Couch Surfing USA

“Oh my GOD!!! You’re staying with a total stranger, is that safe?!?”:
so was my Manhattan co-worker’s reaction when I explained that on a weekend trip away from the city, I would be couch surfing.

What is it?

Couchsurfing is a free web-based hospitality service that connects “surfers” with potential hosts who are willing to offer a place for strangers to sleep, for free. Following the recommendation of an enthusiastic friend, I am a recent convert to the World of Couch Surfing, and have now used it to stay overnight in Montreal and Virginia and plan to do it later in the Summer when I do more travelling. Couchsurfing is open to any one, anywhere and currently has a global membership of over a million and is probably the greatest thing on the internet (following the sinking of PirateBay.org!)

How does it work?

To join, members are required to set up a personal profile, including details of their hobbies and interests, information on their travel experience and a photo. Profiles are then authorised by other members to prove their legitimacy. The better the profile and the more complete it is, the more likely potential hosts are to accept requests of somewhere to stay. Members then use the service to send messages to other people in the CouchSurfing network and basically ask if they can stay with them. Members are typically most inclined to accept requests for a Couch to sleep on from people who tailor a personal message explaining why they would like to stay. Members can search hosts by city (eg “Boston”). No one is obliged to host, though they are encouraged to. The obvious advantage to MB interns is - of course - that it is free and therefore provides us a goods means for saving an extra part of our lavish salary, when we go around exploring the US. However, it is also a great cultural experience. In practical terms, it means that when arriving in a new place couchsurfers can immediately get to meet locals and quickly get useful local knowledge. The CS experience does not finish with a good night’s kip. Members also set up a range of services and events for other members. For example, they often offer rideshares to those travelling between cities and organise gatherings such as - for the NY Group, over recent weeks – movie-watching in Bryant Park, a Thursday-night bar outing and Sunday morning Dim Sum in China Town.

What’s the catch, why did no one think of this before?

Nowt. It took humanity a fair while to evolve far enough to invent the Internet – after all - and now it is merely a case of making the most of it. For Couchsurfing to happen, it requires a small leap of faith on the part of the host and potential guest. It rests on the optimistic and oft-doubted assumption of the innate altruism and generosity of people toward random strangers. Funnily enough, it works.