“Every friend was once a stranger”, that was the motto of Vienna-based film maker Christoph Pehofer when we traveled the world as a couch surfer for nine months. His film “Couch Connections” captures his improessions. After an advance showing tour to various cities, the film is coming to theatres in autumn 2020.

Kinotickets und Aufkleber
Cinema tickets and sticker: “Every Friend was once a Stranger”

I met Christoph at his film premiere tour stop in Düsseldorf. From his film and others involved, I gathered that couch surfing not only means something entirely different for different people in different situations, but most of all, that many people don’t even have the opportunity to travel at all. All the more reason to look forward to meeting travelers as a host.

Hosting is not an option for everyone either, living in hard-to-reach places, or challenged by health issues. Books, postcards and pen-pal relationships have connected people around the world already before there was internet.

postcard details with stamps and postmarks

Postcrossing is a wordwide network connecting the internet and the joy of real postcards, shuffling senders with new random readers. These can be surprising moments or lead to long-term contacts.

Curious about couch surfing or hosting guests from all over the world? Take part in couch surfing!

Start with postcards? Then try postcrossing!