Divorced Travellers - New Group

Please note that there is a new group for "Divorced Travellers" to share their experiences with CS.

Naturally most CS users are students. Why do you find some single users over 35, obviously well educated with a good income? Are they stingy? Do they take CS for a marriage market? Not at all!

Especially for divorced persons, CS is a great opportunity to travel, because ...
... they are on a shoestring because they often have to pay a great part of their income as maintenance.
... they are looking for new friendships because old friends turned away when the old relationship broke.
... they left behind their old life and look for new experiences travelling around.

This group is open for all singled people who love to travel. You may discuss here for example:
- Where are good places to go for divorced people (with or without children)?
- Find a couch at a host who has made similar experiences.
- Find a travelling partner with the same background.
- How to break prejudices?

Posted December 29th, 2007 - 12:37 pm by Rainer Sens from Zwingenberg, Germany

Jerry Nelsen and www.journeyamerica.org

To Jerry Nelson
www.JourneyAmerica.org

Hi Jerry,
I admire your work for Veterans and wish you great success in your adventure and speaking tour. I am enclosing my profile info so your High schoolers can get an idea of the diversity among the people of couch surfing. Not just geographical but in all facets of life.
If I could say one thing to them it would be that traveling is the best and cheapest form of higher education of all. When I was 18 I traveled around Europe for a year and a half by thumb. I felt like I had seen the world! When I returned home and traced my little trip on the globe I saw what a small part of the world Europe is! It has been my pleasure to discover more and more of the world throughout my life and there is still so much to see, so many people to meet, so many couches to surf. Yes, sadly, one can not travel by “thumb” so much anymore, Couch Surfing makes up for what you pay for transportation with a friendly place to stay all over the world! Take advantage of it and go GO!
Rocnjbarr couch surfer from the frozen tundra of Utah!

Rocn Jbarr from Logan, United States

Couchsurfer traveling without money to raise money/awarness for cancer research

What I'm doing is a mental little challenge to raise
money for Cancer Research, I have to travel to every
EU Capital City with no money in my pocket. It's
harder than anything I've ever tried, but it's worth
it.
You can see my website www.euro-challenge.blogspot.com
to see more about me and my challenge.

Anyway, if you can help me please send a text message
to my mobile giving me details, because I won't have
access to a computer. I also cant reply to any
messages, and cant call you, because there's no money
on my phone. I can usually ask somebody in a hotel or
something to make a call for me though if you give me
a number or something.
My number is 0044 7934771491

By the way, if you look at the pictures on the website,
you'll see that I'm more normal than I look in the
stupid pictures I put on Couchsurfing! ;-)

Take it easy,
Kris

Promoting CS in Karlstad, Sweden!

On October 26th two ambassadors from Stockholm:
www.couchsurfing.com/people/invinoveritas
www.couchsurfing.com/people/livewire6904
and three other CS members drove all the way from Stockholm to Karlstad (4 hours by car) which is a small city in Sweden. The plan was to get the community in Karlstad more active and promote CS and sign up more members. They had brought with them a couch and a huge sign that they placed in the center of the city! Together with the ambassador for Karlstad:
www.couchsurfing.com/people/cold_erin
and three other CS members also from Karlstad they spent the whole day promoting the network by handing out flyers and explaining what couchsurfing is all about. They also had laptops to show people how the site looks and how it works.
It was a big success! All 600 flyers were handed out and a lot of people seemed interested and thought that couchsurfing would be something for them. Now they are thinking about what city in Sweden to go to next time:)

Pictures from the event:
www.couchsurfing.com/image_gallery.html?id=28OFARK&folder=65...

INVINOVERITAS

One of our own needs help!

www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=709&post=392985

www.couchsurfing.com/people/tahirah
www.helptequila.com

written by Derek Wallace:
www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=O65VQ0

Some of you may know Tahirah Johnson, an active couchsurfer in the Chicago area...

www.couchsurfing.com/people/tahirah

She came out to the January meet-up we had and she came to the August potluck meet-up as well. Through couchsurfing.com, Tahirah has become a close friend of mine and to some of you as well. For those who don't know, Tahirah is an attorney by day and roller derby skater by night. On August 25th, during a game, she fell in front of another player, who skated over her at the collarbone. She's now being treated at Schwab Rehabilitation Center on the South Side and has an injury to her C4 vertebra. She has partial use of just one arm and no use of her legs, but she has feeling in her limbs.

The Sun Times did an interview with her regarding her injuries. You can find the article here:

www.suntimes.com/news/metro/549681,CST-NWS-roller10.article

There have been a ton of well-wishers writing to ask where donations can be made, as she had no primary insurance at the time of her accident. Checks can be mailed to a charitable trust that has been established for Tahirah:

North Community Bank
c/o The Tahirah Johnson Trust
Attn: Amber Barnhill
1555 N. Damen
Chicago, IL 60622

Donations will be tax-deductible and a Paypal account has now been set-up at the following address:

TheTahirahJohnsonTrust@gmail.com

All funds will be transferred directly into her North Community Bank account and are tax-deductible. Also, people are welcome to send well-wishes to Tahirah at that email address and we will make sure they get to her.

She's in good hands now and the rest of her derby dolls are looking out for her.

She has also wanted me to let everyone know to be on the lookout for a used, or inexpensive power wheel chair that has a tilt system, and also adjustable mid chest side holders, and chest strap. If any one has anything like this, or someone you know that can help let us know, and we will relay this information on to her for you!

Posted October 30th, 2007 - 12:52 pm by MIKKY MOUTH from Sankt Nikola an der Donau, Austria

SAN DIEGO FIRES! help needed!!!!

Please help the families displaced by the San Diego Fires or those who have lost their homes!! Live by the couchsurfing motto and give whatever you can; your time, a spare room, some food, whatever.

There are many emergency shelters, but couch surfers we can help out too! 

Many families with animals are forced to stay outside, so start by taking in a family with a dog or cat. Tomorrow my roommate and I going to some of the major shelters to see if we can help a family.

Thanks! do your part!

-Heather Bradley

Back from a 24 countries Couchsurfing experience

Hey guys !
After 10 weeks of traveling by train, plane, boat and foot, I'm now back in France with a workload of no less than 1800 hours of video to edit from the people I've met and interviewed, here and there, during this summer EU trip.
An amazing and passionating experience to get hosted in the whole European Union, mostly on the last minute -say day- and always meeting great, smart, open-minded people. Different cultures, different languages, different currencies and fashions, religions and philosophies, different faces and different differences. But we're all the same in the end.
An average of 3 days spent in every EU 24 countries visited.
8 categories of people filmed to answer the same list of 10 questions, about the E.U., politics, money, culture, life...
A documentary shall then be edited and produced within the next year, to show the result of this adventure, thanks in a great part, to all the couchsurfers I was hosted by in

Bologna, Roma, Bari, Patras, Athens, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Warszaw, Crackow, Warszaw again, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki, Turku, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, London, Dublin, Madrid and Lisbon...

...before coming back to France on the 23rd of September.
Since then I moved to a new place and I'm now ready to get started with all the material collected, and to get back to you all with a testimony of the real people's people opinion about Europe and us being together.

A very big THANKS to Couchsurfing and to all of you who make this happening every day. Thank you.

aRno Jullien

Up to Gambia by car to help women there become more indepent

On March 18, me and 5 more friends will leave from Antwerp, Belgium, to Banjul, the Gambia, not only for the adventure, but to collect money for a project that supports women in Gambia with microcredit-donations.
We go by car, which will be sold in Banjul, and the money will go to this micro-credits project.
At this moment we are looking for sponsors, all over the world, whom would like to help us getting there, and whom want to support the women in Gambia.
For more info. look at our website (in Dutch though...): www.eindhovendegexxte.punt.nl
or contact me on : ankefem1@yahoo.co.uk

Ankh Tsssss

“Come Surf a Rainbow Wave @ AfriKa Burns”- 22-25 November 2007

The “Creation” - A Tale from umZansi AfriKa

The story begins with CS ofcourse...When a CS member Soulfood4U, received a request from the Burning Man to surf her couch in Muizenberg, Cape Town. Curious about his name, “What’s in the name?”, she asked, seeking an explanation. And so Soulfood4U was introduced to the concept of Burning Man, Black Rock by the CS “Burning Man” himself.

Unable to teleport herself to Burning Man 2007 in spite of her heart and soul’s burning desire to be there, imagine her delight when a message about AfriKa Burns (see www.afrikaburns.com) landed in her mailbox. Mmmm, some bad spam is good spam, she thought! And so the idea of AfriKa Burns lit Soulfood4U’s lantern promising to set her aflame …and the “Come Surf a Rainbow Wave @ AfriKa Burns”, a CS theme camp, was created by the flames and ….and Born from the ashes!!

The “Come Surf a Rainbow Wave @ AfriKa Burns” CS theme camp is inspired by Anais Nin who said that "I only believe in fire. Life. Fire. Being myself on fire I set others on fire. Never death. Fire and life. Les Jeux." And….the traditional three legged African pot.

