ONE COUCH AT A TIME Surfing into a new sharing economy
Today is the day…
I set off for my around the world couchsurfing journey.
Couchsurfing…
Couchsurfing?
It's ridiculous.
How can you trust a stranger?
A lot of things could go wrong.
… something like the YouTube video of the guy going over Niagara Falls…
You know, what if you stay with someone who's like a sexual deviant, or something, and like they kidnap you…
I'm a catholic and…
I don't know, my husband wouldn't want me sleeping on some stranger's couch.
You're going across the continents…
and meeting people you have never ever met before and you're staying in their house?
I know that everyone is screened, but that doesn't mean that they're not freaks.
The person could cancel on you…
the person could end up being an axe murderer…
I definitely have issues with my comfort zone…
like this is my space…
I'm gonna stay in my space.
So you're saying you've never made new friends before?
That's actually really unlikely.
At least these friends have references.
The bigger risk in my mind…
is what would happen if you didn't.
You know, if you stayed at home, in your theoretically safe little bubble…
and never stepped into the opportunity to expand yourself.
It forces you to have this idea of this person…
to have this preconceived notion of who you're meeting.
That's my only problem with any kind of type of social network…
any of those things, your Facebooks, your Myspace, your Couchsurfings…
your Twitters, your twats or whatever.
Needless to say, we broke up soon after that statement.
So what would a Couchsurfing evangelist do?
I'll tell you what they wouldn't do…
they wouldn't stay in a hotel or a hostel.
So that's it: for these next six months…
I'm couchsurfing the whole way.
Meet Casey Fenton.
He is the founder of couchsurfing.org.
So this is my living room, and here's my couch.
— Sit down, welcome. — Thank you!
I was lucky enough to meet Casey back in 2007.
Just a regular guy, feeding nickels into a meter.
So Couchsurfing is a social network.
It's like a Facebook, a Myspace, a tribe.net, a friendster…
except the purpose of it is to get people together…
to stay on each other's couches, for intercultural exchange.
So it's like you have a profile online…
and you can search for other CouchSurfers all over the world…
and you connect to them…
and ask them to show you around their local area, have a cup of coffee and just chat…
get to know their culture, or even stay on their couch. Hence "Couchsurfing".
— Is Couchsurfing dangerous? — It's like, is eBay dangerous?
You know, people thought it wouldn't be a good idea…
to send a package to someone you don't know using the internet to someone you haven't met.
But eBay overcame that problem with technology.
Listening to Casey inspired me to want to give back.
I wanted the whole world to know how Couchsurfing could enrich their lives.
If you could have all the money, or the friendships, the people… What's it all about?
Having deep and meaningful experiences every day.
And those were the very words that inspired the idea.
BBC World News, we're looking at how unemployment is affecting…
We spend more money than we take in.
— Do you see a ripple effect here? — Well there is a ripple effect…
… having communities where people share things, and do things for each other…
We pay for everything.
A lot of people are trying to find what they love…
they're trying to find a situation in life that they like better than the previous situation.
Vulnerable times call for action.
It became clear when the economic crisis hit…
it was time to make this Couchsurfing film. It was time to focus on sharing.
What would a world look like where everyone couchsurfed?
What would you be willing to share with a stranger?
Hey world! I'm Alexandra and I'm a CouchSurfer.
Unfortunately I'm not rich.
And my savings were not enough to fund an entire film.
But being from San Francisco, an innovative tech mecca…
I was told about crowd funding.
I used kickstarter.com and made a video…
to see if a crowd of people from the internet liked the idea enough to fund it.
It's our dream to make a Couchsurfing documentary possible.
So, what do you say? Can I stay with you?
It took a lot of networking…
but I got contacted from strangers all over the world, who also love Couchsurfing…
who wanted to help host, or join me on the journey.
Based on their response, that's where I decided to go.
Six continents, 21 countries.
Funded! This project raised its funding goal on February 28, 2011.
I was really surprised when I got contacted from someone…
from all the way in Karachi, Pakistan.
Coming from Pakistan as an unmarried woman…
Zohra is an anomaly.
I think this a very scary idea!
It's acceptable if a man does it.
It's all new and unknown out there.
You don't even speak their language!
I'm thirty-four…
I should have got married by now.
My family is actually concerned.
Zohra, why are you going to travel?
You should get married now.
Now they want me to get married as soon as possible, to anyone they can find.
But they don't get it; if I wanted to marry anyone I can find, I would have been married by now.
Not only is it difficult to get visas where she's from…
it's also really expensive.
So I'm honored, she's willing to take a risk and join me on this couchsurfing mission.
I am at the Bangkok Airport and will meet Alexandra now who is a CouchSurfer,
and we will meet at this airport for the first time.
It's still some time for her to arrive I think I should just freshen up.
I'll be at gate #3.
Zohra and I kept in contact months before this trip, and finally we're about to meet.
Hi! We found each other.
My family friends, insisted that we stay with them.
Tonight the couchsurfing commences…
with Zohra's family friends, the Jillianis.
Thank you for having us.
Wow, this place is amazing!
She's just like our daughter.
I'm a bit nervous. A traditional Pakistani family?
I'm a loud-mouthed San Franciscan. I hope I don't do anything inappropriate.
Couchsurfing tip: You only have one chance to make a first impression: be careful what that impression is.
Sweet!
What's that smell? It smells good!
I've started with this notion as well.
It's like, okay yeah… If you're hosting, you're kind of giving…
and if you're surfing you're… taking, maybe? Or receiving or something…
And it's kinda like this… am I getting credits or something, how does this work?
And it's also like this pay it forward, we all are going to give and take this leap of faith together…
and we're all gonna be paying it forward together.
And here we are: total strangers.
Welcome to Bangkok.
— Are you tired? — I'm very tired.
I'm totally not tired, but I'm gonna force myself.
Goodnight.
Didn't get much sleep, due to the jet lag…
so I thought I'd check out my Couchsurfing messages.
Awesome, I got an email from Alex Olsson, a CouchSurfer living in Bangkok…
who invited us to drop by.
It's been such a pleasure.
— And we hope to see you again, ok? — Yes, for sure.
My God, he was so uncomfortable hugging me. Did you see that? I shouldn't have done that.
It's been amazing, thank you, thank you!
Couchsurfing tip: If you're in a different country, learn their customs. Embrace their culture.
