Couchsurfing much more than a free ride
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He once traveled to Provence, staying with a man called Bob, who he found through a couchsurfing network. Bob prepared a big guest room for him and there was a backyard where he practiced yoga each day. Bob also took him to pick up fresh figs as breakfast. Before he left, Lin got a handful of lavenders as souvenirs.
Couchsurfing changes not only the way we travel, but also the way we relate to the world. But the ability to trust and retain an open mind are essential.
Lin will never forget his first experience of hosting a couch surfer. "Just three days after registering on the network, I received an email from a German girl Christine, who was looking for one night's stay in Paris before getting a bus to the south of France. Despite my initial skepticism, I invited her to my place but it was a very pleasant experience. We had a wonderful talk sharing each other's stories. I was inspired a lot by that girl, who was so young but had experienced so much through her voluntary work. The most important thing was she taught me how to be happy by trusting and sharing with others."
Since 2004, registered users on the couchsurfing website (http://www.couchsurfing.org/) have been using the system to come together for cultural exchange, friendship and share experiences. Couchsurfing is now the world's largest hospitality exchange network, with over 2 million members in 237 countries and territories.
After many years of traveling as a couchsurfer, Lin reckons he has changed a lot. He has becomes a happy couchsurfer by opening his homes, his heart and his life.
