5 Reasons Why You Should Try Couchsurfing (No Matter How Risky It Is)
Couchsurfing is a term used by constant travellers around the world. It is an act of moving from one house to another and sleeping in whatever space is free and available. Couchsurfers are the ones who prefer to live in a stranger’s home rather than spend their money on booking a pricey hotel. Usually, homeowners allow strangers to sleep in their living room and any other spaces in their home in exchange for anything.
A lot of people have been saying that couchsurfing is too risky and not safe especially for women. But according to constant travellers, it is still one of the most practical ways to enjoy and maximize your trip. Here are the five reasons on why couchsurfing is worth trying:
New Found Friends
Gaining new friends along the way is great and necessary. It is important to be close with the people you meet because they are the ones you can run into in case you encounter some unwanted mishaps along the way. It is great to jive and build rapport with the owner of the house that you are living in. It is one way of showing respect and showing affection that you care and you are thankful for the opportunity of couchsurfing.
The best part of travelling is sharing memories with people and it is only right to mingle and make new friends!
Cultural Awareness
This is probably one of the most important things that you have to look upon. Cultural awareness is important because it is said to be the foundation of communication and it involves the ability of standing back from ourselves and becoming aware of our cultural values, beliefs and perceptions. But it is not only about standing back from our own culture, it is also a means of having to know and getting a deeper understanding of other people’s culture. For example: You are currently in Europe, it is important to know their culture so you will know how to adjust. That’s one way to survive a trip abroad. In Japan, they always put their hands together and bow their heads when greeting other people. In the Philippines, if you happen to couchsurf at an elder’s house, it is important to say “po” and “opo” in every conversation as a sign of respect.
Free Food
Yes. This is one of the perks of couchsurfing. Home owners are very nice and hospitable to their guests and they don’t treat you as customers but as a family. Free foods are offered by them because they want to show how welcome you are. Most of the time, the homeowner will cook their local food just for you to have a taste of their cuisine.
Free foods are good but you don’t always have to rely on other people. You still need to have a budget for there are times where you might decide to try other dishes outside!
Strangers Turned Lovers
There are a lot of stories of strangers that became lovers because of travelling. There are also stories about couchsurfers falling in love with their homeowners and vice versa.
Love is really universal. You never really know when it will hit you. Through couchsurfing, things might just change as you are free to meet new people that may actually be your new lover. Just learn how to communicate and engage well with the person so that the both of you will understand each other.
Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Getting out of your comfort zone is the most important thing that you have to do in your life. Whether you are travelling, working, starting a family or business, you have to know how to take risks. Taking risks means doing things you haven’t done before and doing things that are new to you means getting out of your comfort zone.
Learn to manage everything and be inspired. Couchsurfing is one way to get out of your comfort zone. Always make sure that the people you engage yourself with are reliable and trustworthy. Go out and explore the world with new people.
Couchsurfing is really a trend that is now being used by many especially millennials. It is not just about hopping from one place to another. It is also a way to get to know people and be inspired by their stories and culture. It is also a way to blend in with the locals as it is really important for a traveller to not just go to a specific place to enjoy but to also learn and be knowledgeable of what is happening around the world.