Couchsurfing: Stay, Meet, Host

We need a better alternative. I was forced to pay $3 every month to be able to use the application but that’s not the main problem. I largely enjoyed using the application because I met many people from all over the world who I have become friends with and had good experiences with. But the administrators of the application have a very poor management style. I once hosted a guy at my house who ended up causing many problems, including stealing my keys. I made sure to complain to the CS team about this, and provided videos. All they did was suspend his account for a week. There were also multiple instances of people using the application to sexually harass people including myself. The application allows anyone to block you for any reason and with no follow-up. That’s not what’s problematic. What’s problematic is that after taking your money, the team suspends your account if “too many people” block you. There are people with multiple accounts who have blocked me because they either wanted to cause trouble at my house or sexually harass me. It’s common for people to abuse the block function. But the CS team refused to investigate these blocks and just suspended my account with no details. I have invested in my account and built up over the years, and it’s sad to see how one can get victimized like that.

This has been by far the best App I have downloaded. It has enhanced my life and taught me things about the world and life itself. The people I meet seem to have very little expectations of a host and their travels other than experiencing someone and something new. I can’t tell you how refreshing that is or how it has helped me shift my consciousness to be grateful and just be in the moment. I’ve learned a lot from my guests and am just so thankful for all the experiences I have been lucky to share. I also love that I’ve been able to expose my children to a world and perspective outside of our own. The ONLY downside (and I caution all single women who host or travel) is hosting single men for safety reasons and or just plain overt sexual attempts. Please read reviews of single male guests and make sure they have at least 5. I had a couple of very uncomfortable experiences and now know to only accept men with at least 5 reviews. Other than that this App is amazing and my life is better for it.

A week ago when i began my journey, I couldn’t believe i was opening up my wallet for my already too expensive 3-month long travel plans, the costs of almost none of which had yet hit my bank account. I also couldnt believe, as a 20-something female, that i was considering crashing on people’s couches to save a few bucks. One week in, literally, one week, and i have not a clue how much i paid to verify my account - whatever it was, it’s worth its weight in gold. Ive met numerous friends organically in the three cities i’ve visited these last 8 days, but the real connections were made with other open-minded surfers through this app. Ive spent zero dollars on lodging, got local tips on great places to eat for cheap, tourist traps to avoid, and began networking with friends of friends across the plethora of other cities/countrysides i plan to visit over the course of the next few months. I’m completely rejuvenated in life and inspired to continue budget traveling for as long as i can. Its crazy to think how new social media/app networking is in the scheme of how long humans have travelled. You guys are just scratching the surface and I’m so excited to be here for the journey. 4 stars instead of 5 simply, because it still needs to be a little more user friendly. It’s hard to see when people reply directly to you in hangouts. Not super navigable... a few interface changes in a few more updates and this thing will be ready to rock. Love you guys and thanks for helping me see the world 🙌🏼😭☮️🌏