couchsurfing « WordPress.com Tag Feed

French and Forward

jasonconga — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:55:50 +0000

Two stories this time, one French and one Forward.

“French” — A French couchsurfer named Mathieu spent the weekend with us and boy did he ever! Let’s just say that it all culminated in dancing to Britney Spears at the Pink Party (wink, wink) at 3 am. That had been preceded by live reggae music and dancing and beers, that preceded by homemade French Ratatouille with enough olive oil in it to drown an ant hill. Friday night when he got here, we went to Walfisch and actually had the owner buy us a beer. I couldn’t believe it, I’d been going there almost 7 years, mofo ain’t never buy me a beer before, but thanks!

“Forward” — I didn’t have to work today in the traditional sense, which is good because the weather was crappy and i got to spend the morning having coffee and getting my day in perspective and by 10.45am Mathieu and I were walking to the spot on the bridge where people hitchhike from. That dude was at the last leg of a trip that had been going on for a few weeks and started in southern France and had gone onto Stockholm and back. From there, I went to the gym, a whopping 45 minutes of cardio (usually do 30) and some weightlifting, came home and made lunch. Here’s where the Forward comes in. Throughout the day I had been in various forms of contact with people here in Freiburg and in California. A guy who writes for publications on energy developments, which led me to a guy who is managing a project of some solar panels out by the autobahn and I even called a company in California about their recent sale of solar technology to a South African consortium. That lady is now potentially sending my resume to the right person in South Africa who will be doing hiring/human resources for their projects throughout southern Africa.

That’s a pretty good step forward, I’d say. Oops, I already did.

Tulum

Kate — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:57:35 +0000

On our way to Tulum, we came across Josh, a CSer that we had previously stayed with at a host’s place! It seems Playa del Carmen is a great place to come across other CSers by chance. It turned out that they were going to Tulum the next day, so we decided to wait until then to go with them. I had never hitch hiked before so Josh educated me, and we caught a ride soon afterwards. We were to meet up at the ruins or the beach but we got caught up in town, meeting up with our host in Tulum.

Tulum is a fun little city with beautiful beaches. And contrary to what most people will tell you, you CAN walk from town to the beach. We’ve done it three times so far. It’s not a small walk, but it’s definitely doable. If you’re starting at the San Francisco de Asis grocery store, I recommend you walk the ruins road, I believe the other way is longer.

Speaking of the ruins, they are quite a sight to see if you’re interested in archeological sites. At the moment it’s 51 pesos to enter (about 4.50$Can) It’s not the biggest, tallest sight, but they are right by the beach and you can swim there. Also, even if you don’t get a tour guide, you can get snippets of information while walking around. Mind where you step though, as there are many lizards around! I stopped for a while to eat a banana, and a gorgeous lizard laying nearby caught a wiff of it and came right over to investigate. He circled me, searching for the delicious grub he was smelling, and took a bite out of my banana. I never feed animals I come across, but he came right for it and surprised me! I let him take another small bite and he ran away with a third of my banana!

It’s hard to enjoy a sight like that with hundreds of other people around you though, taking thousands of pictures and smoking big cigars. I can’t expect to see the place all to myself, but I enjoyed visiting the ruins and learning about how they arranged the locations of the buildings to work with the equinox and the changing of the seasons.

But back to the thousands of pictures being taken… I used to take lots of pictures until I felt them losing any significance I thought they might have when I’d think about the thousands of people who had taken the same pictures, only in slightly different angles and with somewhat different weather. I still take pictures to help us hold memories of certain things and people we meet, and to show you readers what we’re up to and where, but usually I try to take pictures only of things I think are truly special to me or that is unusual.

See that in the sky?

Yes, the beach! The first day we went it was mostly cloudy, and very windy. Yesturday we fully got to enjoy the sun, the blue sky, the small breeze, the calm sea, the picnic, and the sunburns! We left early after having some oatmeal, walked all the way by taking the ruins road, went swimming, tanned, ate guacamole with crackers, rice and beans, and a bunch of fruit, and we went snorkeling! I was scared at first but have been forcing the fear away. I still have to work on trusting my snorkel, it feels very unnatural, but I eventually got the courage to go way out with Robin and swim with the fish! The coral reefs were beautiful and we got to see all kinds of fish. We were out there for a long time. We later walked on the cliff off the end of the beach (we were at Zazil Kin and Paraiso) and came back at dusk, passing by vehicles parked on the beach playing Bob Marley, how much better could it get! I wanted to play ball at the volleyball court but we were too burnt to go.

Robin still can’t get over the size of the aguacates (avocados). He says the flavor isn’t as intense as the smaller onces, but they are generally cheaper. Fruits and vegetables aren’t cheap around here, especially Tulum. I can’t wait for the open markets in Merida and Chiapas.

While in Playa del Carmen we came across a tourist store infront of a neat reggae resto bar that sold Kariza designs, basically two pieces of fabric with a long strap that can be worn as a dress, skirt and shirt. My eyes caught one that reminded me of sakura blossums and I fell in love with it, but I knew I couldn’t get it at the price of 360 or so pesos. Even if I haggled, it would be more than I allow myself for clothing. We found another awesome store that sold a variety of shell lamps – Shells with wire coiled around them, hanging as a ceiling light, or little plugin light shells. They were so beautiful and created a wonderful aura in the store. I’ve yet to go to a beach and collect shells and rocks.

We will stay in Tulum for a couple more days, then head back to Cancun to go to Merida with some friends next weekend. We plan on staying there for about a week.

thanksgiving, couchsurfing, and the horrible conversion rate

briefhiatus — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:19:55 +0000

“We have a vision of a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter.” – couchsurfing.org

Happy almost Thanksgiving everyone! Time flies and I have suddenly found myself in the middle of the holiday season again. What have I been doing for a year?! It seems like just yesterday I was digging up my once a year Creamed Corn and Parmesan Potatoes recipes and now I’m doing it again. Another Thanksgiving with the family… overeating… reminiscing over funny family moments… shaking my head in awe at all the people looking forward to the maniacal “Black Friday” (it’s called Black Friday for a reason… it’s clearly comparable to the plague in all things horrible that should be avoided). The short work week is fun though.

This weekend, after the holiday, I am participating for the first time in the giant CouchSurfing community. I joined the site a couple months ago in preparation for eventually trying it out. This next trip I take will be my first venture into solo-traveling, but next I want to try couchsurfing, in which one stays with a local in any given city worldwide. The host provides a place to crash and usually will take you out and show you their home city. It’s a give-and-take kind of community, expecting that you will also “host” fellow couchsurfers in your own town. Well, I am going to be a host this weekend for a nice girl from Japan. What a great way to meet new people, new travelers, and eventually get to enjoy the benefits abroad when I’m ready. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Speaking of travel, I’ve started booking some of the hopper flights and other random things for my trip next spring. I almost want to cry at the conversion rate which has been hovering around 1.47′ish and will probably rise between now and March. The British Pound is, of course, even worse than the Euro. What was I thinking choosing the MOST expensive country I could find outside Scandinavia? Oh yeah, I love Europe… it and its criminal conversion rate. Mr. Dollar, I beg you to rise. I can’t stand paying an extra 50% for everything for long.

thanksgiving, couchsurfing, and the horrible conversion rate

briefhiatus — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:15:52 +0000

“We have a vision of a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter.” – couchsurfing.org

Speaking of travel, I’ve started booking some of the hopper flights and other random things for my trip next Spring. I almost want to cry at the conversion rate which has been hovering around 1.47′ish and will probably rise between now and March. The British Pound is, of course, even worse than the Euro. What was I thinking choosing the MOST expensive country I could find outside Scandinavia? Oh yeah, I love Europe… it and its criminal conversion rate. Mr. Dollar, I beg you to rise. I can’t stand paying an extra 50% for everything for long.

