While I was living in London I met a friend from Brazil who were traveling around Europe. She introduced me to the Couch Surfing project site. The idea of the project is to connect people who like traveling and are looking for a new, better and economic way to do that.
Being a member means you are open to receive people from other places or being received by them (or both). The ideia is mainly cultural, but people also like the project because it allows them to save some money by not staying in a hostel. But, again: the main idea is the sharing thing, and I found that intriguing.
You create a profile, and that’s it. You wait for your first experience, and, after having it done, you exchange references. The more references you have, more trustful you seem to the other members.
Dates and second intentions were not included in the pack, I should say, since it was supposed to be a serious project. And it is, although, you know, life happens.
I was about to backpack around Europe so I toke the chance, created my profile and traveled as a member. After few experiences in Europe, I became a fan of the project and I decided to receive people from other countries when I got back to Brazil.
Vic requested me to stay for 2 nights, in august 2010. I was tired, but I analyzed his profile and I thought with myself that it would be interesting, since I had never received anyone from Latin America. I said ok. But days later I thought seriously about saying sorry and declining Vic’s request.
At that time I was hosting Nicolas Zago, a French guy who is now a good friend from France. He came to Brasilia once, as a couch surfer, and after a while he decided to come back again – as my guest this time. A bit before a north American guy had also requested me to stay over for a few days. I asked a friend to host the guy (who is also a good and memorable friend nowadays) but I helped her to show him around.
That means I was receiving people all the time and receiving people is a bit tiring sometimes, mostly when you want them to have fun, feel comfortable and assisted when you also have to study and work and do all the things you have to do in your life.
So I wrote to the poor peruvian guy telling him I would have to decline his request. It helped that he had no references at all to show me (he was a new member on Couch Surfing), so I used that excuse too, in a funny way. But the problem was that he answered me. And he did it nicely, joking with the fact he had no references and I found that really spontaneous.
I thought with myself: ok, it is only two nights. Hop on!
After that, it was all about waiting. He landed in here on 11 august 2010. I got late and he was about to call me from the airport when he saw me for the first time. He was waiting for an hour. I saw him, he saw me, and, well. Things happened the next night. And after that night it was easy to get into this LDR (Long distance relationship).
We still keep all the Couch Surfing messages. Maybe one day we will post them here. For now, we will keep telling you how things were with us. That means we have a lot to tell.
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P.S: Babe, the gmail is having some problems, so I guess we won't speak tonight. I hope you have a good night.
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Listening to: The mess we are in, by PJ Harvey and Tom York
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