How unusual to spend time in his hometown and find friends around the world

As is known, the impressions of travel - the best remedy for melancholy and depression. Bored, devoured routine - go on vacation! Great advice, when you can afford it. But all of us know the situation when you have a dream of traveling. At work, do not let go on vacation or do not have it, the work, the exchange rate is torn in an epileptic fit, and their own finances suggest that you have not yet tired.

What now, accept the fact that the journey - not for everyone? Nothing like this. Has a recipe quench their thirst for new discoveries. You can buy an unusual experience, expand the boundaries of the horizon and touch the knowledge of new countries and cultures through the same travel. I'm talking about the reception of guests through the service Couchsurfing.com.

I already written of this international network of hospitality, which allows not to spend a penny to live in any country of the world. But its possibilities do not stop there. Today I'll show you how you can have fun and interesting way to spend time without spending money even to leave their city.

1. Fill in the form on the site

This will require a little time and minimal knowledge of English. Pay special attention to the chapter "welcome guests".

You have good living conditions, there is a spare room? Fine! Specify the number of guests and what sex you are willing to accept it. Do not forget to mention how many days of living together with your future guests will be comfortable for you.

Your conditions do not allow to allocate a separate room? No problem. Most travelers are unpretentious and will be happy to sleep even on the floor. In fact, many for that carry sleeping bags with them.

So I met with three students from Poland, who have decided to spend half a year just to study Russian. Their easy attitude to life, friendliness and positive allow easy finding hosts (people providing accommodation) in every city in his itinerary. Guys prefer impressions and interesting acquaintances comfort. Therefore, with their sleeping bags they already traveled halfway around the world. Their live incredible stories from around the inspired and fascinated by allowing briefly introduce myself in their place.

You do not want to see other people at home? And it's not a problem. Indicate that you do not accept visitors, but are ready to take a walk together through the city, to share lunch or a cup of coffee. This small but nice gesture of kindness will always pay off. How often do you dine with the directors of big film project about the Russian or avtostoperami, travel around the world? And these are real characters, once visited in our city. Stories that they can share with you, are all programs National Geographic combined.

2. Be sure to join a group of your city online Souchsurfing.com

It will instantly find out information about travelers coming to your city. In addition, you will be aware of the most unusual and creative activities organized by your peers. If you are lucky enough to live in Moscow or St. Petersburg, prepare for a lot of large-scale events. If you are not a resident of the capital, do not rush to ignore this point.

Community in small towns are not less interesting, and often more and more friendly due to the small number of participants.

meetings are often held in the format of cozy House concert, which does not prevent the chamber atmosphere to expand its circle of friends, to find useful contacts, and more often and learn some life hacking travel of the first mouth.

3. Frequently asked questions: Is it safe to invite other people to visit?

Yes, our world is not always friendly and kind. But sometimes worth the risk, and open to new experiences. To protect yourself, I advise you to choose the guests with the most detail-filled profile. On this basis, we can predict whether you will be interested in each other, whether the communication will develop.

The second important point - the number of positive reviews, posted on the page of a potential guest. These reviews are left all community members for each person, which met in the journey. Negative feedback can not be removed or edited. Remember that you can always refuse dubious guest without giving a reason.

4. A definite plus participation in the project - the opportunity to get to know your own city again

Receiving guests always presupposes their questions about the most interesting and unusual places schools. Agree to find Red Square, St. Isaac's Cathedral, or any more or less literate person can without you. Turn on your imagination, let your imagination run wild. Perhaps you know an unusual ancient church or an abandoned water tower in your city. Or maybe there is a secret place where they cook the most delicious soup and make pasties by grandmother's recipe? For a long time living in one place, we are perceived by many as a matter of course.

When I took a young couple from Poland, the first thing the guys asked me about the famous Korkinskom section, about which they read a lot. He was one of the reasons for their visit to Chelyabinsk. The incision, which was discussed, was within walking distance of the house in which I grew up in a small mining town near Chelyabinsk. I did not imagine that this is such an interest for foreign visitors. Although why not. The first depth in Europe, second in the world, a huge gaping hole in the earth, visible from outer space - that's what it means to get used to the fact that you see every day.

My opinion: the ordinary, uninteresting towns do not exist. Look for unknown facts on the internet, walk unconventional paths, look at the city through the eyes of its residents are not, as a man first came here.

Every year more and more travelers with backpacks behind the length and breadth cross Russia on foot, on bicycles, bikes, trains and airplanes. Their dream is to see the real Russia, outside Moscow and St. Petersburg. Distinctive Russian culture, natural beauty and attract visitors from all over the world as we attract the lights of Paris and New York. Red Square is no surprise. But the real Russian bath, homemade cherry jam or milking cows in the tiny village is still possible. The fact that usual for us, foreigners often causes delight and surprise. Give yourself this pleasure - to please others.

5. Prepare to be that communication with guests from all over the world completely overturn your ideas about the nature of things

You will know that traveling can be very low cost, the children do not interfere, but only helps to find interesting hosts, the pension is not an obstacle for the world tour, and hitchhiking really works!

Perhaps the most unusual guests in our house was a young couple who went last September to hitchhike round the world trip. Canadian John and his Russian wife, Eva decided to choose a location for the future life of the most correct way - see all the options. Their video message as a request could not leave us indifferent, and on Friday evening the charming brave men crossed the threshold of our house.

Then we have not assumed that this knowledge will begin a new friendship and cooperative board games and conversation until morning forced the children to adjust your route and stay with us even for a day. Just three days, these people are so loaded us with his optimism, openness and thirst for adventure, the idea with auto ceased to seem so crazy, and the question "Do not dream about the circumnavigation?" I got the right to a life.