay for free, just to name a few examples:

Already got an entry for free to a famous concert with entrances exhausted in Budapest, Montreal ride to Toronto in Canada, some others in Europe and the US, swam with manatees in Florida, I stayed in clandestinely in Havana, staied in mansions places like California, Belgium, Greece, Thailand and even in the home of a diplomat in Ethiopia. I looked for food (good) in San Diego dawn of waste with university students to make a soup and give to the needy, free a famous play in Washington, divide space in a garage with a beggar who loved to read, walked on a horse taught to ride bareback and without brake, walked across the frozen Baltic Sea in Latvia, I was invited to teach English and learn to climb at a school in mainland China, I met a pilot who became my flight instructor, climbed one volcano in Costa Rica, attended a traditional wedding in Ethiopia and not to mention the many private tours I won with my new friends and in St. Petersburg in Russia that lasted more than 10 hours walking in a single day. Last year I rode Eastern Europe along with Rafael and we stay in in all more than 20 countries that seek shelter and friendship.

Interestingly as I began to write this text also in Thailand, I received a call from a friend of couchsurfing saying his Chinese guest had gone wrong and he had taken her to the hospital. He needed a ride on my bike to be able to return the bike Chinese and get her passport back that was as collateral with the staff of rent of motorcycles. This is just one example of what is happening in the community of couchsurfers (as participants of this community are known). It's like a big family!

Couchsurfing therefore goes much further than just help you save (sooooo) money, it was here that I made friends and lived experiences that have had the impact of changing my life (to better tell the way), or at least the way I I see. No, it is not a religion and you do not have to pay anything. Sounds interesting? Weird? Doubtful? Insecure? If you do not know or does not have yet experience with me if you want to know how to get the best out of it and travel safely.

Thanks to the couchsurfing had unique experience like this in a sanctuary in Florida where caress and swimming with manatees in their natural habitat.

Who can participate:

Everyone over 18 can participate. Most users have twenty-odd years but this does not exclude anyone. 've Stayed both in university housing as in retirement homes. It's not a hippie commune but if you are one, there you can find your class. Within the site there are several sub-communities approaching us for more specific interests or different tribes as women traveling alone, airline pilots, wine lovers, video gamers, GLS, Catholics, atheists, yoga practitioners, among others.

You have to know English? Not necessarily. The structure of the site can be translated into Portuguese, but if you do not write your profile in English and not speak the language, you limit their use almost exclusively to Brazilian or Portuguese practitioners. But then, who is in order to learn or improve English, couchsurfing can be an excellent tool because it puts you in direct contact with foreigners who speak the language. I know of no better way to learn a language than practicing with those who already know. I wish if I knew the couchsurfing before I started traveling, I would have gotten the gringo with my English and sharper!

How to participate:

First you have to make your profile. It is the most annoying and I confess that my profile to date is not as I would like, but it's an important part. Start by answering some questions. No need to answer all at once, you can go completing gradually. The more unique information to show who you are in your profile, the better, the greater the chances of you getting a place to stay. What do you like to hear? What are your favorite movies? Do you like to read? What is your philosophy of life? Important: Put photos! At least 5 to 10 personal photos and showing you doing what you love. You do not have to be beautiful (a), but showing a smiling face is what makes the difference!

Accumulate references! The first thing I look at a profile before staying with someone are the references. It is the most important part in your profile, because it is unalterable, impossible to erase if you get a negative reference for example. With an empty profile and without reference you will hardly get a place to stay or even host someone, but not impossible, later on I'll give you some tips on how to make a couch request (order hosting).

In Prague, Czech Republic stayed with couchsurfers who stayed at the apartment I rented in Florida. It was really cool once again reunited with couchsurfers and this time with the roles host / guest reversed. Out the free hosting led us to know castles, breweries, bars and local events.

You have to pay?

No. It is a completely free community and you can choose only host or be hosted. The Hospitality Exchange is not required as in other communities. You can however pay a rate of $ 25 for having checked address and earn a stamp "verified" and useless in my opinion (never paid). Some people think expected to bring a gift or treat for the host (host). I'm not one of them. I just take something when I know the profile that is something that my host will really like. To take take, not take, because never hope to receive gifts from people who lodge. What do most often is to offer to pay the restaurant bill or bar for example if it takes me somewhere, or send a postcard or devote a picture a few months later to keep up.