Who's escaping to your couch? We don't have a big enough couch for sleeping (darn!) and rarely have guests but our downstairs neighbors (AKA the best neighbors ever) advertise their couch on couchsurfing.com (AT:Chicago mentioned it too) and so far have had 2 strangers come and stay for 2-3 days at a time. We were surprised when they first told us about it, seemed risky, but in looking at the site there are profiles, reviews of couches, it's really an on-line community.
Lucy, the Australian, was great (and long story but at the time they had no bathroom so she showered at our apartment). She even came back to stay for a couple of nights before heading to New York City and we all had dinner together. But Bora Orat from Turkey was a little more needy, he realy needed someone to show him around and was very quiet. Both were polite and helpful. The site seems to attract conscientious people that aren't looking to take advantage of good will, then again, maybe our neighbors just have good karma...
Would you let a stranger stay in your place? Do you let friends stay? What's your cutoff? After reading some of the horror stories over on AT:NY I don't know if I'll ever look at houseguests the same. Tell us your stories-- good and bad!
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What if they bring bedbugs to your couch? Yucky! This wouldn't be something I'd be into (I'm far too private), but it sure would've been handy when I was a young adult.
view PrettyKitty's profile
Hey that's another question I had--does LA have bed bugs? I've never had them here, well, I've never had them anywhere!
view laure's profile
Wow I have 2 couches both of them big enough for some serious slumber, I know from experience.....couchsurfing.com.... Would I let a stranger stay at my place? I am going to check this out.
view mmmmJ's profile
does LA have bed bugs?
I haven't heard of them here, but we might get them if New Yorkers come stay on our couches. ;)
view chiffonade's profile
la times just did a piece about bed bugs in the southland (also, did you know there's a bed bug blog?). oy. i'm suddenly very itchy.
my place is very much a crash pad for friends and family. i have one editor friend who stays for months at a time working on projects, so i'm actually redoing the study as a guest room with him specifically in mind. i've let semi-strangers in the form of touring indie bands stay as well. bands love it because i've got a garage where they can safely stow their van full of equipment, and my living room is carpeted--most of the time they end up sleeping on hardwood floors. i've only ever let bands that i actually sort of know and like stay, they were all great and on their best behaviour. no televisions out the balcony or groupies. and for the price of a shower and a sofa/floor to sleep on, i get on the guest list :)
view santos.'s profile
As a single woman, no. But if I had some company in my house, then...yeah, maybe. :) I have certainly met up with online folk before and have been put up and shown--and have put up and have shown others--around cities with very little information about each other beforehand. It can be a really awesome experience. :) But yeah, you do sort of have to use a little common sense about how much closeness to allow.
view TallulahJean's profile
Since I already crash two nights a week on someone's couch, I don't know if I can do any other couch exchanges and retain my sanity.
When I was a kid, my family belonged to a relatively hippy-dippy organization called SERVAS whose goal was world peace through world friendship. You could stay for up to a week at many member's houses and they'd feed you a meal or two a day and take you around their town. It worked marvelously well and some of our guests remained friends for years, as well as some of the people we stayed with. It is international and involves a fairly in depth interview to join. I think membership is skewing older as the initial hippies age, but if anyone is looking into doing some real traveling, check it out.
view sciencegeek's profile
I have three friends that are riding their bikes across the country (video blog here, written/still photo journal here) and they've used this site a few times to find somewhere to stay and had success with it. They also use a site called Warm Showers that is geared towards adventure cyclists.
view Sarah G's profile
Having an old, low income, hotel I have just started experiencing "bed bugs" YUCK!!! The first room I had a professional come in and spray. Since then I found a company who does not believe in using toxic products (neither do I) to get rid of bugs. He suggested using a spray of 40% water, 40% alcohol and 20% dish soap, this will kill any bug. Also spray the bed seams with diatomaceous earth mixed with water. I'm in the process of doing this with all my room. I have thrown out a few mattresses but I'm now dealing with the problem. you can email "askthebugman" and he will help you.
view gallupgirrl's profile
OPPS you can go to "askthe bugman.com" this will give you his contact info.
view gallupgirrl's profile