People appreciate the fact that you've come all the way, you brought your culture all the way to their doorstep…
and that's really powerful and they're very thankful for you…
spending time with them and sharing their life together.
This train is going to…
Couchsurfing tip: Learn what you can from the locals and do what they do.
Thanks to our local host, we got exact directions to our next host, Alex Olsson's house.
Hey, how's it going?
— Bobby. — Bobby, Alex. Nice to meet you.
This is Zohra.
Couchsurfing tip: In case you didn't know, Couchsurfing is not a dating site.
We're shooting a documentary by the way, hope you don't mind.
— Not at all. — There's no need to put on shirts.
One of the most important pieces of hosting and/or surfing is that of compatibility.
They were all super nice guys…
and they were actually on their way out to go party on Khaosan Road.
What kind of lifestyle do you lead?
Are you an early to bed, an early riser?
Are you someone who wants to go out and party?
If I would have thoroughly gone through Zohra's profile…
I would have seen that it's not in her cultural beliefs to drink.
Couchsurfing tip: Always make sure to read profiles for compatibility.
So we let the boys go on without us.
Some of these kinds of lifestyle choices are important to at least understand…
or hopefully you're matched on…
but if you're not, it's important to kind of negotiate up front.
Poor Zohra, what did I get her into?
Let's say you're exploring the world, you're couchsurfing and you get there…
and you meet the person, and there's something…
this doesn't work for me, different schedules, something about it doesn't work.
Well, hopefully you have a backup plan.
Our ex-host, Alex, told us about his couchsurfing friend, Scott Campbell…
who had a very unique couchsurfing situation.
We're at Tailek's house…
it's the house where Tailek lives.
This is Tailek.
Originally it was because we were traveling around…
and we were interested in having local experiences with people…
not just staying in a hotel and like, doing tourist things, but having cultural exchange with people.
And then we got this place…
about a year ago here in Thailand…
and the house is really big, has lots of extra space.
I can't believe these people are so hospitable.
I don't expect people to be so nice to strangers.
Finally, Zohra can witness the Couchsurfing spirit.
When you're a CouchSurfer…
there's a certain level of trust that surpasses the average traveler.
I notice that you leave all of your money next to your bed.
You just trust everyone not to steal all of your money.
Yes.
You're in the right place for that.
No one would, but I'm just thinking, you could never do that in a hostel.
— You can trust that, being a CouchSurfer. — Yup.
That's trusting, man.
That's how it should be.
Considering that Couchsurfing is in its first generation…
Tailek's growing up in a house of sharing.
It's commonplace to him…
learning different languages, learning about different cultures.
I wonder how this is going to affect his future.
Who thought this,
situation would be so nice?
Now you really look like Jesus, just put your hands up a little bit more.
Alright, everybody. Cheese!
The space, the couch, the travel is almost, I think, secondary to the cultural exchange that happens…
that every interaction you have, where you're like, this person is incredible, this person is interesting…
and I'm seeing the world through their eyes.
We're meeting with CouchSurfer Austin.
He was able to teach himself English, by conversing with other CouchSurfers and travelers.
Pho?
Phở. That's the one that you've been receiving.
So, have you ever been to the States?
No, I want to.
For Vietnamese, if you wanna travel to Western countries…
you need to have a lot of money.
The minimum wage here is around 150 dollars a month.
When I was at the ATM machine…
I didn't think about what it was like to be on the other side of a weak currency.
Austin scoots us over to CouchSurfer Adam's house…
for an authentic Vietnamese dinner.
CouchSurfers around the world, welcome to my house!
Thank you very much.
Couchsurfing tip: Although it's not required, it's always good etiquette to bring a gift.
— You've been traveling for three years? — A thousand days, yeah.
— So you're finally settling down. — That's the thing, you know, I was like…
I realized that you gotta know when to stop. It was my time to stop.
I was a fish in the bowl and I wanted to see what was outside.
And I made that leap of faith…
and i suddenly was in the ocean with all these new creatures I'd never been before…
and I was swimming around and…
you know, the ocean never settles, you move even when you're not moving.
What I was searching for was not actually what I was searching for.
It was what I'd left behind, it was just to do it with somebody else. Not to be alone.
And I found this person right here, and now we have this wonderful baby on the way…
which doesn't mean that life is over…
it just means that there's three of us now, doing the same thing together.
I don't think we can underestimate…
how big the role the digital revolution has played in accelerating collaborative consumption…
not just in terms of creating the efficiency and trust that make it work…
but actually fundamentally changing people's behaviors around sharing.
So now we're bussing from Vietnam to Cambodia.
Sometimes you get on each other's nerves when you travel…
and Zohra is a little nervous.
Traveling with a Pakistani passport is not easy.
They just think she's a terrorist or something, I don't know.
— You shouldn't be saying that word, please. — I'm sorry…
— Look, I'm trying to make light of this. — No, but this word is not right.
So we get to the border, and they won't let Zohra into Cambodia.
And we can't understand what they're saying.
And now she's not talking to me.
First, you know, in couchsurfing fashion…
my hope is that when people are having a challenge…
they actually try to work it out…
they actually try to understand each other's perspectives…
and they actually go there to try to work it out.
Finally, she starts walking back.
— That was a lot of drama. — Do you know why?
— I got the security guard's phone number. — You got the guy's phone number?
Are you serious?
— Are you serious? — He was so nice to me, I said "I'll call you".
Okay!
I apologized for my off-color comment.
She explains to me why my joke was not so funny.
And I learned something.
So it's a very important piece of the system…
the reference system, and leaving the negative references.
It's kind of a last resort in some ways, I think.
It's when you can't work it out, but you need to let other people know…
that there's something dangerous, or something bad or something inappropriate.
But I think they don't end up having to leave a negative reference, because they want to work it out.
They talk about it, they figure out what the problem is, and they hopefully resolve it.
And that to me is awesome, because that is our mission and vision in action.
The man you are about to meet has been dubbed the world's biggest freeloader.
And surprisingly, it's a tag that Ramon Stoppelenburg wears like a badge of honor.
Because he's come up with a travel scheme that makes him the envy of millions:
touring the world for free…
using the power of the internet, and relying on the hospitality of others.
— Welcome to my palace in Phnom Penh. — Thank you, it's good to be here. Wow, it's beautiful!
