SantaCon Dec 13th. New York City

Imagine thousands of drunk ass Santa's invading Manhattan neighborhoods.
What a jolly time.

1 santa costume is required.

It usually starts around 10am and goes late, but many people don't join until the afternoon.

link: http://www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=2372&post=1916489

Berlin WinterCamp 2008

Berlin Couchsurfing/HospitalityClub/BeWelcome community has something to announce:

Germany’s capital is going to host this year’s WinterCamp - in the tradition of cities like Vilnius (LT) - 2004, Rīga (LV) - 2005, Warszawa (PL) - 2006 and İstanbul (TR) - 2007!!!

Detailed information about the event is on our website www.berlinwintercamp.org

The event will take place from the 28th December 2008 until the early morning hours of the 2nd January 2009 in a location called HomeBase Lounge in the heart of Berlin close to Potsdamer Platz.

As a legal requirement the number of participants of the Berlin WinterCamp will be limited to 450 people.

To make sure the event is not going to be overrun by Berliners only we will reserve 250 tickets for people from abroad, 50 of those for a limited period for people who require a visa.

People can can sign-up & pay via Bank Transfer or a credit or debit card, or by PayPal from now on. This is our temporary procedure while we put the finishing touches to our official website. Once it's on-line, we will direct you that rather than this system. But keep in mind that you will only have a space guaranteed after you have paid the required participation fee. Please make sure that you won’t book your travel ticket until your space at the Camp is guaranteed!!!

Please keep in mind:
People younger than 18 years have to leave the location each night prior to 0:00 o'clock if not
accompanied by a guardian!!!

The participation fee for the 6 days will be 35 € which includes 20 € of free
drinks at the bar:
0,33l Pils: 2,80€;
0.2l Red/White Wine: 3,50€;
0,33l Soft Drinks: 2,50€;
0,25l Mineral Water: 2,-€.

This 20 € is due to the fact
that we don’t need to pay a rent for the location but have to guarantee a
minimum revenue of 9.000 € within the five days.

The hosting of the participants will be done by the Berlin community for which we will set up a system.

Even though we have a limit of 450 people for the location the limit will not necessarily count for activities and workshops outside of HomeBase Lounge.

HOW TO APPLY FOR REGISTRATION?
1) Visit this website to begin the WinterCamp 2008 sign-up process:
www.dts-workshop.com/bwc/pay.php
(form via Google Documents)

2) Within a short while you'll receive an e-mail. The e-mail will contain a link to a page that will instruct you on how to pay by your preferred method.

3) Using your chosen payment method, ensure that you pay the 35EUR, including the confirmation code that you are given.

4) You will receive a confirmation e-mail once your payment has been received.

5) You will receive another e-mail later on with your web-site sign-in details (if the website is live, please don't sign-up to it yet!).

Note: Your bank may charge a fee for a transfer (especially if you are not in a Euro currency zone). You are responsible for covering charges. Also, if you are not in a Euro currency zone, it is your responsibility to calculate the correct exchange rate. If you are unsure about charges or exchange rates, please ask your bank.

The BWC team:
Anreas (ANDREAST00 - CS)
Florian (flohfish - HC/CS/BW)
Isa (isabolita - HC/CS
Jana (CAZZANDRA13 - CS / Shakti2000 - HC)
Oliver (otupman - HC/CS)
Paul (transmit - HC/CS)
Paul (PAULB23 - CS)

http://www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=19039

Finland is heating up in preparation for its biggest event in December!

CouchSurfers are gathering from far and wide for an entire weekend of activities and everyone is invited...

28 November 2008

---

Get your snow gear and hit the ice - it's time for the 2nd Nordic CS Organization Meeting!

This event will be held in Helsinki on 5 - 7 December 2008. Everyone is invited to this massive event taking place in the wintry haven of the land of lakes. All surfers, old and new, are warmly welcomed!

This will be the biggest CouchSurfing event organised in Finland so far, with over 100 CouchSurfers already signed up to attend. The weekend is full of fun activities including sauna, Independence Day party, a visit from Santa, a city walk, brunch and a scavenger hunt. There will also be a work meeting for the Nordic Ambassadors to discuss CS matters close to the arctic circle.

What a great opportunity get to know Finland's capitol city while hanging out with amazing CouchSurfers!

Check out the following links for more information and to sign up for this taste of Finland you'll never forget:

- Nordic CS Meetup wiki page

- Nordic CS event listing

We look forward to seeing you there!

- The Nordic CS Team

Verona invites.. everyone! Nov 28-30

In October, two clowns from Verona came to Zagreb. And
now (November 28-30), Zagreb will come to Verona to
visit them!

The general idea is to leave Zagreb on Friday the 28th
by car, train, hitchhiking (plane, bus, helicopter)..
whatever you prefer. Just make sure to arrive in
Verona before 8 pm. The weekend will be filled with
Free Hugs, clown-mayhem, food, drinks and JOY!

We have a lot of couches waiting for us and not a whole
lot of participants yet. So sign up now!

We are still looking for:
- Drivers (Zagreb-Verona)
- Musicians (night time entertainment!)
- Anyone who'd like to visit Verona!!

For more details, check out the discussion-thread
www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=5186&post=1783998
and the meeting page
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=20130

Or contact SUSY Q
(www.couchsurfing.com/people/susyq), Zagreb
or
RAFFAELLO
(www.couchsurfing.com/people/raffaello), Verona

Istanbul New Years Event

Heyy couchsurfers !!! Istanbul invites you to new year
party!!!

Who is planning to come or visit here for christmas
week? Who will stay in İstanbul? We're ready for the
party !! Let's meet where the continents meet and see
new year all together!!
If u re thinking about enough reason for being in
Istanbul ,this must be your reason!! :)

We have surprises for you.. and maybe miracles!!
For a new life , new day!! Even for a new smiling!!


the amusing İstanbul will hug you and u will not be
alone for sure !!

after these sentences .. you must say what else we
will
see during the party ?

Here is the schedule!!

We have already invited all the CSers in Turkey.

The place will reserved only for this party. The
capacity is between 200-250 people.

we will have DJ till the morning and surprise events.

Here is the details.

WELL COMEEE to ISTANBUL!!!! :)

www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=20361

ps: we will replay all ur questions about party ..

Ufkum& Başar &Halim& Burcu

www.couchsurfing.com/people/ufkum
www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=294MO6A
www.couchsurfing.com/people/codex
www.couchsurfing.com/profile.html?id=2DVPTB5

Pushkar CouchSurfing Meeting

The Pushkar Fair in Pushkar (Rajasthan,India), is one of the largest camel and Cattle fairs in India and one of its kinds in the world. For the Hindus, this town is considered among the holiest of towns in India.
Thousands of people- cattle traders, shopkeepers, merchants, dancers, musicians and artisans among them- congregate here for the fair, besides holding the distinction of being India’s largest cattle fair this is a memorable cocktail of sights, smells and sounds which bring together everything Rajasthani.

About 8000 foreign tourists visited this fair last year and more than 100,000 local tourists every day and the number increases to double on the last day i.e. on full moon.