The pot will be bubbling slowly on the days preceding the burn…flavoured with spices from the East, West, South and North of national and international borders… The intention is to cook up a melting pot of cultures to serve up on the night of the burn …everyone will soulfully savour a “Rainbow Nation” of cultures! Promising to be a sense-sational delight!

While Soulfood embraces the dream of the “Rainbow Nation” in South Africa the concept itself remains debateable in reality…It is her dream and intention to explore ways to make it possible, wherever and whenever possible building bridges or pathways that help people from all backgrounds imaginable to connect under one umbrella, creating a forest instead of the trees she sees. In South Africa the seed varieties planted by our apartheid past still divides our trees. On a social level, the different trees have still not created pathways or bridges between themselves to grow into a forest. So events like AfriKa Burns, whilst holding promise, may just turn out to be a “unicultural” tree. Under CS principles this is Not possible and/or acceptable.

The birth of the dream of a CS couch shaped into a surfboard and painted in the colours of the rainbow riding along three dimensional waves, may be one such bridge. An awsome Muizies couch! At the theme camp, local, and it is imagined international, and even virtual CSers will be welcomed by a warm umZansi Africa greeting with a generous serving of mqombothi, traditional South African homemade beer. A world map will be on display to indicate the location, along with pictures and messages from all “real” and “virtual” AfriKa Burns CS theme camp surfers. Non-CSers who drop by, will be invited to join the CS Theme Camp by completing a “membership form” committing them under oath stating in writing a way that they intend “creating a pathway” to the “Rainbow Nation”. Their message, together with a hastily created “virtual” mugshot will be posted on the world map of CS theme camp burners.

So Soulfood4U invites local and international CSers to join the camp, seeking “real” or “virtual” members to surf the ”Rainbow Nation” couch. Soulfood4U together with others promises to take turns to “tuck you in” on the couch. So quickly send your picture by snail mail (preferably) and/or email when you join the AfriKa Burns meeting, along with your message that “frees” the “Rainbow Nation” from its chains. And watch your message become one of the spices that flavour the melting pot of cultures to be served up on the night of the burn!

For now this is just a dream…one month away from the burn, participation is essential and therefore speedily invited, any help, ideas etc are encouraged and welcomed especially from seasoned burners! Let’s make this dream “bridge” a reality, together!

Join the meeting at ….. www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=3569 and state your “real” or “virtual” status along with a mugshot of yourself, and an awe inspiring message on pathways to the “Rainbow Nation”

Soulfood4U

1000 miles completed!

Yesterday I made it back to England after walking since August 1st. I'd have to double-check but I think I stayed with about 20 or so surfers and met a lot more than that for dinner, drinks and so on.

I'd be grateful if you could put a post up on the news page just to say a huge "thank you" to each and every one, some of whom went so far beyond the call of duty that they'd need the Hubble telescope to see it in the distance behind them. I'll email them all individually as well.

I tried to get the word out about Couchsurfing and I know TFM radio in England mentioned it almost every time I was on air. The Evening Chronicle (local paper) did a whole page on me when I got back and managed to get the name of the site wrong... And forgot to mention the charity's website for donations! hey ho...

Iain Purdie

CouchSurfers WANTED to host new traveling show

Hi fellow couchsurfers. I'm producing a new traveling show made specifically for backpackers. I'm looking for multiple hosts from all around the world. We are having casting calls with all the regular people in Los Angeles and New York, but I think the best candidates could be right here on CS.

This is a real paying gig. It will also include flight, food, and accomidations.

It is very simple to apply. Make a video that is less than five minutes. Tell me about the city or cities you love the most. Where would you love to take your friends and play tour guide. Describe a couple of your favorite areas in that city, favorite hostel, favorite foods, or maybe even a unique thing that you experienced as a backpacker.

To submit the video:
You can send a link to montoyafilms@gmail.com

or snail mail a dvd to:
Montoya Films
10061 Riverside Dr. #144
Toluca Lake, CA 91602

I'm not looking for professional videos. I'm looking for a bit of your personality. Just talk into the camera as if you"re telling a friend about your adventures. Include in your email or package a short description of the cities you've traveled to, languages you speak, and a link to a profile that will help me get to know you, like your CS link or myspace.

Good luck

Brian Moraga
Santa Monica, CA USA
www.couchsurfing.com/mapsurf.html?SEARCH[skip]=0&view=detail&sid=d50c3e6e1a80243bb8a15b8bbe442f06

Event:The free trip plan to Chengde--imperial summer resort and watching performances

Time: 30thSep---3rd Oct(may delay to 4thOct).

Venue: 9:00am, meet in xidan book store, then go to by bus in the Liu Li Qiao bus station.

Participants: 3-4 foreigners (must be very active in party, need us show on the stage.)who have performance experiences should be more better. The local goverment and company host this event, want some foreigners to attend into the big party.

Leader:tom(phone 13718350534), he pay all the tour fee for us and lead us go there.may change anther guy(kungfu boy) as leader.

Itinerary:
30th Sep: 10:00am--3:00pm by bus from beijing to chengde.
Mr ding(phone 13932408756) receive us in chengde city and arrange the transportation and the non- star hotel, clean, double-bed room , private bathroom.

1st Oct, 9:00-11:00am and 7:00-9:00pm there have 2 times performance hosted by the local goverment and corporations for the celebration of the national day, stay there during the performance , you should prepare 2 or 3 programmes in each joint performance on the stage to show yourselves, there will be some prize for you after the trip.

2nd Oct, a whole day free, the host will take us to visit the Mulan Weichang, the former imperial hunting grassland and summer resort in the feudal society there. May returned to the hotel in the evening there is another night show waiting for us.

3rd Oct, the same arrangement like the 1st Oct. But you may have lot of chance go outside in the middle noon between the shows. we may return back to beijing on 4thOct, according the the car arrangement condition.

Notice:
The whole trip's transportation, dinning, hotel, visiting are included, we don't need to pay. But we need to show 2-3 times on the stage during each performance, in the same time we are enjoying a woderful party. All of the other performers are professional.

Any kinds of show are okay for the small city Weichang of Chengde, because the local people seldom have chance to watch the foreigners on stage there. So prepare yourselves for the show, may you have a lot of opportunities, or meet some good friends there. You will be very popuar and welcomed.

About Chengde&Weichang, you can search out lots of information from internet. Such as the imperial garden , imperial summer resort, wild animal hunting grassland in the qing dynasty.

Need reservation: please feel free call tom (phone 13718350534).

Tom Fullice

STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT... world iniciative against poverty

Did you know that:

Every year over 10 million children starve to death, one every THREE SECONDS?

Over one billion people live with just ONE dollar a day?

The three richest people of the world hold more wealth than 600 million people living in the poorest countries?

Around 18 million people die each year due to poverty-related causes?

Part of the Couchsurfing proyect mission is to participate in creating a better world and to raise collective consciousness. Most of us have opened not just our homes, but our hearts to people from all over the planet that share a common idea: that our world can become a better place, one new friend at a time.

In the year 2000, 189 world leaders committed to reach 8 Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015. This goals deal with issues that range from poverty to gender equality, to sustainable development, to the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, etc.

Today, halfway trough the deadline, many countries are still far from providing the help their promised and from keeping their commitments.

Last year 23.5 MILLION PEOPLE participated worldwide in the STAND UP campaign, searching to raise awareness on world poverty, and setting a world Guinness record for the largest number of people standing up for a cause in 24hrs.

This year, our goal is even higher. On october 16-17 we have to STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT, letting our world leaders know that we will no longer keep quiet, and that they must keep their promises, NO EXCUSES.

Couchsurfers all over the world can join this campaign by attending local Stand Up events, or by organizing their own. The process is very simple. You simply have to check the official web site to see if there's and event taking place near you or register your event at:

www.standagainstpoverty.org

making sure it takes place between 9:00pm (GMT) on the 16th, and 9:00pm (GMT) on october 17th.

When the moment of the event comes up, you must ask people to sit or kneel down, and then to STAND UP.

After the event you must register your Stand Up numbers on the webpage for them to count for the Guinness World Record, if you go to an already planned event, the organizers will register your participation for you.

It doesn't matter if you Stand Up on your own, or if you gather as many people as you want. You can promote this campaing at your school, work, congregation, or simply gather all your friends and family toghether.

The world needs action. WE ARE THE FIRST GENERATION THAT CAN END WORLD POVERTY. Others have fought agianst segregation and apartheid. Our time has come to act, to make a difference, to STAND UP.

Join millions of people around the world on october 16 and 17th, and help the CS project change the world one couch (and one pair of feet) at a time!

For more information visit :
www.standupagainstpoverty.org

For Latin America and the Caribean you can find information in spanish at:
www.cinu.org.mx/levantate2007

Bárbara Lazcano

Pittsburgh Regional Weekender - You are invited!

This Oct. 5th - 7th, 2007 will be the
First Annual Pittsburgh CS Regional Weekender!

