The Travel Chica

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5 Signs It Is Time to Check Out of Your Hostel

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Long-term travelers get accustomed to the hostel life.

You learn to share your bedroom with up to 9 strangers that have completely different lifestyles and schedules.  You learn to cook your meals in a shared kitchen with cookware that looks like it belongs in a museum.  You try to figure out the perfect time to take a shower, so you do not have to wait in line but still have hot water.

However, there comes a point when it is time to leave the hostel.  You need to move to a different hostel, try Couch Surfing, or maybe rent an apartment. If you are experiencing 3 or more of these signs, it is time to leave your hostel.

1.  You are constantly asking yourself, “Who are these people that think they can just come into my office (aka common area) and have a guitar jam session while I’m working.”

I spend a lot of time on my computer working on my website and photography, so I always find a good spot to work in my hostel.  It has to be close to a power outlet, have good light, and be comfortable.  Once after being in the same hostel for two weeks, I grabbed my laptop and headed to my usual spot.  I was horrified to find someone else already sitting there, enjoying their bowl of cereal and using my power outlet.  I didn’t know what to do.  I stood and stared for a few seconds and then grumpily went back to my room and vowed to wake up earlier the next morning to stake my claim.

2.  People you met two weeks ago come back to the hostel and say, “Oh, you’re still here?”

There are some cities that are the central travel hub of the country.  Buenos Aires is one of these cities.  People take buses from Buenos Aires to other areas of the country and then return for a night or two before they catch their next bus.  It is a bit unnerving when you start seeing repeat guests.  They will inevitably ask you what you have been doing since they last saw you.  No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to think of anything that sounds cool.

3.  You know all of the staff members, which ones are dating each other, and who hates who.

It is always good to make friends with the staff members because a lot of them are locals or have lived in the city for a while.  They can give you great insider tips on the best cheap eats, the local music scene, and the dive bars where the locals go.  However, when you start to know every detail of their personal lives, you may have spent too much time at the hostel.

4. You have created a fort around your bed with your backpack, towels, and clothing.

When you are in a place long enough, you inevitably end up taking everything out of your backpack.  There are never closets or enough shelving, so your things end up piled around your bed.  Then you start hanging towels, blankets, and items of clothing from the bunk above you to create a private space.  As others check out of the hostel, you gradually start expanding your circle of space.

5. You can no longer shrug it off when someone steals your clearly labeled food from the fridge, does not wash the only pan in the hostel kitchen after making dinner, or tracks water through the entire bathroom.

These are all common annoyances we deal with as a part of the hostel life.  When you become furious over every one of these infractions, you have been dealing with the annoyances for too long.  You need an attitude adjustment that can only happen with a change of scenery and putting yourself in a new environment.

I am exhibiting all 5 of these signs.  It is time to rent an apartment!

Comments

  4. I’m like Inka above – have never stayed in a hostel and never will. I might have done this when I was young and really enjoyed it but now I want a nice hotel with room service!! I do think this is a great way for young people to travel though and save money to do even more travel!
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  6. I’ve only stayed at a hostel once, but I can imagine how unsettling it would be to experience either of those things. We are all creatures of habit and I would be teed off if someone was sitting in my spot using my electrical outlet too! It might be wrong, but I would still feel that way. lol
    Renee recently posted..How we can make the world better for having been in it

  8. Stephanie, I am so proud of you & happy that you have gotten to have this experience. I definitely agree — I wish I had known about hostels, etc when I was much younger. I definitely know I would have done much more traveling meeting interesting people, having wonderful adventures & exploring new places around the world.

    I have to admit as a mother I was definitely worried (concerned) about your safety. Then it escalated because you got robbed. But then I learned to trust in God & my prayers & feel much better about it. I’m just hoping you keep that keenness for being aware what is going on around you even while you set in a little longer in BA.

    Staying in Bocas del Toro with you was something very different that I’m sure I could have done even though I know that was a step above where you usually stay. I definitely would have travelled with a lot less : )

    Karen (Mom)

    • Thanks, Mom :-)

      Yeah, I didn’t feel right making you stay in a hostel with me for your birthday vacation. But the hostels in Bocas del Toro aren’t that nice. I have been in many other places in Central America where we could have shared a private room in a hostel, and you would have really liked it.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Meet the Cruella de Vil of Palermo

  13. Well, I am exhibiting all five signs right now plus having crappy or no internet for weeks. Only been in Banos for one day and California is looking pretty nice right now. OK, maybe it’s the letdown after 2 weeks in the Galapagos, but i would kill for a nice private room for a few days with high spped internet.
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  14. Wow, I’ve been in your shoes before, I stayed over a month in China but Beijing was my home base I had my bed with all my “tools” setup for everyday “work” and as I go and come afther traveling inside China back to my “home” your history really reminds me of me.

    You really need an place you can call “home” and I hope you enjoy it!!

    Nestor

  15. A funny post! I think it’s always a good idea to mix it up when you’re travelling for a longer period of time. Do some camping, some hostelling, woofing, couch surfing and perhaps even a short-term rental. That way you get to enjoy the benefits of all these and experience the country you’re visiting from different angles.
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