MEETING DETAILS:
FROM: November 9th, 2008 - 1:00 pm
TO: November 10th, 2008 - 9:00 pm


LINK: www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=17707

LOCATION: India - Rajasthan - Pushkar
ADDRESS: Sarovar Tourist Bungalow

The 2nd Anniversary of Milano CS Group!

The 30th of September Milano's Group will be 2 years old! 

In these 2 years we saw many people joining, leaving, making many new friendships, falling in love with this grey city and his inhabitants and sometimes also regretting the time of leaving...This group changed the lifes of many of us and of our guests.

For this reason this year the celebrations of the 2nd Anniversary will be GREAT!!!!!!! 5 days of pure fun from the 26th to the 30th of September!!! In this days there will be picnics, aperitivos, visit of the city in a CS-way, games, tram parties, nights out, day trips in the surrounding cities and many other activities!!!

All this in pure CS-style!

So, what you are waiting for??? In those days you have to be in Milan!!!! And JOIN THE SUBMEETINGS!!!!

Location: Europe > Italy > Lombardia > Milano

Date:	26 September 2008 - 19.00
End:	30 September 2008 - 23.59

http://www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=14110

An Interview with a Nomadic Ambassador, Adam Schofield - One Year Later

Nomadic Ambassador Adam Schofield, aka DJ AJAM has been CouchSurfing the world since 2007! Roy Abraham recently contacted him for an update on his travels.

Q: Hi Adam, so it's been about a year since our first interview. How's your mission to CouchSurf the World going?
Aside from a six month set back, recovering from two knee surgeries in Ecuador, I’d say everything is going according to plan. That is, I don’t really plan anything these days. I tend to just go with the flow at a slightly slower pace. I’m not as adventurous and daring as I was when I first began this trip and I’m still working on rebuilding my leg muscles and maintaining some level of fitness. I’ve spent most of the last few months indoors, except the occasional tour here and there that doesn’t demand much hiking or climbing, but this has led me to spend more time really getting to know my hosts. I can’t complain, it’s been a wonderful experience so far and I’m thankful to have the chance to continue.

Q: So what's it like to be travelling for this long? Do you feel like you're on holiday or has the novelty worn out? And what do you do with your free time?
I must admit it’s physically and mentally draining constantly adjusting to change. The one advantage is I don’t have to wake up early for work, so if I’m too tired I can always have a cat nap here and there. The thrill of moving from one place to the next keeps me on my toes, it’s become a lifestyle for me now and my greatest concern is the thought that someday it may come to an end. If I needed to choose between this and the chance to go back home, then hopefully I’ll be answering your questions again this time next year. Travelling is so addictive. My free time depends on my living arrangements. If I have a decent internet connection I’ll work on updating my site, writing poetry, mixing new Cds, photo uploads and short articles in my new dynamic blog. Also its time consuming but essential to spend as much time keeping in contact with previous hosts and of course family and friends back home via Skype or MSN. I also enjoy learning Spanish online, there’s a great site called www.livemocha.com and its free, check it out. If I don’t have internet (which has its benefits sometimes because it does suck your soul dry) I’ll watch movies relax or read a book or learn to cook a new dish. I have to try and maintain some kind of normality on this trip.

Q: And how have your Couchsurfing experiences been thus far?
Truly delightful! In-fact some have been so good that at times I feel a little spoilt with simple luxuries I miss from back home. Nice kitchen, hot showers, fresh towels, home cooked food, fresh coffee, good locations, maids, a double bed with soft duvets and even the occasional swimming pool. I get so comfortable in an environment that I never want to leave, yet I always know in the back of my mind I have to keep focused on the task ahead. I’m accustomed now to adapting to different ways of life and I appreciate the uniqueness and diversity of each experience. Regardless of how comfortable the experience is, I seek only three basic necessities, a roof over my head at night, a safe place to leave my belongings and a trustworthy host, the rest is a bonus.

Q: Can you think of any specific Couchsurfing experiences where the hospitality has gone over and above what you expected?
Absolutely, I lived with a wonderful family in Ecuador for more than six months who offered to help me get back on my feet. They paid for all my food, lent me a mobile phone for the entire duration of my stay, found me a reliable doctor both times to perform the surgeries, lent me the house phone on several occasions to phone my insurance company in the USA and arranged for all my papers to be sent back to England, gave me my own room with cable TV, helped me move around when I couldn’t walk, took me to all my medical appointments, waited in the hospital during my surgery and stayed by my bedside the whole time, let me share Christmas with the family and even bought me gifts, allowed me to feel so much a part of their family that they now refer to me as their son. The list is endless. The most beautiful part of my experience with them however is I felt like I’d found my parents again through the love they gave me, a feeling I never imagined would be possible again this lifetime.

Q: How about negative Couchsurfing experiences? Have you experienced any?
Almost every experience is negative in my opinion because at some point I have to say goodbye. I try to read peoples profiles before I send a request and always look for things we may have in common. Nowadays however I usually follow other surfers recommendations with who to stay with, the network of serious surfers is actually much smaller than you think. It’s unfair to use the term ‘Negative CS experiences’ because I believe most problems arise from a clash of personalities not necessarily the use of the site. I’ve been using cs now for almost three years and I’d say that 99.5% of my experiences have been awesome. The 0.5% probably doesn’t even use cs anymore.

Q: Have there been any times where you just could not find a couch to sleep on? What did you do?
Unfortunately yes. The first time was actually in Nasca, Peru. I arrived with another surfer and tried calling the number of my host but he never answered. We had no choice but to pay for a hostel. This also happened during my first night in Arequipa, Peru, we arrived late and the host was already sleeping. On both occasions however I asked the Couchsurfer I was travelling with to pay for the room and I would cover the food, that way I remain somewhat faithful to surfing the world without paying for accommodation. There have been other times such as my trip to the Galapagos, which ironically was my first non-CS experience which led to me breaking my crucial ligament, I paid for an all inclusive cruise and the accommodation was free. If there are absolutely no surfers in the area (such as the jungle) then I simply don’t go, that’s one of the disadvantages of this project but that’s not to say I’ll never return someday.

Q: Now, can you think of any challenging situations where you were tempted to just give up on this dream? Have you regretted even starting this journey?
I’ve never regretted a single moment of my decision, if anything I should have done it sooner. I’ve learnt to live for and embrace every moment as if it was my last. Holding on to the past or contemplating the future only leads to fear. The only thing we can do is control the moment which helps keep any doubts at bay. My biggest challenge mentally has been the distance between my niece and sister back home but they are very proud of me and always keep in touch. By far the hardest endurance was recovering from the second knee surgery, just when I had finished the rehabilitation of my broken ligament and was set to head for Peru, I suffered a second freaky fall fracturing the Patella in the same knee forcing me repeat the entire experience again with twice as much pain. I truly believed my project was over, luckily the cost of flying me back home was more expensive than paying for the surgery in Ecuador so my insurance covered the costs and with the help and support of the wonderful cs group in Guayaquil I’m back on my feet more determined than ever.

