Korean Job Discussion Forums

[intoutdoor]

anyone have any positive experiences with couchsurfing? I recently came across the idea and website (couchsurfing.com if you are unfamiliar).

[LydiaSarah]

I have a really good friend who spent the last six months traveling all over Southern Europe and N. Africa through the couchsurfing website. He really loved it and had nothing but good things to say. I'm hosting someone for the first time this Friday, so I'll let you know how that goes.

I think it's a really great idea so long as you're careful. As a girl, I would be very selective of where and with whom I stayed, and I probably would only host girls if my boyfriend weren't around.

[Xuanzang]

I had 3 good experiences in Taiwan and one in Korea. Message them and get to know them if possible. Girls should be extra careful of course.

[sobriquet]

[Chris_Dixon]

glad you guys have had good experiences, i cant help but think of an axe murderer....

[redhed]

I have been a part of couchsurfing since 2005 and I have never had anything but positive experiences......one of the great things about it is that you can look at the experiences that others have had with someone and get a fairly decent idea of whether that person is a thief or whatever. Just always have a backup plan and like in all things, trust your instincts, if you feel uncomfortable get out. If you tend to be of the mindset that all people are bad until proven otherwise, it's probably not for you. If you generally think most people are good people, then it can really open up the world.

[nene]

I've used couchsurfing since 2005 also and have had only positive experiences. Met some great folks in Korea that stayed with me in Busan, and I stayed with folks across China (Chinese and Western) while traveling there. When traveling, staying with someone that lives in a place is an entirely different experience to staying in a guest house/hotel/hostel, and IMO, allows you to better get to know the place. I can't imagine I would have liked Beijing half as much as I did if I didn't stay with great CS folks there. Highly recommended.

Of course, be safe... CS has a great referencing system. Don't mess around with anyone without references.

[Xuanzang]

[intl girl of mystery]

I agree, I've couchsurfed since 2002 and have had some fantastic (and cheap!) times. Some people will just give you a couch and a boot out the door in the morning, but I've been surprised several times by how much of their time hosts are willing to spend cooking for you, showing you around, buying you drinks. It's a risk of course, but as posters have mentioned, that goes down in inverse proportion to the number of references (and verifications) people have.