Couch Surfing Report - BBC News

[mizzbahamas88]

how dangerous is there???

[sadhubeast]

BBC has not covered the evil's of couch surfing. Sorry to burst your bubble you idiots, CS people have been using CS for free stay and as a sex search engine.

[PVBoarding]

GOD DAMN I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SURF FORECAST!

[strengthundefeatable]

An amazing idea! Loveit! Let me know if anyone comes to Chiang Mai.. i gotta couch :)

[ellof]

why CouchSurfing lost his soul:

a) volounteers donated much work and money in order to support a non-profit organization, not a buisness corporation;

b) WikiTravel pages and CS travel pages (probably the most ample touristic guide in the world) will be valuable, now, that the site has a price tag;

c) Now couchsurfing will generate a revenue. Me, my house, the people that i host are buisness.;

d) Personal infos are now avaible for commercial purposal

[jarridtstube]

@ellof calm down dude, as the site becomes more popular it needs more staff to operate and filter the site. if you read the email it said the site was not classed as 'not for profit' organization by the US gov so they were not entitled to gov support. donations are not enough if it wasn't for the corporation there could very well be no couchsurfing. and if you stop couchsurfing because of that i think its you that has lost your soul

[ellof]

@jarridtstube you don't know facts. Couchsurfing needed money in order to move the legal office from New Hampshire to other place with better legislation. But Casey Fenton and his friends have squandered donations withy exotic travels and bad admnistration. One possible solution was to ask the community to save the site with free donations (ultimately, couchsurfing is propriety of the couchsurfers...). they choose the easiest way: become millionaire! not a staff problem..lol...

[jarridtstube]

@ellof oh really, thats a bit shit of them! oh well my experiances form couchsurfing have been too valuble to stop because of that, as long as the people i meet through the site haven't lost their soul i'll still use it

[unapolakita]

I really hate how the video presents couchsurfing as a free accomodation... :( IT"S NOT THAT! It's about meeting people, and I give you my word, meeting another person is worth much more than one night stay!

[kelaren]

I think an awful lot of people are crippled with fear. The world is a much nicer place than you think. Let go a bit and try things. Enter into the unknown as much as you can.

In the end, you regret the things you DIDN'T do in life, not the things you did.

End of rant.

[kelaren]

Superb. For a second I thought the BBC news was going to tell a big scare story. Phew.

[TheMarinadehaan]

Great idea for my clients: women who travel solo. It seems a very good way to meet people and hang out with friends and meet the real local culture. Thanks for your video!

Marina

Womentravelalone

[TexasNova]

Laundry/food & shower? I'm kinda torn on this one. The house guest may be kind enough to let an individual into their home but what bout the visitor? Dam here in America hell there are Facebook stalkers that will hurt you. Sorry I don't have that level of trust to bring a complete stranger into my home with my family.

[bragtern]

@itchyjaja to say generalize and say that couchsurfers are white western scumbags is as ignorant as your comment can get. The concept of couch surfing is not about giving a bed to the needed, it's about meeting foreign people, learning about cultures, sharing experiences and in all making new friends around the globe.

I'm grateful for those who have donated to the site, but the fact that you HOST or SURF someone's couch is as much a donation and a contribution to the CS project.

[IvyHrom]

what is couchsurfing REALLY about...?

youtube.com/watch?v=t4b3fTzkxi­I

[crazyjorge2111]

I wanna travel the world one day I know this looks really safe, but I'm still scared about some people that may be felons.

[MrToadMaster]

@crazyjorge2111 You can spend your life in fear, or your can choose to live in a world where people help one another just for the shear joy of it. There are risks, sure, but I've never heard a scary couchsurfing story. For your first couchsurfing expedition, take along a friend to help you feel more comfortable.

[Dreamydre15]

@crazyjorge2111 It's pretty safe, and as long as you use some common sense it should be very safe. Create an account and view someone's profile and you'll know what I'm talking about. Don't knock it till you try it.

[crazyjorge2111]

@Dreamydre15 Yeah but if you were taking someone in with a new account wouldn't you be a little worried?

[Dreamydre15]

@crazyjorge2111 Of course, and I wouldn't couch surf to their home if I was worried.

[amrelsa2a89]

Never been host yet,but hosted a lot of people and show more and more since middle of 07

really like it :)

[elojoquetodolove2020]

I'm going to start traveling as a backpacker and my first country will be the USA! :) I'm still trying to decide between Couch Surfing or to find a guest family with Helpex... I really would appreciate any comment, suggestion and help as little as possible I will be very thank with you! I will start in San Francisco.. any suggestions? dont hesitate to email me!

[angie19874444]

@elojoquetodolove2020

Thanks for the Helpex suggestion. I have looked at this link and it looks absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to get out there and travel travel travel.... jut need to pay my car off first...cry!

[MrToadMaster]

@elojoquetodolove2020  Try couchsurfing! I know many people who say it changed their lives.