Q: What do you think has been your biggest mistake (if any) this trip?
The time I spend in each place is way too long which ultimately affects my money situation. I have to eat! However it’s necessary most of the time to take the most from the experience. Trying to plan parties, cs meetings and media interviews often demands a few days wait for a reply and normally leads me to stay at least a week or two to be fully effective. I’m still working as a DJ though so money I earn from any paid gigs helps me balance the budget.

Q: So what have you been most proud of so far this trip? E.g. have you been involved in any local community projects?
I was told before my arrival to Guayaquil in Ecuador that it was a dangerous city to visit and at the time there was only thirty members listed. During my long stay I continued to organize meetings even though some where more successful than others. After a very popular magazine article about CS, suddenly hundreds of new members began to join. The same group I helped to build in return helped motivate me back on my feet after the surgery. Now, Guayaquil has become a place for surfers to stay for a few days instead of passing through over night and together they have proved that it’s a safe and fun place to visit. It’s now the third biggest group in South America and they are maintaining an excellent balance of creative activities such as visiting sick children at hospitals and even recently throwing a surprise British Party for myself to celebrate our times together. That brought a tear to my eye. Photos are available in my blog at www.couchsurfingtheworld.com/blog. It proves that what we give to this world will surely come back round again.


Q: How do you find people's responses when you say you are Couchsurfing the World?
If they are couchsurfers then it’s easy to explain, however I have to tell the same story over and over for people I meet in the street. At first it doesn’t really sink in, until they take a look at my site and realize I’m totally committed to my dream. Most people love the idea and instantly create a profile. It still surprises me when I meet non couchsurfers in this world. Of course, some people just aren’t so open minded and think I’m crazy, but I’ve accepted that you need to be a little nuts to pursue such a project. The best reaction however is that most people tell me they will buy the book. That’s very motivating for me.

Q: Have you had much success with promoting Couchsurfing?
Huge success, when I arrive to a new place the first call of action is to work with the local members at seeking out respectable media sources to promote the communities. I’ve been featured in many newspapers, magazines, TV shows with other surfers and even spun live mixes on the radio dropping a cheeky shout out. There’s always a rise in new members who are keen to get involved. I always persuade the media to focus on explaining the safety features of CS; this has proven to attract more people. I’m doing a live TV interview this week which was organized as a 30th birthday surprise by the local surfers in Paraguay. I’ll post the link on my blog as soon as I have a copy.

Q: So how is the CS Parties/Djing going?
I made two huge parties in Bogota and Quito, since then it’s been hard to organize because of time. Most bars and clubs have Djs booked in advance so depends if it’s feasible for me to wait around and until there’s a free spot for me to play. Before I arrived to La Paz in Bolivia, the city ambassador had already got me two gigs lined up which is the perfect arrangement. Aside from Djing though I’ve pretty much been involved in the biggest CS meetings so far in each place, and I’ve got plenty of invites to play in countries all over the world. I’m still downloading music and keeping up to date with my career and I’m excited to be heading to cities filled with surfers such as Buenos Aires, San Paulo and Rio in Brazil where I think my parties will continue to grow.

Q: Tell us Adam, how do you do it? Don't you get tired of moving around so much and not having a place where you can just crash and do nothing for a few days?
Well, you have to balance everything out. I do still enjoy a few days relaxing going to the cinema, spending time with families and even babysitting the children or maybe dinner in a local restaurant. I’ve been lucky so far that most of the time I feel at home with my hosts. People generally seem to like having me around, I’m a very positive person and like to listen and help where I can. It’s natural for me to be involved with domestic duties having lived alone for two years in England and I love having dinner ready for people when they come home from a busy day at work.

Q: You've pretty much spent the last year in South America, right? How do you currently get around from country to country? And do you have any tips for visitors to South America? Did you have to learn Spanish to get around?
I’ve taken the bus all the way from Mexico. The only time I took a plane was from Bogota to Quito because I had only one day left on my visa. It’s safe, comfortable, fun and affordable to travel by bus through Latin and South America, my only advice is don’t go to sleep leaving your smaller bags under the seats or above your head, strap them to your body somehow and it’s HIGHLY advisable to pay a little extra for a respectable bus company (ask the local surfers for info). The stories I hear about robberies are always the same, cheap companies who stop and pick up strangers in the street or falling asleep leaving your bag unattended. Common sense will save you from experiencing such problems. My Spanish has improved but I’m still very shy to use it most of the time because I can’t speak it fluently and being the writer, joker I am that often makes me revert back to speaking English. It’s got me this far however so I must be doing something right? After being In SA for so long now however I understand many more words and communication is getting easier and my confidence is growing day by day. Most couchsurfers speak fluent English due to the availability of western movies so I’m never short on conversation.

Q: So how much longer do you think you'll be there for?
I’m planning to hit Brazil in time for the Carnival, and then head along the coast further north. I should be leaving South America to begin my Caribbean Island Tour sometime around May 2009. It would be dangerous for me to travel that part of the world right now so I guess fate has its way of keeping an eye out for me. Everything happens for a reason.

Q: Your original plan was to Couch Surf the world in 5 years. Do you think you can cover the rest in 4 more years?
I’ll see this out no matter what, due to the set back with my knee I’m behind on schedule but as long as I have my health and money in the bank, I’ll continue for as long as it takes. Maybe I’ll stop and work in some places in the future to maintain my funds but most importantly is that I continue to enjoy the experience, everything else will fall into place.

Q: So what are your plans for the next few months?
I’ve been hanging around in Paraguay for the last month hitting the gym to rebuild my leg muscles. Also, I’m patiently waiting for the winter to pass in the South. Next week, I’m finally heading to the north of Argentina, then I’ll work further South to the Patagonia via Chile. I’m planning to be in Buenos Aires for Christmas and New Year, then Uruguay, then an excited three months of summer travelling the coastline of Brazil including the Carnival which should get me acclimatized for the white sands of the Caribbean islands. After that, I hope to be in Canada before the summer ends and then to Alaska which will complete this side of the world. I’ll then find a way to cross to Japan and begin my Asia Adventures. So exciting!

Q: Last question. So do you think this past year has changed you at all?
Absolutely, I’ve redefined my spirituality and only really concern myself with the importance of living a true and honest life. I have learnt to be more patient and accept and appreciate the beauty of diversity in this world rather than be judgemental or make assumptions before opening the book and at least reading the first chapter. I have found friendships with people I would have most probably walked by in the street. I wake up each day with a focus and a reality that every step I take leads me closer to my dreams which helps me generate a warm, clear and concise positive energy to share with others. I also take a minute to take a deep breath and look around nowadays rather than let the world race by at its ridiculous man made pace. I understand more the importance of family and friends, regardless of your differences. Who am I without you? Love and be loved.

Q: OK thanks for your time Adam. Best of luck for the rest of your trip and happy belated birthday for September 1st!
Cheers, hope to surf all your couches soon!

Learn more about Adam (and when he might be in your neighborhood) by checking out his profile. Read DJ AJAM's first interview here.

Reponding to Hurricane Gustav - Couches Needed

CouchSurfing is responding to the evacuation orders that are taking affect in the Gulf States region due to Hurricane Gustav.

