When I went to Copenhagen earlier this year, I didn’t want to break the bank. That meant finding a cheap place to stay. I was traveling alone and abroad for the first time ever, so I wasn’t keen on a hostel. Hostels aren’t even that cheap compared to Airbnbs (sometimes it’s a $10 difference), and I also wanted to be able to sleep. I conjured nightmares where my cohabiting strangers partied until 3 AM and jet-lagged me lay stricken on the top bunk having to get up in four hours.

So that left me with Airbnbs. For those not familiar, Airbnb is a system where locals rent out their residence to travelers, either the full home (i.e. the host is not present) or a room in their home while they are home.

Never having done this before, I was hesitant. Wasn’t it weird to stay under the same roof with a perfect stranger? But I mean, that’s what Airbnb is.