I don’t know how many of you have heard of this, but couch surfing is a network of people who are either looking for places to stay or have a free bed or floor to offer. The concept is quite simple, yet it never really seemed to have made it to the lime light. I guess it takes a certain type of person to offer their place to a complete stranger and an even more unique person to feel comfortable enough to stay at a stranger’s house. Personally, I think it is a marvelous idea and I first came across it while living in Spain. As soon as I was settled down in Nicaragua I offered up my house in San Dionisio thinking what tourist in their right mind would want to come way out here. Surprisingly, quite a few. Not all of them have worked out, people’s plans change, but I had my first visitor come last week. He is a young guy from Germany who decided to take a few months to tour Central America before going off to college. I guess it takes a free spirit to make your way out to me, and his philosophy is that he would rather see the off beaten places to truly get the feel of a country and it’s people. Well he came to the right place, I am one of the few gringos that may town has ever seen and there is nothing in the sense of attractions.
Even with my lack of touristy appeal, we had a great time. It really wasn’t so odd to host a stranger in my house. By chance I was in Managua and was able to pick him up right by the Peace Corps office and assist him with all the different buses and transfers that I frequently combat to get home. Once in town he was a huge hit. A common question was if we were brothers. I didn’t see the resembalance, he is a 6’2” blonde German and I am a darker, brown haired American, but what do I know. My visitor showed off his Diablo skills (a type of juggling with two sticks attached by string where a hourglass like container remains on the string by centripetal force). I have never seen so many kids in my barrio before. Daily there were probably about 20 kids waiting for us to get home from the school and have my visitor show of his juggling and Diablo skills. I think the real catcher was that he would let them try it out and luckily nothing got stolen or broken.
In case there are any other couch surfers wishing to come visit, your stay can be as intensive or laid back as you want. My most recent visitor came with me to all of my schools and showed off his skills during recess. We worked in my personal garden and got to hack a few trees down with my machete. The big plus for me was that I got to cook and we made everything from baked macaroni and cheese, black beans and rice, and an asian stir fry. As my first time hosting it was a lot of fun and I would definitely do it again. I have fallen in love with the program and see it as a great way to meet new people and make new friends. In addition, I feel like I was accomplishing a part of my Peace Corps service, I was sharing a new culture with my community but also giving my community the opportunity to show off themselves.
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