As it was, though, I did not want to spend a ridiculous amount on the trip. (Albeit, besides the aforementioned beer and chocolate) One of the expenditures that always hits the wallet hard on any trip is accommodation. I remember, though, one of my friends from my program telling me about a cool thing called couchsurfing.
So after reading about it a little, I logged into couchsurfing.com, created a profile, and began to search for people in the cities I was going to visit.
You can filter your search for gender, age, couch availability, smoking, pets, etc. In the results you see a list of profiles similar to facebook or myspace pages. You basically go through these trying to first establish a) whether this person is a creepster, and then b) whether it seems like they're cool to stay with. After finding someone who seems to be suitable, you send them a nice message asking if you can crash at their place for the dates you will be there.
It took me a bit to finally lock up places as some people already have couchsurfers staying, or other conflicts. Overall, though, the vast majority of people responded to my requests at least, and some with availability. Upon setting up my contacts, I prepared to leave. The night before I was off to Spain, I called up "Gustavo" just in case because I was will still hesitant and nervous about this whole thing, but he seemed like a good guy on the phone, so I figured what the hell...
What happened during my next week turned out to be an incredible travel experience. The people I stayed with welcomed me right into their homes. Some made me dinner, breakfast, bought me drinks, and would take me out for tours of the city.
I was simply amazed at the ability of strangers to be so nice.
Our natural response is to ask what's in it for them? The people I met, though, were more or less of the same type of make; they had a basic friendliness and trustworthiness. In addition, many of my hosts, though not all, had couchsurfed themselves, and wanted to return the favor to other young travelers.
There's a risk on both ends really for the traveler and the host, but also rewards.
For me, the first benefit was obviously economical. But beyond that, I would say there were two more significant ones. The second being that these people could give you a taste of the city that you otherwise could never have. In Ghent, my host Mieke took me to this incredibly hip candle lit back alley bar with some other folks that was run by a former lady opera singer that ran the place sort of like the Soup Nazi. It was absolutely wonderful, and nothing you would find on your own.
Bar in Ghent
Traditionally, if you travel in a hostel and meet other travelers, they are also outsiders to the city as well. While you may make cool friends, you both essentially travel as foreigners and end up at some overpriced, touristy bar where you hear loud American accents talking about beer their pong table back in the States.
The third notion, as cheesy as it will inevitably sound, is that you make unique friends, and network throughout the world with couchsurfing. I met incredibly down to earth people, who just wanted to be part of something that had no catch to it.
Somehow, I ended up in Brugge when the the entire couchsurfing community was meeting that weekend, which led to me being in this awkward photo...
Where's Waldo...
I made some friends with other travelers who happened to be in the same cities in Belgium with me. They had been traveling for a month or so, and had all positive experiences except for one host who turned out to be pretty strange, and they left his place a day early.
I think couchsurfing brings in two types of people. The first type are those international orphans, just looking to see the world economically while making interesting friends along the way. The second, and I experienced it in a small dose from the community meeting I went to, are people who are really into couchsurfing. Like it consumes their life, as opposed to being a cool idea and hobby.
Some people apparently host every weekend, and throughout the weekdays. While I admire that hospitality, you also have to ask why the person does not prefer their own privacy and friends now and then. My friends' host was a bit like this. I suppose it makes sense, though, because inevitably when you host, the people you will be taking in are incredibly grateful and will be super friendly and validating toward you.
Thankfully, though, my hosts were nothing but wonderful. The whole experience left me with a smile on my face as I returned to England. So often we live in a world of locked doors, pin numbers, and upper and lower case passwords to protect ourselves from all those bad people out there. It was refreshing to participate again in something that completely depended on people just being good.
