Trifter

Forget windsurfing and kitesurfing – There’s a new way to get more out of life.  It’s called Couch Surfing, and it’s making big waves in Portstewart.  It’s not some new wacky sport; it’s a whole international community which allows you to stay practically anywhere in the world free.

The project centres around the novel idea of members asking fellow members for free accommodation, in the form of a spare room, a couch or even just a space on the floor.  It’s free to sign up to, and there’s no obligation to ‘host’ before you can ‘surf’.  The idea grew out of an experience by American founder Casey Fenton who booked a cheap flight for a weekend in Iceland.  Deciding that he didn’t want to stay in a hotel and fall into the tourist trap, Fenton came up with the idea to email over 1500 students in Reykjavik asking if he could stay on one of their couches.  The response amazed him, and he had a weekend packed with groups of students who showed him ‘their’ Reykjavik.  After coming home and reflecting about the great time of cultural exchange, he wanted to facilitate others to be able to do the same – And so, the Couch Surfing project was born.

More than four years on since the website was founded, there are over one million members from 232 different countries.  68,000 of these are from the UK and Ireland.  I am 23, and a student in the University of Ulster, Coleraine.  I signed up two years ago before going to Germany for the Football World Cup.  With so many people going to be in the cities for the matches, it was going to be a nightmare to get a place in a hostel, and even then everywhere was charging double the price.  So I signed up to Couch Surfing primarily as a way of getting free accommodation.  I was amazed at the warmth of my three different hosts, and was so thrilled to meet real Germans and chat about issues affecting them, and not to be stuck in a hostel with a load of tourists.  Impressed by my experience, I now open my house in Portstewart to would be surfers, and have hosted nearly 50 people from Australia, Finland and Canada amongst others.  I’ve had students, professionals, a father with his daughter, a film crew, and at the end of last month I hosted a couple and their baby – There is no typical Couch Surfer.  The meeting in the York Hotel bar bears witness to this.  After putting a message out on the website’s forums, Perri Jay and Claire of Belfast, Tobias from Cornwall and Margot from Lyon turn up for a night’s banter and get to know each other.  Margot, 24, has been working in Glasgow for the past 7 months and used the initiative there.  “I needed it in the beginning for a place to stay.  It ended up that I got on really well with the girl I stayed with and we’re now flatmates!” 

Everyone agrees the most common question they are asked is about safety.  “Couch Surfing has a reference system whereby if you stay with someone you leave a comment on your experience” says Tobias, 21.  “That way, if you take the time to look at someone’s profile you can see quickly how other people have interacted with them.” 

There is also a vouching and verification system for added security. 

So next time you book a cheap flight, and can’t find the cheap accommodation to match, think about staying with a local, and experiencing the real customs and culture.

To find out more check out www.couchsurfing.com