Well, one of most popular discussions between Couchsurfers are about the reasons why they accept or decline a couch request. By now I understand that basically these reasons are pretty much the same, and I have a hard time finding fresh ones. I am no different. Some of them are of no importance to other members. But some are valued by the majority of the community. So let’s check them out:
It will really help to get a positive answer from me:
- To have a profile properly fulfilled. And who the hell am I to determine what is “properly fulfilled”? That’s a good question. Shortly I’m the master and owner of my couch. Now, I will try to explain what’s my understanding of a properly fulfilled profile. First of all, I’m not expecting to open a member profile and finding a novel which will keep me reading for the next couple days. No. But I would like to see that person takes CS seriously enough to spend a few minutes writing and filling the fields that were considered by the team as being of interest to be part of a profile. And, of course, I think it’s important to learn about the person I am considering to host. And don’t worry: I’m well aware that one is free to write all kind of bullshit about himself, but, please, let me live in an illusion that I can extract the juice out of someone writings and use it as precious information.
- It’s not only about text. I will be looking for at least one picture. Shy? You are shy? Then perhaps Couchsurfing is not really your thing. Or perhaps I will not be your best host. The same goes for the dudes who claim not feeling comfortable writing about themselves. We, the hosts, have the right to know at least a bit. And that includes visual data.
- Because the whole thing relies on reciprocity I tend do discard requests from members who are not available for hosting, unless a solid and clear explanation about the status is available in the profile.
- I like to read a nice Couch request. I don’t make it priority number one, but it really helps, even if my brains say “it doesn’t matter”. Some hosts are crazy about nice and personalized requests. I don’t care that much. I’ve been in both sides of the barricade. I know how is it to write 50 couch requests and get zero positive answers. Dudes, sometimes the surfers just can’t individually elaborate. Ironically, because they are “bombed” with dozens of daily requests, hosts in difficult places to get a couch are the most demanding ones… precisely in the places to where the surfer will definitely need to write a massive amount of requests in order to obtain a single positive answer.
- Acknowledgment of my hosting conditions. Personally, what I consider the most annoying thing in a request is the evidence that he/she clearly didn’t read at least the most important parts of my profile. I understand sometimes it’s not possible to write a nice personalized request. I DO NOT understand that someones asks for a couch having no idea what it will be found there.
Right… those where the reasons based on principles… now, stepping to a more personal area…
- Some cultures / people are more appealing to me than others. For different reasons I’m not fond of specific cultures / people. I suppose it’s only natural and this criteria it’s one of the most important in my decisions in Couchsurfing.
- Having things in common certainly helps even if with time I learned those common thing might be very elusive. I recall that some of my guests with whom I found harder to connect had plenty of common things with me… in theory, it seems.
- I know some of my best CS friends are much younger than me. But especially as a host I learned with experience that’s much harder to connect with someone who is clearly out of my age range. It’s not an exclusion reason, but if I feel indecisive I might consider this.
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