Spring Break
Couchsurfing
Charlie Upchurch
Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: Culture
With Christmas break coming fast, if students are thinking about traveling but don't have much dough, they should check out www.couchsurfing.com.
"I've been with Couchsurfing for a year now, and it's already been amazing," said Shane Leftridge, a 26 year-old Kansas Citian and a Couchsurfing organizer for the area.
Couchsurfing is a Web site where anyone can sign up and create a profile. After that, members can use other people's couches to stay on while they travel nearly anywhere around the world and they can offer up their own couches to travelers who are coming through the area where they live.
Leftridge was able to use the site to become a more global citizen. In addition to learning about Finnish culture from his host in Finland (cooking reindeer meat included), he was personally escorted around the Russian city of St. Petersburg by his host.
Many people immediately question the safety of the Couchsurfing system. The Web site states that the verification system they use is based on references. When a person first signs up, they should have anyone they know who uses the system "vouch" for them.
Whenever you plan to take a trip, you can look at all the different hosts in the place you are traveling, and choose a host based on their profile and who has vouched for them.
"It's as safe as you want it to be," said Andrew Fails, 25, a forklift driver in the area who has been using Couchsurfing since early 2007.
Fails said it's best to trust your instincts and make sure whomever you stay with has been vouched for and has references. One of his worst experiences turned into to one of his best.
"While in Munich, Germany, I had arranged to stay with a whole houseful of people," he said. "Once I got there, I got an uncomfortable vibe from people who turned out to be squatting there."
Fails left and found a hotel for the evening. In the morning, he e-mailed a few surfers in the area about his predicament.
"Within six hours I had a text from a surfer who had a new place for me to stay," Fails said. "She took me in with no notice at all and gave me a key to her apartment."
"I've been with Couchsurfing for a year now, and it's already been amazing," said Shane Leftridge, a 26 year-old Kansas Citian and a Couchsurfing organizer for the area.
Couchsurfing is a Web site where anyone can sign up and create a profile. After that, members can use other people's couches to stay on while they travel nearly anywhere around the world and they can offer up their own couches to travelers who are coming through the area where they live.
Leftridge was able to use the site to become a more global citizen. In addition to learning about Finnish culture from his host in Finland (cooking reindeer meat included), he was personally escorted around the Russian city of St. Petersburg by his host.
Many people immediately question the safety of the Couchsurfing system. The Web site states that the verification system they use is based on references. When a person first signs up, they should have anyone they know who uses the system "vouch" for them.
Whenever you plan to take a trip, you can look at all the different hosts in the place you are traveling, and choose a host based on their profile and who has vouched for them.
"It's as safe as you want it to be," said Andrew Fails, 25, a forklift driver in the area who has been using Couchsurfing since early 2007.
Fails said it's best to trust your instincts and make sure whomever you stay with has been vouched for and has references. One of his worst experiences turned into to one of his best.
"While in Munich, Germany, I had arranged to stay with a whole houseful of people," he said. "Once I got there, I got an uncomfortable vibe from people who turned out to be squatting there."
Fails left and found a hotel for the evening. In the morning, he e-mailed a few surfers in the area about his predicament.
"Within six hours I had a text from a surfer who had a new place for me to stay," Fails said. "She took me in with no notice at all and gave me a key to her apartment."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Thomas
posted 12/16/08 @ 7:15 AM CST
Couchsurfing is safe, it's a new way of travelling in my mind. Because you get connected to people so easy.
Yeah I'm a host in Berlin (http://www.couchsurfing-host. (Continued…)
Post a Comment