Pros and Cons Of Couchsurfing Abroad
It’s a common desire to want to travel more and spend less. However, what’s not common is the willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone to be able to achieve that.
If you’ve ever heard of Couchsurfing then you know that there are ways to travel the world with very little money if you’re willing to stay with strangers for free.
Now I know that this is not for everyone, but if you’ve ever been curious about couch-surfing but aren’t completely sure that it’s something you’d be willing to try then read this post and find out some of the pros and cons of Couchsurfing abroad.
PRO’S
- MEET NEW PEOPLE AND CREATE LONG-LASTING FRIENDSHIPS
One of the best things about Couchsurfing is meeting new people from around the world. Creating relationships with like-minded people who you can always visit in different parts of the world makes you want to get out there more.
Couchsurfing forces you to not only create relationships with strangers but puts you outside of your comfort zone by creating a relationship with someone you just met, while also living with them for a short amount of time and this can develop some amazing connections.
2. SAVE MONEY
Okay so this one is obvious but saving money on travel is always a good thing. Free accommodation in some of the most amazing and expensive parts of the world allows you to spend more of your money on the things you want to do and see instead of accommodation.
Although Couchsurfing is free, don’t forget that your host is doing you a huge favour and you should return it with some act of kindness in return.
I always washed up the dishes, helped clean up my host’s apartment and shared some of my culture with them to show my gratitude.
3. LEARN ABOUT LOCAL CULTURE FROM A LOCAL
Cultural exchanges happen in many ways but it’s so much different when it’s happening in a foreign country with someone who can break down the cultural barriers for you.
When you’re Couchsurfing you basically have a personal guide and if they have the time they can show you all of the best places to go and cool things to do in their city.
4. STAY IN A NEIGHBOURHOOD YOU PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE BY STAYING AT A HOTEL
Sometimes locals do live near all the action, but other times you’ll find yourself staying in neighbourhoods that aren’t exactly placed near all of the typical tourist actives.
This is a good thing because you get to explore hidden gems and places the typical tourist would not.
5. LEARN THE LANGUAGE FROM A LOCAL
One of the most difficult things while travelling can be learning the language and there’s only so much you can learn online.
Staying with a local means that they can teach you pronunciation and small sayings that you’ll need to use in your everyday interactions.
CON’S
- MESSAGES FROM SKETCHY PEOPLE
As a female traveller looking for a Couchsurfing host can sometimes be met with unwanted advances. When I put on my profile that I was looking for hosts in Paris I had a lot of creepy and strange offers from tons of men in my messages, it sucked but that just meant that I had to thoroughly asses which people were good options.
I suggest going through every message with extreme caution, don’t stay with people who don’t have an extra bed and expect you to sleep in the same bed with them and don’t accept offers for anything other than a place to sleep.
2. CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET OFFERS IN CERTAIN CITIES
Some cities have fewer hosts generally due to population sizes and in those cities, it can be nearly impossible to find a host.
In LA & NYC it was super difficult to find hosts because of how many tourists come into the city each day and in smaller places like Toulouse, France I didn’t get as many offers as I did in Paris.
3. IT’S AN OVERSATURATED WEBSITE NOW
Couchsurfing was founded in 2003 that was quite some time ago and when it first started to gain traction there were tons of genuine travellers looking to exchange a good deed and meet like-minded people around the world.
Now with its recent gain in popularity, you have people who aren’t interested in the sites core values but are just looking for a cheap way to substitute their travels instead of caring about the actual people who are kind enough to take them in.
I’ve seen a lot of hosts explicitly state on their profiles that they are not a hotel and don’t appreciate 1-word lines demanding a place to stay without even making an effort to get to know them, this new era of Couchsurfing has started to stray away from its original core values.
4. NOT THE BEST LIVING SITUATIONS
This is Couchsurfing after all so most of the time you won’t be afforded the luxuries of a hotel, Airbnb or even hostel. Not everyone has an extra room for you to stay in and I’ve personally always slept on couches as a couch-surfer.
People are usually really clear about the living situation on their profiles and when you exchange messages but there can be rare occasions where you’re just met with something completely different than you expected.
In this case, you can either go with it or find somewhere else to stay, I recommend always having a plan B just in case your Couchsurfing experience doesn’t go as planned.
Couchsurfing just like most things has its pros and cons and honestly, it shouldn’t stop you from trying something new and stepping out of your comfort zone.
I suggest weighing some of your own pro’s and con’s for Couchsurfing and see if it’s something that would be worth trying for you, It took me 2 years of contemplating before I tried it but it was so worth it in the end.
If you have any questions about Couchsurfing don’t hesitate to reach out to me and ask away my contact information is listed below.
Also, let me know in the comments one reason why you’d love to try Couchsurfing.
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Email: Raeahbromfield@gmail.com
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