Couch surfing provides new friends, experiences
After a good amount of research, I myself was both curious about couch curfing and anxious to have some travelers occupy my own couch, and this allowed me to show them Blacksburg from my point of view. After joining the site and filling out my profile as honestly and openly as possible, I waited.
About two weeks later, a request popped up — two graduate students from the University of Tennessee at Chatanooga were interested in crashing on my couches for a night as they traveled to Delaware to visit friends over spring break. I briefly checked out their profiles — their photos looked fairly average and overall un-serial killer-like, their taste in music each unique and good-natured, their travel experience varied; but more than that, their request came with a compliment on my Jeep, Bruce, who accompanies me in my own profile photo. Admittedly, I’m a pushover for vehicle flattery, so I wrote back just a few minutes later.
After some brief correspondence, the details were sorted out — my two “friends” would arrive Thursday night. Over the next few days I began sharing my excitement with whomever I came in contact wit. Much to my chagrin, this enthusiasm was not reciprocated.
Most thought I wouldn’t make it to my coveted spring break trip the next day on account of some mysterious “incident.”
My mom just went silent on the phone, and I could practically see her shaking her head in disagreement, yet knowing there was little at this point she could ever do to change her stubborn daughter’s mind. My roommates shared my enthusiasm at first, then admitting later they had talked in private about their doubts.
All day Thursday I let these doubts get the best of me. Should I have been so quick to invite them? Is there really such a thing as an international community built solely on some blind hope that people are basically good?
I did my best to dismiss these thoughts. I made a batch of sangria as I awaited their arrival, and had a glass to calm my nerves.
When my surfers pulled in around 10 p.m., I ran out to introduce myself. They brought gifts of homemade cookies and some Tennessee-made whiskey.
We stood around my kitchen, vaguely getting to know each other. I made an obscure attempt to joke about my relief that they weren’t ax murderers. The kitchen air became thick with nervous laughter as our sangria consumption increased. I realized at that point they likely had their own doubts about me, and so I attempted to make my guests as comfortable as possible.
Within about an hour we were warmed up, and I was more than ready to play tour guide. The surfers, my roommates and I spent the rest of the evening enjoying cheap beer and good conversation at a few fine select Blacksburg establishments.
The next day my surfers pulled out of my driveway and left me with the assurance that, with a little discretion and a lot of trust, couch surfing has the potential to become a worldwide movement at not only providing cheap accommodations, but building trust and friendship among spirited travelers.
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A version of this article appeared in the Mar 19 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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That's so weird, because my friend Catherine Cotrupi does the same thing. I wonder if she and Catherine Cotrubi know each other.
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Hey, Liz, if you haven't already joined the Blacksburg & Roanoke groups I highly recommend doing so. Someone usually has a local event planned every month or so. You can attend one of the dinners or other events and meet the local CS crowd face-to-face.
My whole family both Surfs and hosts other Surfers and none of us have ever had any bad experiences. The opportunity to meet cool people, like Amro, who come from other cultures really helps to understand our world in a better way.
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