My mother in law says to me – “I would never let my kid go trick or treating by himself these days.” These days?

We don’t live “in a different world” than we did in the 1970s. We live in a world where bad things that happen get widely reported – in great gruesome detail – across hundreds of media markets. That is our different world.

I know this article is old (I just saw it on twitter) but it is refreshing to see the answer to this common question “is couchsurfing safe” include not just the voucher system and the verified stuff as answers, but the important argument that people – strangers even – are inherently good, and that connecting with other people is a rich aspect of travel, and that you cannot live your life in a cocoon.

I used to use Couchsurfing; I admit I do not anymore. I am married and a Mom and don’t like to sleep on couches. A few years ago, I started a hospitality exchange club called Casa Casa. The model is different (we’re members-only, lots of vetting, members both travel and host, separate guestrooms preferred, B&B style) but the spirit is the same — travel is about more than just your destination. This way of traveling is about connecting with other people, making new friends and learning about the world together.

Don’t plan to use it too often. Mainly for a couple nights when I’ll be somewhere a week already to meet some locals or at least be able to ideas for what to do outside of the guidebooks.

Also really impressed with the Couchsurfing website, especially the forum area. Addicted now……not a very productive day today me thinks!

don’t believe me: believe one of couch surfing’s own inner circle, the manager of verification, who resigned over its drug sex and cult culture.

BUT, that is how couch surfing uses verification vouching and referencing for revenge.

the time i was ambassador i primarily spent putting up people who’d been robbed and abandoned and sexually assaulted and thrown out by their vouched recommended hosts and a wide range of other victims of the couch surfing policy. I was not liked by Casey and his crew because i refused to shut up about the abuses within the organization and the couch surfing policy of refusing to take responsibility for those abuses.

for example, one of my guests was a guest was verified, referenced five stars and vouched by casy himself and a member of the Montreal Collective. he showed up broke with no passport. i fed him, paid for his doctor, bought him tickets, washed his clothes so dirty i had to wash them 5 times before i could tell what color they were. he was in istanbul for drugs period. he nearly burned down my house, destroyed lamps and furniture and stole things, and had fist fights with my two at home sons, and eventually i threw him out. he is the only person i have ever thrown out of my house: a five star referenced verified vouched drug addict and personal friend and colleague of casey’s with whom he lived for a year together. casey’s reference was replete with references to drinking and carousing.

this person thanked me by accusing me of making passes at him. [i'd have rather slept with a dead camel]

another guest, a roving couch surfing ambassodor openly explained that he hoped to agitate a police riot to give turkey bad publicity

during my tenure as ambassador, i got guests new passports, got them new tickets, paid for medical bills, bought food and did the clothes provide free wi-fi. took people on cruises and trips around the city. introduced them to professors and researchers in turkey, paid for calls home, paid for taxis, even paid for hotel rooms, and because i have ten years experience with PTSD counseling, crisis intervention, homeless counseling and placement, i took care of the people couch surfing left in its wake.

couch surfing’s vouching verification and referencing includes the wholesale fail system of alcoholics, drug addicts, sexual abusers, other types and bilco artists giving each other vouches references and verifications. couch surfing removes bad references for their friends. negative references i wrote, warnings, and those written by my children and others i know in other countries are removed when couch surfing owners happen to be friends of the individuals receiving bad references and warnings.

most of 99% of the hundreds of guests i had from couch surfing were fine humans. some have become among my closest friends, but couch surfing is not safe, and couch surfing does nothing to make it safe. on the contrary.

although it wouldnt hurt to screen the profiles first but so far ive had only great experiences with surfers that ive stayed with and im still in touch with most of them

-flip

I think cs has made our trip more enjoyable too. we actually prefer to stay with a cs host than any other accommodation because you get more out of the place you are visiting! insider info! good tips on what to see, local food – we’ve been fortunate to stay with a number of foodie types , where to eat for cheap and the best way to get around…plus most importantly…conversation with someone other than your travel partner ;p

Can easily understand why some would see it as dangerous. In all honesty, if my little sister told me she’s couchsurfing at some random guys house I’d be a little more concerned than if it was me doing the staying, but so long as your cautious it’s going to end good.

Great post!

When I had my own NYC apartment, I was a regular host and had only one awful experience with a guest who started to stink after less than the requisite three days. I’ve only been a surfer once, but it’s the best way to encounter a city through the eyes of a local and get comfortable fast.

I recommend the service to anyone, but not without making sure that you’re getting into a situation you think will be comfortable. That said, even the best sleuthing can fail to spot lame host or guest 100 percent of the time.

Ninety nine percent of the world are good, hospitable people and no one should let the other fraction ruin the travel experience or stop you from pushing the envelope. Hey, that’s life.

If you are a person who questions it to the extreme, then you probably should not look into it. I haven’t surfed a ton but I will. I wouldn’t be stupid about it, but you have to go into the experience excited instead of worried.

Life is all about experiences…good and bad.

As a girl, from Asia, travelling alone to Europe, many would deem it unsafe but it’s the best thing i’ve done. Couchsurfing taught me how to trust people again. I’ve always had high level of trust in people, including strangers but couchsurfing tested my limits.

And i think it’s important because people are so paranoid of people now in light of all the sensational news (thefts, molests, rape, robbery etc) in the news and the thought of sleeping in a stranger’s place is unthinkable.

Taught me so many things, in addition to letting me have a local perspective of the places i visited.
There’s no better way of travelling, to be honest.

I’ve since came back to Singapore and has already opened my place up to travellers and started hosting. And it’s great!