I’ve always wondered why people host on couchsurfing. It’s a lot of work to take care of other people, especially strangers! And trust issue is another thing to overcome. If I can tell you a thing or two, here’s how I would categorize the types of hosts (just for your reference! I’d happy to learn your category too!)
- The Trial type
- The Lonely type
- The Global type
- The Diplomat type
The Trial Type
These hosts are new on couchsurfing. They host because they want to have good references for their future travel, or they host simply because they’ve heard about couchsurfing and they want to try what it is.
The Lonely Type
These hosts do not have a large circle of friends or family in the place they live, and it may be difficult for them to make new friends otherwise. So they want to break their routine by hosting travellers.
The Global Type
These hosts invite you because they want to hear your stories and learn about your culture, and perhaps, even practice speaking your language! They like to be around people and are generally talkative. If you cook, that’s a even better reason to host you!
The Diplomat Type
These hosts feel compelled to host you and make sure you have a positive image of their country. They have lots of advices. They are usually successful in their professional life (hence busy) but if they host you, they would surprisingly go out of their way to make you comfortable just to leave you a good memory about the place they live.
So truth be told, I was the trial type when I hosted in Jordan. I wanted to experience hosting. And I had so many requests that month (it was crazy!) And so the second type when I hosted, I was more like the global type.
And just for the fun of it, this is the statistics of the hosts I had experienced until end of 2014 (i.e. couchsurfed, and not just met up).
| The Trial type | 2 | Israel x1 UK x1 |
| The Lonely type | 4 | Israel x1 Singapore x1 Macaux1 Australia x1 |
| The Global type | 5 | Singaporex2 Malaysia x1 Australia x2 |
| The Diplomat | 3 | Israel x2 Hong Kongx1 |
As I couchsurf more than I host, from my experience of sending many requests and the actual experience, here is my tip on what type of hosts would work out the best for you and your host based on the nights you’ll stay:
| 1 Night/Last minute | The Trial type, The Lonely Type |
| 2-3 Nights | The Trial Type, The Diplomat, the Global type |
| More than 5 days | The Lonely type |
1 night: Find The Trial type, The Lonely Type
As surfer, you will have higher chance of being accepted if you look for the Trial type and the Lonely type. It’s obvious!
The Trial type: They’d host as they have less pressure for making a commitment to host if it’s just for one night. Good for surfers because they are less demanding as they haven’t become picky, and they expect little from their surfers (as long as they feel comfortable!)
The Lonely type: They wouldn’t mind you staying just for 1 night or 7 nights as it doesn’t really affect his social life in any case. They are usually absent or quiet. Many times we barely saw our hosts as they had busy ‘working’ schedule and not much social life other than work.
The Global type: They want stories and quality time with surfers. It’s hard to achieve that in one night. Or it’s possible but with a lot of work from the surfer. Hence usually the hosts would put in their description ‘minimum stay is 2 nights’.
The Diplomat type: Just from experience, it is a bit overwhelming to be hosted by the diplomat type as they usually engage you with a lot of activity. It’d be ideal to spend more time with the diplomat type of host and take things more slowly.
2-3 nights: Find The Trial Type, The Diplomat, the Global Type
The Trial type: It’s still highly possible to find trial type of host who’d be willing to host for 2-3 nights. Although as surfers you wouldn’t commit yourself to stay with them more than 3 nights as they are new hosts with no reference… a bit risky in general in terms of experience and last minute cancellation.
The Lonely type: The lonely type of hosts would also host for 2-3 nights. They wouldn’t mind. But as it’s harder to bond with with this type of host or to get travel information from them (especially they are not there). It’s better to find other types of hosts to maximize the experience in that city. And I did feel sad for not knowing my hosts well after staying 2-3 nights ‘free’ at their places.
The Global type: It’s best for surfers and hosts to share 2-3 nights together. You’ll enjoy lots of stories and quality time together.
The Diplomat type: Same as above. You’ll have best 2-3 days with these type of host.
More than 5 nights: Please Find the Lonely Type
The Lonely type: Except for this type of host, who are usually not there at home, so the days are less relevant to them as long as you are likable.
And the rest of them will be burned out by too many days. So at least this is what has worked for me till now.
I’d love to hear how more opinions on this!
Traveling Mega