Whitney — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:15:21 +0000

I took some time out from Kansas to travel to Washington state with my mom for a spontaneous weekend adventure. I wanted her to see the state I’ve fallen in love with and to love it too and to declare she’s moving the family to the west coast. I was extremely worried that the whole plan was ruined as it rained the entire weekend. But I knew there was still hope when my mom turned to me very seriously and slowly declared, “This is the BEST LATTE I’ve EVER had.” Of course we ate well in Seattle, on Whidbey Island, and in Bellingham (love), but it was the homecooked goodness from our most hospitable of couchsurfers that made the eatin’ so good, not to mention the good vibes and conversation also bestowed upon us!

On Whidbey Island, Nikki and Luke made us an autumn feast that included dates stuffed with marcona almonds and wrapped in bacon, acorn squash filled with apples and raisins, beet, goat cheese, toasted walnut, spinach, and balsamic salad. Thankfully Nikki took us on a hike along the bluffs the next morning. We had such a wonderful evening full of food, conversation, and board games!

In Bellingham Jim and Rick made a delicious breakfast of hash browns, eggs in the hole, and canadian bacon cooked entirely in cast iron skillets with eggs from their chickens. They have an enviable pantry and are obviously fond of sharing food with friends. They had a beautiful looking cask of apple cider fermenting nicely on the counter, and I could get lost in their back garden for hours. They also took us to the Bellingham farmer’s market where I spent the morning swooning over beautiful Washington produce and lemon and pumpkin whoopie pies.

And we got to hang with Harold, and break bread for breakfast at the Firehouse Cafe.

New Free eBook to Check Out

Denis E. Ambrose, Jr. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:09:10 +0000

Karol Gajda over at the Ridiculously Extraordinary blog has released his first free eBook: “How to Travel Anywhere in the World, Live with Locals, and Enjoy Outstanding Experiences by Couchsurfing.” He calls in the unofficial guide to Couchsurfing, and it was quite good (I had helped him proof-read it).

It’s free, so go check it out!

Jätä asuntoilmoitus Kassiin!

Juho — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:21:17 +0000

Kassin tarjonta on saanut lisäystä: palvelun kautta onnistuu nyt myös asunnonvälitys. On toki periaatteessa onnistunut aiemmin, mutta nyt sille on myös oma ilmoituskategoriansa.

Asuminen-kategoria pitää sisällään neljä alakategoriaa: Annetaan vuokralle, etsitään asuntoa, kämppäkaverit sekä tilapäismajoitus. Viimeksi mainittu soveltuu mainiosti esimerkiksi opiskelujen aloituksen tienoilla usein tarpeen olevan hätämajoituksen löytämiseen sekä CouchSurfing -tyyppiseen sohvan tarjoamiseen matkaajille.

Mitä muita uusia ilmoituskategorioita kaipaisit?

a whiff of whimsy: I left my couch in San Francisco

Titania Veda — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:18:15 +0000

*Jakarta Globe, 18 November 2009

I never met Emmanuel Lemor. But he did let me sleep in the living room of his San Francisco flat where, for a week, I shared a blow-up mattress with a French couple.

By the time I arrived in San Francisco, Emmanuel was in North Carolina dealing with a family matter. “I shall leave the key under the mat,” he had written in an e-mail.

In all my years as a couchsurfer (www.couchsurfing.org), many generous individuals have allowed me into their homes, providing me with a place to sleep during my stay in their countries. But I’ve never met a host who left his home completely open to total strangers. Emmanuel’s trust in his fellow travelers was definitely unique.

Such were the eclectic breed of individuals I encountered during my short sojourn in the Bay Area, famous for its fogs, tremors and the rock ’n’ roll culture of The Haight.

Most people who reside in cities, where danger lurks in the urban shadows and alleyways, are either untrustworthy or suspicious. The residents of Fog City appear to believe in the good in others, exuding benevolence and altruism. Residue from the hippie era, perhaps? San Francisco is the only major city where I’ve come across commuters thanking their bus drivers when they alight. The residents have a small-town friendliness about them, a jarringly refreshing trait to find within a metropolis.

On my first day, I decided to hit Golden Gate Park. As it was a Sunday, it was full of lively events held in every open space. Closest to the famous Haight-Ashbury intersection was Sharon Meadows, where Pet Pride Day 2009 was being held. The grassy arena was filled with dogs in every costume imaginable. Siberian Huskies, Akitas, black Labradors and greyhounds were groomed to the hilt. They sported everything from sequined red devil horns, green butterfly wings and black witches’ hats. After being licked by a tan mutt with hazel eyes called Chocolate, I sat next to a girl from Cooper’s Dream Animal Rescue. She was foster mum to a shy pug-Chihuahua mix named Lou. Cooper’s Dream had saved him from certain death a few weeks prior. He was scheduled for euthanasia when they pulled him out of a local animal shelter. No one had wanted to adopt him as he was no longer a pup, the girl told me. Sadly, I’ve heard similar statements made by orphanages about their older charges.

Only a few miles further was West Fest, a free concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. The festival was a music-satiated spread of peace-loving, tie-dyed T-shirt-wearing, marijuana-puffing individuals who had transformed Speedway Meadow into a small city of flower-power hippies. At both ends of the meadow were massive stages with musicians crooning out songs from 1967’s infamous Summer of Love. On a hillside overlooking the hubbub, Asians and Hispanics manned food stalls, selling a smorgasbord of snacks and ethnic dishes.

In the midst of the rambling crowd moving from one concert to another, past tents selling recyclable goodies and flowing hemp dresses, sampling organic chocolates and signing “Free Marijuana” petitions, sat an Indian woman. She was nude. Her hair flowed like gushing mud behind her and matched the color of her leathery skin. The white man she was facing was fully clothed, decked out in Hawaiian prints.

The next day, I went on a last-minute date. While exchanging my euros for dollars and dollars for Mexican pesos in the financial district, I started chatting with the man behind the counter. Kartlos is from Georgia — the country not the state. Intrigued by all things journalistic, he invited me for coffee in the Mission district.

Like most of the people I’ve met in America, Kartlos is an immigrant. Now in his late 20s, he arrived in New York when he was 19, with $400 to his name and no English. Yet when he spoke of his favorite tuna cheese melts and showed me his apartment on his iPhone, his voice bore hardly a trace of a foreign accent.

The fact that Kartlos spoke highly of Georgia, the extensive culinary fare and his desire to return there, intrigued me. Back home, I met numerous overseas graduates who dismissed Indonesia as a third-world country and longed to remain in the progressive West. Kartlos, on the other hand, resisted his assimilation into the American culture and expressed concern over Georgia’s brain drain.

“I don’t want this country to be my ‘home.’ I want my own country to be my home,” he said. Ironically, he was waiting to obtain his US citizenship before he returns home.

Later that night, two French girls breezed in through the door — new couchsurfers hailing from the Lorraine region. They filled the small flat with their colorful language and raucous laughter. As the living room was occupied, we had to break into Emmanuel’s locked bedroom.