I once traveled around the world for free, using the power of the internet…
and that made so much influence in media and online history…
that people started calling me The Godfather of Couchsurfing.
I have to admit, I was pretty excited to meet Ramon. He's a legend.
He was able to travel for two years, without spending a penny.
I always wanted to travel the world, and I never had the money.
You always need money to travel.
The purpose of my project is that I don't have any money with me…
I don't spend any money, I don't even want money.
I admit, I am an economic refugee.
So I didn't want to pay that much money on tax…
I don't want to make that much money, because the costs of living are so high.
Have you decided on dinner yet?
— I mostly stay with the budget food. — It's all budget food.
— Yeah, 2.50 or 1.50. — Are you serious?
This is Cambodia!
Why not pay for your trip like every other backpacker?
Because if I have to pay for a trip, I have to work to get the money…
but I just kept on dreaming that it's not necessary to work for money…
and came up with this idea, and decided that there is also another possibility:
without money.
My parents never grew up with the idea of: ask something on the internet.
But does that mean that you're too lazy to work?
No, not at all, I just see that there are more possibilities in life than just work only.
I made my point, you can travel the world for free that way, you can use the internet to make dreams reality…
but to a certain extent. And after two full years of traveling, I was like that...
maybe after Canada, this is enough. Let's grow up now.
Couchsurfing tip: Traveling is the perfect opportunity to go outside your comfort zone and overcome your fears.
He'll eventually come to you.
— See? Here, hold the cup. — No, thank you.
He's roaming around like a lion.
Zohra, really, what is your fear of cats? What happened in your childhood?
— Did you get bitten, because my cat doesn't even bite. — No…
He will just walk past you…
— … and you'll feel his tail going by you, and that's it. — Yes, well I felt it this afternoon.
I'm holding him, I'm holding him…
Look, I'm holding him, he can't get to you.
Look at his eyes.
Yes, his eyes.
Ramon took us to one of his favorite surprises, Dr. Fish Massage.
If I was going to give Zohra crap about the cat…
then the least I can do is stick my feet in this body of water, and let these fish suckle on them.
Come to me babies!
Oh look how popular you are!
You're popular.
So on our walk home…
we come across this random block party. And everyone was just dancing.
Normally if I was back home, maybe I would have been a little bit more shy…
but I was in a different country, so we danced.
Couchsurfing tip: Travel like nobody is watching.
You suddenly have this out of the blue person jumping in your life…
who you share things with for only a short period.
And you get to know each other a little bit, in that short period…
and then they jump off again, but both have been feeding information…
on their background, on my background and on life here…
so it's always beneficial.
Zohra and I sat in the airport together for one last time.
The Americans have increased the Drone Attacks…
and our government can't do anything but condemn the attacks.
Suggest, who should step up to stop these attacks on the sovereignty of Pakistan?
And we are sitting together.
I think it's not the common people who have problems with each other…
like, you are an American and I am a Pakistani…
and we are sitting together and we are friendly.
But I think it's just the politics.
When I stepped out of the airport, I was so afraid of couchsurfing…
that I was thinking someone will snatch my bag in Thailand…
or if I stay at someone's home…
I might get robbed or raped.
From this couchsurfing experience I learned that…
the world is not that unsafe as I thought it would be…
and I learned to do makeup.
As much as we got on each other's nerves…
I'm sure gonna miss her.
Now to South Africa…
Now to South Afric…!
You scared me there…
My next host, Sifiso Mazibuko…
picked me up from the airport. And we never even met.
My good friends don't pick me up from the airport.
Good day. I will see you at two o'clock.
Ok, cool. All right.
— What language is that? — That's Zulu.
Back in the day, black people would have to live in a certain area…
white people would have to live in a certain area.
Well, black people had to live here.
It's a party over here, y'all!
— This is where you sleep. — Really?
Um… Not a whole bunch has changed in that regard, but now it's become…
I suppose it's no longer a racial oppression, it's become an economic oppression.
We still have the majority of black people still living in the townships…
so very little has changed in that regard unfortunately.
Because ultimately, you know, if you don't have skills…
you can't get a great job, if you can't get a great job…
you can't move out of the slums as it were.
I just thought of…
surfing in the sense, of…
surfing in the sea.
But I couldn't understand where the couch fits in…
And I thought, maybe…
maybe
you watch and observe and you relate to people who surf.
I didn't understand what it meant.
Now I know.
I'm such an easygoing person, I can get along with anyone.
But when I meet an Afrikaner…
I know for a fact that we are not going to be friends.
If you see me as a human being…
then it's going to be a whole lot easier.
It's gonna be a whole lot easier if you see me as a human being.
And you forget that I'm black, or whatever.
Because I could be your best friend.
I could be your next best friend.
Now we're driving from Durban to Capetown.
Sean responded!
If I would have told you…
that we would have been able to meet up with a stranger…
by writing to someone by running my finger across the screen, in the car…
you wouldn't have believed me.
Got the day off, shout if you wanna do something.
Sweet!
I've hosted a bunch of people, over the first two years of doing it…
and I got to meet some interesting people from places.
Sean generously offered for us to take one of his yoga classes.
The next day…
Sean's roommate, Karl, invited us to his family's farm.
CouchSurfing? What's that?
Couchsurfing, it's where people come and stay at your house.
How did you hear about it way on the farm?
On the farm, we've got internet on the farm, so…
I like that it's a community of like-minded people who…
are willing to open their homes to other people…
and allow you to view different countries from the inside, and not as a tourist.
— So you grew up around these parts? — Yeah, I grew up in that house right over there.
This place is like a museum.
It's crazy.
— How is it? — The tea is awesome…
Um, well, -ish.
A house like this, me, a hundred years walking in there with you guys?
Forget a hundred years ago, forty years ago, there's no way, it was never ever gonna happen.
Well I suppose depending on the owner of the house but…
You might be working there…
Yeah, you'd probably have to leave me outside, you know…
to look after the horse.
South Africa's riddled with a checkered history.
And right before my eyes, history is being made.
I promised I wasn't gonna do this!
Stay well, my brother.
Nice. Go well.
Yes.
Ohhh girl!
I am genuinely going to miss Ifiso and South Africa so much.
I can't even fathom that fourteen short days ago…
I was meeting Sifiso for the first time, he was holding up that sign in the airport…
and before that moment we were complete strangers.
