CHENNAI: There’s something beautiful about travel in the age of the web — one need not move off the couch to experience the culture and sights of a new place. Though one would argue that gushing over pictures of quaint colourful streets in Italy can’t beat the live experience of walking down that street, what if Italy comes home to you, in the form of a live, talking Italian? Through an online website, called Couchsurfing, you can now connect with a global community of travellers and can find a place to stay or share a home while travelling, thus opening up a wonderful sharing of cultural experiences, not just a room or space. And for all its reputation of being a conservative city, there are over 600 members in Chennai with about 50 active members, who regularly host and surf across the world.
“I started meeting travellers, taking them around the city. When I moved to Mumbai all by myself, I started to host people,” says Divya Jayaraman, a couchsurfing host, a surfer and admin of Chennai Couchsurfing group on Facebook. Now back in Chennai, she hosts only women, whereas in Mumbai she had slightly more freedom. “I explained it well to my parents and they seem quite okay with it now!” she laughs.Over the past nine years, she has hosted over 200 guests. Balaji Prem, a lawyer and couchsurfer since 2009, explains his first couchsurfing experience. “It was a little awkward for my family, initially. But once they understood it, it was great! My mother, a painter, bonded well with few artists who we once hosted!” he quips.He also finds that couchsurfing is a boon during critical times. During the Vardah cyclone, he hosted seven people in his home. “Most hotels had no power and water, and all flights were cancelled. It felt great to help then!” He also hosts travellers who have lost passports and are stranded, “Being a lawyer, I know the process for retrieving a foreign passport takes a long time!” he laughs.
Backpackers, solo-travellers and families across age groups, from exotic and faraway places will bring a part of their culture and quirks into your own homes, and sometimes lifelong connections are made. “I once hosted a French music teacher, who travels for music — he takes a native instrument and learns how to play it. His luggage had only musical instruments he picked up from all his travels!” Divya recalls.She’s also particularly fond of Sheila, a 68-year-old Scottish solo women traveller, who she still keeps in touch with. Balaji remembers a time when he took care of an unwell solo-traveller from London, and when she returned home, she wrote about him as she worked for the BBC. “And her parents send me gifts often! It feels nice,” he smiles. “I also collect the lowest denomination coin from all my guests’ countries; now I have a coin collection!” he quips, adding that he also gifts each of his guests with a Kamakshi velakku.
They all claim there are hardly any bad experiences except for the occasional mismatch of interests, but that’s only a small speck in a sea of wonderful experiences. “I once hosted a chef from Istanbul. He had two restaurants that he sold to travel and discover the world through food. It felt like Masterchef was happening in front of my eyes. He now writes for the Lonely Planet, and we still keep in touch,” says Basumitra, another veteran couchsurfer in the city. He swears by the emotional connections he has made with people over the past five years. “A girl from Hong Kong was my daughter’s age. She had lost her father. She has come to my place three times; now, she calls me papa,” he smiles.
Hosting experiences apart, what about their surfing experiences? “Couchsurfing is a small but vibrant community. Once I get good references from guests, I can get places to stay in their country easily,” says Balaji, adding that if a profile gets even two bad references, the profile is deleted and that safety concerns are maintained well. So apart from couchsurfing being safe, fun and an easy way to make new friends in a new city, it’s also your best bet of finally making your ‘travel the world’ dream come true, without burning a hole in your wallet — it’s entirely free of cost!
While hosting...
Network with other couchsurfers in your city if you don’t know how to start
Read references about the guest before accepting them in
Speak with them before they arrive to know more about them
Mention all your rules well in your profile - Curfew time, restrictions etc.
Spend time with your guests
Respect the privacy of your guest
While surfing...
Check references well before selectinga host
Couchsurfing is free, but be courteous to your host. Take a gift, if you can, or cook them a meal
Follow all rules of the house
Follow your gut, when it comes to safety
For details, visit www.couchsurfing.com