Ways to Stay with Locals
Homestays for travelers existed long before the Internet, but websites and e-mail make it much easier to link with people in other countries. Now there’s couchsurfing.com with over 400,000 members worldwide and more joining everyday. The average age is 26, but members are all ages. A nonprofit supported by contributions, it has no charge for joining. Newcomers are urged to have themselves vouched for by existing members. The organization stresses that it is not just a way of traveling on the cheap and that the real purpose is have a better understanding of other places and other cultures.
Some of the organizations that have been around longer are Servas International and the Friendship Force, both dedicated to fostering world peace. Servas (it’s the Esperanto word for service) is best suited for individuals traveling alone although some hosts can accommodate two people. A homestay usually lasts just two days. To become a member of Servas, you must be interviewed by an existing member. For a list of members in areas you plan to visit, a deposit is required and certain rules must be observed. You make your own arrangements and show your “letter of introduction” upon arriving at your host’s home. For more, see Servas.org.
With chapters in many cities, the Friendship Force plans trips or “exchanges” for groups who are then hosted by groups in foreign countries. Travelers are designated “ambassadors.” For visiting destinations where you’d prefer traveling with a group and having preplanned activities, this is an interesting and relatively inexpensive possibility. The website describes “exchanges” currently offered with the dates. It’s advisable to apply early. See theFriendshipForce.org - and not friendshipforce.org, which is an online dating and penpal service, unless that’s what you’re looking for.