A Peek Into a Hostel
(Written in Toronto, but posted after uploading the videos about a week later.)
Staying in an International Hostel is so interesting! Had conversations Tuesday with folks from Sweden, Scotland, Australia, Spain, Brazil and England. Monday, Spain, Mexico, England and Australia. Sunday, Brazil and France. There are lots of Asians here but they are not chatting with me… the languages I think I hear are Korean and Japanese, and maybe a type of Chinese.
A hostel is so much cheaper than a hotel, I can stay here much longer. My fee was about $30 a night. Since there is a kitchen, many of us get to chat while eating the food we made. I’ve had such great conversations in the kitchen eating space!
Sometimes folks share food, often not. It’s not expected but sometimes one has more than one can eat. There is also a “free food” shelf where people put extra supplies… things like cereal, spices, soy sauce, even chocolate syrup get placed there.
Add to that, the good company. Yes, I happen to be sharing a room with 9 people I never met before, but the boundaries are well respected. I have a locker to keep valuables safe when I’m not in the room with them. It’s not luxurious but it’s comfortable and safe.
This hostel is run by Hosteling Intenational. I stayed in one of their properties in Portland, Oregon for the first Sock Summit. I also stayed at an NYC property in 2004, near the north west corner of Central Park, that I think was also run by this organization.
If you are curious about how this one hostel looks, here are a few peeks. Every hostel is different, but all share common spaces. I did not video the social spaces but this will give you a sense of what it’s all about.
A quiet moment in the kitchen:
A peek in a 10-bed dorm room:
Late-evening diners in the kitchen:
Garden behind the Hostel (where I could get wifi access):
This is the Hostelling International Hostel at 76 Church street (near the King subway stop) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.