Once relegated to the realm of vaguely suspect activities – train hopping, dumpster diving and the like – Couchsurfing is now considered practically mainstream in the backpacker community.
For those unfamilar with Couchsurf (CS), firstly: You’re welcome. I am confident you will thank your lucky stars for having been introduced to one of the greatest tools to be found in the back pocket of modern budget travelers.
The gist of CS is that it’s a worldwide network of travelers, and citizens who wish to offer a free bed/couch/floor/hammock/la-z-boy chair to said travelers.
What keeps axe murderers and crazies from the using the website as a virtual game park, you ask? The members of CS do most of the inter-policing necessary by leaving references after the surf is completed, giving both parties an opportunity to sing each other’s praises, or conversely, warn others of that member’s sleazy come-ons, thoughtlessness, or any other flavour of inappropriate behaviour.
Moreover, though anyone can create a free CS profile, achieving a verified status requires a small donation to the website using one’s credit card, so you can be assured at minimum that your guest/host is using a real name and address. These measures do not guarantee a positive experience, and you must be aware that, like most activities, there is a small risk – but it is pretty darn small.
Couchsurfing has reached the masses in Western countries but many people are astonished that CS is alive and well in places like Uganda and Egypt. In fact, CS hosts exist almost everywhere I have visited (including Somaliland!) in Northeast Africa, a colourful melange of locals and expats spanning the full spectrum of professions, ages and living situations. My diverse CS experiences have taught me a lot about how to score a great host – and how to avoid a sketchy one.
Safety first! If you’re new to CS, read through their site carefully; there is a ton of great information on there. If you are traveling solo, are a woman, or both, I recommend staying with a female host or couples/families whenever possible.
If you do decide to contact a male host, read his profile information very carefully and use your instincts: Do all of his photos feature him in a speedo, flexing his biceps? Does he state he is only available to host women? Did he bother to fill out the sections about interests, music tastes, how he found out about couchsurfing – in other words, did he put effort into introducing himself through his profile? This stuff is important.
No matter who you are and who you stay with, make sure your host has a few substantial references (not only from their childhood friend or their brother), and check up on the profiles of a couple people who left those references to make sure they are verified, a.k.a., real people!
Choose a public location for the first meeting (even if it’s just the cafe next to their house) to give you a chance to size them up in person before moseying to their place, and always tell someone where you are going. My over-protective elder sister insisted on knowing who I was going to be surfing with (she is an avid CSer herself) and would write a friendly little hello message to my host, subtlely letting them know that she had an eye out and not to try any funny stuff. Make a joke of it, and there will be no hurt or weird feelings.
Although it’s nice to save money on accommodation, this is not the primary reason to couchsurf, and if that’s all you’re in it for, don’t bother; there is an abundance of reasonably priced accommodation in most tourist routes through Africa. More importantly, CS extracts you from the tourist bubble and allows you access to the insider knowledge, city secrets and specialized perspective of a city native, your host.
Try using the keyword function on the CS search engine to find a host with whom you have something in common. This can be an interest (surfing, salsa dancing, etc.) or perhaps something you need accommodated such a physical limitation (wheelchair access) or dietary restriction. When possible, I surfed with other vegetarians so that we could swap recipes, cook together more comfortably, and instantly have common ground to discuss.
I heartily recommend surfing with a variety of locals and expats to experience various lifestyles and viewpoints. To give an example, I was hosted in Mombasa by an enthusiastic Kenyan who gave me a bang-up walking tour of the city markets and attractions, and graciously squeezed me into his 10-square-metre apartment for a few nights.
My next host was a political officer with the U.S. embassy in Kampala; also a gracious host, my city tour unfolded from within his climate-controlled, power-locked SUV, and my few nights were spent in the plush guest bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Both experiences were incredible in their own ways, and gave me special lenses through which to see the cities I visited – certainly not typical of youth hostels or budget pensions!
East Africa is small! You’ll likely network with other travelers and hosts through your CS hosts, hooking you up with new travel buddies, friends and amazing activities. One of my hosts in Dahab, Egypt (pictured center, in the photograph above) towed my buddy and me along to an evening at his friend’s house – a Bedouin paradise smack dab in the middle of a starry desert!
At another point in my trip, a German lady who hosted me in Ethiopia became a travel partner for a week, then went on to surf my sister’s couch in Israel! A Canadian I met during my travels hosted me in Rwanda – and also happens to be the founder of this website, and thus the very reason you are reading this right now! Couchsurfing truly opens doors.
Last, but not least, Couchsurfing is most successful when both parties are very thoughtful of each other’s needs. My best hosts were those who thought of the little things – a city map, jotting down emergency numbers for me, the things I needed to feel secure. Be thoughtful of your host in return; a little goes a long way!
Cooking up a favourite dish from home to share, writing a thank-you card (bring a small stack of blank greeting cards along with you), washing up a pile of dishes – heck, picking up a package of toilet paper if your host is running low – are examples of things that contribute to a mutually happy experience.
Being a good surfer takes some effort, so if you’re feeling reclusive, save couchsurfing for a time when you have the energy and desire to be social and interactive. In my opinion, this is particularly crucial when staying with a local host (as opposed to an expat), for whom it is likely a point of pride to be able to show off their city and involve you in traditional activities, music, dance, and the like.
A word of caution, particularly for female travelers: There is a feature of the website that allows you to see other CSers who have recently logged in close to your location. While certainly handy for traveler meetups, this also sometimes results in a flood of, say, fifty enthusiastic messages from Egyptian male hosts, many inferring desires for sex, marriage, or both!
Unfortunately this can happen in more macho cultures. Report the overtly inappropriate messages to the CS administrators, and be especially cautious choosing a host who contacts you first. Some are clearly prowling the website for women traveling alone to try to put the moves on.
Not too long ago, most of us would have thought it downright crazy to meet up with strangers to crash their pad in an unknown city. But thanks to the few eloquently simple safety measures that Couchsurfing has enforced, this homestay method can open doors to a whole new way of seeing the places we visit.
Sooner or later, all couchsurfers encounter some sort of kooky or awkward experience, but rest assured that the majority of your surfs will be the highlights of your trip – and perhaps even be the starting points of lifelong friendships.
