As a young single women traveler, I think I have a very different view on the idea of Couchsurfing as a viable means of traveling around the world. Yes, its cheap and you get to meet great people, but what about that one in a million chance that you could stumble into someone's house who has less than innocent friendly motives? We are putting our faith, and even our lives to a certain extent, in the hands of strangers. We allow ourselves to be taken in by somebody we have no connection to apart from a few preliminary emails sent before we arrive. Our choice of 'couch host' is determined on an in-personal rating system that can tell us nothing more than a bunch of numbers as to another surfer's experience at their place. I think we need to take a step back at this culture, and look at the very essence that is couch surfing itself.
The recent jailing of Abdelali Nachet in Leeds after he was found guilty of raping his women couchsurfer guest, has really got me wondering at how well this website and even the culture can function safely. Nachet, 34, reportedly raped the Hong Kong women two times during her one night stay in his home, threatening to kill her and himself if she resisted. Although this is an isolated incident, it is only a matter of time before more incidences like these are undoubtedly bound to occur. The Couchsurfing organization takes no responsibility for the actions of its users, and as such have no way of communicating potentially dangerous hosts to unsuspecting surfers.
The website in terms of safety, is quite obviously flawed. With no means of one surfer to communicate to another about bad incidences, with no such room for online chat through either blogs or forums, the average surfer has little to no means of protecting themselves beyond common sense.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Diary of a Couchsurfer #3
Hola chicos,
so i've now spent two nights down here on my voyage, and i've gotta say i've definitely learnt a lot about the whole couchsurfing experience that i otherwise wouldn't have if i hadn't actually done this. Little things, like the complete apprehension before meeting your host as well as the dawning realisation that although you're travelling the people whose house you're at actually isn't, and is still trying to live a normal life.
The other thing i've noticed is that the whole vibe of the house changes depending on who is around. The first night i was here was really chilled and low key, but then yesterday this really sociable english guy arrived as well as this other canadian girl and it got a lot rowdier. I ended up leaving to go meet an old mate from high school, but apparently an innocent game of fuck the dealer got out of hand and some alcohol-fuelled lip locking took place in my absence...
The whole place just feels like a really intensified version of a hostel. Because there are only a few people here, you end up getting a lot closer to each other. For example when i got home earlier this afternoon the english bloke and the canadian girl were making plans together about roadtripping across great ocean road and organising flights together to sydney - they've known each other less than 24 hours, and yet they're chatting and planning like old mates.
It's quite incredible really, the idea of opening up your house to travellers the way these guys have. I have absolutely no doubt that their day to day lives are a lot more interesting than mine, and their exposure to global culture is enviable really. I guess in a lot of ways it's the next best thing to travelling - they have their very own hub of backpacker culture and activity and they are always meeting interesting and different people.
But it does come at a cost. I asked one of the house mates - 'Fat Tom' - it was all worth it and his response was at least until the bills come... which they did today. For this quarter, they have to pay almost $900 in combined utilities. Each.
This house is obviously not your regular couchsurfing environment, but in some way every host would feel the cost of putting people up for a few nights. So what do they get in return? The chance to meet new and exciting people? The opportunity try and recapture that thrill of travelling? For some people i'm sure its as simple as the pride of showing people around their city.
anyway, everyone has just returned home and we're getting dinner started
i'm starving,
xx
so i've now spent two nights down here on my voyage, and i've gotta say i've definitely learnt a lot about the whole couchsurfing experience that i otherwise wouldn't have if i hadn't actually done this. Little things, like the complete apprehension before meeting your host as well as the dawning realisation that although you're travelling the people whose house you're at actually isn't, and is still trying to live a normal life.
The other thing i've noticed is that the whole vibe of the house changes depending on who is around. The first night i was here was really chilled and low key, but then yesterday this really sociable english guy arrived as well as this other canadian girl and it got a lot rowdier. I ended up leaving to go meet an old mate from high school, but apparently an innocent game of fuck the dealer got out of hand and some alcohol-fuelled lip locking took place in my absence...
The whole place just feels like a really intensified version of a hostel. Because there are only a few people here, you end up getting a lot closer to each other. For example when i got home earlier this afternoon the english bloke and the canadian girl were making plans together about roadtripping across great ocean road and organising flights together to sydney - they've known each other less than 24 hours, and yet they're chatting and planning like old mates.
It's quite incredible really, the idea of opening up your house to travellers the way these guys have. I have absolutely no doubt that their day to day lives are a lot more interesting than mine, and their exposure to global culture is enviable really. I guess in a lot of ways it's the next best thing to travelling - they have their very own hub of backpacker culture and activity and they are always meeting interesting and different people.
But it does come at a cost. I asked one of the house mates - 'Fat Tom' - it was all worth it and his response was at least until the bills come... which they did today. For this quarter, they have to pay almost $900 in combined utilities. Each.
This house is obviously not your regular couchsurfing environment, but in some way every host would feel the cost of putting people up for a few nights. So what do they get in return? The chance to meet new and exciting people? The opportunity try and recapture that thrill of travelling? For some people i'm sure its as simple as the pride of showing people around their city.
anyway, everyone has just returned home and we're getting dinner started
i'm starving,
xx
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