The couchsurfers of Pittsburgh, PA invite all members in Pittsburgh, and surrounding areas to an event filled weekend here in the Iron City! We would like to present to you the best Pittsburgh has to offer as well as a couch. We would like to welcome all CS members who reside within a reasonable driving distance. We look forward to meeting new friends, hosting nearby members, and establishing a stronger CS network within our region. While we are excited to host our First Regional Weekender, we are already looking forward to finding out what your city has to offer.

We look forward to seeing you at some or all of the events! Please let us know how many are in your party and we will secure a couch for the nights requested!

Please join the following group for updates leading up to the event:
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=6793

Invites have been extended (and not limitied) to the following surrounding areas; OH, MI, MD, DC, NY,PA, WVA, and VA, and nearby Canada.


Here is a run down of the events scheduled:

1st Annual Pittsburgh CS Regional Weekender

************************************************************

Friday Oct. 5th, 2007

Kickoff:
Unblurred Art Crawl on Penn Ave,
Garfield/Lawrenceville
www.pennavenuearts.org/ (click on Penn ave
corridor map)
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

CS Regional Weekender Pre-party:
9:00 pm - ?
Brillobox
4104 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
(412) 621-4900

~~~~~~~~~

Saturday Oct. 6th, 2007

-Brunch:
10:00 am
DeLuca's Restaurant
2015 Penn Avenue, Strip District 412-566-2195

-Sightseeing:
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
around Strip District, Steps of Pittsburgh Walking
Tour,
and downtown

-Official CS Pittsburgh Regional Weekender Meet Up:
2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
www.zenithpgh.com/
BYOB
86 South 26th Street, Southside 412-481-4833

CS Southside Bar Crawl:
7:00 pm - 2:00 am
Begins at The Lava Lounge
www.lavaloungepgh.com/
Dj Doug spins 80s hits.
2204 E Carson St, 412-431-5282

Last Call for alcohol.....:
1:45 am
Jack's
1121 E Carson St, (412) 431-3644

For those still standing:
2:00 am - ?
White Eagle (After Hours Bar)
www.myspace.com/whiteeagle


~~~~~~~~~

Sunday Oct. 7th, 2007

Open Day
(You get to pick! Groups will be formed at Zenith on Sat.):

Steelers Tailgating

Andy Warhol Museum
www.warhol.org/default.asp

Thrift Store Hopping

BodyWorlds Exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center
www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/bodies/

Hiking

Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Phipps Conservatory
www.phipps.conservatory.org/

Kelly Ryan

Thailand CSC

Announcing the Thai Collective
This issue we have very exciting news to share with you: As you read this, we are making preparations for our 5th and soon to be most productive CouchSurfing Collective. The Collective will be held in Thailand for four months starting December 1st, 2007, and we are now accepting applications for a small number of very specific volunteer positions. We hope you will apply to represent the interests of all CouchSurfing members by joining us in Thailand! But first we need to tell you a little more about the purpose of this unique Collective.



A Collective for Volunteers
As members, we all enjoy hosting and surfing with each other thanks to the day-to-day efforts of many hard-working volunteers, including the CouchSurfing Ambassadors and the Volunteer Leadership Team. Yet we now realize that we haven't given these volunteers nearly enough support. That's why we've decided to make some important improvements to make volunteering much easier and more rewarding.

The first step was the hiring of our second and third paid employees this June. The job of our new full-time Volunteer Coordinator, Jim Stone, is to see to all the needs of current and future volunteers and to organize them into expert teams. Mattthew Brauer, our new full-time General Manager, has been hired to organize our many ongoing projects and to help prioritize tasks for these expert teams. These two have freed up Casey Fenton to Coordinate the Technology Team, whose focus is to create software tools for these teams. Now we are ready for the next step, which is to recruit a small group of our most motivated volunteers who will build and supervise these expert teams. These team supervisors will also have the option to stay at the Collective in Thailand.




A Collective for the Future
In the past we've used Collectives to accomplish critical short-term goals. This time we're using it to build the long-term future of CouchSurfing. The Collective will allow us to bring this small group of present and future team supervisors together under one roof to plan and build their volunteer teams. With the help of our new project organizer and volunteer needs manager, these team supervisors will keep CouchSurfing the best and easiest way to connect with surfers and hosts worldwide as well as maintain an always free to use service for our members.

We're now looking for highly skilled and experienced members who wish to become volunteer team supervisors, whether or not they can join the Collective. Supervisors will have the opportunity to attend the Collective and enjoy free meals and accommodation. However, these positions are long-term volunteer commitments extending beyond the Collective. Does this sound exciting to you? If so, apply to join us in Thailand for a fun and amazing learning experience with CouchSurfing's most talented members.

We're committed to making the Thai Collective the most productive and most accountable use of member donations yet. This includes a focused mission, specific job descriptions for each participant, and high standards of achievement for each position. The positions include the volunteer team supervisors, a few software developers to assist their needs, and a Collective House Manager. You'll be hearing more from us about the Thai Collective in the coming months.

To read about all of our plans and needs, please visit the Thai Collective FAQ page on CouchSurfing. Please note that you cannot reply to this message, however you can pose questions on the FAQ page.

Jim Stone

Thanks to our 10,000th verified user!

Today we passed the 10,000 mark on our number of verified users! Thanks to András ( www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=3MQTFK ) of Vordingborg, Denmark for helping make CouchSurfing more secure!

If you're not yet verified you can help make a difference by letting other members know that both your name and physical address has been confirmed by a trusted and unbiased third party. We match your name with the one on your credit card and we mail you a letter to your physical address with a code that you then type in on the website to authenticate you can receive mail where your profile is listed.

More verified members means increased security within our community. Learn more about the verification process here: www.couchsurfing.com/verification.html

Jim Stone

Mississippi Dreamin

Michael Sean is getting ready for his 1800 mile trip down the Mississippi in a canoe. He is planning on couchsurfing the whole way, staying in CS host houses along the river. If you would like more info or find out how you can help, shoot him an email. Michael Sean will proudly display the couchsurfing logo on his canoe. If they give him one.

Michael Sean

Surf a mutant sofa in the desert: Burning Man festival to see its first CouchSurfing camp

Surf a mutant sofa in the desert: Burning Man festival to see its first CouchSurfing camp

Over eighty members of CouchSurfing are to form a camp of the same name at the Burning Man (link: www.burningman.com) festival, an annual event that takes place in Black Rock City, the name of a temporary town that rises every August in the Nevada desert to exist for one week only.

Burning Man, a festival dedicated to art, self-reliance and radical self-expression, will start on Monday, 27 August and will continue for a week. Last year’s event drew 40,000 people from around the world. CouchSurfing members also organized a party using a CouchSurfing group devoted to the event. This year will see the first theme camp dedicated to CouchSurfing, and a “mutant couch” will become the centerpiece of the camp.

Neither the CouchSurfing camp or Burning Man is officially connected to or funded by CouchSurfing. However, Casey Fenton (link: www.couchsurfing.com/caseyfenton), co-founder of CouchSurfing.com, says the website was partly inspired by Burning Man and that “a large portion of the first members of CS were burners”. The name “burners” refers to enthusiasts of the event. “These people created wildly individual and colorful profiles, setting the stage for the amazing collection of people that CS is now”, Casey adds.

Pointing out similarities between the to organizations, Casey says, “CouchSurfing and Burning Man both inspire people to do great things and reach for the stars. Both encourage people to get involved and participate instead of spectating.”

The initiative to set up a CouchSurfing camp for the festival was born nowhere else but on the CouchSurfing website by enthusiastic CouchSurfing members. “There were several posts on ‘Burning Man’ group calling for someone to take the lead on doing a CS camp. I decided to go ahead and put it together and take the summer off from school”, says James Lathrop, known to his campmates as Sofa King in Charge (link: www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=1OASNIF). “The only rule that I've stuck to from the beginning is that every single member of CouchSurfing camp is a member of CS.”

Lathrop said he first expected around 20 people to register but the popularity exceeded his anticipations and now there are 85 CouchSurfing members signed up to be part of the camp. “That posed a special challenge to me to make sure that everyone was fully prepared for the experience”, says Lathrop, who will be attending the event for the fifth time. According to Lathrop, most CouchSurfers at the camp will be Burning Man “virgins” – a term used to describe first-time attendees of the festival. “I think that is because most of the veterans in CS are already with other groups of friends or other camps.”

Lathrop and his campmates are currently building the Mutant Sofa from many donated couches that is to become the symbol of the camp. Lathrop says it will be his first interactive art project for Burning Man festival, so named for its yearly ritual burning of a large wooden effigy.

Lathrop is not the only person taking the initiative to put the camp together. Other camp organizers include Howard Chong (link: www.couchsurfing.com/people/chongman99), Thomas Ploszaj (link: www.couchsurfing.com/people/studebaker), Kelly Cochran (www.couchsurfing.com/people/bikiniskigirl), and Jay Walsh (link: www.couchsurfing.com/people/jaywalsh). Rachel Fiori (link: www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=77LGCK) took on tasks of preparing the camp kitchen, shower, and dirty water disposal. The festival requires that all attendees bring their own water to drink and use at the event, and the dirty “grey water” must be evaporated or transported out of the event. By US federal law, it cannot be dumped on the desert, and the festival organizers make great efforts to return the desert environment to its natural state after the events.

