When travelling, experiencing the surface of another culture is one thing but getting to make meaningful connections to people and place is even better. Below are some travel sites that allow travellers to connect with local people by staying in their homes either for free or at minimal expense. You can share a meal, be taken to all the local haunts that tourists may only stumble across and leave your hosts knowing a little more about your own culture. These initiatives promote peace through creating friendships with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Some sites to check out are:
Couch Surfing - Meet new people, free accommodation and find fun events in the area your travelling.
Cup of Local Sugar – Experience a place by meeting and learning from a local.
Airbnb - Community marketplace where you can list, discover and book unique accommodations around the world in over 19,000 cities and 192 countries.
Servas International - Non-profit organisation working to build understanding, tolerance and world peace through travel and staying with local people. Reciprocal system of hosting travellers and staying abroad in local homes.
WWOOF - Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Volunteer in exchange for food, accomodation and learning about organic lifestyles.