We have gone ahead and created a group where members being evacuated can post a request and other members can post their couch offers:
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=13825

However, we need your help to spread the word. Please post in your local groups to let your local members know about the request for help.

If you have the time, we especially need help contacting members from affected areas who are not members of their local groups (i.e. CS members from New Orleans who are not members of the New Orleans group).

Posted 31 August 2008 - 20.46 by Ron and Alice Bourque from Salisbury, Canada

WED.8.SEP - International Dolphin Day

Wednesday September 3, 2008
12 pm - 1pm @ Consulate-General of Japan
77 King Street West (TD Centre - just west of King & Bay)

Help the Dolphins September 3rd!

The annual International Dolphin Day demonstration opposing the slaughter of dolphins in Japan will be held on Wednesday September 3rd from 12 pm (noon) until 1 pm. The demo is planned for a weekday lunch hour because the Japanese Consulate is not open on the weekends and we are trying to make it as easy as possible for people to attend on a work day. This event is one of a series of events being held around the world.

Signs and props will be provided. All you have to do is show up.

If you are concerned about the mass killing of wild dolphins in Japan, voice your concern and opposition to the Japanese government by coming to the demo. Just one hour to make your voice heard!

http://www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=437&post=1471821

MinnyMinMin from Toronto, Canada

CS GigSwap Event: 19th October @ Frankfurt (concert & meeting)

The Gig Swapping group are planing a new GigSwap tour for October. As I'm taking care of the big german event I want to inform you, that it will be 19th October in Frankfurt.

There will be a lot of artists from different places of the CS universe. We're hoping for a lot of visiters from everywhere to meet, drink, sing, dance and have fun with the locals.

The facts so fare:
Where: Landungsbrücken / Frankfurt
When: 19.10.08 / Beginning: 20 pm
How much: 7 EUR

So mark you calender with a red pen - so you're not able to miss it - clear you couch or pack your bags and tell all your friends!

We are also looking for everybody who is willing to help. We need hands, hosts, promoters, graphic design or what ever you are able to offer!

http://www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=597&post=1470437

HIGHFIDELITY from Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Naked CouchSurfers: An Art Project

A controversial and thought-provoking project, showcasing CouchSurfers in their raw form.

http://www.couchsurfing.com/BERLINMODE

The Braderie of Lille 2008: A CS Stand will be there!

here will be a CS Stand for this event and we are expecting about 200 CSers from all over Europe and worldwide:

"Dear Couchsurfers from Europe and worldwide,

The CS Community of Lille organise a great CS Week end for the Famous Braderie de Lille from Friday September 5th to Sunday September 7th 2008. You are all friendly welcomed for the biggest event of the year in the North of France. The Braderie of Lille is a traditionnal event coming from the Middle Age (XIIth Century). Nowadays it bring together more than 3 million people in Lille making this event the biggest Braderie in Europe. If you want to have more information about the Braderie de Lille, check this out:

www.lavoixdunord.fr/Braderie-de-Lille/Languages/2008/07/22/a...

Here is the program of this great week end:

Friday September 5th 2008, 8.45 p.m
Welcome Gathering at the Mecanisme Dubitatif, a very nice bar which is become the Headquarter of the CS Community of Lille, situated at 115 Rue Meurein in Lille. During this evening, the Local Couchsurfers will show you and tell you about some of the Ch'ti Traditions and fashions (the Ch'tis are the people of the North of France, called the Nord Pas de Calais). A Mussels-Fries buffet will be proposed (as the tradition of the Braderie wants) for 10€/person. It will be the opportunity to give you the map from the Braderie de Lille with some contact to have in case of emergency during the week end.

Saturday September 6th 2008, 8.00 p.m
After a long day of walk across Lille and its huge Braderie, we propose you to meet us all together at the CS Stand we will have at the Rue Royale in the Old Town of Lille at 8 p.m. This Stand will propose you degustation of good wines, beers, cheeses… (soft drinks as well…).

We hope to meet you all during this great event.

Cheers,

The CS Lille Organisation Team"

Antoine Rolland

THE FIRST GREEK SUMMERCAMP

I am very pleased to announce the (almost...!) final schedule for the first Greek Summercamp :)

DAY 1 - THURSDAY 28 AUGUST

(a) Registration and arrange in the Camp
(b) Welcome Party!

DAY 2 - FRIDAY 29 AUGUST

(a) Naxos culture and Sightseeing Excursion - by bus!!!
The cost will be less than 10 euros per person, but the exact cost will depend on the number of participants (the more participants, the lower the cost).
In order for the excursion to happen, we need a minimum of 35 people! 
Please let us know if you want to go. 
Indicate your participation here 
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=16207 (you can also see full details here)
(b) Workshops
(c) Theme Party (...we have some ideas already but we welcome more...)

DAY 3 - SATURDAY 30 AUGUST

(a) Discover the unknown Naxos (by bike, bicycle, motorbike...)
More information here
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=16208
Join in!!!
Cost for this depends on whether you want to hire a bicycle, a motorbike etc. We will put up more information nearer the time...
(b) Workshops
(c) Surprise Party :p
(d) NIGHT TOUR to NAXOS TOWN: departure from camping site at 23.30

DAY 4 - SUNDAY 31 AUGUST

(a) Traditional Food & Drink from around the world
(b) Workshops
(c) Goodbye Party!

DAY 5 - MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

(a) Recovering....! 
(b) Departure to Athens... for some of us :)

Timetable and exact information for workshops will be set one day before the event :) This is a map of Naxoswww.maragascamping.gr/map2.htm

(If you have any questions ask them directly in the group, please don't send me personal emails!!!)

Posted 18 August 2008 - 8.40 by VANIDIO from Athens, Greece

19th-20th Sept 08 Rome Italy Cs Weekend to celebrate the 2000th member of Cs Rome Group

To celebrate the 2000th membership in our CS Roma group, we are going to organize the second edition of Busfraschetta which will also be called Coach-Surfing Party.

The meeting will start in the garden above Colosseo metro station, at 18:30 of friday, the 19th of September 2008.

At participants' arrival, they will get a welcoming "rummeppera" drink, till the departure of buses, which will be punctually at 19:30, heading for a secret destination on roman hills villages - for Fraschetta wine&pork crazy party (where we all get tons of wine and food).

On the way, within buses, our beloved stewardesses will provide you with more drinks and fun.

Evening details will be sent only to the meeting subscribers which registered their participation paying a fee of (moreless) 20 euro, including both ways transportation by bus, dinner in fraschetta, allinclusive, and the drinks before-during-after the bus trip.

For instructions on how to effectively pay to join the meeting, stay tuned for further communications on the dedicated thread in CSRome (remember nopay-noparty clause;)
www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=644&post=1366921

Come on!

After the Busfraschetta N°1 - all CS is still talking about that - let's make also the september 2008 CoachSurfing Party, a night to remember !!!

