couch surfers

Have you heard about a system called Couch Surfers? Its a way/lifestlye choice.... of travelling where instead of staying at a hotel you choose to stay with people from the country with the intent of not only saving hotel cost, but also getting to know the country you are visiting from the eyes of the people staying there

As cool as the concept it, and I do think that it is pretty awesome for the sense of trust it is based on.........

But the little little things that happen as a generic pain areas for both the guests and the hosts .... For starters the coolest thing about hotels is the ability to immediately become the "I am the customer I am the King person" and hence be entitled to demand. 

Completely contrary to this is the couching experience.. you are to be (however understated it is as an emotion) subservient, adapt to the ways of the household, assist in the dishes and such like, even though you may have a 36 hour flight below you.. and have to be polite and make conversation and be interested.. all of which I think are huge huge things to have the mental and physical capacity for when all you want is a warm bed...!!!

Now if you are going.. aaaawwww poor little surfers think of the hosts

Well they open the doors to all persons, nationalities and ages... You never ever know what is the next thing walking through the door.. as in you do have a vague sense of the person what they do and where they are from, but you dont reallly know know.. 

like they could have grubby feet, or an accent that makes no sense, or you just cant talk to each other, or they are fine and interesting but after a few days you are sort of hmmm wanting your space.. they are also lovely. nice and a wonderful way to get to know a little bit ,more about a place that you have not been to.. agreed

But small things can get your goat and the other person maynot even realize it. The akwardness of the situation then is how do you tell him/her something. when are u rude, when are u hospitable, the line of protecting your space vs letting them be is thin and for some people not good at saying it as it is tricky..

As I plan a few trips here and there. I know that I am more than fine being the person who is surfing.. maybe it is a reluctance stems from not being in control. not knowing what you are going to get at the end of a long travel day? or think it is deeper, being 'subservient' polite and sensitive to someone, something you dont know  is a toughie.. 

egoistic bitch i sound like