How to be hosted without using the couchsurfing website.

Bài này được tôi viết trong diễn đàn dành cho dân du mục quốc tế trên Facebook. Vì vậy mà bài được viết bằng tiếng Anh. Mọi người đọc đại đi nha bởi vì tôi làm biếng dịch ra tiếng Việt quá! Tôi đang để dành cái siêng để viết một bài về cách tái chế rác thải ny lông mà tôi có đề cập đến trong bài viết bằng tiếng Anh dưới đây. Nhưng mà bây giờ làm biếng viết quá nên không biết khi nào mới có bài. Thứ nhất là tôi không có chụp hình do không có mang theo máy ảnh hay laptop. Thứ hai là blog này bây giờ đầy rồi, không có cho đăng hình nữa, dù là hình copy từ trang khác sang cũng không đăng được.

Hiệu đính: Bài đã hứa cuối cùng đã được viết rồi nè. Xin mời mọi người xem bài Cách tái chế (upcycle) bao ny lông thành những món đẹp ngất ngây.

I have had a profile on the couchsurfing website but I have never used it so far. All of my hosts met me by chance, on the streets, in public places, on public transportation, etc. Sometimes they just started to talk to me and then they invited me home. Sometimes I approached them to ask for some information. Sometimes they just approached me and watched me and tried to learn from me a skill, etc.

In India and Sri Lanka, I know how to upcycle plastic bags, which are abundent in those areas. Sometimes, I just sat down somewhere and did my crochet work. People came and talked. They invited me home to teach their family members and the villagers. I was once invited by a police officer (the district supervisor officer) in Sri Lanka. He said he was really impressed with what I was doing and he wanted me to teach his villagers. He invited me to stay with his family in the village (he worked in another district) for at least one week.

Thanks to my upcycling work, I was approached and hosted by local people.

Another trick I learnt from another nomad which is very useful but I have never used it so far. She traveled around with the money she earned from selling jewelry made by herself. When she came to a new place, she found a good spot and displayed her products for sale. By this way, the locals at least had a reason to approach her, talk to her, get to know her and invite her home. The reason I had learnt her trick was that I had wanted to do the same with my crochet and upcycling techniques. Then when I was on the road, I could only offer the skills for free. I never sell my products. I give them for free and provide free training courses to the local people.

P.S In India and Sri Lanka, I was always hosted by families because the locals never allowed me to stay with men only. They think it is much safer to stay with families, which is really true because I had absolutely no problems staying with families in these countries. Only good memories remain! Thank you India and Sri Lanka!!!