For instructions on how to effectively pay to join the meeting, stay tuned for further communications on the dedicated thread in CSRome(remember no pay-no party clause;)
www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=644&post=1369392

we are waiting for you ;-)

www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=15568

Link to following White Sunset on the beach party:
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=15568

Link al gruppo di chi vuole contribuire ad organizzare gli eventi del 2000th celebration weekend:
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=13110

Refer to following instructions posted by The Organizing Team on the relative thread in Cs Rome group about how and to which cs volounteer to pay to join the event:

www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=644&post=1366921

www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=644&post=1369392

Posted August 8th, 2008 - 10:27 am by НАВИГАТОР Lorusso from Rome, Italy

CzechSurfing - Central European Meeting 12-14th September

As we all know, Prague is the "Golden City" and it is a
fantastic city...

The Praha CS Organization Team would like to invite you
for an international meeting that is gonna to take
place the second weekend in September between the
12th and 14th of September.

It's going to be a great weekend with a small program
out of the ordinary just to bring the couches and the
world closer together!
And the fact that you will have fun, meet new and
interesting people and hopefully get new lifelong
friends from all over Europe!

During the weekend a different amounts of events will
take place for everyones different taste..
All preparations are undergoing reviews and
completation among us organizors and will be updated
on a running basis as they are completed and decided.
We have however an agenda pre-set as a basic "map" of
events taking place during the days.

To give you small sip of what we are preparing we can
tell you there will be great ammount of people from
all over the globe, common dinners, clubbing, inner
and outer city hikes and tours, sports and games.

If you liked the idea we encourage you start preparing
for being able to host that weekend and get ready to
meet the best times of your life.

Everybody is more than welcome to join us!!!!

MEETING DETAILS:
FROM: September 12th, 2008 - 12:00 pm
TO: September 14th, 2008 - 8:00 pm

LINK:
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=15188

LOCATION: Czech Republic - Praha - Prague
ADDRESS: In the Heart of Europe

Posted August 5th, 2008 - 6:41 pm by ENGELEN from Prague, Czech Republic

Surf The Mutant Sofa: Year Two! The couch is on fire once again!

The season of the burn is here; Burning Man, that is. The Burning Man Festival, which is held the week prior to the Labor Day holiday, was originally created to commemorate the fall equinox (September 22) and to express renewal of purpose, mind and body. This was held in the Baker Beach area near San Francisco, California. Since 1986 it has grown and evolved.

CouchSurfing members organized a camp starting last year in 2007 with a CouchSurfing group devoted to the event. This year is the second consecutive year that the “CouchSurfing Camp” will be dedicated to the idea and practice of CouchSurfing, and a “The Mutant Sofa” will be the centerpiece of the camp. The camp offers much in the way of benefits to both the CS and the Burning Man communities. Community is a big part of both cultures, as is active participation.

The camp offers shade, refreshments, shelter and other community benefits, not only to its residents but to anyone who happens by as well. It’s also an opportunity to share the CS community, ethos and idea with thousands of participants who have potential couches. The real strength of any network is the number of people that employ it and although we are already a phenomenon, imagine what could be! The camp undertakes this mission with an intense plan of internal and external communications to guests and residents alike.

In charge of coordinating the camp activities this year is CS member Dave Breese, or “LamborghiniDave”. He is curently coordinating efforts from the UK. He has assembled a mutant crew to help as well. Chocolate Éclair, Katja Smirnov, kikielectique, Klaire Rueckert, Marc Watley, Rachael Fiori, Robbie Johnston, Toast, Glenn Caballero and Gadget are all are a part of “Team CSC” for 2008 and sweating out the details each day until the event. They maintain a BaseCamp website, Wiki, and BBS and plan just like large companies to ensure a great result.

LamborghiniDave has a position about many of the synergies between CS and Burning Man. “There is a fundamental value in human relationships that have a mutual need to better the world they live in. CS and Burning Man both are living examples of this. To give without expectation, to help with being requested or any expected reciprocation and to truly value someone else’s vision of their world is where our communities intersect.”

One large part of this effort is coordinating the participants. This year, like last, the camp grows and evolves. Limited space is available in Black Rock City. We had a premium location afforded to us last year and this is a big draw in a city that spans nearly 5 square miles. “Being close to the center of the action is very key”, states Gadget (Jonathan Lewis). “I bring WiFi and other tech services to the camp and this really helps. I also do not like walking too far for an espresso, thank you!” This year the camp will enjoy a similar centralized location at the intersection of Dart & 6:00. This is an even better and more ideal location than in the previous year. It is right behind the center camp area.

One large challenge is the ‘village within the city’ idea. The camp must be self-reliant when it comes to basic services, like sanitation, community meals, and safety. This falls upon the organizers and the residents as well. Waste water, trash, everything must be monitored and attended to. “CouchSurfers leave no trace!”, remarks Toast. A big part of the ideals of the festival is that the desert home will remain un-blemished from our activities.

This will not be a “virgin burn” for Princess Rachelina, who is an active CouchSurfing host in San Francisco, California. Fiori, known to her good friends and campmates as “Princess Rachelina”, says she is overjoyed to be in the same camp as a few of her CouchSurfing friends. Last year, unwilling to stop hosting even while traveling, Rachel provided a ride from San Francisco to Black Rock City for two Italian CouchSurfers. She also opened her home in Black Rock City for anyone that needed a place to stay during a cold desert night. Campo de Fiori tent space was available for surfing while my home base couch is not. "Feel free to surf on over to The Mutant Sofa or Campo de Fiori.” Some residents bring bigger means. Gadget has a 16’ travel trailer. “The 'Sin Shack' is notorious”, he laughs. “I think that all 10 Commandments have been broken in there and I think that was all at the same time!”

“The rewards taken away from the desert are so much greater than the investment that you make to get there”, says LamborghiniDave. “The positive aspects of couch surfing and of Burning Man can remain with a person for a lifetime. After the long hours planning this whole weeklong event, I feel like I have made a positive contribution and had an amazing journey too.” Gadget adds, “I feel like every time I host someone, not only am I meeting that person for the first time. I am creating a bond and a memory for them and for me for a lifetime. Although, living in Las Vegas, some of them are rather hazy!”

Burning Man today is a massive festival dedicated to art, radical self-reliance and radical self-expression. It will start on Monday, 25 August and will continue for an entire week. Last year’s event drew 48,000+ people from around the world. The art theme of this year’s event (it has a new theme each year) is “The American Dream”. A temporary city, called “Black Rock City”, is erected on a dry lakebed about 160 miles north of the city of Reno, Nevada for the event. Participants are required to take their own water, food and shelter to attend. The elements can be harsh but the freedom of expression the festival offers remains one of our nation’s largest, longest parties!

People of like mind often band together in camps. These did not take long to evolve into themed camps. There are theme camps dedicated to music, art, fire dancing, sexuality, you name it! Some are just for fun. LamborghiniDave mentions, “A CS member will no doubt be full of the energy of travel and the wonderment it brings. It eclipses money, danger and all sorts of things. CS members are adventurers and open-minded by nature. In this way there are so many parallels between our experience here and traveling as couch surfers around the planet.”

Neither the CouchSurfing Camp nor Burning Man is officially connected to or funded by CouchSurfing. However, Casey Fenton, 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.

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 the ‘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. “The only rule that I've stuck to from the beginning is that every single member of CouchSurfing camp is a member of CS.”

