Teach, Learn, Share
## Guidelines for using couchsurfing PLEASE READ & FOLLOW!!!
Couchsurfing is an amazing experience, and we want our members to stay safe :)
Below some tips for new users:
- Don't give out your phone number or email address on the website, communicate through Couchsurfing (private messages);
- Review profiles carefully and make informed decisions;
- Report abuse and negative experiences to Couchsurfing's Trust and Safety team;
- Trust your instincts and use caution when meeting new people;
- Remember, you're responsible for your safety whenever you're meeting people or traveling. Take it seriously!
- And always set your "place" entries as visible to members only. When it comes to the groups, hide them from non-members by checking the related box
- If you’re looking for a couch, don’t post on the place/discussion page, send a Couchrequest by the apposite tool instead!
*** Keep your posts relevant to this Place! ***
- Be respectful. All content is subject to our Terms of Use.
More tips: https://www.couchsurfing.com/about/tips/
Here another useful post about “SEARCHING FOR A COUCH? SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE!”: https://www.couchsurfing.com/nearby/threads/19955965/45.4654219/9.1859243/Milan,%20Italy - https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/threads/milan-lombardy-italy-we-have-lots-of-new-members-looking-for-a-couch-cs-is-not-just-about-filling-in-where-you-are-from-and-then-posting-a
Feel free to contact us for USEFUL and not shit/blablabla questions ^_^
## SEARCHING FOR A COUCH? SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE! :)
We have lots of new members looking for a couch!
CS is not just about filling in where you are from and then posting a request here, THINK people, if a total stranger who you knew nothing about (no picture, no personal details etc) asked could they stay in your home would you let them?
We were all new members once and had to start somewhere, but the best way to get started is to do a little research, invest a little time and fill in your profile so we know who you are, if you are arriving with friends, get them to fill in a profile too.
Check out https://www.couchsurfing.com/about/tips/ and use the advise listed there...
or here for a brief description https://www.couchsurfing.com/about/safety/
and http://etramping.com/couchsurfing-or-sexsurfing-what-is-the-difference-nowadays/
## HOW TO REQUEST A COUCH in 10 Easy Steps:
1. Please do not post a couch request on a Place Page! (the page with these conversations is a Place Page)
2. At the top of the page, there is a text box that says, “Where would you like to go?” Enter the name of the city you want to visit in that box, and press the blue “Surf” button.
3. You will be taken to the “Place Page” for the city you entered in the text box. Please do NOT post your couch request in that place's conversations!
4. A few lines down on the page, under where it says (for example), “Milan Area,” you'll see the phrase, “Find a place to stay for Any traveler(s).” The “Any” is a drop-down box. Click on it, and choose the number of surfers you will have. Click the blue “Go!” button.
5. A list of hosts will appear. Click on the hosts' names or pictures to view their profiles.
6. IMPORTANT: Read the profiles thoroughly! Especially the references! Look for people with similar interests, or who seem like you'd connect with them in some way. It will give them a reason to want to host you, and also help you write a personalized couch request. Choose some people to send requests to.
7. IMPORTANT: Use the “Send CouchRequest” button. For example, my profile will say “Send CouchRequest to Niccolò!”
8. In the couch request box, choose your dates, how you're arriving, and how many surfers there will be. Tell the host about yourself and what you're doing, and tell them why you want to meet them. Write something that makes them WANT to host you! You can also check the box that says, “Other nearby hosts can send me invitations to stay with them.” This means other hosts in the area will see whatever you type in the top box about yourself and your trip.
9. Click “Send CouchRequest”
10. Wait to hear back from hosts. Wait for offers from hosts in the area. Send more requests.
11. If ALL ELSE fails, some places have an emergency/last minute couches group. Milan's is here:
(a) Milan SOS-COUCH - https://www.couchsurfing.com/groups/milan-sos-couch
(b) Couchsurfing - Advice for Surfers - https://www.couchsurfing.com/groups/couchsurfing-advice-for-surfers
(c) Couchsurfing - Advice for Hosts - https://www.couchsurfing.com/groups/couchsurfing-advice-for-hosts
Related thread on CS: https://www.couchsurfing.com/nearby/threads/19955971/45.4654219/9.1859243/Milan,%20Italy
## HOW MANY REQUESTS I NEED SEND OUT? “Might I seem rude sending request to more hosts?” :
Send out a few more requests!
Usually surfers need to send from 3/5 to 12/15 crequest to different hosts depending on particular city you are looking for a couch.
Important is to not send "copy & paste" requests, but fix the first "generic" window (that appear when you start the couchrequest tool) and personalize the next window related to the host... it means you must read profiles! It is how it should work :)
Hosts know that surfers send more requests and they cannot say you that you are bad!
If more hosts accepted you, you are just lucky! Then, decide your deserved host and accept him... and do not forget to write to the other ones saying that "it is a pity but... another host accepted me/us before... or blablabla..."