Sofa Away: Couchsurfing und andere Schlafplätze

Felix Scheidl — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:47:12 +0000

Liebe Leser, als Journalist muss man manchmal verrückte Dinge tun. Die verrücktesten Aufgaben stellt

All Over the Place

Kate — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:30:06 +0000

We suddenly found ourselves in Chetumal after spending a night at Daniel´s family´s house, another CSer. He lives in a nice spacious house, but what I really love is the concrete spiral stairway that is accessible by all 4 levels of the house. You have to jump to get the the top level, where a small room, formerly a maid´s room, is located.

Back to the whole Chetumal thing – He had to go there for work as asked us if we wanted to come along. We didn´t know anything about the place or where to stay, but we decided to go anyway. We thought of the possibility of going to Belize. I was surprised to hear the amount of people say negative things about the city. Not concerning crime, but calling it ugly, boring, etc. We enjoyed it because it had more of a real Mexican feel. Cancun can be fun but it´s not real Mexican at all. What I´ve noticed is that most houses everywhere I´ve been so far are boxed in by gates and big concrete walls. I can´t really describe what it makes me feel, but it´s strange.

Daniel and his friend were kind enough to let us stay at their hotel for the night, and the next day we toured around downtown and went to the market. We tried different fruits like pitaya(?) It´s pink and the inside is a transparent whiteist jelly with little black seeds. It was very tasty. The fruits weren´t cheap there.

We ended up staying at the Chetumal Hostel, about 21$Can for both of us for one night. The owner was very friendly, she runs the business out of her home. We met one man about our age that night. I would have loved to learn more about his travel plans but he was only stopping by to sleep a couple of hours, then leave at 4am to catch a bus. The dorm was very plain, I would have loved to paint it, but the living room was nice. Ah yes. The sewer system in Mexico is messed up and toilet paper easily clogs up so it seems most people don´t flush their toilet paper.

We met a man that night who mentioned he was going to Playa del Carmen. We had done a bit of research on Belize and felt that it would be too soon to visit another country and we didn´t feel prepared enough, so we got a ride to Playa the next day. We booked for a night at a hostel and met a variety of interesting travelers. I really enjoy learning what their plans are and how they feel about traveling, and how they go about it, but I´m usually too shy to start a conversation.

While walking around the touristy area of 5th Avenue, a man approached us asking if we were on CouchSurfing – He had recognized us from our picture! I had written a post earlier asking to see if someone could host us but didn´t end up finding anyone, so he ended up letting us stay the next night, and that´s where we´re at now.

We met his roomate and found out many things about his homeland Chihuahua. We found out that he loves to play tennis, so we went out and played tennis last night! The court is made of different material, the balls were almost dead, and the rackets were cheap, but man we had so much fun! I was very happy to play tennis again. A Mexican woman passed by and wanted to play with us, but we were one racket short to play doubles, so we played a variety of 1 on 1 rounds. I get very competitive when playing sports again other women and was pumped to play against her, but I was already tired from playing against Robin and Ricardo. We played for a long time, whipping the ball as hard as we could across the court. It felt so good but I was absolutely exhausted and thirsty. I slept in and still feel out of juice. I´m looking forward to playing with other Mexicans, they seem to love to play it like I do, which is hitting the ball as hard as possible and whipping it just over the net.

Yesturday we went swimming at the beach. I have to say, I was very weary of going far from shore, even with Robin right beside me. Early in the morning, I enjoyed a solo walk across a long stretch of the beach, staring far out into the sea and at the soft sand, throwing away any pieces of broken beer bottles I saw. I think it´s very disrespectful of others to leave these shards on the beach.. But beyond that I sometimes wonder if I could pull off traveling on my own, I wonder what it would be like.

We haven´t yet figured out what we´re going to do for the next few days. I really want to go to Tulum and check out the cenotes between Tulum and Playa. I think we´ll soon make our way back to Cancun for a bit and then head out to Merida. It really depends on how we feel, what we want to see, what the locals recommend, and how much money we think we can spend on certain things. It´s a heck of an adventure, not having any idea what we´ll be doing the next day.

As for our Spanish, it´s slowly coming along. I´m picking it up more easily than Robin because I know French and I see Many similarities. Sometimes we go around and ask all kinds of questions. It´s great if they understand what I´m saying, but most times when they open their mouths, it´s just too much for me to follow. I hear there are huge accent differences from city to city. We´ve heard that Merida especially has a very strange accent but I don´t know if we´d be able to pick it up since we don´t easily understand the language.

What I can´t believe is how well I´m dealing with mosquitoes. Not only that, but it seems many other travelers and Mexicans are bugged by them more than me! What happened here? I´m the one with the mosquito phobia! I´m sure it´d be a different story if I was lost in the jungle… We´ve been told that the mosquitoes are really bad right now, and they are – I´ve been bit countless times, but as long as I can´t hear and see and feel them all the time, it´s okay.

It´s a little hard food-wise, being vegans who don´t eat wheat or refined grains or sugar or any highly processed foods (yup, we don´t eat at restaurants either). I know, most of you are thinking that we´re missing out on all the Mexican food, but eating healthy has become a passion for me, and a great challenge to do while traveling as well. I´m hoping to eat a more varied diet because lately it´s been mostly rolled oats and bananas, and cantaloupe, avocadoes, brown rice, green lentils, onions, garlic, tomatoes, raisins, and cocoa powder.

I am soooo tired right now, we´ll probably only go out for a short while tonight. Buenas noches

couchsurfing

sarajohanne — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:07:47 +0000

Folk spør stadig vekk om jeg har spart nok penger til USA – det koster jo tross alt en del for kost og losji. Men for de som fortsatt lurer; jeg håper på å slippe å betale så mye for overnatting – jeg satser nemlig på å sove på andre folks sofaer. Fremmede folk? lurer du. Ja, folk jeg aldri har møtt.

Men det er ikke noe å bekymre seg for, altså. Ærlig talt. Det går veldig trygt for seg! Jeg ble tipset av en eller annen, egentlig flere, om couchsurfing. Det er en nettside hvor du kan treffe folk som synes det er greit at du sover på sofaen deres. Og du kan også fortelle andre folk at det er greit at de sover på din. Man må selvfølgelig spørre om lov, og det er lurt å lese igjennom folks referanser for å se om andre har hatt positive møter med dem. Men hvor fantastisk er ikke det konseptet?! Det er jo ikke noe for alle, men jeg vet at jeg ikke er alene om å synes at dette er utrolig spennende. For en fin måte å møte folk på, og ikke minst bli kjent med andre land og kulturer!

Hostels er også en fin måte å gjøre det på, det prøvde jeg i London, og jeg var utrolig fornøyd! Men det er ikke gratis, og du kommer ikke innpå folk på samme måten. Så couchsurfing er tingen – i alle fall for meg. Og i alle fall nå. Jeg har jo ikke prøvd det enda, men jeg har hatt et koselig par fra Polen her – og en gang må være den første! Om du synes dette høres ut som en ålreit måte å reise på synes jeg du burde melde deg inn på www.couchsurfing.org .. det er jo verdt å prøve!

_________________________________

Some people are worried that I haven’t been able to save enough money for places to sleep and food. But my plan is to sleep on unknown people’s couches, via the site www.couchsurfing.org. It has to be the most amazing way to travel – when you’re in peoples livingrooms you’re in the middle of their everyday, and that’s the thing I want to experience when I’m traveling. How people live in the different countries, and how the culture is on the place I’m at.

I’ve also tried hostels, and it was great – but it’s not the same. Or at least that’s what I think. I haven’t been couchsurfing, but I’ve hosted a couple from Poland. And there’s always a first time for everything. Anytravel, if you think this sounds like a great idea you should totally check it out and sign up at www.couchsurfing.org. It’s worth a try!

