Is Couchsurfing Safe?

Is Couchsurfing safe? This is a tricky question. I'm going to give you a complete answer in the first part of this video. In the second part I'm going to give you 10 tips to apply in order to make your Couchsurfing experience safe. In the third part, I'm going to address women specifically and give them a few advices.
HOW DOES COUCHSURFING WORK? • How Does Couchsurfing ...
IS COUCHSURFING FREE? The True Costs Of Couchsurfing • Is Couchsurfing Free? ...
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[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Hey guys, if you have unsolved doubts about safety on Couchsurfing pop your questions down here!

[@perseoeridano4182]

This channel is awesome!

[@ShinyMarekk]

I just discover couchsurfing two days ago and I am searching as many informations as I can before my trip. So thank you for the video, really good quality, sound and also accent!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

I’m glad you discover it, it’s a wonderful way of travelling. Videos about how to get started on CS and how to write a perfect request are coming soon 😉

[@hearttoheartsongs3312]

Really great ....you gave very honest and true guidance that will be valuable for needed👏🏻👏🏻

[@jameshitselberger5845]

Excellent as usual!

[@leahstephenson1348]

Thanks for this. me and my friend (also a girl) are looking into doing some couch surfing in Europe this year and this video was super helpful!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

You’re welcome Leah, if you girls have further questions you know where to find me 😉

[@andreivladpalica7397]

Very useful! Please, take care and I wish you good travelling experiences!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thanks a lot André!

[@dianelefever4975]

very clearly presented and full of valuable information and tips - thank you so much!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

My pleasure Diane. In case you had any questions or doubts in the future, don't hesitate to contact me.

[@pawanjalandery]

Hey, Mary Jane! You seem to be a wonderful person. Lots of love from India.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Awww thank you so much Pawan! 😊♥

[@ThomasGodart]

Very good bunch of advice, thank you for sharing that with us 🙏

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thanks for leaving the comment Thomas

[@markszente]

Hey Mary Jane! :) Another advice that I frequently take - usually as a host, but is also useful as a guest - to have multiple possibilities for the guest and the host to reach out to each other. Negotiate a place of meeting but the guest should also learn the street address and phone contact of the host. It's probably a good idea to also familiarize yourself with the map even if your host agrees to walk you home. And another advice that could be especially useful for solo female travellers: have an emergency contact back home who knows all the above details and expects a message or a call from you shortly after your arrival. If you fail to contact them, they know that something is wrong. Even if they can't do much for you other than probably call the police, it could be some extra self confidence for you when negotiating yourself out of an unpleasant or probably even dangerous situation.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Hey Mark, what a great honor to have a contribution from a super host like you! Thank you for the tips. I find they valuable and especially the second one, I always do it. The moment I meet a new host I send a text to my mother with name, surname and address, how many days I'm going to stay there and any relevant personal info about the host. I hope you're doing good, lots of love ;)

[@markszente]

I got this idea from two couchsurfer girls from the US who decided to try their luck hitch-hiking from Budapest to Vienna. The moment a driver agreed to take them, they texted me the number plate of the car, just in case. Luckily it was not necessary and they got to Vienna safe and sound. Thank you and love from Budapest! :)

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

That was certainly a wise idea

[@zahrastasaid1856]

Thank you that was really helpful

[@Sasami914]

Thank you so much for your videos!! I'm planning to use couchsurfing since it looks very interesting and quite similar to my experience as an exchange student when I was a child, but I'm really afraid since I'm a female traveling alone. Your videos are really helping me out with my decision!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

I'm happy to hear!

[@user-uy1zq1br1r]

Super awesome young lady with lots of experience & tips. Thanks for sharing 😚.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

My pleasure 😊

[@Alpkbei]

Very good video! For once, someone finally talks about the fact that most men on Couchsurfing are looking for sex. Of course, looking for sex doesn’t make you a potential agresser BUT being aware of this can avoid you many awkward situations. From my personal experience, it seems like 50% of the guys there are openly looking for sex. Another 30% wouldn’t say no to a little romance and perhaps only 20% really have this Couchsurfing traveler/hippie/open minded spirit and simply wants to meet people from all around the globe. I would add some complementary tips to the video. In general, I read all the reviews carefully and if the guy has only hosted female guests and more specifically Eastern European young good looking women, that’s a big hint to know what he’s after. If reviews are also too enthusiastic, with private jokes or comments implying a lot of drinking or mentioning his sweet gentleman behavior, there might be a chance that he’d try something. Other red flags: if the profile mentions “girls only”, sleeping in the same bed or if I see that he has hosted 80+ people but never surfes himself. Couchsurfing was built to be an exchange service, a community of travelers who rely on each other for accommodation purposes. The reality is that today Couchsurfing has become the perfect way for men to get a no strings attached relationship with a foreigner, who would be more relaxed (because on holidays) and naive (because she wouldn’t know the local ways).

