A group of Couchsurfers gathered to watch the sunrise over Copacabana Beach on New Year's day.
Many people incorrectly assume that Couchsurfing is solely about opening up your couch to strangers, or in turn sleeping on a stranger's couch. This could not be further from the truth and a perfect example of one of the many ways Couchsurfing can be used to better your life and your travels was an experience that I recently had in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
I booked my trip to Brazil before discovering that there was going to be the first ever Pan American Collective held during the exact time I would be there. Normally when I travel solo, if I am not Couchsurfing to begin with, I make sure to meet up with local Couchsurfers in order to 1) get a insider's perspective on the city that I am in, and 2) to have some company.
The Pan American Collective was a week of events, ranging from parties to sightseeing to sports activities, all centered around the main event, which was New Year's Eve. When the organizers of the Collective began this project I do not believe they realized just how many people would be interested in participating. It ended up drawing around 1,000 Couchsurfers from all over the world, and while it was more people than they had originally planned for, the Collective was nothing short of a success.
Since I already had friends in Brazil that I had promised to spend time with, I was unable to attend all of the events. I did attend several though, and of course I attended the New Year's Eve celebration on Copacabana Beach.
Me with some new friends from Europe and South America.
It was such an extraordinary feeling to be surrounded by hundreds of people who shared my same passion for exploration in such a gorgeous location. I made so many new life-long friends that night!
Since the Collective was well-received, there are more in the works now. I highly recommended attending one if the opportunity presents itself.
As previously mentioned, this is just one example of how to utilize Couchsurfing. In several weeks, I will be traveling to India and I will report back with more examples.
I am a Chinese Medicine Doctor by day, travel addict by night. When I am not treating patients, I am traveling or dreaming of the next place to visit. My adventure filled life is satiated only by more experience and more knowledge. To me, my country is the world and I want to explore all of it! My undying love affair with travel is due to the sheer intrigue of untrodden roads, different cultures, and life-changing encounters. To learn more about my travels visit My Beautiful Adventures.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
Wends of Journeys and Travels
Sunday 19th of August 2012
This is the coolest gathering of couchsurfers and Andi just write it vividly! Cheers :)
Mike Fried
Sunday 21st of March 2010
What a great article. I have been using CS for awhile and agree, it is a great way to travel and meet new people. Hospitality exchange is the only way to go if you want a locals perspective and guidance on what is worth seeing or exploring.
A friend recently told me about a new hospitality exchange site. So far , I have been really impressed. It is like CS, but better in several ways. It is called https://www.tripping.com . I thought I would share since I am just starting to get acquainted with the way it works and figured some backpackers and travelers might be interested in checking it out as well.
Mike Fried
Sunday 21st of March 2010
What a great article. I have been using CS for awhile and agree, it is a great way to travel and meet new people. Hospitality exchange is the only way to go if you want a locals perspective and guidance on what is worth seeing or exploring.
A friend recently told me about a new hospitality exchange site. So far , I have been really impressed. It is like CS, but better in several ways. It is called https://www.tripping.com . I thought I would share since I am just starting to get acquainted with the way it works and figured some backpackers and travelers might be interested in checking it out as well.