An ex-marine, an Irishwoman, a Korean-American and a Serbian walk into a bar.
No, this isn't the setup to an outdated, off-color joke; it's the setup to any given night out if you're living the hostel life. For many non-travelers, the only knowledge of hostels they have is from the early-2000s horror flicks. Oftentimes when I tell non-traveling folks that I'm staying in hostels, their responses are something along the lines of "...but didn't you see the movie? Do you want to die?"
But if you can get past the bad rap from those movies, hostels are actually a great way for travelers to have some of the most interesting and random experiences of their lives and make friends from all over the world.
As a resident of a rural city in South Korea (population: about 350,000), I often frequent hostels in Seoul as an affordable way to gain access to the diverse foods and culture I crave from home (think the New York City to my Greensboro, N.C.-not that Greensboro isn't lovely).
Last night at a hostel in Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea, I played cards with a group of Malaysians, who taught me the rules of a card game (which I have since forgotten). The night before, I drank Soju (Korean rice wine that will kick you in the head if you let it) and played Charades with a group of South African English teachers (and one Korean-Canadian). For New Years, I watched a group of Serbian men dance shirtless to 90s pop hits and ate Serbian-style slow roasted pork and potatoes.
As a regular at this particular hostel, I see friendships, romances, and random adventures blossom simply from hanging around in the Common Area-last night's strangers are inseparable by the day after tomorrow. People often decide to alter their travels-either to stay longer or travel together-based on the experiences they have and the people they meet while staying in hostels
In addition, hostel owners and staff are often down-to-earth folks who love people and love their cities, so they're usually awesome resources for off-the-guidebook activities and recommendations. If they're particularly business savvy, they might even have promotions going with other local businesses, resulting in discounted drinks or brunch for you.
Even if you value your privacy, you can often reserve a private room at a hostel for a cheaper rate than what you would pay at a hotel, without sacrificing the community and coziness that a shared common area often creates. When you are at home, you often see strangers when you look at people you haven't met, but when you are traveling, you see fellow travelers, and this often provides you with an instant bond and common ground.
An ex-marine, an Irishwoman, a Korean-American and a Serbian walk into a bar. The ex-marine talks about his years spend in the finance markets; the Irishwoman discusses her years as a solo female traveler; the Korean-American explains how he wants to get in touch with his roots; and the Serbian entertains them with stories from his time spent running a pedicab business in San Diego.
They may enter the bar richer in their pockets, but they stumble out of it hours later enriched by human interaction--by each other, and by the types of conversation that stick with you long after they're over and leave you with an affinity for the people you spoke with long after they're gone.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