This will be a “virgin burn” for Rachel, who is an active CouchSurfing host in San Francisco, California. Fiori, known to her good friends and campmates as Princess Fiori, says she is overjoyed to be in the same camp as a few of her CouchSurfing friends. Not willing to stop hosting even while traveling, Fiori will be providing a ride from San Francisco to Black Rock City to two Italian CouchSurfers. She also plans to open her home in Black Rock City for anyone that needs a place to stay during a cold desert nights. “Campo de Fiori tent space is available for surfing while my home base couch is not. Feel free to surf on over to the Mutant sofa or Campo de Fiori.”

The CouchSurfing camp will host pot-luck party on Wednesday of the event, with help from Cochran. It will also hold a pancake breakfast on Thursday morning, with Walsh flipping the pancakes. The breakfast will be given out for free, as commerce is completely disallowed at the event, and even bartering is discouraged. But Walsh is no stranger to serving up free pancakes. In addition to being known in San Francisco for his pancakes at CouchSurfing meet-ups, he says, “I hosted an all-pancake breakfast at my camp two years ago, and was really excited to find out that CS Camp wanted to do one as well.” Interviewed in his San Francisco home while testing his batter that he transport to Black Rock City, Walsh added, “Nothing beats pancakes for breakfast out in the desert.”

For more information about the Burning Man event or the CouchSurfing camp, you may visit these links:
www.burningman.com
www.couchsurfingcamp.com
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=434

Mattthew Brauer

Cycling against the Darfur Genocide and couchsurfing along the way

I have been an enthusiasi member of couchsurfing since 2005 and next week, I am going to start a 600 kilometers bike ride in the south of France. I am raising awareness about the genocide in Darfur and funds for Darfur refugees. Individuals have been sponsoring money to a non-profit called Global Grassroots, which works in Refugee camps in Chad, in honor of the kilometers that I will ride. I want to continue to raise funds or this worthy cause! I will be couchsurfing during my bike trip and I have already had many generous CSers agree to host me along the route. To find out more about my trip, to get involved, or to read my trip blog visit

www.cyclingfordarfur.com

ROBYNBIRD

Terrible earthquake in Peru... how to help

As many of you already heard, last wednesday (August 15th)Peru suffered a terrible earthquake from 7.7 degrees .
People from the South (Chincha, Pisco and Ica took the worst part. To the date there are more than 500 human victims, lots of hurted people and many material damages (more than 60% of the houses in Ica felt down and more than 80% in Pisco).
As you understand the governmet and private institutions are making their best efforts to help people in the disaster area, but I think it could get better "with a little help of our friends".
I just wanted to say that we should be organized and informed about the places or organisations where we could send our help.
Here is a web page from a local newspaper where you can find out how to help or donate and where:

www.elcomercio.com.pe/ediciononline/HTML/olecportada/2007-08...

I'm sure that in Coushsurfing we all share more than couches. It's about friendship, support and to be with your CS fellows in the good ones and in the bad ones too. I think our travelers community understands how people is feeling right now and that many of them are willing to help, just they don't know how.
For that I'm sending you this list published in "El Comercio" local newspaper.

Hope you all are ok and that all this ends in a short time.

Thanks to all people from the groups Peru, South America and other ones for their support and thoughts.
Rocio Jimenez Sablich
(Lima - Peru)

DONATIONS:

IF YOU WANT TO DONATE BLOOD:
-Health Ministry: Avenida Salaverry block 8
-Youu can also do it in all the blood banks from the following hospitals:Dos de Mayo, Loayza, Essalud Rebagliati, Almenara, Sabogal, Fuerzas Armadas, Policía Nacional and Hospital de la Solidaridad.

TO DONATE FOOD AND CLOTHES:
-Nationa Stadium North platform , in Santa Beatriz
-Air Group Nº 8 from Lima, in Callao
-All churches from Peru will collect, also with "Caritas del Perú" organisation, clothes, water and food.
-San Borja Municipal governmet: Avenida Joaquín Madrid, block 2
-Pentagonito circuit: San Borja Norte Ave. with Boulevard
-Ebony shopping center:San Borja Sur Ave. with Parque Sur, block 1
-Plaza Vea supermarket in San Borja shopping center
-Jesús María Municipal governmet has 3 campaign tents in San felipe Ave. block 9. They'll be collecting food, medicines and water.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE US:
-To help you can call to:(001) 202-462-1081 / 202-462-1084 and 462-1085.
Also the St. Matthew's church from Washington DC will donate to Peru all what they collect in the mass from this sunday Aug.19th.

IF YOU WANT TO DONATE MONEY:
-Banco de Crédito del Perú:
193 199999998 0 15 (Moneda nacional -Soles),
193 199999999 1 16 (Moneda extranjera -US$).
-BBVA Banco Continental:
0011-0444-4444444444 (soles),
0011-0444-4444444446 (US$),
0011-0444-4444444447 (euros).
-Scotiabank:
3022500(US$),
5074657 (soles)
-Interbank:
2000000001118(US$),
2000000001119(soles)

IN SPAIN:
-You can send your donations to the following bank account:
Banco La Caixa (Barcelona): 2100-0479-21-0200048852.

IN CANADA:
- You can send your donations to the General Peruvian consulate account,in Toronto, Sismo Perú 2007
Account, # 06702 113 - 4329 from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

Rocio Jimenez Sablich

CouchSurfing Wiki Founder Gets Banned From The Wiki He Founded

Today the founder of the CouchSurfing Wiki got banned from editing the Wiki he founded almost one year ago. He deserves this, since he has shown to not fulfill the mission in any kind of way.

Four weeks ago he moved some articles that don't fit the CouchSurfing Wiki anymore to another wiki. These articles were about the Center of Adventure Economy and free software. We, the CouchSurfing Inc., can not allow this to happen. We know that these articles do not fit the mission, but we want people to give people a false impression. So we want to keep these articles on our wiki.

And consequently we let our hired staff spend their time by restoring all the articles and blocking the creator of the Wiki from editing. We are even thinking of blocking everyone from editing, because who needs a wiki anyone. It does not increaase Intercalifornian Understanding.

Kasper Souren

A CouchSurfer's Perspective

I checked my watch nervously, as my travel companion frantically tried to pick up a cell signal so we could call and alert Vincent to our delayed arrival. After difficulty in navigating Paris' complex transportation system, we just missed our southern-bound train and didn't want our host to sit out in the cold at Marseilles' uncovered station for hours waiting on us to find our way.

In retrospect, it now seems a bit odd (sketchy even perhaps) that we had never before met Vincent, but were taking a risk and staying with him anyway. I didn't know even know the most basic things about him: his place of birth, pets' names, setting of his first kiss -- things I generally knew about even the most casual of my acquaintances. But not Vincent. No, Vincent was just a fellow member of an online travel group of which I was a part. I stumbled across his profile while researching ways to finance a month-long assignment in France. The most interaction we had prior to our meeting on his turf was an e-mail exchange or two. Yet, he was retrieving us at the station and taking us to his secluded Provence villa for four nights. The setting for a made-for-TV, Texas Chainsaw Massacre-esque slasher flick perhaps, but we were edgy girls accustomed to taking risks. On the contrary, had my mom back home in my conservative Tennessee town known what I was doing, she might have croaked.

That was the reaction I initially got -- and often still do -- from many friends and acquaintances when they hear I am using "backpackers clubs" like Hospitality Club (www.hospitalityclub.org) and Couch Surfing (www.couchsurfing.com) as means of budget travel. My former roommate referred to the travelers I would meet up with as my "Match.com dates," when in reality that couldn't be further from the truth.

Hospitality Club stresses that it is not a dating service (Match.com enthusiasts, read no further), and should you try to use it as such, your messages to other members will not be delivered. Through an extensive application process -- including a background search that requires you to submit your passport number -- Hospitality Club volunteers screen each person who is admitted, as well as scan every e-mail sent through the website to make sure all content is appropriate. It may seem too Big Brother for some, but after receiving a marriage proposal or two via Couch Surfing, I welcomed Hospitality Club's stricter policy. (Disclaimer: It should be said that I have had only positive experiences using Couch Surfing, as well, but have gotten a questionable e-mail or two to which I didn't respond.)

Both organizations are completely free of charge. They were started with the intent to unite the globetrotters of the world and those who thrive on exploring it. Anyone can join, and it can be used for as little as getting recommendations when visiting a new town to finding a free place to sleep or a local tour guide.

Vincent turned out to be a wonderful host and someone I would like to get to know better. After hitting a home run with him, my friend and I moved eastward along the Cote d'Azur, staying each couple of nights with a different Hospitality Club member or Couch Surfer. A month later, we had spent no money on accommodation and gained several new friends.

I continued to use these convenient services throughout the duration of my time living abroad. When I finally returned to the United States, I fell into post-travel depression. No longer could I pick up on a whim and fly to Morocco or hop a train and be in Germany in an hour. Grounded by a real job and lack of travel funds, I sadly changed my profile status on each web group from whatever exotic locale it had previously said back to New York.