Couchsurfing in general, it just brings such diverse groups of people together…
and even though it's all done in fun…
there is so much important exchange that goes on under the surface.
When one travels for long periods of time, they can get a little stinky.
Couchsurfing tip: Use the resources around you.
You smell nice. Told ya?
Nice.
— You happy? — I'm very happy.
Morning, Alex! Here's your tea.
So Emile, Bianca and I are taking their car, and going on a road trip…
making loads of stops along the way…
from Botswana and ending up in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
So, do you guys know any interracial couples?
No.
No, I don't know anyone.
Not one? Really?
It doesn't happen around here.
Like I said to you, I won't have any friends left
or family left if I have a black girl in south Africa.
Well you probably will, you know, but… no no no no
You can't go that way.
Me and my sister had this conversation the other day…
and it's like, we have nothing against it, it's just like being gay for me…
I've got nothing against it, but it's just not for me, and I don't want it in my face.
You know what I'm saying?
If I've learned anything with my experience with Zohra, and traveling thus far…
we all have our cultural baggage.
It just so happened that Emile and Bianca were pretty keen about having a romantic getaway.
So this is where we decided to part ways…
I was gonna go on with the film, meet with locals and continue capturing the Couchsurfing spirit.
— Is this the house of Steve Kim? — Yeah, exactly.
— Steve. — Bianca, nice to meet you.
Here…
I cleaned the bed myself.
It was lot of work. Two blankets.
For the outside of Zimbabwe, like asians, you know…
when we came here, we were surprised to see the rates of HIV infected people.
They were so shocked by the AIDS situation in Zimbabwe…
they decided to open a kids daycare centre.
15% of the inhabitants in Zimbabwe live with HIV.
And we closed last December.
Because?
We were short of financial support.
I paid all of expenses with my own money.
Even though the Kims had to shut their doors…
they would still take their van, and give away medicine for free.
We are going to see some kids who is HIV positive…
and I would like to visit them, to give some medicine and what they need.
— How about your daughter? — She's fine. Laura?
— Yeah, she's growing up. — Oh, she growing!
Before you said your ears' problem, but now it's ok.
Laura, how old are you?
She's now 4.
This' HIV positive baby list.
Wow, you is so handsome than last time!
Ok, I give cough medicine.
The little bit that they have, they decided to share with strangers.
We are human beings, they are human beings. We all are human beings.
That's why we did it, just to cover something. Not everything, we cannot.
I love money, she loves money! We want to be rich, but we're human beings.
We want to share something.
This Korean family is so cool, they have just opened their homes to me…
and I'm getting a nice comfortable bed, and I'm looking forward to some good sleep.
Community.
Like, am I going to feel close to people? Feel like I'm surrounded by people I like, who love me?
Am I gonna feel those feelings?
If you don't have those, suddenly things start to feel a little weird…
like, I don't know, I just feel a little empty, I feel like I wanna go home.
But if you can get that need met, then you can probably travel for quite some time.
Even after all of their kindness…
they wanted to cook me an authentic Korean barbecue, on my last night.
Wow, this looks amazing!
Cheers!
What you find is that people often…
think of a pinpoint in their own life, or something they want to change…
and they start changing their behavior around that one thing…
and then they suddenly start to extend into other verticals.
So it's often, I'm going away for a month, maybe I'll try renting out my house…
or I'm going into this new city, oh, look, there's a really interesting property…
I don't want to stay in a hotel, or I'd rather go and stay with a local.
And they try that and then it reinforces that these ideas work…
and then they come back and they're like, ok, what else can I do?
That's Chelsea. She's originally from Oregon.
She moved to San Francisco as an internet entrepreneur.
She loves her some technology, and has some really interesting ways she uses it.
I started a website when I was fourteen, called Free Mania.
I'm sending out a newsletter to 80.000 people on Fridays…
It's exciting. I tell them about free stuff.
One thing led to another, and I was making really good money.
More than my parents, so that was awkward for me.
There's no words to describe that, because at the time…
I lived in Rogue River, Oregon, and there's no such thing as an internet entrepreneur.
Chelsie's always been a little ahead of the curve.
Chelsie decided she could rent her life while she was gone. Her apartment, her car…
so she could subsidize her trip and make it possible for her to come…
help on the documentary shooting. — We're not in Kansas anymore.
Just in time! Hi, you made it!
When couchsurfing in Morocco, I was a little apprehensive about choosing my host.
But Walid, through our many interactions over the internet…
I knew he was gonna be a gem.
Walid was a graphic designer…
and he was willing to host us all, in one room of his apartment which he shared.
This is your couch? Awesome, perfect.
Tour, can I see?
Okay, the bathroom could use a little cleaning.
No, I like.
Depending on where you are…
be really flexible about your expectations…
and your interpretation out loud and on your face.
But still, something was really special about this experience.
This is unique that a twenty-six-year-old lives outside of his family's house when he's not married.
Is this the computer you used to contact me on Couchsurfing?
Yeah, this is my home computer.
Nice.
— You don't like? — I like.
— You play Rubik's cube? — No, I use it to fix this.
Couchsurfing tip: Facebook surgery. Get off your computer and experience.
To me it seems like it should be a balance, I guess.
On one side people really want to know about you, and who you are and where you come from…
so if you assimilate too far, they aren't going to learn anything.
But at the same time, you want to learn and experience and understand it and jump in and feel it…
what it is like to be in that place or live in that place, so you do want to assimilate.
So I think you kinda need to find that healthy balance, where you're still sharing who you are…
in a way that people can feel and connect with.
I wanna do this Morocco experience differently.
Like, I am only here for a short period of time, but I really really really wanna live like you do.
— I wanna be a Moroccan, while I'm here. — Ok.
So you're going to teach me how to do it?
Ok. First thing, you need to wear the scarfs.
And put it on your head.
— You want to pray? — Yeah!
So I wake you up at 5 o'clock.
— 5 AM? — Yeah. To do the first prayer.
Walid got the time mixed up.
He meant to say 4 AM.
It's 4 AM now…
and now before the praying we need to wash.
Inside and outside.
It's finished.
Allahu akbar.
So when we're praying, we say "Allahu akbar", which means…
— "God is great". — "God is great".
Isn't that what they say when terrorists martyr themselves?
Yea, because they was thinking that they go to the heaven.
What do you think of extremist Muslims?
Extremist Muslims?
