As I sit here on the floor of my dorm in the hostel in Austin, TX, about to write a post on Couchsurfing I have to chuckle at the irony. Over the last few months I have had my fair share of Couchsurfing experiences and have also had the opportunity to connect with other travellers and discuss their experiences with CS as well. After many discussions, I felt it was appropriate to throw together a list of tips that may help both parties out - surfers and hosts.
Tips For CouchSurfers - How To Be A Good Guest:
- Always be clear when sending requests on how long/how many nights you are looking to stay.
- Advise a potential host of any special requests or circumstances. Ex: if you have allergies OR don't just show up with your two dogs. Remember, this is not your house.
- Respect your hosts privacy. If they want you out of the house when they are not there - respect that. Remember, you are a guest and are staying for free!
- Although not required, showing up with a host gift is always a nice way to connect. It can be something as simple as a bottle of wine or something unique to where you're from - tea from England or a pin from your home state.
- Always be sure to ask if there is anything you need to bring - blankets/pillows/food.
- Be sure to research the location of your host before arriving. A 10 minute commute from downtown, as listed on their profile, might be talking to those with a car. Public transportation could and probably will take significantly longer.
- When you're sending out a request, be sure to personalize it. Nothing is more off-putting than seeing a generic two-line request where you have just substituted the addressee (some not even going that far to take the time to write out the name of the person you're requesting to stay with).
- Most importantly, remember your manners people. This is not your house. You are a guest. Everyone does things differently and be sure to respect that. You aren't staying with this host forever but while you are you need to be flexible to their routines.
Tips for Hosts - How To Prepare Your Surfers:
- Before accepting a surfer, let us know if you have any rules of the house - no drinking, no smoking, bed time is 10 pm, etc. This prepares us and ensures there are no surprises or moments of awkward miscommunication.
- Advise your surfers on your proximity to things like public transport, tourist attractions, and places like downtown. Many travellers do not have a vehicle with them so this will affect their plans.
- I know many of you take pride in your cities and love showing surfers around but also be mindful of when a surfer may have things on their to-do list that they might want to do or see on their own. Furthermore, respect their decision. What you may write off as old news is probably something your surfer has never or rarely been exposed to - hence the trip to your city!
- If you require a surfer to bring anything let us know well in advance - blankets, pillows, food, etc.
- If you do not want a surfer to use certain items, or if you have certain items you will allow a surfer to use, let us know. Examples: oven, washer/dryer, coffee maker, etc.
- Although it is never a requirement, let your surfers know ahead of time if you do not have wifi. Many travelers rely on wifi to communicate with friends and family back home as well as to plan the next stages of our travels. If you let us know before arrival that you do not have wifi we can be sure to do planning ahead of time or at least look up the nearest Starbucks where we can go chill out in the twenty-first century.
- Do your best to keep your place clean. You don't have to be a Martha Stewart or Monica from Friends but don't make your surfers sleep on dirty sheets, wade through garbage to get from one room to the next, or step into a shower that they leave dirtier than when they entered.
To both parties - be kind. Respect each others life views. If you have a affinity for a certain religion, political party, social group, etc perhaps avoiding such topics is a way to go so as not to make anyone uncomfortable should they not share the same views.
Most importantly, have fun. As I mentioned several posts ago, CouchSurfing has revolutionized the way people can travel nowadays. Staying with a stranger, free of charge and truly getting the locals' point of view is a priceless experience. I have stayed with countless amazing people that I am truly grateful to have met. Thank you to all that have hosted me, and cheers to those of you that will!
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