CouchSurfing; o como hacer un viaje más auténtico

javixas — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:35:36 +0000

Esta es una de esas entradas que cada persona podrá ver de una manera muy distinata. Lo sé, porque cada vez que le explico a alguien esta forma de viajar, esta comunidad, se que voy a obtener una reacción distinta. Mi posición es clarísima, y es que no existe mejor forma de viajar que junto con esta comunidad. Bueno, para quien no sepa lo que es, os lo contaré desde el principio.

Que es surfear?:

CouchSurfing, se puede observar desde muchos puntos de vista, el del turista, el de conocer gente, el de alojamiento gratis allá donde vayas… Lo cierto es que es una gran comunidad (más de millón y medio de miembros) cuya máxima es la de compartir, siempre hasta el nivel que uno esté dispuesto a ofrecer.

En CouchSurfing se ofrece alojamiento, se ofrece compañía y un intercambio cultural y de experiencias. Un caso practico (jejejeje deformación profesional)… Para empezar hay que ir a la página de CouchSurfing y crearse un perfil… hasta aquí todo fácil a la hora de hacerte el perfil, se te plantea la pregunta de hasta que punto estás dispuesto a colaborar, esto puede ser: “definitivamente alojaré, posiblemente aloje, No puedo alojar, Me ofrezco para paseo y café” Este estado es totalmente actualizable y lo podrás cambiar dependiendo de tu situación en cada momento, además lo que tu estés dispuesto a dar, no te limita para recibir (es decir, tu puedes usar sin restricciones couchsurfing sin estar obligado a ofrecer tu casa).

Una vez creado el perfil, eres potencialmente un inquilino en cualquier lugar del mundo que desees (más de 200 países tienen miembros!!) Solo tendrás que buscar los países que te interesa visitar, la ciudad o pueblo concreto y seguro que hay algún miembro dispuesto a ofrecerte una cama para dormir o un sitio en el suelo de su cuarto donde poder extender el saco de dormir.

Pero desde mi punto de vista lo interesante de esta comunidad no es verla como alojamiento gratis, NO SE TRATA DE ESO, se trata de compartir, se te está ofreciendo un alojamiento no a cambio de nada, sino de compartir una buena conversación, historias, risas, nunca dinero, pero sí un intercambio cultural. Y sin lugar a dudas, no hay nada mejor que eso cuando estas fuera de tu ambiente: el estar viajando sin dejar de sentirte en casa (nunca será lo mismo pero es sorprendente la cantidad de gente que te hace sentir tan a gusto a cambio de “nada”).

Mis experiencias:

Mi primera experiencia fue en un viaje a Marruecos durante una semana. Contacté con Mohamed a través de CouchSurfing y se recorrió 200km hasta Marraquech para venirnos a buscar, nos ayudó a alquilar un coche, nos llevo con su familia al desierto, aprendimos más de Marruecos que con el mejor guía, vimos Marruecos por dentro, sin escaparates ni tours donde los caminos y las dunas son “artificiales”. El cenar un cuscus cocinado por su madre en mitad de ninguna parte, con toda su familia que no hablaba ni inglés ni francés, comunicándonos con miradas y sonrisas, son experiencias que nunca podrá ofrecerte ningún viaje organizado. Nunca pidió nada a cambio y nos dio mucho más de lo que tenía.

Yo en casa he acogido a Brasileños, Eslovacos, Finlandeses, todas geniales experiencias, aprendes de sus países, te explican las diferencias, muchos se ofrecen a cocinarte sus platos típicos en tu casa, y sabes que tendrás que visitarles algún día a sus países!!! Desde mi punto de vista son experiencias muy enriquecedoras!

Los Grupos

Además, cada ciudad tiene grupos. En Madrid que es mi caso, existen muchos grupos muy activos donde se crean actividades de muy distinta índole. Ya puede ser el grupo de Madrid Montaña, donde se organizan salidas a la sierra y hasta los Pirineos, o Madrid Deportes con los partidos de Voleey playa, Basket, fútbol, correr, etc.

Del grupo de deportes, en el que me apunté porque estaba aburrido una tarde en casa, fui a un partido de baloncesto que se organizó. Yo no conocía a nadie pero no perdía nada yendo y conociendo a alguna gente. En ese partido conocí a Sonja la que ahora va a acompañarme (o yo acompañarla) por Asia estos 7 meses! Así que no podría estar más agradecido a esta comunidad porque está llena de gente estupenda.

Y en el Viaje:

Ahora, por ejemplo, a través de CouchSurfing, he conocido a gente en Sri Lanka y Bangladesh que me están ayudando a configurar un viaje completo con los días de los que dispongo, ¿A ver qué guía de viaje me puede ofrecer mejor información que esta? Una vez en ruta, intenatremos conseguir alojamiento allá donde vayamos, no por ahorrarnos un hotel (2-10€ como mucho), sino por ver Asia por dentro, esos barrios y calles olvidadas, esos bares a los que nunca entraría uno si no fuese porque le llevan de la mano, y porque quién mejor que un local para llevarte a los sitios más ricos y económicos para comer!

Conclusión

Parece obvio que recomiendo esta comunidad, pero siempre que se tenga en mente que se trata de compartir y de aprender. Conozco chicas que viajan solas que usan siempre este método sin ningún tipo de problema, habiendo sido hospedadas más de 40 veces por hombres, mujeres, familias. En un 99,99% son buenas experiencias. Además cada perfil dispone de comentarios de los que les han acogido o viceversa así que en teoría sabes donde te metes si es una persona con muchos comentarios positivos (lo más habitual). Además existen miembros verificados que ofrecen una seguridad extra. Como todo, también hay que usar la cabeza y ser selectivo y buscar gente que tenga gustos y una visión de vida similar a la tuya.

Si alguien se anima que nos cuente su experiencia!

Aqui dejo el link: CouchSurfing

Про одно путешествие по Швейцарии летом 2008

tripss — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:26:53 +0000

Есть один прекрасный сайт, продающий билеты на поезда по Европе. Не знаю, как они это делают, но бил

Top 100 Travel Blog Sites

starlagurl — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:16:53 +0000

Travel deals

Regional

Unique travel destinations

Travel as a lifestyle

Personal travel blogs

Travel forums and community

Travel tips and reviews

Family Travel

Travel industry news

Business Travel

Travel Products

Travel Humour

TripAdvisor: We Are Not Making This Up

'I can offer you some space on my cozy floor', pisze couchsurferom.

Pani Architekt — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:22:21 +0000

Od kiedy znow hostujemy, requesty przychodza niemal kazdego dnia. Dziwne. Przeciez we wrocu jest tylu hostow. A u nas tylko podloga.
Zobaczymy.
Zawsze to milo poznac kogos nowego.
Nie?
Nigdy nie wiesz, kim sie okaze i co ciekawego bedzie mial od powiedzenia.

Lubie ludzi, ktorzy ciekawie mowia. Ktorzy inspiruja.
Nie lubie takich, ktorzy potrafia tylko plesc o bzdurach i rzeczach niewaznych. Nudze sie wtedy bardzo szybko.
Momentalnie wrecz.

Czasem nudze sie dopiero po kilku miesiacach znajomosci, ale kiedy sie juz znudze – to na dobre.
Chyba, ze wciaz nas cos trzyma, na przyklad piwo.
Nie, nawet wtedy nie jestem w stanie z takim czlowiekem rozmawiac.

Jestem chyba zbyt wymagajaca. Nazbyt.