I don't think they are Muslims.
Interesting.
Because in Islam nothing tell you to go kill people
and do anything cruel.
We have a lot of opportunity now to get the information.
From the Internets now.
Now I think it is very…
— Important? — Yea, very important.
A very huge, large resource
where you can find everything in reality.
It's pretty awesome.
Places are a lot about the people…
and when you have people that you can stay with and be comfortable with and happy around…
it's like, this is amazing, there's musical instruments and paintings, and…
lots of noise outside and commotion…
everything you really need.
Couchsurfing and traveling, they happen at the same time, but they're different.
People couchsurf for different reasons than they travel.
It's not about, oh, I'm gonna go travel and I'm gonna get a free place to stay.
It's, I wanna connect to people, maybe I'm dealing with this thing in my life…
Whatever, whatever it is, there's just so many different motivations for why people couchsurf.
And at the end of the day, I think it's just…
it's about human connection.
Raph is a CouchSurfer I met in New York.
I hosted him for a week, and now he's here to return the favor.
They have a tremendous sense of who that person is by the time they actually meet up face to face.
And that's because technology creates the different channels to give you very different dimensions of…
is this person trustworthy?
Raph insisted that he showed Chelsea and I the French countryside.
A lot of American people think that going to Paris is going to France.
That that's France. No, it's not. Like, this is France.
Paris is just one tiny part of France. It's just…
Une petite partie de la France.
It's beautiful out here.
You said I'd get bored, but I get bored anyway, I get bored in San Francisco.
— Where's your internet connection? — I got internet right here!
Traveling I always chase internet around…
I can't wait until the day that internet is everywhere.
As long as there's internet and I get to an airport I'll live anywhere.
I think in the future, when babies are born, you know when they cut the umbilical cord?
They're also going to put in a USB port…
so we can live off of our own electricity, and plug in our iPhones, and our laptops…
I think that's the future.
So Raph, your parents don't speak any English?
Uh, I guess they can say hello. Like that: 'ello.
Hello.
Are you hungry?
She says she wants to try to talk English now.
Okay, perfect, we're good at that.
This house was originally a ruin.
There was no roof, nothing, and my father did it.
Bonjour!
And you do a lot of the air kissing.
I feel weird about that when it's, when a guy has a big beard, you know, like… I do!
Where do I kiss, how do I do this?
Do your parents know about Couchsurfing? Who we are?
— They know you, they remember you. — They do?
— Of course! — From what?
I've talked about you. A lot.
You hosted me in New York, Central Park, and you gave me the keys of your flat.
Straight away.
Wow! That's a proof that you really trust me.
— Instant friends! — It was so nice, so generous of you!
How can I forget that?
Couchsurfing tip: Learn a bit of your hosts' language.
Thank you very much for this dinner.
Maybe you won't like it!
The downside of the internet is that we're connecting in a…
mostly shallow way.
Most people are spending hours and hours a day sucked up in social media…
and… sorry.
Have you ever had a very bad experience on Couchsurfing…
like, hosting very naughty people or being hosted by very rude people?
Yeah, I think so.
My first time trying to couchsurf actually, in Italy, I stayed with this guy in the countryside…
and he was amazing, he made this amazing dinner, and wine…
and then, he wouldn't stop hitting on me.
And I made it clear this is not why I came, this is not what I want…
and he just sort of wouldn't let up. He was like, oh, you are the most beautiful girl…
I never see beautiful girls like this…
Like, all Italiano, yeah?
And at one point I just got up and I'm like:
alright, I'm gonna go do the dishes and then I'm going to bed.
And, you know, had I been younger…
or not had as much experience or confidence, I probably would have been really afraid…
but I sort of trusted my instincts and I knew he wasn't a bad person, but…
it was definitely not a good situation, you know.
And I was alone and in the country.
It's so cool being here, and seeing how you grew up.
It always feels very intimate to see that and meet someone's parents.
This house has stories, it's full of stories.
— If the walls could talk, right? — Yeah, there's an aura.
There's something coming out of it.
We're perfect strangers, Raph and I…
he's opened his home, and made us amazing meals…
taken us off to the country with his parents, and treated us like family.
Eric told me the best way to experience Paris is by bike.
Problem is, I didn't pack one. — So one of the cool things about living in Paris…
is that they have this public bike system called Vélib'.
I have the year membership, so it's 29 euros for the year…
and it's pretty good because you can use it unlimited, I mean, so cheap.
So you go to any of these stations and there's like 400 around the city…
and you pick up a bike and use it for up to 30 minutes for free…
you drop it off wherever, and then next time you need it you get another bike.
So when people bike share, they reduce carbon, reduce congestion…
they get healthier, they have a different perspective on the city.
You talk to bike sharers, and they would actually say how it's not just about that ride to work…
it changes their whole experience of the days.
I'd been to Paris before…
but never experienced it quite like this.
Wow, it made me wonder, if we're able to share our apartments, our bikes…
what else is next?
No matter how many millions of positive experiences people have all over the world…
the number one question I always get is:
What if your host is an axe murderer?
What are you doing?!
Preparing my couch.
So this is Hans. He's my host in Koblenz, Germany.
Ze Germans…
I always loved to have people in the house that were different.
So when Couchsurfing came along…
I didn't do anything different than before, but I just had brought a platform.
So he paid his neighborhood kid to pull a tractor…
he got a couch, fixed it all up, rigged it together…
and now we're actually gonna couchsurf.
For an official entrance to the couch…
please use this door. — Okay.
— I like it, I'll take it. — You'll take it?
— I'll take it. — It's free!
Free? Free.99?
Hans wants to show me the German countryside…
via motorcycle.
Are you serious?
Couchsurfing tip: As a survival tip says: always say yes. Even if it stretches you outside your comfort zone.
Which I am definitely stretched.
Hans took me to meet a fellow CouchSurfer, Christian.
And I was so amazed that this guy, despite his condition…
works, earns his own money, has employees that work for him…
and that impressed me so much.
Hi, I'm Alex.
CouchSurfing is also about challenging oneself.
to expand the comfort zone.
But if he wants to travel, as he wants to meet people…
he has a chance to really go and see the places, and also he says he invites the world to him.
People who visit me or surf my couch
mostly do it on purpose.
They want to get a new impression.
They want to challenge themselves.
They want to learn about
what it is to live with a disability.
