Would you ever consider participating in 'a homestay program', and...?

Question

stay at a stranger's house while traveling?

In case you don't know, there are hospitality programs through which you can stay at someone's else house for free, as long as you are willing to offer accomodation to another traveller as well. (I think these are the conditions, although it is probably possible to benefit from hospitality without reciprocating it).

I ask this to check what people's expectations about this would be.

Answer 1

I would not join a group like couch surfing, ( http://www.couchsurfing.com/ ) or the hospitality group (http://www.hospitalityclub.org/ ) but I have stayed with other members of my hobby group and received them at home.
And people from and through church groups.
With all these people I had something in common, as we had the same hobby or went to the same church related group.

I think it is best to ask people to be host as well as guest, but many times people can not do so in the same stage of life. If you are a student, still living with your parents or on a campus, you can not host but you can travel and be guest, and many people who have regular jobs or are retired can host but may not travel (or not travel enough) to be guest in other places.
I have found that it works out well with the groups I shared and traveled with.