Laussie's Profile

I think the major problem here is that people are too worried about meeting the 'bad' people they forget that 99.9% of people are good, and by submitting to their fears they are cutting themselves off from all the good people they could meet.

I've got no idea and can't seem to figure out why anyone would have a problem with staying with or giving a place to stay to their friends, and while I can understand the apprehension to have strangers in your personal space there are other ways to participate in couchsurfing as well, such as coffee.

As for the benefits of couchsurfing: the surfer has a place to stay, access to local knowledge of the area, if they are travelling alone they have company for a bit, and they get to build relationships with locals; the host gets to meet people from other places while they are not travelling, may even be given ideas on what there is to do in their area if the traveller has done research, the likelihood of a reciprocal couchsurf if they ever travel to where the surfer is from, and some quality conversations (usually about their shared interests in travelling).

Personally, as a solo 24-year-old female traveller I have never once felt afraid, in terms of belongings or personal safety, of anyone I have stayed with. As for my hosts, they have all very graciously given me spare keys, left the house unlocked or made other arrangements so I could come and go when I wanted. Why such trust? Simple. People who are a part of couchsurfing generally like to be optimistic and hopeful about the human race.

The people I've met in couchsurfing support every reason I am optimistic and hopeful about the human race. There are still so many amazing people in the world and I love that couchsurfing gives me a great way to meet some of them.