[Erekosee]

I really don't like the fact that it is more about money (travelling cheap), than the pleasure of sharing a travel and a culture with someone else. Couchsurfing it is a way to look at the world but with the eyes of people, making great new friendships

[kimchangi]

hem...........Couchsurfing is marvellous, I have been joining since 2008. hem............

[CristoViolador]

couch surfing rules yeahh!!!

[pirtskhal]

awesome!

[angie19874444]

@pirtskhal Do you have a travel blog? I am interested in traveling by cycle around europe and would love to watch your journey for some tips :o) good luck with all the adventures.

[alpha2127]

i hae been hosting from last 2 yrs :)

[fiercetyme]

This is a fantastic idea. Communal living global style!

[angie19874444]

@fiercetyme I love the idea of communal living! Sure beats being at home lonely by yourself :o) Bring on great friends and adventure !

[MotivationSeeker]

Our family has hosted over 60 people in the past year. And we were hosted in a family's home in Vietnam for 3 days. It was the best way to start our trip, to get some breathing space and start planning our holiday with a toddler and their local knowledge.

[thecarlosgarcia]

we couched surfed all over the planet last year, from dorm room floors to staying on islands of the coast of norway, each experience was wonderfull and unique... so many stories and happy experiences, we loved it..

great way to really see this planet...

[konner101]

greetings from america! im an american who just finished couchsurfing throught the middle east and had the greatest experience in my life! im possitive couchsurfing will save the world :D

[RagingLampoon]

When I first stumbled upon couch surfing, it felt like a dream had, quite literally, come true. I can't think of anything I would rather do than host and surf!! My life goal is to travel around the world, and CS is a great place to start!!

I can't wait until I turn eighteen and can FINALLY join the site! Only one year and three months to go! :,D

[p0th3adny]

@RagingLampoon hehe agreed, so, where do you plan on going/doing? i just turned 16, got two more years to go...:p

[RagingLampoon]

I want to take a year off before I go to college and volunteer abroad, if my parents allow it. I also want to explore the States before I go anywhere else, just to get some experience under my belt. After that, who knows? I'm really interested in Asia, though. :3

What about you?

[p0th3adny]

@RagingLampoon uhh, Yea, im gonna go around the statens too, maybe by bike ;D (as in bicycle, not motor bike), Asia's a great place to go, i (think) i might go to college just to get an ESL teaching degree, english speaking teachers in asia are in high demand apperently :o, other than that...i just wanna travel the world, forever

[angie19874444]

@RagingLampoon

Wow this is fantastic that you have started so early in your life. You will have a great travel blog by the time your 18 :o) Keep exploring

[guitarfreaky1996]

@RagingLampoon well you're 18 now.. how about it?

[GoGipInc]

@RagingLampoon So that was to years ago, and now you're probably 18. have you been murdered yet?

[ateist88]

Couchsurfing is a great idea but it's full of hippies,idiots and people who can't find any friends.

[marniebrooke1982]

I love couch surfing I just hosted a guy from poland he was really nice

[pirtskhal]

CouchSurfing is just awesome!

[calmebob]

I've been using couchsurfing for over 3 years now - hosting more than surfing. This video really hits the point home that the real benefit isn't the free place to stay, but the access to locals who become immediate friends and often tour guides. You get introduced to local flavor that is damn near impossible to come by when staying in a hotel. Couchsurfing has changed my life. And I don't use that phrase flippantly.

[angie19874444]

@calmebob

Hello, just an important question for you

Have you ever had any trouble with safety and security with the project and having strangers stay? I am a female and am very interested to get into the project. As i live in another couples house i am worried about hosting in case anything gets stolen. For safety reasons also i am hesitant to stay at other strangers house for my own safety.

I think the whole idea is fantastic and i too also feel this could completely change my life.

[MrToadMaster]

@angie19874444 We host surfers, and have never had a problem with any of that. If you're the kind of person who has a bunch a expensive items lying around, and they're deepling important to you, you may not be the type of person who will ever embrace couchsurfing. If, on the other hand, you value friendship more than material things and long to truly connect with other human beings, you really should try surfing, hosting, or both.

[cryrolfe]

We're members and we just signed up. We've only been on the site for less than a month and have already had 10 people come to our home!!

Everyone has been wonderful!

[fattirevsbud]

couchsurfing for life!!

[mirmate]

Greetings from Barcelona, Spain!! I've been couchsurfing in Mexico and the west coast of the US during this summer and it was the perfect and deepest experience in my life!and I couchsurfed with the guy on the 1:20 min (on the video) in San Diego!! (daniel pike) with couchsurfing the world is getting smaller!!thanks to you all who make this project real!!

[justcallmesimon]

I just completed a couch surfing trip around the world and it was simply the best vacation/adventure of my entire life. And for a guy in my late 30's I think I can safely say it's not just "something for the kids" either.

I'll be couch surfing again that's for sure!

[bigsamu]

you're right.. and average age on CS is 27 years old... which, to me, was surprisingly "old"... meaning there's a big part of members in their 30's...

[hkaku]

I love couchsurfing!!!