Christian had a very interesting take on the economy of Couchsurfing.
In a normal economy, a good has more worth
when it's few,
when it's not owned by people.
Like in the communications business
it's more worthy when more people own it
because then you have more chances to use it.
That's the change of a whole paradigm.
It's been awesome…
and we'll see each other again one day.
You know, people ask me about impact…
and what impact can Couchsurfing have on the world…
and how would you know if you've actually achieved something meaningful?
Couchsurfing for a part is kind of an illusion…
because you're thinking about cultural exchange that you do, and you find it so nice…
but who is exchanging the culture?
It's like a small minority of people that have internet access…
that know English to communicate…
so If I go to india and exchange culture…
I sit there with a retired army doctor, and exchange philosophical thoughts…
but the average Indian, in the village, who is happy when he's filled his stomach...
he does not have any interest in cultural exchange.
I never really thought about it this way.
Is Couchsurfing actually making the world better?
Or are we just a bunch of haves who are fooling ourselves?
So it's actually a small group of elite people…
that walk around, you know, and think, hey, we are great, you know…
we are entering a new world, you know, we're starting something…
which is not bad, but I think it does not change the world…
in the way that Couchsurfing claims.
But I argue and say that it is making the world better.
It's not solving all the world's problems, not ending world hunger or poverty…
— It starts a process. — But it creates… It creates an understanding…
and it creates awareness, in those of us who have…
because we're the people that have the resources to make these changes.
So that is making the world better.
It's a start, it's something.
if a powerful idea reaches, you know, 10% of a network…
that powerful idea will just take off like wildfire and engulf the entire network.
The way I understand there are about 1.4 billion people…
in the developed policy-making world, something like this.
So if we could reach 10% of these people, that would be maybe 140 million people…
maybe that's the magic number.
But if it doesn't reach 10%, it will be like it never existed.
Hans told me in Germany, it's common for the locals to use ridesharing.
Since I needed to get to Berlin…
I thought I would do what the locals do, and try something new.
So, when you take a car trip…
often there's the driver and there's four empty seats.
What ridesharing is is have you actually take the capacity of those seats…
and match it with other passengers that are going in the same direction.
— Okie dokie. — Let's do this.
— Do you do rideshare often? — Oh, yeah.
Yeah, because it's way too expensive to drive alone, so I do this every time I have to go home.
The cost of owning a car, maintaining and insuring it…
people are realizing that's a hassle I don't have to deal with.
I don't wanna deal with that hassle. So they're kind of moving along from now on.
Mitfahrge… what?
"Mitfahrgelegenheit".
"The opportunity to drive with".
— Is that what it translates to? — Yeah.
Could you come up with a longer name?!
If we look at all the extrapolation graphs…
if we let things go as they'll go, we are going to have more cars than people.
There's also another thing that's called Take My Car…
and they can, like, put an ad on, and you can say:
I have a car, you can have it for a day and you pay 15 euros and you can take his car.
An interesting study actually that carpooling had done in Germany…
where they did a survey of 18 to 25-year-olds, and 80% said they'd rather own…
if they had to choose, 80% would pick the smartphone over the car.
And that's pretty powerful, like…
that's people saying I don't need to own a car as this symbol of "I've made it in the world".
I can actually have more access through my phone.
Because at the end of the day, it's like: you can't take it with you when you die.
— It's really about having access to use it, right? — That's right.
I think that cars used to be the ultimate symbol of ownership.
So if we can change people's attitudes towards cars, then anything becomes possible.
— Thank you so much. — Yeah, you're welcome.
— You gave me a ride right there… — Yeah, it was one of the best…
"Mitfahrgelegenheit" I had so far, so… — Me too.
One of the most interesting.
Thank you so much.
Ow, Gabe!
I'm meeting one of my old friends, Gabriel Stempinski, in Brussels.
He says he has big news to tell me.
Gabe, look at you!
Gabe showed me the sights, such as the famous peeing child.
I think its one of the oldest statues in the city.
There are a couple of legends about how it came about.
The one I like is that there was a little boy that saved the city by pissing the fire out.
So I asked Gabe the big news.
And he says he fell in love…
with a CouchSurfer.
I'm conflicted, because in case you forgot… — Couchsurfing is not a dating site.
— But you get a little tempted…
sometimes you see people who have really attractive photos…
and a lot of times they're not wearing shirts and stuff.
It's like the best dating site. Ever.
In the world.
But there are a lot of really cool people on there.
Sure it's not a dating web site, but if you find yourself in the situation…
where obviously you're getting along with the person…
all I say, and this is just one man's opinion…
embrace it.
It's not a dating site.
But it is a community site, and definitely a part of community…
or something that a strong community fosters is healthy relationships.
My last Couchsurfing travel partner to join me on the trip was David Vega.
He's a pretty regular guy, works for a big bank, works nine to five…
and the only one of his friends to couchsurf.
He saw my Kickstarter campaign, and was really compelled to write.
I couldn't wait to meet the person behind the messages.
Now it sounds crazy, but just after one conversation…
we booked a whole month of our lives together.
And so technology reduces the barriers to exchange, creates many more ways to explore.
So I'm at baggage claim.
Alex!
— David Vega! — What up, girl?
— Is this your first time couchsurfing? — No, I've done it a couple times before.
— What about you? — Is that a joke?
I'm a Couchsurfing professional.
I've seen your profile.
I've seen it too, I've read yours.
Yeah, what'd you think?
Well, it was good enough to get you here.
We're on our way.
Uhoh. My phone is dying.
I know, major fail.
That's one of my biggest survival tips.
Always charge your phone when going to a new country.
But she's expecting us.
Hey, think she's here?
I don't know, I mean, there's a girl waiting there, it doesn't look like her.
Yeah, that's her. It looks just like her.
— Hi. — Hi, darling!
— Nice to meet you. — Nice to meet you too, welcome.
We immediately bonded with Marcelle.
So welcome, guys. Like I told you, it's very small.
I'm already breaking things.
Lovely.
So you're going to stay here, guys, it's not so big, but that's alright.
It's perfect.
Her place may be small, but her heart, huge. And that made all the difference.
You will trust us with your key.
Yeah, everything you own is here?
Yes, all our stuff is here, my whole life is in that bag.
— Yeah. — And I have your key.
— Yeah. — Cool.
— It's a deal. — It's a deal.
