Newsletter

Hello anonymous, 

 

We hope you are well wherever you are in the world and enjoying traveling this season, or hosting and meeting fellow travelers. We have our new logo and some fun stories to share with you in this Newsletter.

 

Table of Contents:

 

• Introducing our new logo
• Stories from our members
• What it costs to run BeWelcome: A view behind the scenes and volunteers

 

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Introducing Our New Logo

As readers of this newsletter, you are among the first to discover our new BeWelcome logo!

 

 

It is the fruit of the work by regular members and BeWelcome volunteers over the course of one year. The objective was to better communicate the joy of interacting with people from around the world, in a friendlier way than with the original logo. We believe the objective has been met, and so you will see the new logo appear on the website and elsewhere. 

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Stories from our members BeWelcome!

 

• Aledirenzo experience hosting in  Oslo

 

It all started almost by chance.

I, Alessio (aka aledirenzo), was inspired by my mentor, who had hosted over 600 people on his couch. At first, it was simply a way to brighten the long, dark Oslo evenings — a cozy chat over a cup of tea.

Then I began meeting the most unexpected people.

 

Alessio and Mathias having a good time       Credits: Johanna Lidman

 

There was Bart, who shared my passion for improv theatre.

Daria, who didn’t speak English — yet we connected purely through gestures and body language.

And then Mathias (in the photo), who became a close friend over a single weekend. We spent a night out with friends at Oslo Pride, and everything just flowed. What truly surprised me was how enriching it felt to have him meet my friends and how much I enjoy hosting — that quiet joy of helping others. And I love the randomness of it all. You never know what to expect from the next encounter — whether it’s a passing small-talk exchange or a transformative, deep friendship. You simply learn to stay open — and let the world surprise you.

 

My BeWelcome experience has gently and unexpectedly transformed how I see life and relationships.

 

 

• Sarah_F3ldchen travel experience in Australia

 

I went to Australia this year, on the Eastern coast, and it has been a wonderful trip!  Nature is so amazing in this country, I am in love with it, and thanks to BeWelcome I could connect with people sharing my interests. I could go on a short bicycle tour through Southern Brisbane with a host, eat self cooked food, and talk with locals to have a little insight into life in Australia. Even if I sometimes couldn’t connect so much with the hosts, it is always more interesting than staying in a hostel. I like the stories being shared: when people invite you to their private space while you might never meet again, they seem to tell just what is in their heart, because they care less about your impression.

Source: Q&A with Sarah_F3ldchen

                         

                                                                      

Find this Extra in our Community News:

• Interview with member ‘Nielske’, a host in Tilburg/The Netherlands    

Niels with Carolyn in ladybird skate park (Tilburg)

 

For more Stories or longer versions, check out our Community news 

If you want to share your story, write to Marstr. 

 

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What it costs to run BeWelcome: A view behind the Scenes and volunteers

 

BeWelcome is free to use, but running it costs about 3000 Euros a year, mainly to pay for the servers (as you can see in our budget here). 

 

These costs are completely funded by donations. But at the time of writing this newsletter, we have only reached a little more than 50% of our donation target of 3445 Euros: you can see the current status, updated weekly, on the BeWelcome homepage. Our financial year closes at the end of September, which means time is getting short for us to fulfill our goal…

 

What will happen if we don’t cover our expenses? Well, nothing in the short term. BeVolunteer (the non-profit running the BeWelcome site) is not in danger of going bankrupt in the next years. However, ending the year with a balanced budget would make it easier for us to invest in new projects instead of keeping money in the bank in anticipation of yearly losses.

 

So if you enjoy traveling with BeWelcome, we suggest you to contribute with a small donation! 

 

Or if you have the time and skills to join one of our amazing volunteer teams, check out our needs on this page.

 

 

We wish you a good rest travel season, and wonderful encounters!

Thank you for reading, 

 

Your Communications Team