Do you prefer hosting or being a guest?

Conversation
#1

Hey everyone, just wanted to start a friendly topic. It’s a simple question but I hope it will lead to some interesting stories. Do you prefer being a host or a guest?

  • Being a host
  • Being a guest

0 voters

For me personally, I prefer hosting, even though I do both equally. I think it’s because I like being able to “give back” for all the generosity I was shown as a surfer.

But also, I’ve become somewhat of a clean freak over the years and I much prefer offering a couch in excellent condition with freshly laundered linens to my surfers. Most of the time when I’m surfing, I get a weird old blanket and crusty couch…

If there’s one thing I wish I could tell from looking at host profiles it’s whether or not their house is clean… :sweat_smile: But on the whole it’s not so important while I’m surfing. I’m usually just grateful to be accepted these days!

So I guess on a broader note, I’m not really into the stress associated with surfing, and I am addicted to the stress associated with hosting…haha!

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#2

I voted “being a guest” but that doesn’t fully answer it.

I have hosted a few couples in the past. I loved it, but my now ex girlfriend hated it. She hated people in general so that didn’t help in hosting more people. Once I have a place of my own (temporary living in a mate’s house) I can’t wait to open my door to strangers.

As for being hosted: nothing but good experiences, so I enjoy that just as much as hosting. A bit 50/50 really.

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#3

I hosted much more than staying as a guest myself, but I chose being a guest here. I find it much more interesting and challenging to stay as a guest. I also put much more effort in looking for hosts than accepting guests.

Experiencing both sides is stil the most satisfying and insightful experience I’d say.

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#4

You must be so easygoing, Nolo!!

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#5

I’d hope so… :blush:

But I think the way you can host depends mostly on your place. I often had a spare room available for guests and that helps a lot in being easygoing and even ‘experimental’ about hosting. I also hosted in a small studio with hardly any privacy and I’ve certainly been much more selective about guests then.

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#6

I have hosted more, by far. The only reason is because I have a job that requires me to be here on a set schedule. That also meant I could plan. My schedule almost never changed. I would accept people weeks in advance, a few times 2-3 months ahead.

Though I had planned to surf on vacation time, a friend worked for a company affiliated with a cruise line. He got two free cruises a year. I became his +1.

Were it not for the pandemic, I would be on a cruise to several islands next week!

When the opportunity arose, I did surf in NYC. Everyone told me how hard it would be to find a host. A well written request, one that talks about the host and why you want to meet them, works like a charm.

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#7

Hi Emily,
i didnt answer the question bc i love hosting and surfing.

I understand that you want clean couch. I have to say i was lucky to often get a privat room, eventhough i did not search for it. One time a host even gave me his bed and slept on the couch. It was my first staying at a male host (but he lived with his mother) bc in the beginning i just stayd with womxn.

But i dont like when the references describe my home and not me. I lived in different homes in different countrys. I want my reference to be about me and not about clean blankets (eventhough they were clean in all my appartments, i am bit like you).

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#8

It’s fun and comfortable to be in your own environment when meeting new people, so hosting had my vote.

Being a guest can be fun, but it’s a bit more stress, you don’t really know where you end up.

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#9

I hosted a lot trough Couchsurfing. About 120 guests so far.
Only been hosted myself like 4 times. I get enough of a satisfaction of giving others a good time hosting them.

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#10

I haven’t hosted or been a host through CS.
But I enjoy organizing and hosting events a lot!
For about two months now we’ve been hosting weekly meetups in Miami, and recently added a language exchange group as well!
All of our communications are done through WhatsApp at this time.

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#11

I love hoisting. I enjoy a lot having people over, in general. All the gatherings in my friends groups are usually at my place, dinners, birthdays, new years eve, it makes me happy to see my place filled with smiles :slightly_smiling_face: so hosting travelers is a natural extension for me, and it’s an amazing experience meeting people from all places in an intimate environment, cooking dinner togheter, talking after until sleep time.

Surfing stresses me out, I usually don’t travel solo and it’s enough to have to accommodate to your travel buddies, having to accommodate around my host schedule on top of that would leave to little to improvisation, so I usually just meet people while traveling but I prefer to stay somewhere else.

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