Be a couchsurfer and enjoy an amazing journey. This year, 25-year-old Li He embarked on his “couchsurfing” adventure at graduation, staying for free in hosts’ homes and traveling on a shoestring budget to 4 countries for just 3,300 yuan.
Graduation Kicks Off Couchsurfing Journey
Couchsurfing essentially means offering a free place to stay. When you’re traveling in another city, you can sleep for free in someone else’s home. And when friends come from afar, you can also invite them to stay with you. With a free couch, even those on a tight budget can travel far and wide. The exchange of accommodation in couchsurfing is voluntary, not obligatory. It’s not like if I stay with you today, you must host me someday. This takes away much of the psychological pressure. Li He, 25, is from Shijiazhuang. He is a 2009 civil engineering graduate from the Sifang College of Shijiazhuang Tiedao University and just graduated this July. In his senior year, Li had read the book “A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Couch,” which inspired him to pack his bags and start a couchsurfing trip just like the protagonist Leo. When he was planning his graduation trip, 80% of his classmates had already found jobs, and he had even secured an interview for a civil engineering technician position at a state-owned enterprise.
But after careful consideration, he ultimately chose the graduation trip. “Some things, if not done now, might never happen.” To save up for the trip, he tutored for nine months during his senior year and managed to save 8,000 yuan. To cut costs, he booked stays with couchsurfing hosts in Chengdu, Hefei, and Brunei through the couchsurfing website in advance.
Staying for Free in Hosts’ Homes
On June 22, Li He began his graduation trip. He visited domestic cities such as Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Wuhan, and Hefei, as well as three foreign countries: Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. The total cost? Just 3,300 yuan.
For domestic cities, he mostly hitchhiked, and stayed with local couchsurfing hosts. For international trips, he had bought plane tickets in advance the previous year.
To stay with a local host, you need to book in advance on the couchsurfing website. On June 26, Li arrived in Chengdu and, through a prior booking, met American host Charlie, who had been living in Chengdu for six years. In Chengdu, the two talked about travel and dreams, and Charlie even gave Li the key to his home.
On August 7, Li arrived in Hefei and stayed with host Xiao Han. Twenty-three-year-old Xiao Han owns an 80-square-meter apartment near Sanxiaokou, where Li stayed in the guest room.
During the day, while Xiao Han was at work, Li explored attractions like Xiaoyaojin Park and Baogong Park on his own. In the evening, after Xiao Han got off work, he took Li to visit Women’s Street and Huaihe Road Night Market, where they sampled Hefei’s local delicacies.
Couchsurfing Is Rooted in Mutual Trust
Li He, Charlie, and Xiao Han had no prior connection or acquaintance. The encounter between these two strangers relied entirely on the trust built within the couchsurfing community.
On the couchsurfing website, every user must go through real-name verification and submit a real photo upon registration. Most couchsurfers are young people who love to travel and make friends, united by a common goal.
Li said that actually, people don’t need to be overly guarded. Once he starts working, he too will offer his couch to other travelers. “Couchsurfing is just about staying in someone’s home. Usually, you eat out on your own, and sometimes you even treat your host. When going out together, meals are strictly split evenly.” Xiao Han added. Of course, safety is a priority—couchsurfers should register through official websites and learn as much as possible about their hosts.
Li learned a lot from this trip. “Travel has given me more confidence and the trust of strangers. That’s what keeps me moving forward. Only by stepping out do you realize how small and ordinary you are, and how vast and wonderful the world is.”
Glossary
“Couchsurfing” means “sleeping on someone else’s couch.” You sleep at their place, they sleep at yours—that’s the original idea behind couchsurfing. The term comes from a global couchsurfing website called “Couchsurfing,” founded on January 1, 2003, by an American young man named Casey Fenton. The idea was inspired by a trip abroad. To date, it has over 2.4 million registered members across 245 countries (regions), with tens of thousands of new members joining every week.