Hosting a stranger

Its been already 2 months since i moved in to a my house with my friend Rafa. The first one i pretty much spent it on settling down my stuff, making myself at home. After we had the house almost set, we started hosting people from CS and HC. Its a very good idea to bring people with a common interest: Travelling.

The guests get a place to rest and leave their stuff while visiting a city and also a first hand look at the culture through his host. He/she gets a different perspective of the country. I think its much better than just buying a travel book and walking by yourself. The first benefit for the guest is quite obvious: It’s cheaper to stay in a house than renting a flat or staying in a hotel. For me, there is a better benefit with more value than just to save some euros: Interact with other people and share their way of living and thinking.

On the other hand, i was asking myself about the benefits of the hosts. Why would anyone would let a total stranger into his/her house. How can people trust a stranger and open the doors of his/house wide open? Why would people do something like this? What’s in it for them?

I thought about it last weekend. What’s in it for me? How can I trust a person just by reading a few lines in a brief email sent a couple of days earlier or even the same day? Some people have told me it’s dangerous, that i could get stolen, that i could have problems…but i still do it ‘cos i disagree.

What’s in it for me?: Experiences. I love listening to stories of travellers. I like anecdotes and short stories every traveller has experienced in his/her journey. I enjoy being around people with an attitude to discover new stuff, looking for adventure and not afraid of trying new stuff. That’s what travelling is all about for me: Trying new stuff for the first time: Food, tools, ways of doing things…there are so many ways to do the same stuff, one must be the best for you. You listen to their stories, you try “their way” of doing things…You take it or leave it as you wish. You build yourself as you wish.

One cant always be travelling the whole time and letting travellers into your life is another way to travel without moving. You get the first hand experience of someone who has lived what he’s telling. You listen to the main character of the story and not “a friend of a friend of this person i know once went to…”.

The stories are so interesting sometimes it would sound like a lie if it wasnt because you trust the person who is telling the story.

I love storytellers. I like travellers because of what they have lived, what they have to share and what they expect out of the trip.

So to sum up: Why do i like hosting people? What do i get?

Stories, life experiences and sometimes an everlasting friendship.