Riccardo G.’s profile on CouchSurfing.com, the web site that partners intrepid wanderers with ready hosts, records which he lives when you look at the “best community to venture out and have now drinks,” that he provides a “cozy/clean/nice sofa/couch” and that he’ll also allow you to bring your “small dog, in the event that you just can’t live without him.”
He defines himself as “amazing, outbound, funny, smart” and says their passions consist of friends, eating, drinking, the gymnasium and puppies. Their pictures reveal the good-humored Latin american— that are native, handsome, and fit — in exotic locations all over the world, from Cairo to Capri. Nowhere does the profile state clearly that you might skip the couch entirely and wind up in Riccardo’s bed, but it’s a good possibility if you are an attractive female traveler.
In eight months with the solution, Riccardo, that is 32 and works for an advertisement agency, has let eight visitors crash at their apartment, of whom he’s hooked up with five, for the 62 % “success price.” In the event that you count the excess two whom climbed into sleep with him for the cuddle after which dropped asleep, the portion climbs also greater. (Riccardo along with other Couchsurfing users quoted in this essay asked become identified by pseudonyms.)
The crowdsourced hospitality site has been experiencing a rough patch lately on the business front. After having a controversial change up to a for-profit model in 2011, which brought $22 million in financing within the previous couple of years, growing problems have actually occur. In layoffs claimed an estimated 40 percent of the staff, and CEO Tony Espinoza announced his departure — giving an opening to competitors like BeWelcome and Hospitality Club october.
The experience of users like Riccardo might suggest another path to profitability although the company has initiated a doubling down on mobile.
I just have no idea of a simpler means for a man getting set with exotic feamales in exotic nations. Long live Couchsurfing!
Never mind OKCupid and Tinder. The nearly decade-old Couchsurfing, that is for sale in 100,000 urban centers around the world, is now the go-to hookup application for a specific course of young globe tourists. Bloggers like Maverick Traveler shall help you spot the “8 Signs and symptoms of a Slutty CouchSurfer Girl” by decoding her profile, and female-centric advice site YouQueen has also offered recommendations on “How to Use CouchSurfing being a Dating Site and acquire Away along with it.” Meanwhile, a website called CouchBangs.com, which declares that “Couchsurfing is not only for Couchsurfing,” supplies a forum for proud couch-cuddlers to share with you their experiences via brief articles with titles like “French woman in Istanbul” and “Brazilian Girl in brand brand New York.”
CouchSurfing’s Community recommendations explicitly alert against calling other people for dating, noting, “we will think about this harassment” — albeit without stipulating exactly what the charges are for breaking this rule. The site’s interim CEO Jen Billock told Business Insider that “members are in an email interview . motivated to report other people who will be abusing the website to your Trust and Safety group, that will simply simply take action that is appropriate based on our policy, whenever Terms of good use violations are reported or seen.”
Possibly, but utilization of the web web site to locate intimate lovers (a practice understood in a few bro-friendly sectors as “cooch surfing”) is however quite routine.
“Get within my bed”
“All of my buddies, they love these stories,” Riccardo tells company Insider over beers in a quiet club in Midtown Manhattan. “They call me personally the day that is next just exactly what took place. I’m like, вЂYou know, whatever, we sought out, had intercourse. ’ They’re like, вЂNo, no, no—tell me personally when she got here, for which you went, do you kiss her, each and every detail.’”
We’d the exact same concerns.
“My first Couchsurfing hookup took place once I ended up being sticking with my buddy in Miami,” Riccardo recalls. “ He has got a studio and ended up being hosting two girls from France.” He slept for an air that is inflatable with one woman, while their buddy shared their sleep with all the other. They didn’t get most of the means. “She had her period,” he describes. Months later on Riccardo got a call from the exact same woman, asking if she could remain at their place in new york. This time around, it was made by them formal. “I never ever chatted to her once again,I mean, we’re buddies on Facebook.” he admits, incorporating, “”
Couchsurfing came to be after having a budget-conscious tourist called Casey Fenton sent a mass ask for rooms in Iceland and received 50 invites from pupils with a totally free futon that is spare. Fenton quickly understood individuals all over the globe may well not mind sharing their additional area gratis while making brand brand new buddies in the act. Today, each one of the site’s 7 million users features an unique profile which checks out like your own advertising, showcasing passions, areas traveled, facts about their rooms and, most crucial, recommendations. This method enables buddies you’ve made globally or locally to vouch you being a serial killer for you and the unlikelihood of. Users can request a settee, host a tourist, or find friends that are new hook up with locally.
Riccardo agrees to host only travelers that are female stipulates which they be more youthful than him. He takes them predicated on their attractiveness “of program,” but physical appearance is not the criterion that is only. “I’ve seen sweet girls that have boring images and I’m like, вЂYou look boring, sorry.’ By the end associated with the day I’m likely to spend 3 days with you. I 
wish to have three times with someone I am able to consult with. Maybe perhaps Not someone simply empty.”
In Riccardo’s situation, it all begins with an ask for approval — from his pal in Miami. “I’m always sending him links like, вЂHey, do you prefer this chick? Should she is invited by me?’” he says. “There’s more folks arriving at nyc than Miami, therefore he’s constantly like, вЂYou bastard!’ Then he always asks doing Facetime because he really wants to see them.”
“The very first time,” he says, leaning over their beer, “I had two girls that remained … we didn’t sleep with either. Big fail!”1++
He got a small closer on their 2nd try, a lady from Slovakia with blond locks (their weakness) and small, dark, squinty eyes.