CouchSurfing: A Bargain and a Gamble

I recently posted a brief reference about CouchSurfing, and I thought I would follow up.


CouchSurfing is a social media site that brings together travelers from all over the world by matching up people looking for a place to stay and people who are willing to let them stay in their homes for free.  After joining the site, one creates a personal profile that logs information about the user such as age and gender, and even goes as in depth as to ask what your personal philosophy, religion, and beliefs are.   With over 2.4 million members, CouchSurfing has drawn the attention of many sociologists, who are intrigued by its popularity, and the implications it has on our view of each other.

Cody Kittle, a writer for TIME Magazine, reviewed CouchSurfing as a veteran surfer. In his article "Adventures in Couch Surfing: One Sojourner's Truth," Kittle describes his trip to Hong Kong, and the CouchSurfing experience he had there.  He also describes exactly what CouchSurfing is--something that "outsiders," as he calls them, find hard to understand.

Kittle's review of CouchSurfing is quite positive and points out many beneficial things about the program such as available identity and address verification.  Kittle is also willing to put forward that the system can be challenging at times, such as when his plans fell through at the last minute.  His advice is to take your time exploring and finding options--there are even CouchSurfers in Antarctica.


Personally, the more I look into CouchSurfing, the more it seems like a reputable system as long as you are careful. There are kind people all over the country and the world that are willing to host reputable travelers in their homes. If someone has paid the $25 fee to have themselves verified, and they also have a laundry list of positive reviews, I would consider taking the opportunity to meet someone new.  Traveling alone and CouchSurfing may not be the best idea, but if you and a friend need a cheap place to stay, giving CouchSurfing a chance may be just what you need.