Couchsurfing? Um...No

Perhaps I could list this as a "weakness" on a job application someday but being trustworthy enough to open up my home/couch to strangers is definitely not on my comfort list right now! Besides, who would want to stay in a home w/ a 4 year old and 15 month old?!? :) My husband and I have crazy busy schedules...this just isn't who we are.

So, a little more about Couchsurfing. The first thing I thought of was safety. I'm really glad to read that there have been 4+ million successful meetings. The company has several safety features in place. No matter what the company tries to do - there is no way to escape the fact that not all people are good. I found this blog about an incident in the UK. Of course, out of the millions of positive interactions between surfers and hosts, this one incident solidified my uncertainty about this movement.

For some people, this is an ideal way to travel. Just not me right now. I've actually already emailed two fellow teachers telling them about Couchsurfing and Tripping because this is right up their ally. They are both free-spirited, trusting people without kids! :) I want to make a point that I am not hiding behind my children - I feel like I am protecting them. There are so many decisions that I would make differently if I did not have children. I like the following quote from Iron Jawed Angels (my favorite movie): "When you're alone you can make any choice you want. But when someone loves you, you lose that right."