Ale nie o tym chcialam.
Wczoraj! Normalnie jaka masakra.
Siedze sobie na kasie (dzis ostatni dzien. OSTATNI. Hura.), przekladam te pieluszki i worki ziemniakow, i juz doslownie zostalo mi 10 minut do momentu, kiedy dzwonia i mowia mi ‘mozesz juz isc do domu’, kiedy patrze – w kolejce stoi moj dawny wykladowca z uczelni.
Gosc, ktory – no coz – jak sie okazalo, zapamiatal mnie, chyba nawet dosc dobrze, jako ze bylam nawiekszym olewusem w jego ambitnej grupie studentow. Zadko kiedy wyrabialam sie z oddaniami (dla jezykowych purystow: ja zawsze pisze ‘zadko’ przez ‘z’, chociaz wiem, ze powinno sie pisac przez ‘rz’, i nie wracajmy juz do tego. Taki moj bzik.), szczerze mowiac – nie wyrabialam sie wcale, a projekt zaliczylam cudem.

Cudem w postaci Wampira, ktory sila wywlokl mnie tamtej nocy z lozka i zmusil do kolorowania tamtej nedznej planszy biala kredka.
Efekt wyszedl zajebisty i zaliczylam projekt, o ktorym mowilo sie, ze kto go nie zaliczyl, nie powinien byc architektem – oczywista bzdura.

I ja tak siedze i przekladam, i gosc tak patrzy.
Ja: Ooo, dzien dobry – i usmiech od ucha do ucha, bo sytuacja wydala mi sie nieziemsko smieszna, nierealna, jak z Monty Pythona.
Jak z koszmarnego snu.
Gosc: Dzien dobry.
(po chwili)
A co pani tu robi?
Ja: Ja? Ja tu przypadkiem jestem. – i burak, bo zrobilo mi sie tak niesamowicie glupio..
Gosc: Przypadkiem?
Ja: No… i cos tam zaczelam plesc o tymczasowej agencji.. ble, ble, i zenada.

Nigdy wiecej.

Skoro nigdy wiecej, to dzisiaj nie powinnam tam isc. Ale pojde. Bo jesli sie powiedzialo A, trzeba powiedziec i B. I C, i D.
Taka moja nowa zasada, wszyscy ktorzy mnie znaja, powinni sie ucieszyc, bo to oznacza, ze przestane w ostatniej chwili odwolywac wszystko i zaczne pojawiac sie na umowionych spotkaniach.
Bede tez obiecywac tylko rzeczy, ktore moge spelnic, bo ja jestem takim rozkosznym typem obiecywacza: wszystko moge ci obiecac. Bo lubie, kiedy ludziom jest fajnie, a nie lubie, kiedy sie smuca.

Czy naprawiacz swiata?
Skad, zbyt leniwa na to jestem.

Lubie szanghajskie powietrze: poznojesienne, wilgotne, przydymione.
Rozmyte swiatla. Galezie drzew. Ludzie, majaczacy w oddali.
We mgle wieczoru.
Na prowincji, w powietrzu wyczuwa sie wtedy dym, wyrazny i swiezy. Nie otwieraj okna.

I wczoraj byl wlasnie taki szanghjaski wieczor.
A ja wracalam, wracalam z przystanku tramwajowego do domu, i sluchalam Green Daya na mptrojce (pozyczonej. Moja juz zdechla. Wyszlam z zalozenia, ze lepiej pozyczyc, niz chodzic z discmanem. To takie uwlaczajace.
W ogole, uwazam, ze mptrojke kazdy powinien miec wlasna. Mptrojek sie nie pozycza. Jak szczoteczek do zebow.
Od Wampira mozna.
Od Wampira zdarzalo mi sie nawet pozyczac szczoteczke do zebow.
Swoja droga, zastanawiajace, ze jemu nie zdarzylo sie nigdy.
Coz.
Z discmanem tez ostatnio taka smieszna historia, ale to za chwile.)

Wiec ide, dziarsko, po pizdzi (lubie to slowo: pizdzi. Nie zimno, nie chlodno. Pizdzi.), Green Day napieprza (jejuuu! jak ja dzisiaj brzydko mowie!). Green Day na mptrojce, o. Tak lepiej.

Wiec ide, dziarsko, Green Day na mptrojce, i to szanghajskie powietrze.
Przede mna, za mna, na gorze, na dole. We mnie.
Zakochalam sie w poznojesiennych wieczorach.

Wyciagnelam Wampira na spacer – chcialam romantycznie posmedzic w parku, wyladowalismy pod torami, jak zawsze.
Dwa piwa, i po sprawie.
Kiedy sie pije na pusty brzuszek, tak to juz jest, ze lezie sie do domu, i robi glupoty po drodze, i z romantyzmu nie zostaje juz nic.

Za duzo pijemy.
Za duzo pije.

Efekt byl taki, ze obudzilam sie dzis za pozno. Powedrowalam do kuchni i szybki przeglad wykazal, ze dysponuje kromka chleba, sloikiem smalcu, kilogramem jablek i kilkoma cytrynami. I opakowaniem makaronu.
Zrobilam sobie wody z cytryna – tej paskudnej wody, ktora gotowalismy w garnku (nie mamy jeszcze czajnika), garnek byl niedokladnie umyty i woda smakuje jakims starym tluszczem, ble.

Na stole w pokoju znalazlam drozdzowke, ktora Wampir kupil wczoraj dla mnie.
A teraz polleze w lozku, mac na kolderce, pusty kubek na podlodze i do polowy zjedzona drozdzowka na talerzu.
Jest jedenasta godzina, za dwie i pol mam byc w markecie.

Wezme ze soba dyszke i kupie ten czajnik, na ktory czaje sie od tygodnia.
Na piekny koniec leclerkowej przygody kupie sobie czajnik. A co.

Z discmanem byla jeszcze taka fajna przygoda, przypomniala mi sie przy okazji opowiesci o mptrojaku.
Otoz, jade ostatnio pociagiem, do wroca.
Jest niedziela, pozny wieczor.
Niedziela po Wszystkich Swietych – pociag pelen ludzi, ja w paskudnym humorze.

Tego popoludnia moje mptrojka zepsula sie ostatecznie, musialam wyciagnac zapomnianego discmana. I plyty, jej, plyty! to osobna historia.
Wlasciwie kazda z tych plyt ma swoja historie.

Zauwazylam, ze ‘Nevermind’ Nirvany ulegl zniszczeniu. Zasmucilam sie i zadumalam nad bezsensem gromadzenia. I posiadania.

Zupelnym przypadkiem w moje lapki wpadla ‘Fly Away’ plyta, plyta, ktorej sluchalam zawsze, kiedy mialam ochote sie stad zawinac.
Zawsze dzialala.

Tym razem nie zadzialala.
Tym razem, kiedy usiadlam w pociagu pelnym ludzi, powaznych, pieknych i majacych na glowach swoje sprawy; kiedy usiadlam i wydlubalam z plecaka mala, sztruksowa, wlasnorecznie przeze mnie uszyta – lata temu – torbe na discman.. haftowana w biale kwiatki, jaie to kawaii.. a z pokrowca na plyty obszytego blekitnym pluszek wyjelam Fly Away, tak chamsko widocznie podpisana markerem.. i w uszy wlozylam sluchawki Creative’a (ktore padly kilka dni pozniej).. poczulam sie taka mala i niewazna.
Taka.. bez niczego. Nie mialam nawet mptrojki.

Bateria padla szybko, nie wytrwala nawet godziny.
Powoli, godnie, zmienilam baterie.
Nowe byly zupelnie puste.