The CouchSurfing camp will host a topless meet and greet on Monday evening (opening night) of the event, with help from female residents without clothing. Yes, that’s right, topless. Remember the self-expression part? Participants and guests need not drop their tops but attendance is expected to be very good this year. 1000 invitations will go out Monday during the day. The camp plans are developing now for other events during the week.

For more information about the Burning Man event or the CouchSurfing Camp, you may visit these links:

Official Burning Man Website {BurningMan.com}

Official CouchSurfing Camp Website (CouchSurfingCamp.com}

Burning Man Group on CouchSurfing {www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=434}

By: Gadget {CS Id:Gadgeteer}
(with nods to Raminta for leading the way. Thanks.)

***********************
Picture link "Building the Mutant Sofa"
i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb305/jameslathrop/Sofa%20Buildi...

Posted August 1st, 2008 - 12:09 am by Dave Breese from Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom

Why couch surfing is good for White travellers to Africa!

When you read about couch surfing, the first impression you get is that this is a place for budget travelers only.But my experience is in disagreement to this kind of attitude.
About 90 of the White travelers to Africa will find it usual to get about 50 percent extra charge on all items bought as well as services paid for in Africa. the situation is worse in the country side where all residents and business men have a thinking that all white men and women are wealthy and therefore should be charged higher whenever they are buying an item!
Some locals will genuinely ask for the same prices to buyers regardless of the skin color and race but you do not need to get surprised if a nice young man or woman asks you an amount three or four times more than the price of an item in a shop!take heart, he /she is just trying to show you that you are superior; and therefore to ask you a going price would be like underrating your economic strength!
Africans call this the "Mzungu pricing system" mzungu is a polite-racist like word used to mean White man especially in the great lakes region.
This is a situation couch surfers have been relieved of. it is much better for a traveler staying with a couch surfer to go shopping in company of a host or a local friend than to just walk in a shop.the locals then will shy away from overcharging you. yes, i have seen some western travelers bargaining in the shop but i think it is not a very popular practice and at least it isn't a polite one. so if i were a white man traveling in Africa and Uganda in particular, i would mostly rely on the advice of my local Host to understand the rates and prices.i have personaly helped a number of fiends to avoid being overcharged in many instances. from the taxi guys to the restaurants and the taxis.it is all fun but depends on how you want to spend your money in Africa. if you are blessed with enough,then why not give out some of the cash and support us?
see you soon in Uganda.
Emmanuel Tugume.
lakelyantonde@yahoo.com
+256 -772-562513

Posted July 26th, 2008 - 9:15 am by Emmanuel Tugume from Fort Portal, Uganda

Couch Crash Fest 2008! Aug 11- 17 in NYC

www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=14202

"Some of you may have heard about it, it's been ushered at the gatherings around the world, and it is long time to reveal what the Couchsurfing community in NYC has been putting together during the last 4 months !

People are coming from all around the world to attend a week of festivities orchestrated by Couchsurfers to show you what NYC and Couchsurfing have best to offer, from Monday August 11th to Sunday August 17th! Picnics, Free Hugs, museums, galleries, walks around the city, acoustic shows during the day, dinners, large gatherings, concerts from gems from our Couchsurfing Traveling Bands, after-parties at night. One week in the city that never sleep! If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere !

THE PINK PARTY
-----------------
5$ with RSVP click here or 10$ at the door

Come out Sunday August 10th for The Pink Party that will kick off a week long of beauty, grace and goodness of this city and the amazing people it draws to her endless dawns and sleepless nights. We'll be giving away P.I.N.K vodka and having prizes for the "Prettiest in Pink", both female and male, while dancing to the sounds of DJ Ashtanga Yossi. Proceeds will go to improve the life of hundreds in the Philipines through "the Potty Project - TAO Pilipinas".

THE COUCH CRASH FESTIVAL
----------------------------
Pay what you can: join the meeting link before July 31st, midnight, to get on the list

All week long (Aug 11th-16th) from 10am to 7pm, our Living-Room will host BBQs, acoustic live music, meetings, talks with outstanding Ambassadors, surfers and hosts, workshops on better use of the website and alternative ways of traveling, and interviews with the media. We will provide you with information about CS events daily, creative CS walks around the city as well as recommend places to eat and drink for every budget, and give away Not For Tourist guides from our partner NFT.

Tuesday August 12th at 9pm we will give you a taste of the big city with our CS meeting at the Revival, where 150 couchsurfers go every week to talk, bound, enjoy free food and special Happy Hour for CSers from 11pm to 1am.

From thursday to saturday, August 14th to 16th, 12 bands from the best of our Couchsurfing Traveling Bands, from NYC and elsewhere, will spice up your night in 3 awesome venues with open bars in the heart of the city, from 9pm till 1am.
After-parties will kick off at 3:30am till 7am to keep the night owls and stranded couchsurfers awake all night, till the morning nap in the park

Sunday Aug 17th will end the festival in a huge picnic where we'll slowly go back on the ground and relax under the trees' shades before departing and get ready for new journeys !

TELL ME HOW !
---------------
This event is solely supported by Couchsurfers and they are all volunteers. All proceeds will be used to finance the events and fund couchsurfing.com.
Pay what you can: join the meeting link before July 31st, midnight, to get on the list"

Posted July 23rd, 2008 - 5:22 am by Roy Abraham from Toronto, Canada

Summer Camp in Greece 2008

I think it would be useful to announce/"advertise" the 1st summercamp in greece in the from of a news article (i've noticed also other events being mentioned in this area). The link of the event is the following:
www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=7933

Posted July 21st, 2008 - 11:09 am by EIRINI from Athens, Greece

CS on the local news in San Francisco

The local news in San Francisco contacted me around 530p Fri to do a news story on CS to shoot 90 minutes later. I was able to get some people together at a local park. Here is what they put together. I totally pulled this outta my a*s as everyone was out of the city for another event and/or on public transport with no cell reception.

cbs5.com/video/?id=36485@kpix.dayport.com

cbs5.com/services/popoff.aspx?categoryId=130&videoId=36485@k...

Posted July 15th, 2008 - 2:49 am by Enzo Lombard from San Francisco, United States

Southern Hemisphere Burning Couch Festival

We're going to have a bonfire and burn a couch and another cut from a log.

Dates are 21-22 June 2008, So far about 50 CS’ers are coming. This has been a topic of intense discussion in the Melbourne Group, including the need for an organic couch.

The event will be held on CS member Redgum's property 'Pepper Leaf Creek,' 10 kilometers out of Mansfield, in North East Victoria. If you're arriving by BUS, please, let us know, so we can organise rides out to the bonfire.

If you start arriving from, say 11am-ish, then we're happy. Remember, it's winter, and you're very near Mt Buller, so it'll be chilly. There's no power or drinkable water on the property. If you're camping/sleeping in cars - IT WILL BE COLD. YOU WILL DIE. You need, need, need blankets and doonas, and maybe thermal underwear to sleep in.

If you come, you'll be in the country. There's animals and insects and stuff, as well as neighbours on either side of the land. Please respect the fence lines - if you climb through onto someone else's land, they might shoot you.