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Hello Anne-Luren. I think you misunderstood my words: I never said that "most men are looking for sex on Couchsurfing" and I think this statement is just wrong. I said that some do - just one word, but it makes a whole lot of a difference! -. Aside of that, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and you also gave very good tips yourself. Your interpretation of the reviews and the profile of male hosts is very similar to mine.

[@tessacyclone6329]

@@WhatashameMaryJane no she didnt- I heard the same thing'' the other reason is the majority of them would probably like to sleep with their female guests''. telling her she misunderstood is gaslighting 101 . you did not say'' just some do ''sorry . @anne-laureklein8165 those are some good comments .

[@user-yf3os4ww2z]

Thank you for your videos, which is very good)) you are so positive))

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Be positive and the world is going to feel better! 😜

[@eliseelise6478]

Thank you so much, this video was really helpful :-)

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Hey Elise, I’m glad to hear that! If you have any further questions please go ahead

[@shanmugarajk9443]

Hi Mari it's an interesting and informative video you showed. Thank you. Go ahead

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thanks for letting me know :)

[@vvlog2318]

Thanks for info I like it after knockdown I going to start traveling

[@valentinamattoni5445]

What a shame Mary Jane😂! Love your channel! Saluti da Rimini

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Grazie Valentina!!

[@varantaibrahim7653]

Hello Mary Jane. You talk very well dictionary. I listen to you. successful.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thank you

[@afghanistanremembers8003]

I wanna literally just say if you man the Couchsurfing is safe and if you female then it's not safe. And you are brave woman by the way.

[@adrianopez3488]

" please, please, please leave !" You're simply magic.

[@janekslv]

I am a male Couchsurfing host (100+ GOOD references! :)) and unfortunately I can confirm from stories of my female guests that uncomforfable situations happen, especially for the inexperienced ones. My advice to a beginner: choose a guy with many references (50+) BOTH from males and females and, as the video author says, "read between lines" in references for hints about weird or inappropriate behaviour. There's also a section on Couchsurfing user profile where you can see the preferred gender of a host. If it's female only that's a red flag, don't stay with those guys. Also check out if the guy has also been hosted, how many countries he has been to (more are better). Choose places with a separate room. That being said, Couchsurfing can still be wonderful and eye-opening experience, you can make good friends there, both guys and girls, go on adventures you never imagined. And it's possible to find love there also - I did. But it definitely didn't happen when I hosted her, it took a much longer time!

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thanks for the added tips! About the preferred gender set as "female" I used to also think it was a red flag, until I actually started to ask hosts why they wrote it. It turns out that many prefer female guests because they tend to be more empathetic, respectful and clean in the house. During the years I got deeper into this matter and discovered that many man even prefer female friendship because they feel more connected and can have deeper conversations. Not to say to not be careful about male hosts who want to only host women, but it doesn't necessarily mean they do it for the same reasons as we might think.

[@soluteserviceshousekeeping8705]

can families couch surf?

[@matiasarizu9438]

😉👍🏻

[@bookworm81151]

I am married ,we have a nice 3 bedroom house that is perfect for couch surfing.. We also live in Florida, I love meeting new people. We are older 70's, how would we fit in that realm as a host and surfer? Thank you for the information👍😎

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

You sound like a perfect Couchsurfing host! Age is indifferent. I hosted a 75 year old chubby German man who was traveling all over Europe by bicycle. I’ve been hosted by a 65 year old in Oslo, a 55 year old in Hamburg. Any age is welcome and appropriate on Couchsurfing: it’s all about human exchange.

[@07marchcat]

beatiful eyes

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Thanks

[@peterzammit3521]

What about thievery?

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Everything is possible but to be honest I've never heard complaints of thievery on Couchsurfing.

[@r_a_]

captions English 0:50 "not enough meat writing"

[@sediye]

Makes me feel uneasy

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

It does to everyone, in some regards. It's your choice to be wanting to overcome that to get a precious experience, or just not and go on with your traditional way of travelling. 🙂

[@tessacyclone6329]

yeah red flags all over the place , i agree

[@gevara454]

Mary i would like to invite you to my house in New England the United States ... Providence Rhode island

[@dona4him942]

"Coutch surfing"?! I've never EVER heard of this term before. Maybe it's because I'm not from your era...... I'm old enough to be your grandma, though I don't even look it. 😂

[@leandrog2785]

Couchsurfing is an app.

[@aslmad1]

This is a thing? Seems impossible to me.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Ahhahah girl, this has been my life in the past 16 months...you better believe it ;)

[@aslmad1]

What a shame Mary Jane You maybe lucky or good instincts. Many just could not pull it off

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

It's definitely not for everyone. But if someone wants to try and to get better at it, I totally support that.

