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I took my very first trip to Europe this summer, and couchsurfed for the entire 3 months I was there.  I honestly had nothing but fantastic experiences.  The first month I traveled with a good friend of mine, and we worked out how best to use the network together.  On each person's profile, it highlights their amount of friends, and displays comments of past surfers they have had.  Obviously, if someone has no friends, and no references, they might not be a safe bet!

We at first were attracted to the idea because we were aiming to travel on a very tight budget.  Although we did end up traveling extremely cheaply, allowing my trip to last as long as it did, that was not my favorite part about the couchsurfing experience in the end.  It was getting to know the local people, meeting their friends, living and being a part of their life, that really made my travel experience.  Even when they understandably do not necessarily hit up all the tourist destinations with each couchsurfer they host, they have the reccommendations that are not in the guidebooks, and are so much fun for nightlife!  The relationships I have formed during my couchsurfing experience are so valuable to me.  They not only made for a really complete trip, allowing me to really get to know each city behind the scenes, but are people that i care to stay in touch with, and maintain my own personal network. 

By the time my friend left me, I was so comfortable with the network, I had no problem traveling on my own. I found that on my own, these relationships with my hosts were even tighter, and it forced me to hang out with other couchsurfers, and people that I absolutely would never have met. 

My admiration for the couchsurfing network is enormous, and though the network is growing at the speed of light, may it continue to do so.  I think that it has a very positive effect on human to human trust that this world so badly needs and seems to lack in this day and time. 

-Whitney Dawson, student, age 20.

posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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