Konsternacja. Kwasna mina. Mina z rodzaju ‘wiedzialam’.
Chlopaczek na przeciwko, w swoich odlotowych, designerskich sluchawkach nausznych usmiecha sie drgnieniem warg, mam wrazenie, ze nie jest to mily usmiech.

Spogladam w gore.
Na plecak. W plecaku mam mac.

Po krotkich chwili decyduje sie go wyciagnac – bateria prawie pelna, wytrzyma z latwoscia do Wroclawia. Moglabym obejrzec nawet film, gdybym chciala. Dwa filmy. Ale ja chcialam tylko posluchac muzyki.

I wyciagam ten mac, wyjmuje delikatnie z pluszowego pokrowca. Klade na kolanach. Odpalam; sluchawki i Pearl Jam.

I jade z MacBookiemAir na kolanach do samego Wroclawia.

Wiem, napawam sie momentami.
Ale ja to naprawde lubie.

Lubie opowiadac sobie rzeczywistosc.
I zawsze widze wiecej.

Łojej. Mialo byc o szukaniu pracy, jest o macbookach i alkoholu.
:/

Si ja.

Paris

monkeymatter — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:15:45 +0000

Snart skal jeg (…endelig) ut i verden igjen. Snart skal jeg føle meg fortapt og fremmed igjen i et ukjent land. Interrail 2008; Sverige, Danmark, Tyskland, Frankrike, Nederland, Belgia. Det er lenge siden nå. Jeg sovnet på toget i Tyskland og endte opp i Frankrike. Hvor fantastisk er ikke det? Hvor fantastisk er det ikke å se ut av togvinduet og få øye på de små landsbyene omringet av flere kilometer med åkre og utrolig nydelig natur? Jeg har en forkjærlighet for Frankrike og den franske kulturen, dog det er helt umulig å kommunisere med folka som bor i landet med mindre man har LITT franskkunnskaper (noe jeg heldigvis har). Bildet overfor er tatt fra triumfbuen i Paris. Utrolig nydelig utsikt.

Denne gangen tar jeg turen til Tyskland for å følge mine store idoler Tegan and Sara (igjen! De fulgte jeg også etter under interrailen i 2008). Jeg gleder meg kjempemasse, til tross for at jeg hater stress, mange mennesker samlet på en plass og VENTING. Men det får bare gå. Planen så langt er couchsurfing og hostel de siste nettene. Jeg er egentlig en smule skeptisk til hostel etter forrige opphold på hostel, for å si det sånn. Denne gangen har jeg lært; ikke velg et hostel som ligger i utkanten, velg hvert fall ikke et hostel som ligger på østkanten!! + prisen kan være litt høyere denne gangen i bytte mot at det er STILLE NÅR MAN FUCKINGS SKAL SOVE og at folk IKKE røyker hasj verken utenfor døra eller vinduet ditt. Egentlig, så lenge folk lar meg sove og få min kjære nattesøvn skal jeg faen ikke klage. Men hvis jeg ikke får sove blir jeg pottesur i flere dager (det er faktisk sant…bitter? Nei!).

Around the World. On a Couch?

Owlette — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:27:34 +0000

I’m a world class surfer. Not when it comes to the rolling waves of the Pacific or the salty coves of the Caribbean. In fact, I don’t use a surfboard at all. My kind of surfing involves a couch, futon, hammock or cot.

Still with me? I’m talking about travelling the globe in a more meaningful, connected and affordable way. No more dirty, overpacked hostels or cold, impersonal hotels. How about being welcomed into someone’s home?

It’s called CouchSurfing. Let the word bounce around in your mind for a moment.

Couch + Surfing = Incredible times ahead!

A year ago, I joined an international friendship and travel network called “CouchSurfing.” I’d been all over the world during the past ten years, but had suprisingly never heard of the CouchSurfing concept until recently.

Since then, I’ve surfed on a variety of locals’ couches in the Hawaiian Islands and have hostedover 35 guests on my own couch, as well as planned day trips and weekend excursions with 20 more.

Go ahead, ask those questions that spring to mind: What? How? Is it safe? What’s the catch? Brace yourself, because this will sound a little strange at first as a method of travelling…

CouchSurfing is an international non-profit hospitality and friendship network. It brings travellers and locals together for cultural exchange, friendship and fun in over 230 countries worldwide and has been on the go for five years.

This spring, CS celebrated passing the million member mark as participants continue sharing hospitality in a unique form of cultural interaction.

Hosts have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world without leaving home. Surfers (travellers) are able to participate in the local life of the places they visit and have a key to experiencing the real place and real people.

Also known as “CS” (i.e. CSers, CSing), it’s also a great way to meet like-minded people in your own city. It’s a big part of my social circle now. The St. John’s CS community has been regularly active with monthly meet-ups, activities, events and outings since January 2009 when myself and another local member kickstared the Ciy of Legends CouchSurfers.

In 10 months, it’s grown from virtually invisibles to over 130 members in the Avalon Peninsula alone! We’ve had potlucks, beach bonfires, hikes, picnics, road trips, pub nights, camping, bowling, theme parties and more.

A few months ago, I became an official CS City Ambassador (and the acting provincial ambassador). My profile has now reached over 1,500 hits in less than a year and I have more than 50 positive references, testimonials and vouches. I’ve been pretty much flat out as a host and a surfer in 2009, and plan to make CS a part of my life for many years to come.

Now, let me tell you more about it. First of all, you don’t have to be a backpacker to be a CouchSurfer, either. There are even host families that welcome other families with kids at their homes and vice versa. CS is for open minded people from 18 to 80, from all sorts of lifestyles – hippies to professionals, students to seniors, singles to families.

The concept is simple. People post profiles indicating where they live and whether they’re willing to offer up their couch as a place to crash, or if they’re just willing to show a visitor around their home city. Travellers can then make contacts at a certain destination by searching the site for interesting and compatible people. Sounds pretty cool, right?

What about safety? This was the first thing I was concerned about at the beginning, like most others. Couchsurfing has safety features built into its system, with real name and address verification, and symbols showing levels of trustworthiness (like eBay’s system “trusted seller” symbols).

Written references are left on members’ profiles by those they stay with or host, giving details of the experience whether positive, negative or neutral. This helps you get an even better feel for a person before contacting them to meet up for an activity or to potentially stay at their home. Privacy settings also allow members to restrict how much information about them is available online.

Your own profile allows you to state the ground rules of your offer (house rules if you like) so that guests will know what to expect when staying with you at your home. For example, my profile clearly shows that I welcome non=smokers who are animal lovers only, and that the home is strictly vegetarian. I also do not provide a key to my home and visitors are not allowed to remain in the house while I am out. It all depends on what you’re comfortable with. Out of over 50 experiences, I’ve only had 2 bad ones (i.e. people overstaying their welcome or just being rude/freeloading). Statistically, this is something that is bound to happen when you host as much as I do. That’s why it’s important to have clear, solid rules and communicate a lot before the person comes to stay with you, or before you arrive to stay with them.

You’re never obligated to let anyone stay at your home. You screen requests and use common sense, and also match it up to your own schedule. It’s up to you how much or how little time you can committ to playing host – sometimes you have time to show them around your town or just a few hours in the evening after work to have a meal together and chat.

Surfers (guests) repay their hosts by helping out around the house, bringing a gift from their home, cooking a meal from their regionor taking you out for supper. Sometimes they trade skills with you or simply make for good conversation and company. CSing is free, but etiquette includes returning your hosts’ kindness, generosity and hospitality in whatever way you can while staying there.

