Couch surfing is this week’s BuzzWord from our online English dictionary here at Macmillan. This noun is used to describe staying the night at the home of another person, especially a stranger, for free. The term first appeared on and has been popularised by www.couchsurfing.com, a free and non-profit accommodation network, also called a hospitality network, which connects people in the ‘sofasphere’ in over 200 countries around the world. Those active in couch surfing are referred to as couch surfers and their bed for the night … well, the couch.
The choice of word for labelling – what I’d consider – a more alternative form of travel is a bit unfortunate, and perhaps not coincidental, with couch potato jumping to mind immediately. Couch surfers spend little time on a couch however, and most definitely most of that time is not on their own couch either.
Are you tempted by this form of accommodation at your next holiday destination? Here are a few tips and further reading/viewing for you:
Background to hospitality networks
Hospitality networks organising couch surfing:
www.CouchSurfing.org
www.hospitalityclub.org
Here’s an example of a couch surfing exchange in Japan and the UK:
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‘Couch surfing’ is such a great idea. I first heard about it through one of my students who finds friends to practise English with by letting couch surfers stay with her.
It was quite new to me.I always used stay over.So,thank you very much for new info for my vocabulary improvement!