Fez.


Do you know that Couch Surfing, also known as CS, has become the world’s
largest travel community? This point has been raised so many times by
Couch Surfing users(CSers) that I have met, just to show that Couch
surfing is really an amazing platform for strangers to become friends,
even close friends, through language as well as cultural exchanges. To
make you understand this, I am going to let you know about the Fez Group
supervised by Kiven bella, who brought the spirit of CS to the
spiritual capital of Morocco.


Firstly, “Starting as strangers ….End up as Friends,” this is our
mission for CS here in Fez. When you give someone a home away from home,
it does not mean that a Cser can’t stay in a hotel, but it means that
CS helps to pave the way for a person to get a couch as a kind of
hospitality through which a Cser tastes the life of locals. In this
respect, people start to meet lots of people in person and learn new
cultures as well. Gatherings, parties, events and searching for
travelers nearby are the affective means to get in touch under the
auspices of Couch surfing. Moreover a real Cser is the one who respects
all the rules of CS as a non-profit organization. An active Cser can
host people from all over the world for free and also surfs as much as
possible when the opportunity to travel exists. Therefore, hosting is a
pure hospitality because no money is involved.


Secondly, having attended seventeen events since March 2011, I
discovered that Kiven bella, the CS Ambassador living in Fes, must be a
friend of the world. He is an open-minded, friendly, easy-going and
helpful person. When I want to have a brief look at the world and its
people, it’s easy for me because I need only to check his well organized
profile. , He has one hundred and nineteen positive references and one
hundred and forty-one friends from all over the world. He organizes most
of the weekly and monthly events. During meetings, we welcomed all the
attendees, both local and non-local Csers. We discussed the most
interesting principles and experiences in CS. Also, we shed light on the
problems and false use that may exist, and, detailed advice for new
travelers, particularly in Morocco and generally in Africa.


Slowly and surely, CS will expand and spread its kindness, joy and
friendship throughout the world. The CS Project totally fits its
Mission, ‘a world without strangers.’