That's when the e-mails really started pouring in.

I had never before thought of using these sites from my home base to get my travel fix. When you're in Europe, you get used to meeting backpackers everywhere you go. In the States, it's generally just the overly obnoxious tour groups and retired couples who block your path, not the fun-loving Aussie or pint-drinking Brit backpackers you so frequently encounter around every corner in other countries. Because the United States is so big and we lack an array of transcontinental transportation options (i.e. cheap cross-country trains, budget air carriers), I couldn't really envision someone "backpacking" across it. However, much to my surprise I discovered that the backpacker community does, in fact, live on in my own country -- and dominantly at that.

Excited by my influx in correspondence, I began reading through my inbox. Among others, there was a Korean businessman coming to town for work, a Finnish guy who wanted to ditch his parents and see the real New York, and two Canadian girls just border-hopping for a weekend of fun. I eagerly replied to each e-mail, and before I knew it my social calendar was full for the next three months.

That's not to say I haven't had a strange experience or two. Due to the law of probability, with every barrel of apples, you're likely to find a rotten one. Tim from New Zealand was the worm in my barrel of otherwise untainted fruit. He showed up at my apartment, joined my friends and I for a night out, and proceeded to offend everyone but perhaps the bartender by his lack of tact and opposition to American foreign policy. We all have our opinions, but someone should have explained to Tim the significance of the expression "when in Rome" -- particularly when he was openly bashing the very country he was visiting.

Luckily for me, those Tim occurrences have been few and far between, and I chock them up to cultural differences. Now, two years after delving into the world of online travel, it's not out of the ordinary for a normal week to include lunch with an Icelandic couple, coffee with a Chilean and after-work drinks with a bunch of unruly Greeks. Emma, an Australian Couch Surfer, and I hit it off so well that she's even looking at moving to New York and taking up residence in my spare room. Although, each and every time I make these new friends, I can't help but envy their freedom and nomadism. Still, I know one day my time will come, again, and for now, it's just nice to be able to give back.

- Luna

An Interview with a Nomadic Ambassador

Nomadic Ambassador DJ AJAM is currently couchsurfing...the world! He has recently opened his own "CouchSurfing shop" on his website, with all profits going to CouchSurfing.com. He shares some thoughts with us about couchsurfing, travel and life.

1. Hi Adam, could you tell us about yourself?

I'm a 28 year old from Bolton, Manchester England. Started DJing when I was 17, became professional when I turned 22, a year exactly to the day my dad passed away. For the last 6 years since then I've been DJing all over Europe as a career as well as working for a record distribution company for 5 years promoting and selling vinyl records all over the world. Whilst working I did a BA in Film Writing and Creative Writing in Manchester, part-time. In the second year of my degree my mum passed away sending me almost to the brink of depression. Somehow i pulled myself out, returned to finish my degree and now I'm pursuing the noble career as a writer.

2. How did you hear about CouchSurfing?

A friend of mine, who is also now a couchsurfer took a 1 year pre-planned trip around the world. Whilst in Asia, he met a guy from America who was using cs. He knew it would be the kind of thing I'd jump on, when he returned he gave me the website and I was hooked immediately.

I hosted in my house for over a year, never actually surfing myself, however after hearing all the stories from my guests, my desire to travel exploded ever more.

3. And what do you do now?

I quit my job to become a professional writer as well as DJing any opportunity I get. I now class myself as a world traveler, hopefully the next modern-day Hemingway currently exploring every country & writing the first book about couchsurfing the world.

4. Couchsurfing the world? For how long? How will you afford it?

After losing both my parents, my sister and I inherited the family house, I had to decide if I wanted to keep it or not which meant getting a mortgage for half the estate to give to my sister. The other option was to sell everything and use the money for the trip of a life time. The hardest decision of my life, however I'll only regret the things I didn't do right!

I plan to travel for 5 years, I'm in no rush, the last year i will spend writing the book and getting it published etc.

5. But what's left to do after doing the trip of a lifetime?

If the books a success then maybe I'll buy a boat and sail around the world, hosting people as i go, we can sail out to sea and crack up the music real loud. Also I've been writing a film trilogy for the last 5 years and a TV Series so I've plenty to crack on with. The book will hopefully give me the voice i need to break into the film industry. I'd like to start a family I guess at some point, not just yet though, I've the whole world to see.


6. Are you worried that CouchSurfing will change or not even last the length of your trip?

Yes, maybe it will change slightly, finally sell out to a big corporation, i hope i can complete my book before that happens if it does. I know that the admins work round the clock to keep the site running and the temptation of such an offer would be hard to knock back. I'm not thinking of the future too much, or the past, I'm living in the now and theres no better feeling than that.

7. So back to the trip. How's it going so far? Good/bad experiences?

Truly amazing, I've had so many wonderful experiences, I've attained over 5000 emails which i send my journal too, receiving copious amounts of replies from my readers about how much they are enjoying it. I'm growing as a writer everyday. I've not had any really bad experiences, more a case of some couchsurfers are more involved than others, to them its more than just having someone staying in their house, its about sharing, welcoming, creating bonds of friendship stretching across the globe that last forever. When I meet tourists, I find myself giving them advice that I've learnt from my hosts, priceless info you can't learn from Lonely Planet and tour guides.

8. Where do you have the time to couchsurf, write and respond to 5000 emails?

Sleep is the cousin of death they say, I guess i don't sleep much, I'm a good organizer of my time, and I'm quick to reply to emails, I used to work 8 hours a day back home like everyone else, without this commitment I've plenty of time to do what needs to be done to make my project as successful as possible.

9. I heard you're promoting Couchsurfing. How do you do that, besides surfing?

Proceedings of each book sold will be donated to CS keeping the website alive and hopefully away from membership funds and advertising. I'm hoping to donate a dollar per book. If every couchsurfer bought a copy you do the math, it would keep cs alive for a very long time. I hope to donate the largest sum in the CS history. Everyone I meet in the street I tell them of my project and introduce them to CouchSurfing. Although I do speak to everyone I meet I'm very particular about who I think would make a good CS member. After traveling for almost 8 months, I know how important it is to have the correct personalties and attitudes for the growth of our CS family.

10. So what do you think "Couchsurfing" is? Just a free couch or something else?

It's way more than a free couch, it helps travelers not only save money but utilise there time wisely, sometimes I've been lucky and my hosts have taken me to the places I wanted to visit instead of having to get a tour, its also a great insight into how places differ, how families live together, on occasion I get to try home made food from all around the world. also i feel safe knowing I have a host as soon as I get off the plane or bus, i don't have to worry about my belongings etc. Deep down CouchSurfing is a spiritual organisation, even in this world of fear and terror there are people out there that want to reach out and greet strangers into there home, even the parents of some of the hosts I've stayed with welcome the idea, liking the thought of having young people come and go from all around the world.

11. And do you think that CouchSurfing is really "changing the world"? Or is it just another traveler website?

It's changed my world for sure, I would have traveled regardless but couchsurfing reduces a big part of the stress and worry. It also leaves me with a friend in every country that I can always revisit making my world a smaller place.

12. How do you think CouchSurfing differs from other social networking sites?

First of all the security is way better than anything I've used before, the actual site is much more professional than similar sites and constantly being modified based on the members input, and what I like most about CS is that you actually go about making plans to meet people rather than chat nonsense in cyberspace. the site shows a different kind of dedication to a purpose than other sites which are filled with profiles showcasing fake relationships with people they have never met. Also at the moment CouchSurfing doesn't demand a joining fee, lets hope it stays that way and members continue to give donations instead.

13. Absolutely. Now, tell me about your Couchparty gigs. What's that about?

With me DJing for free, its a great way to do a party, inviting the local CS members together to meet one another and grow as a community. Some clubs have donated free bottles of spirits to me which i share with the members, the parties we have had so far have been great, I hope to make them bigger as I travel, maybe even one day making a global event..

14. Sounds exciting! Now, I heard something Couchsurfing T-shirts for sale. Can you give details?

The shop is now up and running! All commision charges will be donated to CouchSurfing every month. Check it out on-line..

15. So how much will the T-shirts be? And what percentage of sale price goes to CS?

All prices are on-line, on average about 3-4 dollars of each item goes to CouchSurfing, the rest covers the cost.

16. Thanks Adam. So where are you now? And where to next?

Now in Panama, I'll be here about a week then hit Colombia. After that, my next continent's South America.

DJ Adam's profile can be found here.

Roy Abraham

Surfing Between the Border Lines

"Surfing Between the Border Lines" (working title), an independent, feature-length documentary film exploring the growing phenomenon of couchsurfing is currently in pre-production. Three filmmakers and newbie couchsurfers will spend three months couchsurfing the globe while filming their experiences to share with the world. Making use of interviews, found footage, newscasts, and live action sequences, "Surfing" is a film that will take audiences on an epic journey across hemispheres, time zones, and border lines to explore the possibilities of what can happen when strangers meet and decide to be anything but.