There's a dam on the property. It's inside a fence, and you can't swim in there or drink from it.

Bring guitars, drums or battery powered radios, and we can have music. Alcohol is fine, as long as you remember you're near a fire and a deep dam.

There's room for cars, but access might be limited if haven't got a 4WD. Erin will provide a 4wd ferry service over the dry creek bed - or the wet one, if it rains.




BURNING COUCH MANIFESTO (Like the Boston Tea Party but for Southern Hemisphere CS’ers)

At the winter’s solstice, which this year in the Southern Hemisphere is again on the shortest day, we will burn a couch. This is to celebrate lots of things but mainly that we have a tradition of festivals as good as if not better than those of the Northern Hemisphere.

So we need (1) a couch (2) somewhere to burn it (3) matches (4) some we, err...I think I mean people (4) a calendar, as I have no idea when solstice is (5) maybe a jersey. And that, err...is paragraph two.

Burning Couch is also because throughout history, pre-history and even the little bit before that, ancient Hosts burned unworthy couches to encourage contact with benign spirits and their good references surfing the ether seeking a temporary shelter or home (three day stay max, no pets).

Burning Couch is uniquely antipodean and all those other fun parts of the world in the Southern Hemisphere. Indeed the word itself is derived from an early type of ancient wooden couch. ‘Hemi’, meaning half, and ‘Sphere’ referring the circular aspect of a log, and ‘Southern’ meaning to lie on or with the bottom part (rather than with the very heavy and possibly fatal top part).

So Southern Hemisphere literally means ‘to lie on the bottom half of a log,’

Also in the Northern Hemisphere it’s the height of summer and so total fire bans. And as the term ‘Northern Hemisphere’ itself indicates they sleep under the wrong bit of log, ha ha ha. And that’s the real reason why all those Euro’s and Americans come here – how many times have you heard ‘Travel in Australia is so easy?’ Also why, when you go to London and all those other northern places, when you wake up in the morning you usually have a sore head.

But back to those days, when couches were called logs and surfers, often tired, exhausted and unwashed lay on uneven wood with only rough woven wool or cotton for warmth. So no change there.

More recently, unearthed archeological evidence indicates the importance of ceremony, ritual and alcohol in these seemingly primitive burnings. In fact it is now known that Burning Couch was a highly organized and even ornate affair - see paragraph two.

Burning Couch does not have a single focus or even yet a single couch. Burning Couch will be subject to participants involvement and include community, artwork, absurdity, decommodification, revelry and similar words downloaded from the net. Participation is encouraged, and being a spectator discouraged [42].

Burning Couch will be governed by about 10 principles and 17 slabs (that’s beer for the rest of you). These include gifting, decommodification, radical self-reliance, communal effort, civic responsibility, participation, and immediacy. Which were pretty easy seeing money had yet to be invented.

However, money has now been invented although not always evenly distributed. So Melbourne Hosts and Couch Surfers, are adding to collective Couch Surfing wisdom by creating Burning Couch.

The one rule is; this is not a Northern Hemisphere thing. Now BURN your own COUCH!


Cheers, Craig1 and some others.
Couch Burning without Boarders(TM)


42 = meaning of life. Just thought I’d add that.

Posted June 14th, 2008 - 6:53 am by CRAIG1 from Melbourne, Australia

WOULD YOU TAKE THE RISK???..THIS YEAR COULD BE THE BEST FOR IT…AND YOUR LAST CHANCE IN LIFE?

I know most of you now could be travelling in Europe or north America.. or just a your couch..even this is not a group for this..but I think you can be losing the last chance in your life…but europe and north america are always the same..they are beautiful..but there is a place that your never imagined..i discovered it 35 years ago..when I was opening my eyes to the life.. and.. I just wanna ask you to stop some secondS and think about this..a..place you never have imagined..a place where it is supposed to be a risk when you visiting it..….Once in your life you gotta be there…or Life will no have sense…if you really have the travelling spirirt ..if you are a real worldwalker and a real backpacker ..You mus take the risk….WANNA TAKE A RISK????..A GREAT AVENTURE NEVER LIVED BEFORE.. A NEVER IMAGINED RISK??... watch this videos and visit this websites….and you will know whatta I mean and will understand me!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgW8Y7F8DN8

I’LL WAIT FOR YOU..MY COUCH IS …WAITING
GUSTAVO BOLANO PASTRANA

Posted May 30th, 2008 - 2:16 am by GUSTAVO BOLAÑO PASTRANA from Barranquilla, Colombia

June 12, 2008: Celebrate International CouchSurfing Day!

For more than five years, the CouchSurfing Project has been changing the lives of travelers by helping them make connections with locals, their couches, their friends, and their homes. For many of us, it has revolutionized the way we travel, making it easier to see a place from a local's perspective, or at least with a local's influence, rather than relying on generic tourist information.

On Thursday, 12 June, 2008, join CouchSurfers around the globe in celebrating this member-created holiday. In the spirit in which CouchSurfing was created, we encourage you to do a Couch Search in your city and request a stay on a stranger's couch for that night. If you have to work the following day, a helpful idea is to look for someone in your own neighborhood or near your workplace.

Posted May 21st, 2008 - 1:07 am by Derek Broughten from Seattle, United States

20 % discount on Drinks for CS members

NOTICE TO ALL CS MEMBERS-

if your travel bring you to Angkor civilization-
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia
Drop by at the Newly open Bar- Rawmale Celebrity Cafe & Spa-
20 % discount on all Drinks for all CS members. location- No. 35-D- Street 55, Phnom Penh Cambodia.
200 metters- Off Sihanouk Blvd. 3 blocks from MOBITEL- 012
for info: pls call +855 92985940

Posted May 21st, 2008 - 4:27 am by Bienvenido Betonio from Phumi Thmei, Cambodia

Brazil is boiling in it's first national meeting.

Belo Horizonte city is hosting brazilian's firts national meeting. If you're travelling near BH next week, between may 22 and 25th, you are welcome to our meeting. More information in the meeting page: www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=7775

Posted May 16th, 2008 - 11:44 pm by Tiago Aquino Fernandes Lopes from Brasilia, Brazil

CouchSurfing Cares - will it happen?

Hey is their anyway couchsurfing.com can offer help for natural disasters such as the 7.9 earthquake in China? Like have some people make note that they will take in people who lost their homes right away or a list for long term couchsurfing for people who had their homes knocked down and then be able to submit that to government aid workers so that people wont be crammed into little gyms? It can be a short term provider till the governments find a better place for the person to live or a new home built. It is just another thought on how to use this website as a tool as I think couchsurfing.com is so grand! Maybe this idea will work maybe not, but I have a couch tonight and I know that there are people who had a house one day and next do not.

www.couchsurfing.com/organization.html?gid=3578

Posted May 15th, 2008 - 4:10 am by Rob Klein from Beihai, China

ITunes for Backpackers

www.playtripper.com is open for business!

It is, in a nutshell, "iTunes For Backpackers". It lets backpackers and independent travellers download music, podcasts, audio tours and travel guides to their iPods from just about any internet cafe, without having to install iTunes. So it is perfect for people who are backpacking/travelling, and want to get some fun new content to help them pass the time on those long flights and bus rides.