— You will not run away. — And I will not lose this, I am very, very responsible.
Did you remember, we are friends for a long time, but we've just met each other for two hours.
Yes, but we're friends for a long time.
— We just hadn't met yet. — Yeah.
I like that.
Without any hesitation, she offered to cook for us our first Brazilian meal.
Bon appétit!
— I like it. — It's good.
It almost tastes like popcorn.
Popcorn?
My little stove.
You know it's funny…
me and my roommate live in a 2500 sq. ft. house, and we still step on each other's toes.
This really puts things in perspective.
I know.
I'm not even sure where we're gonna sleep exactly.
It's gonna be intimate.
— What's our couch? — Ah, yeah.
A very efficient use of your space.
Marcelle told us of a Couchsurfing meetup right on the beach.
Like you said, it's commonplace to get to meet people online…
people you haven't met in real life before.
And because this is such a commonplace thing…
that barrier, and that fear, is kind of removed from the picture.
And that is a pretty powerful thing.
Once you have that barrier removed…
it may only be a couple of other smaller barriers…
which may even be just technical, or what your imagination allows you to think of.
For those just ready to dip their feet into the idea of Couchsurfing…
going to a meetup is a great way to get used to the community.
We'd just arrived to Rio, and already we had a group of Couchsurfing friends.
Ok. You have to feel it. Feel the music.
David was drawn to a specific CouchSurfer's profile, Ryan Fix…
and had arranged to meet him at his house at Ipanema beach.
So I wanted you guys to meet me here in my place…
just so I could give you guys a sense of a pretty unique view.
I've never seen anything like this.
One of the seven hundred favelas in Rio, it's called Cantagalo…
and we're overlooking Ipanema beach, facing towards Arpoador.
There's really no difference between someone like me and you and this and that…
with someone like Bono, or Branson or Obama, or any of these people.
You know, we all start from the earth and we go back to the earth.
Some people come into life with more privileges…
but at the same time, because they have so many privileges, they don't really have the drive.
But then you see other people that come from really tough places, like the favelas…
and they do amazing things.
The majority of my focus right now is in this area, collaborative consumption.
Collaborative consumption?
It's a global trend that's been developing over the past six years…
and it's connected to many different manifestations of sharing…
so Couchsurfing being one, bike-sharing programs, car-sharing programs, all of this.
And the way that people live, the way that people work, the way that people consume is changing.
The future is not certain, and we can either embrace it, or we can fear it.
And if we fear it we're controlled by it.
So so many people are controlled by fear, and so therefore…
they try to build certainty into their future, security into their future.
But it's a myth. It's not reality.
Just when we couldn't get any more inspired…
Ryan realized he was late, for a tandem paragliding date.
I really think what Ryan said struck a deep chord within David.
He was now ready to jump off a cliff and build his wings on the way down.
Do I love what I do? I can't say I love what I do.
My job doesn't offer a lot of creative outlet.
So that's part of the reason why I'm on this journey in the first place.
When I'm home and I'm working, and when I'm in my work schedule, I feel like time just flies.
I blink and it's two weeks later.
I blink again, two months have gone by.
I blink again, holy cow, two years have gone by…
and what have I done with my life in the past two years?
I can't even remember twenty percent of what had happened.
If I won the lottery, some people would buy a huge house, the fastest car, et cetera et cetera.
Me? You would never see me, because I'd be gone.
I would sell all my goods, I would have no possessions…
and I would travel the world. Unfortunately I can't do that…
because I need to make a living. I need to earn a living.
Good night.
— See you tomorrow. — See you tomorrow.
It's been very good having you here guys.
— Thank you. — And you've been an amazing host.
Oh, cool, it's good, good to hear. You are a very nice guest.
Have a good night, guys.
— Good night. — Good night.
— See you tomorrow. — See you tomorrow.
You know, you meet people and they barter their nanny time…
they never pay for things like haircuts and accountants…
they only travel with Couchsurfing, Airbnb…
when they travel they use ride-sharing and bike-sharing systems…
when they're away they rent out their car, they rent out all the other stuff in their lives.
There, I still think they are the few.
Ryan was headed to a social business conference…
and since David was so interested in the subject, he invited us to come along.
There comes a point where the balance tips, you know…
like ok, wait a sec, what I do professionally twelve hours a day is weighing too much.
There are increasingly more people throughout the world…
that are reaching this moment of catharsis, where they're like…
wait a sec, I like my job, you know, I like my house, I like my cars…
but what legacy am I living, and what legacy will I leave?
David had so many questions about what it was like to work for yourself.
And they advised that before we leave…
we check out this co-working space, called The Hub.
Because people don't necessarily need to work in a traditional office space.
Even if people work for a large company, there's a benefit to working in a collaborative workspace.
The concept here is,
like the hub in San Francisco,
this is a shared space
adopting the co-working model.
— Serving massages, here at work? — Yeah.
— Join us, come in, come in. — Let's go.
I think that we're returning to these multiple mini-currencies…
and you see that in everything from, let's say, on the micro-level of Burning Man…
to something like Bitcoin.
So, it's fascinating to watch…
but I think people are beginning to realize that, ultimately…
the income is just an intermediate step to an experience.
Whether that's a belonging, let's say a car…
that's also for a certain experience or certain social proof…
and I think people are bypassing that intermediate step and trading directly.
I think it's gonna become very empowered with technology…
and that's gonna become more and more prevalent and I think it's a good thing.
Remember Gabe from Brussels?
Well, he messages me to let me know he's going to surprise Shiva…
by proposing to her at the Couchsurfing headquarters.
And he asked me if I could come.
It is on the way to our last destination.
We're gonna go pick up a charger for the camera…
from the art director of the Couchsurfing headquarters.
— They have a shitload of cameras. — Should I be coming out and gonna stay at the car?
No, I want you to meet everyone.
It's a beautiful night,
we're looking for something dumb to do
Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you!
Is it that look in your eyes,
or is it these dancing juice?
Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you.
Just say I do!
Yes.
This is a pretty huge part of both of our lives, and I'm really grateful that Couchsurfing exists.
This is the desert of Black Rock City, Nevada, home to Burning Man.
Children, here we are at the playa at Burning Man.
And what are we doing? We're sharing.
I couldn't believe it that something like this existed on the face of this Earth.
It was beyond anything I'd ever seen at that point.