Directed by Rachel Evans, a couchsurfing member from Chicago, Illinois, "Surfing" is set to begin filming in late July of 2007. The filmmakers will travel between New Zealand and Iceland and all points in between. This film will mark the entire film crew's inaugural experience with couchsurfing and will not only chronicle their journey but will seek to situate the phenomenon of couchsurfing within modern culture and to dissect its social relevance, causes, and implications for the future and to discover what, if anything, the world at large can learn from this collective of people.

"I'm fascinated with this concept of pay-it-forward social hosting," says Rachel. "That something like this exists against the backdrop of a world in which there is a growing media-supported trend of both personal and national paranoia and in which most people no longer even know the names of their neighbors is supremely interesting to me both as an American and as a member of a rapidly globalizing society."

A website for the film is set to launch in mid July. Until that time, anyone with questions, suggestions, or a wish to donate much needed funds to the film can email Rachel directly through the couchsurfing.com website - her user name is raeevans. Anyone interested in hosting the crew and participating in the film may also contact her through the site.

Rachel Evans

Discover Estonia during Pärnu beach camp

Estonia, as a small country alongside the Baltic Sea does not very often stay on the routes of travelers. However, there’s a special reason to visit this little country very soon now, because of the big HC/CS camp held from 28. June until 1. July.

The camp is organised by a little group of enthusiastic Estonians who want to bring together many like-minded people, share the cultures and friendship. The dates for the camp have been chosen carefully, because when the camp is over, there’s a brilliant opportunity for the campers to head to Tallinn and see estonian traditional Song and Dance Celebration.

Camp itself have two full-days, from which one is concentrated on Estonian culture, other day on all the other cultures that meet up in the camp. Program contains little concerts, movie-night, folk-dancing and much more.

Probably the most enchanting about this camp is the place – isolated beach and naturally beautiful camping area in the middle of the pines. People fond of hiking can find much to discover in the surroundings of the camp place.

Even though the camp starts in less then a week, it’s still not late to register. More information is provided on the webpage www.hceesti.ee

Katrin Niisuke

The urban adventure: 17 days of hospitality exchange

During the second half of August, the worldwide hospex community will participate in a unique cultural project in Bremen/Germany. For the duration of 17 days our bunch of friendly people reaches out its helping hands to redesign an entire seven storey building and to foster internationality among the participants. The living complex consists of 110 accommodation units that will be teared down after the project. This in turn means that there are simply no limits to imagination and creativity. Members can sign up under: hc-goes-sproutbau.piranho.de The only restrictions are that members have to stay for at least 5 days and that there is only place for 10 members per day, so be quick!!!

- polarfox

Mexico Couchsurfers open doors (and couches) to the world

As the biggest event worldwide for the celebration of cultural diversity and international dialogue nears its opening day, the local Couchsurfing community of Monterrey, Mexico is ready to receive all the CSers that will take part in the activities of the 2nd Universal Forum of Cultures.

The Forum is a non-profit, global, civil society event that seeks to promote cultural diversity, cooperation, dialogue and celebration of the richness of our modern world. Local CSers have been deeply involved in the organization of this event, the follow up to the Universal Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004, and have begun to organize a series of CS events and meetings for all the travelers that will visit the city during the 80-day event.

This event is free, and is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to present inniciatives to make this world a better place and Couchsurfing is an important part of this project. We want also to take the opportunity of this event to present CS to the almost 1.5 million attendents to the Forum, and will be organizing events sponsored by the local CS community.

For more info on the event click on www.monterreyforum2007.org

- Adrian Monfort

Bula Fiji first major event a success!!

Bula Fiji, which is the Fiji CS Collective, had our first major get together last weekend. We were excited and honored to be joined by fellow German CS, Jörg Wimper and Lene Juergens. On Friday, July 6th everyone who is based in the capital of Suva traveled down to the jet set town of Nadi for what was the beginning of a weekend filled with, sun, sand, laughter and a great cultural exchanged. The tiny room that we all bunked in didn’t dampen the spirit (in fact this made it more fun) as we shared jokes, stories, ideas and laughter. The highlight was the day cruise to the popular Beachcomber Island where we all indulged in a cocktail of swimming, kayaking, parasailing, beach volleyball and exchanging more stories & ideas on how we could improve CS in Fiji. Bula Fiji member Fenton Lutun organised this first major get together and more exciting ones are already planned for the upcoming months.

Losana & Simon McGowan-Greaves

europAlive : A documentary about today's and tomorrow's Europeans

A project is taking shape in Europe, aiming at connecting people with each others through a documentary taking place in all the 27 EU countries.

The challenge here is to travel to all European capitals (or main cities) in order to make filmed interviews from different categories of people, who represent most of each country's population : students, workers, housewives, jobless, homeless, artists, businessmen and retired persons, for the most general panel.

The idea is to go and meet these people and ask them the same questions,so that it's possible to compare our answers and share our visions with everyone else in the EU and abroad. No budget, only volunteering work, as Couchsurfing demonstrates through its members it can be a reality in a cynical, money-driven world.

aRno Jullien

Mongol Rally 2007

On 21 July 2007 I Sam Brettingham, 21, a Sustainable Design student at Falmouth University College and my team mate James Binning, 20, an architecture student at Cambridge University, will travel from Hyde Park in London, to the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar as participants of the 2007 Mongol rally. The Mongol Rally will take us and another 199 teams on a journey of nearly 10,000 miles – a third of the way across the world. Participants will be driving on the worst roads imaginable, pass through five mountain ranges and cross three deserts on the way, all in cars with one litre engines or less. The mighty steed in which we have decided to drive in is a Suzuki SJ410.

We will be leaving London on the 21st July and driving to Prague for the 22nd where there will be a fantastic party and gathering of all those taking part. Our route will take us south through Turkey, hugging the Black sea, into Georgia, Azerbaijan, across the Caspian sea in to Turkmenistan and then north through Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and finely into Mongolia. If there is anyone along the way who would be willing to put two smelly yet charming travelers up for a night we would be greatly appreciated, otherwise it will be sleeping in the jeep! Do get in touch.(jb561@cam.ac.uk)

The Mongol Rally isn’t only about the adventure and having a memorable experience though. Last year’s event raised over £200,000 for its partner charities and in 2007 the Rally is expected to hit the target of a quarter of a million pounds. The principle charity is Mercy Corps, an international development organisation, which supports rural communities and herding families in Mongolia through a range of economic, educational and agricultural programmes.

With help we hope to raise £1000 for Mercy Corps and any contribution to the cause has been greatly appreciated. There is also an opportunity for team sponsorship, if anyone is interested don’t hesitate to get in touch.

For online donations to Mercy Corps go to www.justgiving.com/samboandjimbo and for more information about the Mongol Rally visit www.mongolrally.com (here you can also find a list of all participating teams) and for our team web site take a look at www.rally.microbros.com.

Sam Brettingham

New Couchsurfing documentary

Filmmaker Derek Antonio Serra plans to shoot a documentary on the couchsurfing phenonema over the next two years. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Serra will host travellers in his hometown as well as couchsurf himself, and capture these experience on HD video.

In July he will be hosting surfers in Cape Town, as well as meeting up with other surfers being hosted by CS2 members in the city. Serra's first couchsurfing trip will take him to Malaysia, Phillipines and Indonesia in August/September this year, where he hopes to be hosted by couchsurfing enthusiasts. The documentary will thus carry the perspectives of both hosts and surfers,

So, if you live in South Africa, Malaysia, Phillipines or Indonesia, or plan to visit Cape Town, and would like to participate in this documentary, please check out Derek Serra's profile at www.couchsurfing.com/people/DEREKSERRA and get in touch him to discuss the matter further.

Derek Serra

Documentary Filmmaker Seeks Couchsurfers to be Part of Film Project!

Dallas grassroots filmmaker Steven Pomerantz has been fascinated by the couchsurfing community over the past year and plans to shoot a documentary film about the CF community.

The project, tentatively titled, "7 Days / 7 Couches" will take Steven to 7 different cities over a 7 day period to meet and stay with interested hosts who would like to be filmed and be part of this exciting project.

"The idea of this film is to show what this community is all about and focus on a wide variety of hosts/couchsurfers bringing to light that humanity, kindness, open-mindedness and free thinking are still part of this world we all live in together," states Pomerantz.

Filming will begin late this summer and will be submitted to film festivals worldwide in 2008. Previous short films by Pomerantz have been featured in film festivals worldwide, along with Pomerantz being awarded one of the top 25 finalists in the 2006 AMEX/Tribeca Film Festival 15-Second Clips Competition.

All couchsurfers that live in the U.S. and are interested in more information about participating can check out his couchsurfing profile at dallasdocguy or email him at babyxeropictures@aol.com.

