Thank you Vancouver Couchsurfing community

I have only mentioned Couchsurfing (CS) on this blog in passing even though it is a large part of my social life. I guess that is because I feel that I am not a true couchsurfer as I have never ‘surfed’ and my hosting opportunities were mainly for people I had met previously, even if for a short time. I often think that I can not really claim the title of a ‘real couchsurfer’ if I have not even used the website for one of its intended purposes. Yet I do use it to connect with other people in the Vancouver area. I plan a number of social events (weekly meetings, festival outings, etc). I answer questions about Vancouver on the webpage. I am even administrator for the related Facebook page for Vancouver CS. I do this because I love the CS idea of community (knowing an area from the locals and in some cases forging new friendships). In fact, several of my closest friends I met in this city’s thriving CS community. I do it because it gives me an opportunity to give do social activities I might otherwise have overlooked. I also do it because I want to give back since I do not host.  I hope it has helped balance the scales, so to speak.

Now even though I do plan a fair bit, there others in the community who do just as much, if not more than I do. In fact, many of them are more organized and less stressed than I can be at times (I do appreciate them for that). So this weekend  I was quite surprised by a small but very thoughtful gesture by those crazy Vancouver CSers. We were at the final stop of a pub crawl and out comes one of the members with a small cake covered in sparklers. It was for me and all my efforts. In all honesty, I was so very touched. Especially since my reasons for planning all these things is for fun, friendship and giving back in a way that I know how since I do not host – not for accolades. So THANK YOU VANCOUVER COUCHSURFERS!  I really am lucky and blessed to be part of such an amazing community. And the spice cake with cinnamon icing was so very delicious.

Photo owned by Eeva Valiharju/Wanders The World.