Gertraud from Austria

I got my first request to stay about three months after my profile was approved.

Gertraud had been a couch surfer from the beginning of the site and had both hosted and been a guest many times.

I picked her up at the train station and drove her to my apartment. In the elevator on the way up, she said, “This is the time that I start to get nervous. You know, because you have no references in your profile.”

I smiled and completely understood.

“I completely understand!” I said. “In a sense, we are both vulnerable. I’m letting a stranger into my apartment.”

As it turned out, neither of us had anything to worry about.

Gertraud invited me to dinner and an opera as a thank you present for hosting her. She had admitted before coming that she wasn’t quite sure about the portraits. I told her that was fine, we could see if we had time and interest as her stay progressed.

On her last morning, she came out of my guest room and said, “I’ve thought about taking pictures. I decided I want to do it and I have an idea. I’d like you to take pictures of me both before and after I’ve taken on my makeup.”

I agreed that was a good concept and we did just that.