Surf on the couch! – The message seems simple enough.
You’re told not to expect more than a pillow on your host’s worn-out sofa, a corner in the living room, maybe a blanket if you’re lucky. The unspoken rule is humility: you’re not booking a hotel, you’re entering someone’s real life.
But in all my travels, despite approaching each stay with modest expectations, I’ve rarely ended up on an actual couch. More often than not, I’ve been offered a private room, a warm meal, and conversations that stretched late into the night. People didn’t just offer space—they offered welcome. It reminded me that generosity can surprise you when you stop demanding it.
The truth is, the idea of “just a couch” is more of a metaphor.
What you’re really being invited into is someone’s version of trust. And that’s a far more generous offer than any accommodation listing could promise.
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