LAURYNAS SUŽIEDĖLIS
Photo credit: Laurynas Sužiedėlis
perplexed social system. We formed lasting relationships built on a shared experience, not an exchange of cash.
in a stranger’s apartment or ride in a stranger’s car can be unnerving. Every day, the news is filled with stories of terrorist attacks and kidnappings, which are increasing the distrust within our societies. For us there was a stark difference between Australia and Asia; in Asia, hitchhiking was relatively easy, but in Australia we often had to wait for hours on the road. We later discovered many people were afraid to stop in the wilderness of Australia, mainly as a result of fictional movies portraying criminal hitchhikers, which has led to increased fear and distrust. Furthermore, Victoria State in Australia has made hitchhiking illegal, tainting its reputation for the country as a whole.
The advantage of Couchsurfing and hitchhiking is that it frees people from the monetary based system. Nowadays many are trapped in a cycle: studying, working, earning money and spending money. Couchsurfing and hitchhiking let one jump over this long and sometimes tiring way of life to travel freely. Also, these two forms of travel are a perfect way to allow cultures to interact, breaking stereotypes and opening minds. Of course, there are many threats and dangers that exist to these alternative approaches to travel. Initially, both host and traveler may experience a powerful feeling of fear, distrust and uncertainty. Knowing that you will sleep
Today, these alternatives are being modified and incorporated into the capitalist system to make profit. Airbnb.com is the biggest competitor to Couchsurfing, and there is only 21