[@aslmad1]

What a shame Mary Jane but if someone isn’t good at it....could be very bad news. Some people just have no people skills

[@user-fg6hg7ds1v]

And this is why I will only be staying with women...

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

That’s honestly a good safety strategy. The only problem is that most of hosts are men, so you have a harder time finding a host if you look for women only. But definitely doable.

[@user-fg6hg7ds1v]

What a shame Mary Jane thank you:) i (as most women in america, at least) don’t trust men haha:(

[@leandrog2785]

Because of the risk of them being predators and sexually assaulting or harassing you? Or is them just being interested in sex already a dealbreaker?

[@devonmatthews8197]

Why don't people use a hotel?... oh.. that is right.. you want free..

[@rhondamassella5487]

This is the first video I've watched of yours that I think you're trying to compare apples and oranges. Driving a car takes experience. Debating if you're going to crash on somebody's couch because of what they've written or what other people have written about them is foolish and can be dangerous for you. You're a very pretty girl and you're choosing to go into a man's home I don't think it's wise. However I wish you luck I hope nothing ever happens to you. I hope somebody can open your eyes to how dangerous Couch surfing can be.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

Couchsurfing takes experience too. Nobody was born being able to drive a car.

[@rhondamassella5487]

I'm sorry you're come back to me showed me your immaturity. Putting yourself in Jeopardy to save a few dollars is just foolish. Again as I said before I wish you well I hope you stay safe.

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

@@rhondamassella5487 You obviously didn't get the point of what I'm saying in my channel. I'm sorry to hear. Maybe it's just not the right channel for you to follow.

[@leandrog2785]

@@rhondamassella5487 Saving a few dollars isn't the main point of Couchsurfing. In hotel rooms you don't get to live with locals and possibly befriend them.

[@BigbangG5]

as a 23 year old solo backpacker I used this site so much. And to be honest now that I think of it all of my hosts were males. I only had 2 weird experiences , both last year but not drastically bad. One was a hippie who was probably fatphobic and when he met me we had a really bad vibe , mostly because he was staring at me and even though he was really nice, gave me a key he told me maybe it would be best If I only stay for 1-3 and not 7 night because of excuses he came up with and changing the story 3 times over the 10 minutes of introduction and making questions about my weight . It was fine though I texted a guy who was willing to host me from 2 days later and he offered to cook me dinner and take me in immediately. And the second bad experience was the guy who took me in from the hippie hahaha.. As lovely as he was he was Indian and viewed this situation and my smiles, opennes as someone who is interested in him. He was not an experienced host it was obvious from then. He was amazing and generous, nice, we hanged out a lot but he also was just not undertanding of not being interested and personal space ( please don't kiss me on the cheeks all the time, don't hug me constantly, I'm not a cuddler leave me a lone bitte etc etc.) I did end up staying for a week because I already said I am and it was okay but felt a little like he doesn't know what personal space and boundaries are . The things I learned over the years is that : - always stay with people who have hosted atleast a couple female backpackers - have atleast 10 good reviews from surfers - have a detailed profile and it's obvious why they are on cs - always have a plan to check in with family or a close friend, send the adress and profile photo to them and share your loction for the first 24 hours and check in with them in set times for safety - let the person know that your staying with that you have some people in the area u met before and meeting up with later just to be on the safe side and u can also tell them you have a boyfriend, fiance or whatever if you feel like your worried about that ( I own a cheap wedding ring so that if I feel weird I can go with that ) - see how central their place is or where they live roughly ( u can find out from comments or the profiles usually) so it's not a huge trip everyday to go and get back - Always be respectful and kind. They are offering a stranger to come into their safe place, their bubble to sleep for free. Obviously they are doing this to connect with people and hang out/ have conversations and spend some time together usually. Be respectful of that and see if that's okay with you, maybe bring a small gift or a wine from your country if possible , something to show you do care and are thankful!! it's important to note that u need to do a bit of scanning of the person to see if you a good match as well. A nature lover who is into herbology and meditation might not the a good fit for you if your into going out to big parties every night and so on. I love [partying and also art, nature so I know that when Im looking for a host I'm looking for someone who is okay with me getting home at 4am sometime or partying in general . :) also some basics rules if you find someone and you meet them: - get a feel on how hey do things, what's important for them ( garbage selection, if they are vegan , if they need alone time sometimes , house rules like smoking , laundry, morning routines , etc.) - when u see something runs out like toilet paper buy some, if u see garbage that needs to be taken down take it down, tidy up the place your staying at, be really clean after yourself , air out the room in the morning, offer to cook your home dish for them, anything that shows you respect their place and your grateful and do want to make an effort and offer them to host them if they ever visit your country!) :) Safe travels everyone

[@WhatashameMaryJane]

My favorite safety tips out of your list are number 3 and 4. I also love the last two points you mentioned. I wish you many more safe and happy cs trips!! :)