Good luck! But if you don't find a host:
- have a look on SOS group (close to your due date)
- have a look on main Place page of the city if there is an activity/gathering already organized, so you should join them: face to face you will increase your chances :p
- see if others want to meet up so you can still have experiences with locals or foreigners in Milan.
Here another useful post about "Guidelines for using couchsurfing PLEASE READ & FOLLOW": https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/threads/milan-lombardy-italy-couchsurfing-is-an-amazing-experience-and-we-want-our-members-to-stay-safe-below-some-tips-for-new-users-don-t [TBD link!]
I hope the above information helps you find a host – but please remember, CS isn't about getting a free place to stay, it's about experiences and connections!
Happy Hunting and Happy Surfing people! ^_^
## Some tips for the perfect couch request (specially in summertime!)
Hello my dear CS members! I had a lot of couch surfers staying at my place and some of them were really stressed out about finding a host. In summertime, it is pretty hard to find a host, but that is obvious. The affluence of tourists is much more important, a lot of local CS members are not in their hometown, a lot of them receive so many requests that they don't even have time to answer. Whatever, some mistakes when you write your request could be avoided, and this post is dedicated to tell you how!!! So, I hope it will help :)
1. Your profile is your identity: don't be lazy!
Some couch surfers sent me a request with a really fast written/empty profile. Not a lot of information, lazy sentences to respond very quickly to the website team questions ("Host me and you will know", "I am nice and easy going" or the famous "I never know what to write..."). Some didn't have pictures or one not related to the person and to conclude: no experiences and no verification. I guess some people don't understand how this community works. I had some couch surfers without references, but their profiles was very nice and interesting, and it showed a big motivation to be a couch surfer. Showing a picture is giving a little proof on your identity too. I guess posting a picture of you is important if you want to be trusted.
2. Don't send couch requests on the message box
So boring about... I receive a lot of couch requests on my message box. To be honest, it's very bothering. Some messages were in a long and messy message. It was hard to understand what was the question (meeting? couch request? tips?). Also, some of the requests in the message didn't have precise dates: "I will try to be here in august”, "I will arrive on monday or tuesday"! I am not working for couch surfing, but I can tell that the message box should not be used as a couch request. It is already very complicated sometimes to understand each other (we don't speak the same language most of the time haha), so the CS request is here to give a precise and understandable message for the surfer. Don't under estimate that and better give a precise date and cancel it that not giving a date at all!
3. Choose your couch surfer cleverly!
This is more and more popular, taking someone with a lot of references and not really looking at the profile of the person. It looks like a desperate choice, or really not caring about it. When you go to the store, you take your time to choose what you are going to buy. Please try to do the same when this is about finding a host.
I had some people asking for a couch but in a language I don't understand at all!!! I don't live in a small town, there is more than a thousand hosts in Milan, take the time to check if the language is matching too! I finally had to accept it but you could have make the effort of looking on other CS profiles. It might not be hard to find this in a big city!
Finally, please make sure you have at least a little interest in the profile, it's not a hostel you are going to meet somebody this is very important to already have a good feeling about the meeting! I don't see this mistake often, but it happens.
4. Know the good timing to send a request
For this one, I guess we could think it's obvious, but none the less, I have the same problem all the time!!! Some couch surfers send me the request one or two months before they arrive, but it's impossible for me to confirme if I will be available. The perfect time to send your request is between 10 to 3 days before your arrival. Couchsurfing once again is not a hostel or a lucrative organization, so you can't book a day in a host place that easily. It might be different between one CS to another, but we will all be bothered to respond that early to a request.
When you send it at the last minute, most of the time, I read it too late. I understand the people in an emergency case, so I am not against sending a request the day that you are arriving, but don't take the bad habit because even if I accept it, it is very hard for me to schedule that during the day! Also when you are in an emergency, try to look for emergency/sos groups of the city you are going to and post a discussion. This works pretty good.
5. Write a short and nice request
Final tip for your request. A lot of CS sent me very conventional request, not very personal. I understand that sending personal requests takes time, but you don't send the same cover letter to all the companies you apply too! Some rules are hard to change, sorry for that! As long as you must post a message with your request, please try to say something nice and personal.
Now, for those who send you the COVER LETTER, I thank you for taking SOOOO much time to be aware of my profile, but I will not have time to read all of that, so please don't make that much effort and focus on an interesting SHORT message.
for the "hey, can you host me the *****?" writers, can you just try to add one or two sentences in order to understand why you did choose me?
TIPS - What to do/see/join/jump in Milan? CS MILAN WIKI http://wiki.couchsurfing.com/en/Milan
@ MILAN CS - Point of Interest @ http://goo.gl/maps/jQKv4
@ Youth Moving Guide Milan" - Open Pdf to print or download, really useful fro travelers or citizens too! http://issuu.com/youthmoving/docs/internationalguidemilan1
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