Wanderlust
\ˈwän-dər-ˌləst\ noun. A very strong or irresistible impulse to explore.
In this edition:
- Happy International CouchSurfing Day!
- Ambassadors
- The Savvy Surfer: Participate
- I wanna surf with…
Hey there Surfer,
Did you know that this Friday, June 12th is the 2nd Annual International CouchSurfing Day? Check your local stationary shop, I think they’re putting out greeting cards and everything. ☺ Or maybe just check out these fun ways to celebrate being a CouchSurfer! This year also mark’s CouchSurfing’s 10th Birthday—the idea, at least. The domain, CouchSurfing.com was registered in 1999 (the site launched in beta in 2003, and went live in 2004). Wow, time flies when you’re surfing couches…
There are some awesome festivities happening to celebrate International CouchSurfing Day. Go to the events page to find one in your area, and if you’re in the neighborhood, check out these spectacular 5-day gatherings: TENTSURF 2009, First Annual North American CS Camp Out in Fairplay, Colorado, and Vienna Calling 10th Birthday Gathering & European Ambassador’s Meeting. Tune in to the World Wide Events Channel later for news and pictures from these events.
Ambassadors
And speaking of Ambassadors, a big thanks goes to them for coming up with the idea for International CouchSurfing Day and helping to make it a reality. Ambassadors are one of the teams of movers, shakers and builders in the CouchSurfing community. You can recognize them from the yellow flag icon in their profiles and you can even use CouchSearch to find them. There are 1,609 Ambassadors (and counting!) helping out in all kinds of ways. Whether they're holding events, spreading the word about CS, sharing information with their communities, or just being fantastic surfers and hosts, Ambassadors serve as a resource for all members and the CS organization. So hit them up with your questions! CouchSurfing is what it is due in large part to our amazing Ambassadors. Thanks!!
The Ambassador Team is currently seeking new City, Nomadic and Family Ambassadors, so if you really love CouchSurfing, have a few hours to donate every month and want to make a difference in our community, get more information and check out the application here starting next week!
We’re also thrilled to announce the newest Global Ambassadors: Birgit Straka, Eli Courante, Seth Wright, Martine Konings, Cyberchi, Kalliope, and Anick-Marie. These dedicated individuals have proven time and again their ability to extend our CouchSurfing Vision and Mission to the world. This is an exciting event! With the addition of these new members, there are still less than 40 Global Ambassadors worldwide! Would you like to know more? Read about Ambassadors here or take a look at the Ambassadors Public Discussion Group.
The Savvy Surfer: Participate!
Even if you're not a CouchSurfing Ambassador, you might be looking for some opportunities to involve yourself more. After all, that “How I Participate in CS” box in your profile isn’t going to fill-in itself, right? You’re in luck! We’ve been thinking about that too and we’ve created list of fun things to try for those looking for a deeper CouchSurfing experience.
Are you waiting to surf a couch till you can take a big trip to some faraway place? Who says you need a passport and a plane ticket to explore? CouchSurf in a nearby city and go on an adventure. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn another language. Why not connect with a CSer in your local area and start a language exchange? These are just a couple of the tips; have a look for yourself and get inspired.
I wanna surf with...
C-ch-ch-check them out. I wanna surf with... Zaikha and Faizal Reza, Country Ambassadors for Mayalsia, and Faizal's mom, Elma Zainuddin! Here's another tip for fun things you can do to get more involved in CS: get the whole family involved. Your parents can have the opportunity to connect with the world in a new way, while helping to bring more diversity to our CouchSurfing community. Your children can learn about the world while practicing hospitality and sharing. More and more CSers are getting the whole crew on board.
Zaikha and Faizal first used CouchSurfing when they travelled around Europe in 2005. Upon their return they told Faizal's mom, Elma, about their experiences. She has since hosted over 300 travelers and surfed a few couches herself. Elma also organizes CS gatherings (tip #4!) and the whole family is a wonderful example of the CouchSurfing spirit. Even their profiles are helpful. They point you to some great resources about their local area and links to other CouchSurfing tips. See, I told you it’s useful to connect with Ambassadors!
Zaikha and Faizal are family-friendly hosts (bring your kids!) and they even CouchSurf with their two beautiful daughters, Aresha and Zara. It’s easy to connect to other CouchSurfing families (and family-friendly hosts) though the Family Welcome Group.
And that’s the end of the dispatch! Over and out.
-Agent Shameless Heather
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