Have you heard of CouchSurfing?  It’s a web site that helps people find a couch to sleep on when they are in another country or city.

Here’s what the site says:

+++We realize that safety is a number one priority for CouchSurfers - both Surfers and Hosts! At CouchSurfing, we want to do as much as possible to help Hosts and Surfers feel safer and more secure, and to strengthen the CouchSurfing network.
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To learn more, go to Couchsurfing.com
You can become a verified member and this allows others to “know that you are serious about safety.”  The CS system goes like this: “When you see the little green lock on a member's profile you know that CouchSurfing has verified the name associated with the credit card or bank account that they used in the verification process. We verify the physical address by sending a verification code by regular mail. In this way, you can feel more comfortable that they are who they say they are.”

This might seem a little spooky, since there will be a web site that has your address information… but the physical address is hidden until you meet the person who wants to use your couch.  You also don’t need to provide a place to sleep.  You can be “coffee and advice.”  You can meet with the person and give directions when they are in town.

Here are the benefits of verification according to the web site:

    * Your profile will come up higher in search results.
    * Members will find you when they check the 'Verified Members Only' box.
    * Potential Hosts are more likely to offer you a couch.
    * Potential Surfers are more likely to surf with you.
    * More verified members creates a much stronger trust network within CouchSurfing.

The site goes on to explain:
+++We encourage all members to become active CouchSurfers and to use the site for FREE, but offer verification as an additional safety tool.
When you get verified, you let people know that you support the community and are trustworthy, but if you can't afford the verification fee at the moment, there are other ways to let people know that! You can participate in (and even organize!) local meetings and gatherings, get together with other CouchSurfers, and build up a strong profile based on references and vouches. You can fill up your profile with lots of information and pictures to let people know more about you.

On Step 1 you are simply locking your name and location into the system. You can change it at any time by simply unlocking it, but having your name and location set into the system lets people know that you stand by who you say you are.

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The site even helps you define HOW you are willing to host visitors: “If you select Definitely, you are indicating that you are very excited about hosting potential couch surfers. This is a way to indicate your increased enthusiasm. If you select Coffee or a drink, this means that you can show someone around your city for the day or meet up for a quick drink, but not host. If you are currently traveling and can not accept guests, sel
ect Traveling.”

The Mission of Couch Surfing
Here’s what the web site has under “Mission”:
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CouchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance and facilitate cultural understanding.

As a community we strive to do our individual and collective parts to make the world a better place, and we believe that the surfing of couches is a means to accomplish this goal.

CouchSurfing is not about the furniture, not just about finding free accommodations around the world; it's about making connections worldwide. We make the world a better place by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!
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The site is more than just about learning from each other while sharing a place to sleep.  It’s about cross-cultural understanding.  Here’s what the site offers as a challenge to its users:
“This is the beginnings of the future CouchSurfing University, a school where everyone's a student and everyone's a teacher. Surfing isn't just be about a place to sleep. It's about exchange. From esoteric knowledge to practical skills, you have special knowledge that others will benefit from knowing. Include one, or even a couple of items here that you might be able to share - and maybe something you want to learn! We hope that this will contribute to strengthening the quality of this wonderful community. Teach. Learn. Share. Let's do this.”

Isn’t that a great concept?
So why not get started?  Go to www.CouchSurfing.com and get verified.  The system verifies your name and address by using a credit card (matching your account’s name to the name on the card).
However, the credit card number remains a secret.

Here are some data about the site: CouchSurfing is not about the furniture, not just about finding free accommodations around the world; it's about making connections worldwide. We make the world a better place by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!

    * 620,421 available couches
    * 59,398 close friendships due to CouchSurfing
    * 2143341 positive experiences, which is an incredibly high 99.792 percent of all member experiences!
In short: What is CouchSurfing?

“CouchSurfing.com helps you make connections worldwide. You can use the network to meet people and then go and surf other members' couches! When you surf a couch, you are a guest at someone's house. They will provide you with some sort of accommodation, a penthouse apartment or maybe a back yard to pitch your tent in. Stays can be as short as a cup of coffee, a night or two, or even a few months or more. When you offer your couch, you have complete control of who visits. The possibilities are endless and completely up to you.”   I’m ready to sign up!

http://www.couchsurfing.com