WHere?! Nomad Local Blog

Hosting travelers in the house at first sounds a little worrying because it means opening the doors of your home to a stranger (it is for some members of my family yet); however, the rewards are plentiful: from learning new culinary talents or even another language.

Since 2017, I’ve actively hosted people from Couchsurfing (CS) in my home from all over the world. This is an app where people can find accommodation with locals for free, but the payment the host receives is the cultural exchange gained by spending time with the traveler.

The experiences are diverse. I can assure you that I’ve learned a lot about other cultures through the people I’ve hosted. So, if you’re considering starting to host travelers from around the world, in this article, I’ll give you 7 reasons why it’s one of the best decisions you can make if you want to start a nomadic life.

Benefits of hosting in CS

1. You can learn about other cultures: we might think that to meet another country, we have to travel, but that’s not true. All over the world, there are people who want to visit your country, and some from places that you’re interested in, and they also want to learn about your culture. So, by hosting them, you and the traveler will get what you’re looking for: a cultural exchange.
2. It helps prevent loneliness: from time to time, we can feel lonely, or we live alone, and the only thing waiting for us is an empty house or a pet. And I’m not saying this is a bad thing. But I found some people during my travels who find harder to deal with loneliness. Therefore, sometimes it’s not bad to have a friend waiting for us at home or someone to meet after work. Sharing quality time with a traveler is always enriching, and helping others can give us a porpois of life. And that’s a good way to prevent depression and lonliness.

3. Trying original international cuisine: when traveling, it’s necessary to learn basic survival skills, like cooking (which I’ll write about in a future article). So, even though not everyone knows how to cook, many do, and they cook really well (in my experience). I’ve had a French guest who made crepes, a Japanese who cooked Okonomiyaki, a friend from Slovakia who brought me Kofola and traditional candies, and once an American gave me a traditional Jewish dessert made by her grandmother. Things I never would’ve thought to try!
4. Learning to coexist: hosting another person can sometimes be difficult because we all have different customs that can vary depending on culture or even each individual’s personal history. When I’ve hosted, have had cultural shocks when it comes to personalities, so we have to learn to be tolerant, as not everyone will have the same habits as ours. This is one of the benefits of CS: we learn to understand and respect the travelers’ human side, without foregetting to set boundaries when necessary through assertive communication and letting them know when something doesn’t feel right, with love and without judgment. We have to accept that people are different and that we all have to learn to coexist healthily.
5. Hospitality pays forward: sometimes we have a spare room or an extra couch that we can use to host someone. Opening the doors to a traveler always comes with gratitude, so when I’ve traveled, the people I’ve hosted before have also hosted me. And not just once, but several times! That’s why, in another article, I recommend hosting before traveling because, by making friends from all over the world, many of them will return the favor and help you with whatever you need. And this is related to the next point.
6. You create a new family: you’ll never know who you’re going to host; however, sometimes you meet people you can connect with very quickly, who can even become your best friends in no time. In my experience, I’ve hosted people who I now consider part of my family, and even though years have passed since we last saw each other, we still talk as if the time hadn’t passed. In fact, since starting this nomadic lifestyle, I’ve seen some of them again after years, and they’ve hosted me with the same joy we first met. It’s always good to have these people in your life.

7. Your mind becomes more open and receptive: hosting travelers from all over the world provides you with the knowledge to understand people’s intentions, whether they really want to meet you or are looking for something else. You won’t always have the best guests, but it’s important that, throughout these experiences, you identify which people you want to host and be hosted by. That’s why, when you receive people, you have the opportunity to learn from them and, at the same time, learn more about yourself; in other words: an open and receptive mind.

If, after all this, you’re still not sure whether you want to host foreigners in your home, I can only say one thing: we’ll never know what it feels like to do something until we try it. My parents weren’t sure about this at first, and now they enjoy hosting people even when I’m not home.

Of course, it’s not for everyone, but we have to try things to know if they’re for us. And in my experience, hosting travelers has given me unforgettable experiences and lifelong friends.

Would you like to start hosting? Let me know if you find useful this article in the comments section!

(With a special dedication to Elena and Jamie, Dánka, Remi, Nadja, Harvey, and many others.)