Little Black Guidebook

Word must have got out that we have a house with water rather than a dry cabin, a separate bathroom for guests and aren’t weird stalkers, because we’ve seen a flurry of requests to surf our couch this month. The most important lesson learned is that CouchSurfing experiences vary in what you get out of them. Its really about community and culture sharing rather than free lodging.

Our first guests were quiet and neat and we cooked dinner together, but I couldn’t tell you much about them, their trip or even remember their names in a week. Our second guest didn’t arrive with a guidebook itinerary in hand and actually wanted our input on our hometown. Even if I hadn’t had time to show her around myself she would have had a different experience, because she actually asked us rather than having preconceptions and a checklist from a guidebook.

She also had genuine interest in meeting us as people and getting to know us which resulted in a few late nights talking about travels, life and enjoying the red wine. It also meant that instead of getting just a few blankets and pillows from me, she got two days of my time, a guided bike tour of our town, shopped together at the farmer’s market for a fresh salad to go with a very Alaskan halibut dinner and an 8.5 mile hike guided by us over mountains to a hot springs. In other words she saw things that weren’t in the must-dos of a guidebook and had a far different experience.

Nothing was wrong with the first guests and I left them a positive reference, but I want to be that second guest and go beyond the guidebook.

My Tips for a Positive Hosting Experience

• Look for a completely filled out profile before agreeing to host.
• Look for positive references on the profile before agreeing to host.
• Look at how long ago they signed up for CouchSurfing.
• Write actual e-mails to feel out the surfer’s expectations. Does this person seem independent, or do they want to be shown around or tag along with you everywhere?
• Do not feel obligated to host. If you’re changing your plans just to host and its inconvenient for you it won’t put you in the right frame of mind to be a good host. Also, read their profile carefully, if all of their positive references have comments about what a good time partying they had and you’re a tea drinker who works an early schedule, it may not be a good fit.
• Communicate some things with your profile: whether they can have guests over, smoke, what they can borrow (blankets/pillows/etc.), whether you have pets. All this info helps guests know whether to contact you or not and can pare down incompatible guests.
• Once your guests arrive some basic communication goes a long way. Tell them your rough schedule, what time you’ll be up and when you’ll be in bed. What part of the fridge they can use and what food they can eat. Whether you plan on having any meals shared with them.
• Have a spare key made for the house, but do not feel obligated to give it to them.

I’ll do another post with Tips for Surfers after our first surfing experience this fall.