When you’re not travelling, hosting can be a way of bringing the world to you, with every guest who comes to stay. You can learn about a culture, language or simply exchange life experiences. It’s incredibly enriching and a whole lot of fun. I can honestly say it’s changed my life in the best possible way.

I’ve had guests from as far away as Haiti, New Zealand, Iceland and Columbia. Some have come from Canada and the States, and many others from Europe (particularly France and Germany). I’ve even hosted (and stayed with) people from across Newfoundland and Labrador while travelling around my home province.

Over the past year, I’ve stayed with amazing individuals, couples and families who opened their homes to me while travelling Hawaii. Filmmakers, scuba divers, writers, naturalists, students, retirees. It made a world of difference to my experience there, and I know I will never travel any other way now that I know about CouchSurfing.

I’ve slept in seaside guest rooms on par with classy B&Bs, spare rooms, living room futons and outdoor cots halfway up a tropical volcano. Being injected into people’s lives for a few days to a week makes your travel so much more real and connected. I spent Christmas day with one group of people who adopted me as family, and I am in constant contact with them ever since.

Through CS, I’ve made friends for life, different folks I’d never expect to have things in common with and find myself having a blast. A friendly face during a rainy or dragged out day of travelling on buses and planes. I’ve met inspirational everyday gems who’ve helped renew my faith in people.

Because I usually travel alone, CSing can help you avoid feeling lonely if you are somewhere on your own if you want someone to share a day with – and it lets you be as independent as you like, which is always important to me when I am travelling.

Check out the FAQ section of CouchSurfing online here. Membership is free, with a more secure and higher access rating when making a donation (mainly used to keep the website going).

CouchSurfing is not about the furniture, and not just about finding free accommodations around the world - it’s about making real connections and making the world a better place by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. I have a hundred stories I could share with you based on just one year participating with CS.

SURF STATS:

–>Since 2004, 1.25 million successful CouchSurfing stays have been recorded.

–>Almost 1.5 million members currently participating as hosts, activity partners and travelling ’surfers’. Every day, people across the world share coffee, camping trips, meetings, language exchanges, discussions and all sorts of other experiences.

–> Worldwide, CSing is most popular in Europe and North America, but you can find couches all over the globe now, growing in number.

–> The Top 10 CS countries are: US, Germany, France, Canada, UK, Italy, Australia, Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands.

–> The Top 10 Most Active CS Cities are: Paris, London, Berlin, Montreal, Istanbul, Vienna, New York, Melbourne, Barcelona and San Francisco.

–> The average CouchSurfer is age 27. It seems to be most popular among those between 24 and 34. Meanwhile, there are 100,000 CSers aged 40-50, and amazingly, about 11,500 who are over 60 years old!)

–> There are more than 1,500 Ambassadors worldwide (of which I am included) who provide guidance and leadership to fellow locals and visiting members.

Check out more cool facts here, as well as the current geographical map with hundreds of thousands of red dots symbolizing CSers worldwide.

Where do you want to go? Couches available everywhere!

What are you waiting for? Come on in, the water’s fine!

The Jungle

Kate — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:22:00 +0000

I have never seen such an awesome home before. We almost didn’t end up getting to see this place because we didn’t have the address to it. Once we did find it, we couldn’t get past the locked gate and no one seemed to be home, so we rapidly walked the nearby blocks, trying to dodge the mosquitoes during dusk. Finally, once the bats came out to our rescue, we sat down infront of a paint store and relaxed, ate supper, and made our way back to the house.
It is such a treat to be here. The house is amazing, it’s full of exotic furniture and pets (dogs, cats, turtles, birds, fish), two fabulous hosts, and two wonderful CouchSurfers. It’s strange to feel so comfortable and at home here. Manolo and Erick blow my mind away with all their fantastic art. They’ve been remodeling the house and it seems they do everything themselves, including this rustic looking door. The entry to the living room, from which you can see the pond and flora, is like a huge closet door to open.

It’s been grey and the rain has been on and off every day. I suppose it has to do with the class 1 hurricane Ida. It sounds like the weather will be like this until the 10th. We got our first taste at a more traditional Mexican market in the SM 23 area the other day, but I didn’t get any pictures of it.

So I Wrote Him Back...

adhamox — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:35:03 +0000

Dear Immanuel,
FIrst of all, i am impressed.

I have travelled to a few countries, Muslim and
non-Muslim, and only very few people were interested in
such topics.
Actually one reason i am here in couchsurfing is to
establish this “bridge”

It is true i wrote i am a practicing Muslim. I posted
this here so that you can expect what kind of person
will meet you.

I will try to answer your questions. But first of all,
let me tell you few important things i believe i should
say as long as you are interested in hearing:

I believe in Allah of course.. but why? there is no one
materialistic reason. No scientific evidence.. Only Signs.. And i
can’t feel Allah with my senses.. This is pretty
obvious. Because He is God.

So when i believe in God, i am simply doing something
that is higher than my senses! And the mind can’t find
a sure reason to prove God. You just see and believe
the “evidences” that God exists.. You see His
creations.. you see his deeds etc..

So, we believe in God which is a very big task.. I
thank him for giving me this blessing after thinking
about it and not just inherit being a believer from my
parents..

Now, when you believe that there is a God up there. and
He is powerful, merciful and .. and .. and..
this is a bigger and more difficult thing to do than
following His orders.

Let me explain more.. Some of your questions might not
have an answer for me. But the thing is : i don’t need
answers all the time..
sometimes i need the answers to make me more
comfortable that Islam is the right way.. and that i am
not mis-guided. But following Allah’s orders doesn’t
depend on my understanding of the wisdom behind them or
the reasons of them.

for example.. Allah ordered us not to Eat blood..
in this case, the first thing to do is “NOT TO EAT
BLOOD”
after following his order, i will start asking “WHY I
SHOULDN’T EAT BLOOD?”
and my ability to find an answer doesn’t determine if i
will obey Him or not. Because these questions are easier tofigure out more than the biggest question “Is He up there?”
This is the rule i am following. And because i am a
medical student and a programmer in the same time, i
try to find answers for these questions using logic and
analytical thinking.

So, the answers i am going to give you are not Allah’s
answers they are my answers when i try to understand
why Allah told us so.

Also i will try to explain why we believe Allah didn’t
explain the wisdom in many of His orders.

This is a bit long email but i believe the time i am
spending in writing will make both cultures get
closer.

So. i will try to answer your three questions here
:

First Question:
Why Muslims don’t eat or drink Blood?
Before that, i need to make sure that you know the
following:
- we must cook meat very well so that it doesn’t have
blood in the arteries and vessels.
- we must slay animals.. chocking them or killing them
with smashing their heads is not allowed. we must cut
the neck so that all the blood in the animal goes out.
so we are not allowed to have blood in our meal ..

God didn’t say why.. This is a verse :

“” He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and
the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name
of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is
forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor
transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful. “” [16:115]

But because i am a medical student, i can tell you why
people shouldn’t eat blood:
Blood is the place where most of the bacteria, viruses
and germs stay in the body. simply everything. So, if
the animal is sick or anything, it will be a disaster
to eat this blood. Also blood has many elements that
are harmful to the body. by getting rid of the blood
and cooking meat thoroughly, you can eliminate most of
the infections.

