Couchsurfing has lost its mojo. It can get it back, but not until after we know what it was in the first place, and how to design for human experience.
In this follow-up to his widely shared article on the fall of Couchsurfing, veteran host and surfer Nithin Coca puts forth his plan to save Couchsurfing, through transparency, empowerment, and, most importantly, a reassertion and expansion of the ideals that spurred Couchsurfing's initial growth.
A veteran host and surfer explains how privatization, rapid membership growth, and safety issues make Couchsurfing no longer a slam dunk for independent travelers.
It's easy to make new friends when you're traveling, but Allison Kade explains the specific etiquette for keeping in touch in order to build a "traveling circus"--a network of friends all over the world.
The whole idea is to leave your boring job behind, take a break from your repetitive chores, and hit the road to find something new every day. The problem, however, is that we all have friends, family, and bank tellers back at home that want to see us. Laurie Tighe gives us some websites to help us stay in touch with our roots while planning the best trip ever.
CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization to help connect travelers and hosts and it's getting more popular every day. Katie Hammel is a pro and she shares her expert advice on how to make it a successful experience for everyone.
Couchsurfing has lost its mojo. It can get it back, but not until after we know what it was in the first place, and how to design for human experience. 
In this follow-up to his widely shared article on the fall of Couchsurfing, veteran host and surfer Nithin Coca puts forth his plan to save Couchsurfing, through transparency, empowerment, and, most importantly, a reassertion and expansion of the ideals that spurred Couchsurfing's initial growth. 
A veteran host and surfer explains how privatization, rapid membership growth, and safety issues make Couchsurfing no longer a slam dunk for independent travelers. 
It's easy to make new friends when you're traveling, but Allison Kade explains the specific etiquette for keeping in touch in order to build a "traveling circus"--a network of friends all over the world. 
The whole idea is to leave your boring job behind, take a break from your repetitive chores, and hit the road to find something new every day. The problem, however, is that we all have friends, family, and bank tellers back at home that want to see us. Laurie Tighe gives us some websites to help us stay in touch with our roots while planning the best trip ever. 
CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization to help connect travelers and hosts and it's getting more popular every day. Katie Hammel is a pro and she shares her expert advice on how to make it a successful experience for everyone. 