July 12, 2008
Laramie, WY
Today we interview Mike and Melissa Harrington in regards to their first experience hosting a couchsurfer acquired via www.couchsurfing.com
Harrington Times: Please begin by explaining for our readers what is couchsurfing and how did you find out about this extravaganza?
Melmik Harrington: Well, couchsurfing is exactly as it sounds...minus the surfing. People from all over the world create profiles on couchsurfing.com, this includes information regarding likes, dislikes, location, couch availability etc. From there, when one is preparing to travel, they search the website for a home and a "couch" to sleep on while travelling - escaping the cost of a hotel room, meeting new friends, and getting the opportunity to know the local culture, hang out spots, and customs. We found out about this activity through a good friend of ours Andrew Prior, later that afternoon we had created an account and began searching for a couch!
HT: When was your first couch-surfer hosting experience?
MH: Our first hosting experience was just last night, Friday the 11th of July. A girl by the name of K.K. was making her way to the "farm" in North Dakota from Santa Fe, New Mexico. She chose our couch, regardless of the fact the we had a garage sale the next day and would likely be waking her up early in the morning.
HT: Have you ever been hosted as couchsurfers?
MH: We have not yet officially been hosted as couchsurfers, but are looking to contact a couchsurfing host in a few weeks when we take a trip up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to attend the wedding of a dear friend.
HT: Are you nervous about opening up your home to strangers or entering the homes of strangers?
MH: There a few things that can cause some nervousness, but overall we trust that we are just as safe in the home of a stranger as in a hotel. We also considered the type of people who must be willing to enter such agreements, we concluded, they must be people like us if we are considering such an adventure.
HT: What was the best part about hosting this particular couchsurfer?
MH: K.K. has a very gentle and kind spirit. She was eager to get to know not only the two of us but also our upstairs neighbors and their guest. She was grateful and flexible! Not to mention, she happily filled out a page in our NEW guestbook - we had a very great first experience!
HT: Any other comments?
MH: Family and Friends, don't hesitate to create an account on couchsurfing.com, it's a great way to meet new people and save some money. Also, don't hesitate to give us a call, email, etc to reserve our couch - we'd love to have those closest to us sleep on our couch and fill in a page or two of the Guest Book!
HT: Thank you for your time and information. May you have many more couchsurfers come and enjoy your company.
1 comment:
You guys are the ultimate in modern day bohemians! And I love it! But I would like it to be known that I was the first of your couch surfers, as I was the lucky person who got to sleep on your newly acquired hide-a-bed couch...
THANKS FOR THAT, by the way!!!
Can't wait until I get to couch surf with you again...<3
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