What is CouchSurfing?

CouchSurfing “offers its users hospitality exchange and social networking services.” The website allows for people to host travelers and for travelers to travel for free. With being a host or a CouchSurfer there are a lot of perks.

I had the pleasure to do a mini photo session with our two most recent Couchsurfers from Russia, friends: Alisa and Kristin. They were a joy to host. We had late night talks, went out to Korean BBQ and a wine bar.

 10 Reasons

Why You Should Host CouchSurfers

1) You are being generous.

I don’t know about you, but being kind to strangers is definitely rewarding. You are giving back to the global community, making the world a better place. Hosting is an easy way to show kindness to other people.

2) The kindness can be reciprocated.

CouchSurfing works a lot like pay-it-forward. The more people you host the more connections you will have in the CouchSurfing realm from reviews.

3) Opportunity to practice your hospitality skills.

It’s easy to be trapped in our own little bubble and forget to have a welcoming home if hospitality isn’t practiced regularly. If you don’t practice that gift will be gone.

4) Meet new people out of your circle.

Everyone has their schedules, and some people’s time line doesn’t allow them to meet new people. Hosting a CouchSurfer opens the doors to people from all walks of life.

5) Learn about a new culture.

Usually people like to talk. Hosting a CouchSurfer has a high probability that you will host an international and that being said, you can learn a lot about that person’s culture.

From our two recent Russian CouchSurfers I learned:

A) Russians tend to not smile as much as Americans or Chinese (on the street), but these women were the exception.

B) Russian women dress up more than American women.

C) I saw and experienced a famous Russian dance.

D) It’s not as common for Russians to speak English as it is for Chinese. (again these women were the exception)

E) We had more in common with Russians than we thought we did.

Through our conversations I felt like I got to travel to Russia for a little bit without leaving Chinese soil.

6) Learn more about places in your city.

When Denny and I arrived in Qingdao in the fall of 2012, the weather was cooling off and we were settling in, figuring out the basics: phones, water, electricity and grocery shopping. By the time we attempted the local beach we were scolded by the ocean’s frigid icy waters. Needless to say we haven’t explored Qingdao that much since we have been here. From our recent hosting of CouchSurfers I have lived curiously through them exploring our local city. One of my favorite things of hosting a CouchSurfer is hearing their adventures from the day!

7) Experience a new fun.

Having CouchSurfers shakes life up a bit. For me having guest in my home feels like an honor. Not only am I blessing someone else but it gives me a sense of feeling like I am on a vacation because I am living subconsciously through them when I hear about their sightseeing adventures.

8) Not sure what to do with that spare bedroom?

Have no more worries, put your extra bedroom to good use. Share its space with a CouchSurfer for a night or two. If you’re an expat in a foreign country chances are high that you have a second bedroom. Are you a newly wed, without kids, with a spacious house? Invest that bedroom by hosting a couchsurfer.

9) Learn something.

Hosting a person gives you the opportunity to meet someone you might never meet. With new people comes: learning some of their language, a skill (like dancing), sharing your skills (like photography/cooking) and hearing someone else’s story.

If you are on CouchSurfing, why do you host couchsurfers?

If you haven’t heard of CouchSurfing until today, after reading this post are you going to host CouchSurfers? If not, why wouldn’t you?

If you would like to see more photos from this session of Alisa and Kristin check them out on my SmugMug.