And I remember driving out of there…
after just seeing all of these people really going for it…
really putting the most creativity they possibly could, you know, creating their dreams.
Sharing what we've got!
Sharing what we've got, giving!
I had the idea for Couchsurfing, but I felt like it was still inaccessible to me…
I couldn't connect the dots from where I was to like doing something and really going for it.
And when I met all of these people at Burning Man…
and I saw what they were doing and how they were just going for it…
and they were just people like me, it helped me connect the dots.
And I remember leaving at sunset, on Sunday…
and telling myself, "I can be that guy", so to speak, "I could do something…
"I could try my hardest and do something interesting".
And so that just changed my mind and gave me the perspective and inspiration to really go for it.
I'd been to Burning Man before, but this was David Vega's first time.
Still getting into the groove, I don't feel a hundred percent here yet.
Just kinda like slowly transforming.
The concept for Burning Man was inspired about twenty-five years ago…
at Baker Beach in San Francisco.
It was just an 8-foot man, but of course burning human figures always draws attention.
It was a gift, it just was public beach and we just gave it to everybody.
It's not enough just to say "love, everybody!".
It's about finding your being, sharing your being, recognizing it in others.
Coming out here for a week, sharing what you have…
finding people, sharing what they have with you.
It's such a startling economy.
An emotional agreement…
for fifty thousand people!
And now, to imagine that it turned into the massive event that it is.
In gift economy you need each other.
You can't just pay somebody else to do it.
And we live today in the world, in the West, at least…
where our quantifiable needs are, for many people, fulfilled and overfulfilled.
But they're still starving for something…
and they're starving for the things that can't be measured, you know, almost something personal.
I want to be fed, I want real relationships, I want authenticity, I want intimacy.
And these things are, I mean, you can pay someone to fake it.
But you can't pay someone to actually care.
Remember my friend, Alex Scott?
Well, she finally decided to leave her space.
… electrifying my taste buds, it's delicious!
And somebody's mom just came up and handed it to me…
and then somebody handed me this beer.
Even our cars, you can get a ride, get a free ride.
— Share rides, sharing art… — Make a friend.
— Hello! How are you? — Good, how are you?
— Pretty good, what's your name? — Pretty good, pretty pretty good.
I actually just ate a pulled pork sandwich and it was amazing.
— That lady right there. — Oh yeah, mama… she's my neighbor.
In pre-monetary cultures, very often status would go toward the person who gave the most…
to the community, rather than the person who had or controlled the most.
You know, here, it's all the people that are all about that.
That get more satisfaction at giving than you do receiving.
They don't want status over people, they just want to be with people.
Playa? I'm surrendering day by day.
The first day I got here I felt like MOOP: Man Out Of Place.
But little by little I'm starting to interact more, and to kind of get the language, and the attitude, and…
it's beautiful.
And you enter into a sharing economy or a pay it forward system…
you're able to kind of let your guard down a little bit, you're trusting that…
Well I'm just gonna trust, this is all gonna work out…
I'm gonna pay into this system, and this system will provide, these people'll provide…
and these are people who I believe and believe in me.
It was very nerve-wracking almost to give gifts out.
I saw those rings, and the DJ would have those rings and just give them out.
I carried them for two days, I didn't give any of them out.
Why? I don't know, I just…
I just didn't have it in me to just go up to people and just start giving them and handing them out.
But like, today…
we were walking around and that's all I was doing and it was so amazing…
I mean, people were so happy and so, you know, wanting to just come and hug and be around.
I don't know why it took me so long to do it!
I've never seen such beautiful things before!
Even witnessing generosity inspires people to give.
So gifts create ties.
And you could even say that community depends on gifts.
And if you have no gifts, then there's no community.
When people have met all of their needs…
they can really get into a point in their mind and their heart, when they can really transcend.
And they can transcend and create, and ask themselves:
if I can do anything, with my time…
I'm not trying to meet these needs, I'm not distracted by meeting these needs…
of, like, community and love and food and whatever, I've got those set.
What can I create with other people?
I was really hoping, more than anything, to be able to interview Casey Fenton on the playa…
but there was no cell phone coverage, I had no way to contact him…
and there's fifty thousand people sprawled out like one gigantic couchsurf.
If I could take that feeling from this world, and bring that to the default world…
and contribute, instead of just taking all the time…
I think that is where this journey ends and the next one begins.
And then it all made sense: we are entering an age of sharing.
As I walked through the playa it hit me:
Couchsurfing is just a planet in this galaxy of sharing.
And due to the omni-access of the internet…
the potential to connect safely in new ways that were never possible before…
are now possible!
I mean, the sheer magnitude of opportunity blows my mind.
And no, I'm not on drugs.
From couchsurfing literally around the world…
bike-sharing in Paris, to ride-sharing in Germany and through Africa…
co-working in Brazil…
and even crowdfunding to raise the money for this project…
without even knowing it, I have been living a shareable life.
And given access to a world that once required only money as its barrier for experience.
But now, sharing and social currency are subsidizing money.
Sharing can change the way we meet our basic needs.
The way we can do business, and how we interact with each other.
By using underutilized resources, like someone's couch…
it becomes a win-win for all.
When you are willing to share with a stranger, you forge deep connections…
and the stranger is no longer so strange.
The man had just burned, it's literally the last shoot of the film…
and who do we run into, out of 50000 people?
Casey continues to be a passionate champion of the Couchsurfing spirit…
He now splits his time between Couchsurfing and new innovative projects that have social impact.
Zohra started her own film business.
And to the relief of her family, Zohra is getting married in the fall.
Tailek is now a lot bigger…
and they continue to host guests from all over the world.
Chelsea had some epiphanies of her own at Burning Man…
I've unconsciously realized for a while that…
I am addicted to technology a little bit.
Chelsea is using her internet powers for good by pioneering the Sharing Economy movement.
David still works for the bank…
but is still looking for a social business to join.
Gabe and Shiva are happily married.
I've been hosting a CouchSurfer for about 9 months.
Yeah, any day now he'll be moving on.
"Occupy Shiva"
Alexandra has co-authored a book with Gabe and Chelsea, a practical guide to the new sharing economy.
Alex and her boyfriend keep their couch open for surfers like you!
We've got to radically share now.
It's giving time!
Give-a-lujah, children!
Somebody gimme a give-a-lujah here!