It is primarily aimed at the independent traveller/backpacker market, but applies equally to au pairs, ski bums, river rats...basically anyone who is away from home. Nearly all of them carry an iPod or MP3 player, but a common complaint, especially with iPods, is that once you leave home it is very difficult to update the content, because iTunes is primarily synced with your home library. If you are away for any extended period, it is easy to get bored of the same old tunes! Playtripper breaks the dependency on iTunes, letting the user update their iPod from practically any PC, in any internet cafe around the world, whenever they stop to check their emails. They can buy and download songs, then just drag/drop them onto the iPod.

It also has a large directory of free podcasts, in every genre - travel, comedy, sport, music, news, language courses, even yoga! And users who sign up are recommended podcast episodes related to destinations on their route. e.g. if you are in Paris, you might find a walking tour of the city; an audio guide to the Louvre; or an underground music set. It's a great alternative to just reading the same Lonely Planet as everyone else!

Posted May 15th, 2008 - 9:04 am by TRAILLZZ from Bristol, United Kingdom

Party in Sydney for a Latin American Documentary

This party is to raise funds for a documentary 'Nomadic Hands', which will be filmed throughout Latin America, in volunteer organisations and with individuals that help in the areas of animal welfare, human rights, and environmental conservation.

Time: Friday, May 23, 2008 at 7:00pm
Location: Level 2, The Occidental Hotel
Street: 43 York Street- (Close to Wynard Station)
City: Sydney, Australia
Entry: $10

Entartainment: Red Sword/ Triangle/ Bosom/ Dj Maverick.

Check out www.globalyouthfutures.org or www.nomadichands.org for further info.
LINK: www.couchsurfing.com/meetings.html?mid=11234

Posted April 25th, 2008 - 12:38 am by Simone Francis from Sydney, Australia

When down the only way is up

Most of you have heard or read about my project to cs the world for 5 years..its been a year and a half since i sold my house in England and up until last November everything was sweet sailing..On my dream trip to the Galapagos islands (which coincidently was my first non cs experience) i suffered a freaky fall and broke my crucial ligament. I returned to Guayaquil in Ecuador and waited till after New Year to have surgery which luckily my insurance covered. (part of my project is to experience what kind of effect being away from home for so long will have on me and how couchsurfing can compensate for that) so having to return to england would be fatal for my mindset..

having almost fully recovered i suffered another fall last weekend whilst walking up some steps, my leg gave way and i've now got a fractured knee bone (a possible complication from the first surgery due to part of the bone being removed) so just as i was about to finally leave for Peru, after a second surgery this weekend, now i'm back in bed with my leg strapped for several more weeks..My insurance are covering the most part so its not all bad news

whats my point..well i would like to write a short story for the home page about how amazing my hosts have treated me and how supportive the Guayaquil cs community have been. Without them i would be totally defeated. The surfers have wrote me and visited me in hospital or called the hospital bedside phone. I'm staying with a family now for the second time for a total of almost 4 months, they are helping me with food, gave me a mobile phone, found me doctors, sat beside me through both surgeries pretty much everything to keep me going whilst maintaining two daughters of there own. I truly think they deserve a special mention, my project would have died along with my soul without them. When i arrived here there was less than 30 members, now theres over 300, more than the capital of Quito due to everyone coming together, its a real pleasure to be part of the growth of cs here.

Everyones routing for me to complete this project, i will not give up, its made me more determined than ever, theres so much to learn from cs and be shared with the world, firstly however i want to share this story with you.

Posted March 11th, 2008 - 2:18 am by DJ AJAM from Manchester, United Kingdom

Couchsurfing episode on S.F. Bay Area cable access show

This past autumn (don't you just love the word "autumn" more than the word "fall"?), I spent six weeks in the San Francisco Bay Area. While there, I did an interview for a local cable access show, "What's Up Wit' That?", which handles subjects and subcultures that are off the beaten path. Here is the final cut of that episode, which featured myself, Kathleen Jarvis of Sunnyvale, Eric Forsman of St. Louis and founder extraordinaire, Dan Hoffer:

video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5386126647901520802

Also, a short video I made, "Tolerance, One Couch At A Time", can be found here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_WMip7ItXI

I also did an interview with NPR (National Public Radio) on Tuesday, but I'm not sure when it will air. Once I know, I'll post about it here (as well as a link to listen to it once it's online).

Peace and health,

DW

Posted March 8th, 2008 - 7:20 am by Derek The Jolly Green Giant Wallace from North Hollywood, United States

Couchsurfers hit the slopes

Just a bit of fun that my fellow Minneapolis surfers organized:

From KSTP Minnesota news: Local members of the international online CouchSurfing.com community strapped skis to their couches and went sledding.

The group raises awareness about their network that allows fellow members who are traveling to sleep on their couches at their homes for free anywhere in the world.

Check out the video of fellow CSers in Minneapolis couch SNOW surfing: kstp.com/article/stories/S334632.shtml?cat=1

Posted February 3rd, 2008 - 5:51 pm by bdreams from Duluth, United States

Candidate for U.S. President Participating in CouchSurfing Project

For many years and especially since the 2003 run-up to the invasion, I have been studying media and American politics, and thinking about how to build inoculations against the combination of media consolidation and market fragmentation that helps a relatively few powerful people mislead and misinform so many good people.

This process has lead me to believe strongly that lack of governmental transparency lies at the heart of this problem, and also convinced me that the solution involves a level of transparency that would give anybody with Internet access far greater ability to monitor our public servants and even the press has today. (Details at Wilson2008.com)

Because this is not the kind of solution that mainstream candidates and media conglomerates—both of whom largely achieved their positions by being expert at limiting and controlling information—and because such radical change must take place particularly at the Executive Branch, I decided to run for U.S. President in order to try to bring national attention to this issue, and hopefully guilt the other candidates into making transparency a major part of their platforms.

CouchSurfing comes in to this picture because the project offers a way to travel around the country and spread the message without spending larges sums of money on hotel rooms. The reason I am writing is to announce my effort to the CourchSurfing project and to encourage everybody to join a group that I have set up to coordinate the effort. The group is called “Kelcey Wilson for U.S. President in 2008 - Help create a National Solar Power Grid” and can be found here: www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=9004

With optimism,
Kelcey Wilson
www.wilson2008.com
619.358.3396

Posted January 21st, 2008 - 6:48 pm by Kelcey Wilson from San Jose, United States

Creation of the CS Human Rights Watch group

CS Human Rights Watch group was created on the 1st of January 2008 and it shares the spirit of Couchsurfing itself of Creating a Better World.

The Mission Statement of the CS Human Rights Watch group (still open to discussion in the group) is to provide CS members with an easy platform to:

- denounce any abuse of Human Rights worldwide;
- get local information regarding the situation in countries in conflict areas;
- discuss and share information related to Human Rights issues.


We encourage all members with time and will to participate in the group to join us:
www.couchsurfing.com/group.html?gid=9055

Best regards
HRWg

Posted January 8th, 2008 - 11:01 pm by Diogo Quental from Porto, Portugal