Again, this is my own thought.. Not necessarily what
Allah thinks!

and there is a note, Qur’an was unchanged for 1400
years when Mohammed “Peace Be Upon Him” lived. which is
centuries before Microscope. before humans could
understand what is infection and what is a virus.
Qur’an is a book by God.. have to make sense all the
time. And 1000 years ago, it wouldn’t have made sense
to say ” blood can have some viruses”

Second Question:
Why we want to stay buried and only buried?
In Islam, we believe that this life is a test (
obviously! ) so the other life is an extension of this
life. We believe that when you die, your journey
doesn’t stop..
so, we respect the dead bodies so much. They still have
the same rights as they are alive. you can’t burn them,
you can’t do anything except out of necessity (as in
organ transplantation or autopsy) but as long as there
is no need, the body should be respected and buried to
the ground.
And of course if it is burned or exploded even, this
won’t prevent the owner from coming back. lol. I think
it is just about “respect” to the bodies.
Actually not only the bodies. Gossiping and cursing are
also not allowed to the deaths.
We must treat them as if they were living.

Third Question:
Do I believe that non-muslims are going to Hell?
Before i answer this, we know that Allah is just. He
will be fair to everyone. And Heaven/Hell is his
business and not mine.
But, i believe if i follow something else other than
Islam, i will go to Hell.
WHY? because i deeply know that Islam is the right path
to Allah. Leaving it will be simply leaving the right
to the wrong.. which is the “problem”

for christians as an example or any non-muslim
religion:
if the person knows that “islam” is the right path..
and simply chooses not to follow it.. this is bad..
because this is “leaving the truth”
but let’s say, someone was born in some european
country.. never heard of islam.. or even when he heard
about it, he heard that the muslims are terrorists and
that they want to blow the world then he certainly
won’t think that Islam is the right path..
In this case, Allah will deal with him with justice.
And mostly he will go to heaven if he followed whatever
he thought is the truth.

So, the point in Islam is ” Are you following what you
believe in?”
“Are you Obeying God after you believed in Him?”

Of course Islam is the right path in my opinion which one can’t chose between it and any other religion once he knows it is the truth. But knowing that it is the truth depends on life.. on Muslims to deliver this message and one’s search for truth. So we can’t judge people because the truth didn’t reach them. Allah will judge them if they got the truth and simply chose to ignore it.

as you might have seen, not all the muslims are
religious.. although they know the truth.. this is
bad.. because this is not following what they believe
in.

Actually i had this question and went to a religious
“sheikh” like scholar to ask him..
and that was his answer.

I know i have been writing for long and this is maybe
the longest mail i have ever wrote.
But this is my duty as a muslim.. and Allah will ask me
if i didn’t reply
because we are responsible on changing this image that
the west has established for islam.. people need to see
Muslims.. they need to know that we are a peaceful
religion and that our teachings are nice and make
sense.

In the end, i apologize for the so-long mail.. but the
answers are always longer than the questions

Immanuel, please feel free to ask me any question you
might have. i will be more than happy to spend an
amount of time everyday to try to tell you what i
know.

again, such a pleasure to receive your message and i
will be waiting for your reply..

Adham

So I Wrote Him Back..

Ketchup

hilarysk — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:51:34 +0000

For three years in a row, I’ve been a journalist for Halloween. This is kind of pathetic.

2007: April O’Neil

(I couldn't find a picture of myself in costume)

2008: A newsie

2009: Lois Lane

Danh had a great costume — I walked right past him, even after looking him full in the face, without recognizing him.

♦In other news♦

Today and yesterday have been great days off. Yesterday consisted primarily of laundry, lounging and editing the Lincoln photos.

My makeshift clothesline

Last night around 10:30, my first “official” couchsurfers (not counting the British hitchhikers) since moving to Amarillo arrived: two young women headed back west to Santa Cruz after working on an organic farm in Nashville.

They were awesome.

Quinoa and Jo

We talked and had a few beers last night (they were fascinated by my tales of SM3, I soaked up their stories from the farm and their travels), and this morning we made greenpeppper-garlic-cilantro scrambled eggs and fried “random greens,” as Jo put it. They left me some fresh sage ( “We have way too much”) and we buttered our toast with the biggest chunk of butter I’ve ever seen.

Quinoa’s moving to Seattle, a city I’ve never seen but very much want to visit; so who knows? Maybe we’ll see each other again. Either way, it was splendid to have them around, and I wish them well on their travels.

The Power of Water

Kate — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:18:25 +0000

I´ve always loved natural disasters, so finding myself situated somewhere that was being affected by a class 1 hurricane (Ida) excited me. Because of it, we had grey skies and rain on most days since we had arrived to Cancun. The day before it was supposed to pass by, the city started to flood in certain areas, with vehicles jamming the streets because they were either overtaken by the water or the drivers didn´t think they could make it any further. Cancun has a really poor drainage system. We went to Wal-Mart with our CS hosts and found the place packed with people stocking up on supplies. The thing with hurricanes is that you´re never sure what they´re going to do, so being safe is better than being sorry.

I couldn´t help but go out and adventure into the streets, getting water up to halfway up my thighs in certain areas. But I should be careful. Just because water can be beautiful, calming, that I can pass my fingers through it so easily, doesn´t mean that it can´t push me down and take the life out of me.

The day after the flooding, when everyone thought the worst was coming, nothing happened. Our CS hosts Manolo and Erick, along with another CouchSurfer Sam, all went to the beach in the hotel zone. We finally got to swim at the beach!

The waves were pretty intense because of hurricane Ida, but we dove in. I wasn´t paying attention to the undertow, something unfamiliar at the small lakes in Canada, and I suddenly found myself far away from the beach. I realized that I had been trying to kind of get back to the beach but that I felt like I was getting further and further away. I hadn´t been able to touch bottom in a while so I started to worry. Robin zoomed nearby me towards the beach and I didn´t have the words to tell him what I felt. Suddenly, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, it felt like the waves were bigger and faster than before, not leaving me with enough air to catch in between. I started to really panic. I remember looking at the beach and thinking ¨I´m way too far, I feel like I´m getting further and further away, I don´t think I have the energy to get back by myself, can anyone see me, can they make it in time, I think I might actually drown¨

It´s a horrible feeling, being sucked further and further away from the beach, turning your back around and seeing huge waves just crashing over you, then spinning in all directions underwater, taking in gulp after gulp of salt water, rushing for the surface, desperately looking towards the beach and seeing people standing there, staring. It´s a slow, scary death. I tried to relax, to stop and think about what I needed to do. I quickly tried a few things but it all seemed useless. I think I stopped waving and screaming after a while. The screaming was a waste of energy, but the waving made it hard to stay afloat.

Suddenly Sam appeared between me and the beach. I was really scared and was relieved to see him there, his actions were very calming. I somehow got the strength to swim towards him and he got me out of the water. I wobbled to a sand hill or wall or something and all I could think of was fresh water to drink. I passed by Robin and realized that he too had been in danger and had also dragged out of the water by Sam.

Robin says that after being out in the big waves and quite far away from the beach he was starting to worry, but when he turned around and saw me even further out in the sea, he knew we were in trouble. He had no energy whatsoever to swim and knew he´d be done for if he tried to come and get me, so he tried to swim in the direction of the shore, waving and yelling for attention at the same time. I respect his decision, it was absolutely the right thing to do.

Everything is still sketchy in my mind, and only when I think hard about it do I remember the feelings I had when I thought I was going to drown. Don´t worry, we don´t plan on swimming in hurricane-induced waves anymore. Honestly I really feel that this is something that needed to happen. I do respect mother nature´s power but didn´t notice it sneaking up on me. We spent the rest of the late afternoon sitting on the beach, watching the sunset, and it was an unbelievable moment. The sky looked like a painting, but I was also focused on the green turquoise waves crashing down on the beach with all their power. A heck of a memory that I´ll never forget.