Steven Pomerantz

Couchsurfing goes to Burning Man 2007

Couchsurfing Camp has officially been formed for this year's Burning Man festival! So far about 65 CS'rs have come together from all over the world to coordinate and create the first official Couchsurfing Camp at Burning Man, 2007. Over the past couple of years the adventurous nature of couchsurfers have found themselves on the playa, and last year there was a Couchsurfing meet-and-greet hosted at the C4 camp out of Canada. This year Couchsurfing Camp has joined up with the Black Rock International Burner Hostel at the burn to create the first International Village -- and there will be a pot luck style CS meet-and-greet at Couchsurfing Camp on Wednesday afternoon Aug 29th starting at 4pm. More information about Couchsurfing Camp can be found through the website www.couchsurfingcamp.com

Sofa King in Charge

the Luck of Seven

contact noel a hidalgo (aka noneck) global explorer Phone: +1.917.657.6999 (till 7 july) http://luckofseven.com press@noneck.org

on 07 july 2007, noneck noel (aka noel a hidalgo) will depart new york city for a journey around the world to learn from you. affably named "on the luck of seven" or "luck of seven." this is an open-source journey documenting free culture, social innovators and global change.

for seven months, i will stand on the seven contents, dive into the seven oceans, and contemplate seven topics of freedom. while on the way, i will document the journey through stories, photos and videos. this is not my story, this is our story. though your hospitably, donations, projects, connections and friends, our stories will merge into one.

as i wander the earth, my broad shoulders will bear seven topics of freedom: free culture; free and open-source software communities; couchsurfers, bloggers, fellow travelers and vloggers; agents of progressive social change; barcamp, coworking and meetups; happenstance, and climate change. all work will be produced under a creative commons license. all-in-all, this 21st century anthropological view of the personalities in physical / digital world we cohabit will always be freely available.

before departure, i am seeking 700 people to donate USD $11.11 for a total of USD $7,777. in exchange for providing my travel budget, each donor will receive a copy of my self-published book. with a less than, five weeks to go, i am well on my way to meeting my goal. as of 4 june, 2007, 141 generous donors have contributed over $3,000.

along the way, i am looking forward to partnerships with organizations to share good practices. as the clock ticks, i am constantly seeking out partnerships in promotion, equipment, research but most importantly teaching. for example, at home in new york city, michael david vineyards, a family owned vineyard and market located in lodi, california, is sending a few bottles of their award winning seven deadly zins and seven heavenly chards for me to taste. the wine will also be featured at the last few events i have in new york city. while in prague, transitions online, a czech non-profit who works with young, up and coming eastern European journalists, has asked me to help teach a week long session on new media journalism. while on the road, mobileactive and i will work together to report on the use of mobile phones for activism, campaigns, and civic engagement.

this trip will germinate many projects. first, through the blog <> i document the journey though text, audio, photos and high-definition video. second, i will self-publish at least one book, detailing more intimate parts of my path. third, will be a documentary movie. filmed in a first person perspective and shot in high definition, my goal is to have the movie ready for distribution before the end of 2008.

as for fundraising, once i reach my travel budget of USD $7,777, i will donate 75% of profits to non-profit communities that exemplify the luck of seven.

not an alternative - brooklyn coworking & community organizing - a little over a year ago, i was exposed to a wonderful community of artists, political organizers, freelance workers and free thinkers. not an alternative & the change you want to see gallery calls a modest williamsburg store front home. daily you can come joining us for coworking brooklyn or for monthly salons and performances. as not an alternative looks to expand their offering, i am donating 25% of this projects profits.

couchsurfing.com - open source communication & karma economy - imagine a world where you can travel the globe and have a buddy in every town. imagine, a traveler coming into your home and together you learn from each other. now imagine, these connections stemming from a social networking site. in spite of what most read or watch on television, there is a vast network of free spirits who have no problem opening their doors and allowing fellow travelers to share their home. as an avid host and supporter of couchsurfing, i am donating 25% of profits.

drupal association - open source technology & tools for change - since 2004, i have found myself immersed within a socially astute and technology savvy community who understand the importance of peer to peer communication and dialogue. world renown as one of the best content management systems, late last year, the drupal community established a non-profit to help guide and oversee the drupal project. as one of the new york city organizers and evangelists, i am donating 25% of profits.

using the website, book and film to provide a look at where our early 21st century stands. the remaining 25% of income will be used to establish a not for profit organization that promotes the ideals of this project.

for information: luckofseven.com or contact: press@noneck.org phone: +1.917.657.6999 (until 7 july 2007)

NONECKNOEL

The Rotterdam Mini-Collectove has started!

The Tech Mini-Collective has officially begun in Rotterdam, Netherlands! Volunteer developers and programmers from all over the world will come together to work on making the CS website faster, more efficient and more stable. The Mini-Collective will focus heavily on bug fixing, improving the infrastructure and training new developers.

You can find out more about the Rotterdam Mini-Collective in the Wiki page Also, be informed about everything that is happening day by day at the Collective in our official blog.

Remember, if you are a programmer/developer, we are still accepting applications for you to join us at the Collective, just send us an email to cs-dev-applications@googlegroups.com

- The CSCR Team

Duke

London Hosts showed impressing hospitality!

During the days of the LONDON CALLING 2007, hundreds of CouchSurfers from allover found themselves surprised by the unbelievable hospitality of the London Hosts.

The Organizers of this Global Gathering have not only built the biggest CouchSurfing event ever, but also made sure that it was successfull for each and everyone.

It is up to the CouchSurfing Community now to pay Respect to one and all of the Organisation Team who put tons of efforts into this.

We want to simple thank all of you who made this priceless amazing event possible.

MIKKY MOUTH

Berlin Beach Camp May 24th-28th

CouchSurfers are getting ready to attend the Berlin Beach Camp 2007 which goes from Thursday May 24th 2007 until Monday May 28th. It has been organised by Michael Habermann (http://www.couchsurfing.com/miicoo) via his website (http://www.happy-traveller.de).

The Berlin Beach Camp is not officially affiliated with any hospitality exchange network. However, it does tend to draw a majority of participants from Hospitality Club and a large minority from CouchSurfing, along with members from smaller hospitality exchange organisations. Thus, it is an ideal occasion to ignore "hospitality exchange branding" and just have lots of fun with like-minded people.

The program will consist of 4 days of fun activities including city walking tours, sports games, movie screenings and dancing. There'll even be a Free Hugs Campaign, organised by Couchsurfer Aaron Schultz (http://www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=1EIN30U).

The campsite is called “Strandbad Grünau” (Sportpromenade 9, 12527 Berlin), a beautiful scenic area of Berlin’s southeast. The location has been rented exclusively for this occasion and boasts of a white sandy beach and a crystal clear lake, right in front of the camp. Accommodation is by way of camping or laying sleeping bags in the dormitory. Each participant is expected to pay 5 euros per night or 15 euros for all 4 nights.

As of writing, over 800 people have signed up for this gathering.

LINKS:
Berlin Beach Camp (MEET) http://www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=987
Berlin Beach Camp (Group) http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=1141
Free Hugs (Group) http://www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=4109

Azarethroy

Evolution Solutions: ‘World that Transcends Money’

‘Human Capital’ Organizes in GiveGet Nation’s ‘Help Yourself by Helping Others’ E-Pool

Evolution Solutions, a New Haven, Connecticut-based, non-profit social enterprise, announced today the launch of the 1.0 version of its free person-to-person human resources sharing application, GiveGet Nation (www.givegetnation.net). First there was the Internet, connecting people everywhere. Then came Amazon, cutting out the middle man. Next, eBay gave a free window to millions of entrepreneurs. In 1998, people started Googling the world's information--and the Internet would never be the same.

And now, its founders say, GiveGet Nation will do all these things, all at once--without money--by circulating the limitless human product, labor, intelligence and spiritual capital of the world through pooling. “The human capital of the planet is beyond measure and is therefore priceless. It’s time we shared the bounty to heal the planet and help one another. That’s why GiveGet Nation was founded,” say founders Timothy Wilken, MD, and William Shanley. “By efficiently putting to work and circulating what’s already abundant via our e-pool, GiveGet Nation helps to improve the quality of life for people, set the world free from scarcity and save the Earth through synergy.” “Imagine living in a land where you don’t need money to get what you want in life and you’re free to share what you can afford. That world’s not here yet, but at GiveGet Nation, we’re working to manifest it,” said media producer William Shanley from his New Haven office. “We want to help you, your family and neighbors near and far experience a new world that’s beyond money. And we think we’ve got the right formula to make that happen. Our secret? We’re over money because the values people share are worth more than money.”

“Ours is a virtual new world that runs on both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of life, just like Mother Nature,” said Timothy Wilken, a physician and synergy scientist from his home in Carmel Heights, California. “Giving and receiving are really two sides of the same coin – the on-going, universal process of free exchange called ‘life.’ Our new culture of free exchange is based on values and principles that can’t be quantified, mortgaged, privatized or traded in the fragmented economy of Wall Street. Tragically, there’s not been a whole economy in ‘civilization’ since the invention of money. Now we’re going to change that. Think of us as the Humane Economy. We’re making a world that transcends money.” In GiveGet Nation, people can Give, Get and Share: Goods, Actions, Knowing and Spirit in an infinite number of categories and combinations. Share a babysitter or lawnmower. Volunteer to help rebuild New Orleans. Provide expertise. Find help for anything. Express and self-create. Adopt a family. Mentor a young entrepreneur. Give goods whose value is beyond money, like those special items you’ve been storing, don’t want to sell, and would prefer to gift to someone who values them the way you do. “Learn to live more freely. The only limit is your own imagination,” say Messrs. Wilken and Shanley.

