Couchsurfing in Berkshire

We've just come back from Couchsurfing in Berkshire. In case you don't know what Couchsurfing is, I'll explain. It is a website that many people around the world have joined. You may be wondering why I said that, but the funny thing is that if all the people on Couchsurfing are all from the same city, then there will be no point in the website existing because the aim is to be able to stay at someone's house in another part of the world and to learn something from them and maybe teach them something or cook with them. Everyone has a profile saying things about themselves and the rules in their house. They can type in where they want to go or if they want to stay with a family and the website will come up with  a page so that you can click on different people's profiles to see who you want to stay with. You can then write to someone to ask if you can stay with them. After you've stayed with someone, you write them a reference about your stay.

Most of the time we host, but recently I went Couchsurfing with my family in Berkshire, we stayed with a woman called Anne and a man called Pete. They had a yurt in their garden, an apple tree that I picked apples with, and a grape vine with tiny grapes to make grape jelly with. I also pricked sloes for sloe gin which I didn't drink of course :D Anne taught us circle dancing and they have a very nice dog called Taffy. We took him for a walk and went for a few ourselves. The place we stayed in  in  Berkshire was called Binfield. That is such a weird name. We only stayed in Binfield for two nights but I still had a fun time there. I got to climb trees. My sister and I also had a pumpkin to carve together. I've got a lot of math to catch up with though.

What I've learned from our family's experiences with Couchsurfing:
1) People have strange surnames and names, eg Bum;
2) Some people just want to get free accommodation and don't really want to meet and spend time with other people;
3) Couchsurfing doesnt mean going into the sea and floating around on a sofa;
4) It has the word 'couch' in it because if you don't have a spare bed, your guests sleep on the couch; and it has the word 'surfing' in it because 'Couchsurfing' is a website and people talk about surfing when they're looking for something using a computer;
5) For some people, washing dishes mean distributing dirt and grease from one plate to another by putting them all in mucky suapy water and then taking the plates out again without rinsing them;
6) Some people think that in Britain people have no phones, TVs or know what football is;
7) Some people don't make an effort to talk to their hosts and instead go on their computer while they are in your living room;
8) There are delicious chocolates from around the world that I didn't know about;
9) It's not uncommon for people to eat seal meat;
10) Some countries have disgusting cheese that taste like condensed milk.

I have also learned how I be a good guest when I visit or surf by giving people good gifts in return for their hospitality and how to be considerate: don't consume too much of other people's resources whether time, energy, food, water or electricity. It is always good to replace what you use and show thanks by cooking or doing something for them and with them.