The Hospitality Club

It sounds too good to be true. A system where accommodating souls across the seven continents volunteer to put you, a complete stranger, up for a night or two (and maybe even show you around town), in the interest of cross-cultural learning, friendship and increasing the peace on our planet. But this is Hospitality Club. There is no cost, no obligation to host (although they obviously encourage this), your email address remains hidden and signing up is a breeze. Not everyone is up for this kind of personal space invasion, and I know plenty who would never consider it, but I like their energy: giving cynicism the kibosh and letting karma guide your actions. The truth is that for a long-term budget traveler, this is an unrivaled opportunity. So what’s with the pineapple? It’s the international symbol for hospitality. Duh.