GiveGet Nation is free. There are no middle men, fees or commissions of any kind. All transactions are unmediated and use whuffie, a post-scarcity, reputation-based currency voted when a transaction is complete. Whuffie was invented by science fiction writer Cory Doctorow. The greater a person’s whuffie, the greater their reputation for integrity in GiveGet Nation.

About the Science

Dr. Wilken went on to explain the science of GiveGet Nation. “GiveGet Nation is a gifting tensegrity, we call Giftegrity. A tensegrity is the exhibited strength that results when push and pull have a win-win relationship with each other. Tension is continuous and compression discontinuous, such that continuous pull is balanced by equivalently discontinuous pushing forces. We apply that principle to giving and receiving. Buckminster Fuller explained that these fundamental phenomena are ‘not opposites, but complements that could always be found together.’ GiveGet Nation’s economy runs on the power of the win-win relationship between desires to give and get. That’s why we call it Giftegrity.”“No matter how rich or poor, everyone has gifts and wishes and genius to share,” Mr. Shanley said. “GiveGet Nation provides the level playing field so everyone can play the infinite game of life. Think of us as the gifts and wishes e-pool where miracles happen when people’s values match.”

Values are Unlimited and Free

"Values are the basis of all moral, political and economic behavior." -- Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motor Cycle Maintenance

Human values like love, freedom, joy, creativity, growth, abundance and values fulfillment are examples of the primary sources of meaning upon which all goods, services and money are based. Human values are what people are really after in life; they are beyond measure and reside in an unlimited, qualitative domain that bridges both subject and object.“The wonderful thing about human values, the more you share them, the stronger and more attractive they become,” Dr. Wilken explained. “It’s like the relationship between a performer and an audience. A feeling bond is created that empowers the experience and performance for each.”

Conscious Evolution

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.” --Mahatma Gandhi

“Join the freedom movement,” Mr. Shanley urged. “Experience our new world of sharing. Help evolve GiveGet Nation. Let’s create ‘a world that works for everyone.’ That’s our Golden Rule.”“In GiveGet Nation gifts and wishes meet love and gratitude, so be fearless and register. Post gifts, wishes and shares. It doesn't matter which. All are fuel for our synergic, human values dynamo,” said Timothy Wilken. “Read author Marilyn Ferguson’s inspiring stories. Watch our movies. Unleash your spirit. Change the world. It won’t cost you anything you say can’t afford.”“Enhance the universal dance,” said William Shanley. “Help yourself. Dream a new future. Become your ideal self while helping others at the same time. So come on, Earth Seeds, let's Save Mother Earth and bring love, joy and abundance to all! Spirit’s calling out to us: ‘Give all you have to love and you will be all things.’ Visit GiveGet Nation. You might just learn to live free.”

About Evolution Solutions, Inc. Evolution Solutions, Inc. is a registered non-profit corporation based in New Haven, Connecticut whose sole purpose is to educate, inform and provide the means for people to consciously evolve “a world that works for everyone.” For more information about Evolution Solutions, Inc., its founders and associates, please visit the website www.givegetnation.net or contact William Shanley. Contact: William Shanley, President, 1+203+497+9334 or w.shanley@sbcglobal.net.

Shanley

CS Documentary premieres in Montreal

During the last year, CouchSurfer Pierre-Yves Beaulieu directed a 22 min. documentary film about CouchSurfing. This film was produced as a university terminal project. It was shot in Montreal during October 2006 and it is approximately 2/3 in English and 1/3 in French. It features CouchSurfers Aaron , Anuj , Duke, Rico and Trey. Without being a marketing tool for CouchSurfing, the film aims to promote the CouchSurfing spirit and the positive values it involves.

The premiere is set for May 31st in Montreal (see www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=2208 for more detailed infos) and the film will eventually be sent to a wide bunch of festivals all over the world. If you have questions or wish to suggest cool festivals in your area, you may send an email at couchsurfingfilm@gmail.com

Groulx

Announcing The CouchSurfing Leadership Team

Our CS community has recently passed its 200,000 members mark. Congratulations to everyone one of you for helping CS make a difference in the lives of people all over the world! More couches in more places and more people exploring the world, yet feeling at home wherever they go, making friendships that bridge cultures and continents. As CouchSurfing continues to grow, so does the way the organization operates. We have had several successful collectives now, and have learned a lot over the last four years. In the beginning, the Founders and a few Admins (trusted volunteers brought on board by Casey) maintained all the day-to-day business needed to run the project. This worked fine while CS was smaller, but the time has come for a more formalized organization structure with clear, transparent leadership and accountability, just like any other successful non-profit company.

Our purpose first and foremost is to serve the mission of CouchSurfing. In creating this structure, we are committing to excellent service to the community, effective and regular communication, a transparent decision-making process, quality operations management, and accountability to our mission and membership. To achieve this goal, we have established a Leadership Team comprised of Founders, Admins and a few dedicated, long-term volunteers. The core values of the team are:

Focus. Our top priority is to achieve the mission of CouchSurfing and serve the volunteers and members. Focus on the mission means that CS resources (workforce, finances, etc.) are dedicated to projects that directly serve to achieve the mission. The mission serves as the main criterion for determining which undertakings to support.

Service. Leadership is dedication to the mission, the members and the project, and is inclusive in nature. We strive to bring people together. We are representatives from the community and are open to voices from within the community. Leaders work closely with Ambassadors and volunteers to ensure that the needs of the members and the project are being met.

Structure. CS is a non-profit company that must operate with effective leadership whose purpose is to achieve the mission. The leaders serve as navigators determining the course of the company and making the strategic decisions about the future of CS, taking into consideration input from Ambassadors and the community as a whole. We have defined a clear policy for the Leadership Team, which includes the requirements for membership, a consensus decision-making process, policy for removal from the team, emergency provisions, public records and accountability. For more information on this policy, please see: www.couchsurfing.com/wiki/Leadership_Team

Quality. We have defined the attributes and qualifications for leaders that will best serve the CouchSurfing organization. We are creating a peer-review system to insure leaders and volunteers meet high standards, are accountable for their actions, and are constantly challenged to grow and improve. For more information on this please see: www.couchsurfing.com/wiki/Leadership_Qualities

Communication. We strive for transparency in the organization. Decision making processes and the operation of the Leadership Team is open record, including: - Leadership Team members and area of focus - New appointments to the Leadership Team, including selection process - Regular communication about operations process, including quarterly leadership progress reports - Financial Records - Policies and guideline

The Leadership Team members and area of focus are:
Casey Fenton: President and Visionary Leader, Founder
Dan Hoffer: Operations Leader, Founder
Aldo Golja: Policy Development, Member Safety
Chris Burley: Tech Team Coordinator
Duke: Community Building, Translations
Heather O'Brien: Public Relations, Content Writing (Newsletter, Internal/External Communications), TV/Documentary/Media Projects
Jesse Fenton: Finances, Documentation, Verifications
Jim Stone: Volunteer Coordination, Verifications
Promitheus: Ambassador Coordination
Rachel diCerbo: Member Disputes and Safety, Chat Room Coordination
MrRico: Media Coordinator
Mattthew Brauer: Homepage News, Member Projects, Internal Communications

Many members of the Leadership Team (we wish everyone could make it!) will gather in North America at the end of May to refine the structure and policies. Those who can't be in attendance will still participate remotely. One goal of this conference is to solidify CS's leadership model and implement a solid, stable organizational structure. This structure will be more like a traditional non-profit company than the looser "ad-hocracy" model used in the past. However, the new structure will create a way for any volunteer to eventually take on as much responsibility as he or she desires and to participate in the decision-making corresponding to that level of responsibility.

New volunteers may join by gaining ambassadorship and proving their ability to handle the responsibilities and tasks of ambassadorship. Ambassadors may then take on a specific volunteer role with more responsibility by joining a working team, such as tech development or communications. As these volunteers responsibility and trust grows, they will become the pool from which new leadership team members are selected. We need more committed, hardworking, mission-dedicated people on the Leadership Team! Like a traditional management team, the existing leadership will make decisions to "promote" trusted volunteers, using the process outlined in the Leadership Team Policy. CouchSurfing grows and changes at a rapid pace. This leadership structure is sturdy, yet flexible, and can best adapt to our growing and evolving community. We have a large responsibility to guard the safety and privacy of our members as well as the stability of the organization. This structure ensures that a team of long-term volunteers are responsible and accountable for meeting the needs of the CouchSurfing's mission: facilitating a way to experience intercultural understanding via hosting and surfing couches.

Leadership can only be effective by listening to the needs of the community. With so many active participants, it is impossible come up with a system that is optimal for all members -- you just can't please everyone! That said, we are open to feedback and improvements before presenting the new organizational structure to the community at large within the next two months. This is an exciting time for CS! CouchSurfing is stronger everyday thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Ambassadors and volunteers. We are constantly impressed by and grateful for the contributions to the CouchSurfing Project and it's mission of making a difference not only in the way we travel but in how we relate to the world.

Fenton