Connections Across Continents with Couchsurfing

I’ve noticed a few travelers on this platform writing about traveling on a budget. I’m a budget traveler myself, and I’ve figured out a few habits over the years to save money while I see the world. Couchsurfing.com is one thing that’s not only saved me money but really enhanced my experiences as a solo traveler. It’s also given me a chance to host people in my own country and welcome other travelers of many nationalities.

In 2012 I went to Germany to work as an au pair, where I met an American girl with a love of travel and connecting with strangers. She invited me along to a meet-up of couchsurfers, where people from across the globe gathered. I wanted in. This felt like the community for me.

Fastforward to 2015 and I was finally settled in one place, beginning a degree in Dublin. I made an account on couchsurfing.com and opened up my little room on campus to visiting couchsurfers. I got to set the guidelines for staying with me: only females, please, because I’d feel uncomfortable sharing my bedroom with a man. A maximum of three nights, because the campus wouldn’t allow guests for any longer. Non-smokers. Preferably under 25. I wanted to help people like me - the younger girls, traveling alone, a little vulnerable in a new city. I wanted to represent Ireland well and give them a local's introduction to Dublin. I wasn't sure if anyone would really want to stay with me, as I had no references from previous guests, but it was worth a try.

Within a week of making my account, I had my first guest – a 19 year old Swiss girl, staying for a single night. It felt a little awkward in the beginning, but I soon settled into my role as host. By my second or third guest I was into a routine: making up the airbed on my floor, giving directions to my uni campus, cooking dinner for my guest’s first night (if there’s one thing I know I hate worrying about immediately after arriving in a brand new country, it’s where to find food). I hosted experienced couchsurfers with many references from host and guests, and those who were just starting out and had no references at all. Every one was a success, and left me with lovely memories.

I hosted young women from Germany, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Brazil and France. They usually explored the city alone as I had classes to attend, but we spent evenings together. We visited Dublin's most famous bars and listened to fantastic traditional music over half-pints of Guinness. We hung out with my friends and shared our countries’ histories, languages and cultures. One girl baked bread for me in my tiny kitchen. Another brought me cheese from a trip to Portugal. When they left, we always swapped glowing references on couchsurfing.com, raising our chances of finding more guests and hosts in the community. For Steemians, this process of earning a "reputation" will be familiar, but I feel it's more genuine than this platform can often be. There are no shortcuts to joining a community based on meeting new people and getting to really know them - and that's what's so beautiful about it!

After hosting 6 or 7 couchsurfers myself, I took a trip to London and spent two nights “surfing” with a sweet couple originally from Hong Kong. They were seasoned hosts and guests themselves, full of travel anecdotes and advice for getting around their overwhelming adopted city. London accommodation is expensive, so I was lucky to get the chance to see it for free. But I was even more lucky to have the experience of living with two such kind Londoners. I was even fortunate enough to be provided with a companion – the couple had another girl staying the same nights, who was visiting from Turkey. We spent a day checking out Camden Market together, and had some wonderful conversations as we navigated the Tube and wandered the streets. Of course, we left each other references on the website after we’d said our goodbyes. We’re still Facebook friends and keep up with each other’s travels and stories.

My second experience as a guest came earlier this year. I was studying in Shanghai, and decided to take a solo trip to Thailand and Malaysia during the long Chinese New Year holidays. For my first three nights in Thailand, I found a sweet and welcoming superhost. This girl, A., spent my whole three days with me, driving me around Chiang Mai on the back of her motorbike, showing me her university, paddling with me in cool streams, leading me up a hiking trail in the mountains, introducing me to Thai tea and spicy papaya salad. With her guidance, I was able to find my feet in this fascinating country.

With A., I felt like I was with an old friend. We talked for hours and bared our souls. In her home, two words were painted on the wall: "compassion" and "hope". Her pure spirit truly embodied these, and I felt nurtured and secure in her company. This connection is what couchsurfing is all about to me – the type of people attracted to this way of traveling are often the ones who yearn for real conversations, beyond small talk. They're folk who love to learn from others, and have plenty to teach in return. They're the compassionate kinds with open minds and open hearts, who will welcome strangers into their homes with open arms, who want to provide a safe and supportive space for visitors just for the experience of friendship and connection that comes with it. They are a community in the truest sense of the word.

I will never forget those few days in London and Chiang Mai, and I can’t wait to get back to Dublin to begin hosting again. So if you’re stopping by any time, hit me up on couchsurfing.com – no matter where you've come from, no matter who you are, you'll always be welcome. Let's get connected!