Editing Casa Merode

== Casa Merode ==
Casa Merode is a student house in the south center of [[Tilburg]], in the [[Netherlands]]. Since September 2009 there it has 5 inhabitants, all of them CouchSurfers. This makes the house 100% CouchSurf-friendly.
It's easily accessible on foot or public transport from the city center and main railroad station and even has lots of parking space around.

== CouchSurfing at Casa Merode ==
[[File:Casa_Couch.jpg|left|160px|official (public) couch of Casa Merode]]Casa Merode has it's own [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=22894 CS-group], as a subgroup of the [http://www.couchsurfing.org/group.html?gid=5526 Tilburg-group].
You could either request by writing a request to one of the house members (which are all addressed as 'moderator' in the Casa Merode group) or simply join the CS-group and write an (open) request.

Casa Merode has approximately 10 'couches' open to surf. In the communal living room there are two mattresses and the blue couch. In the other (private) rooms more mattresses or sleeping-space can be found. If necessary the garden provides enough space for a small tent.

So far Casa Merode had visitors from the following countries:
* Austria
* Belgium
* Canada
* England
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Italy
* Norway
* Poland
* Russia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Turkey
* United States

== Values ==
In Casa Merode there are some values which are highly appreciated.
=== Love ===
The members of Casa Merode think that love is one of the most important things in life. You can love anyone at any time, and as much as you want.

=== Vegetarianism ===
Most members of Casa Merode don't eat meat, some eat meat rarely. Casa Merode only cooks communal dinners without meat. There are many different reasons for not eating meat. However, it does not mean that you can't come if you're a carnivore.

=== Sustainability ===
The world is creating many problems for the future. The most effective remedy is sustainability.
Casa Merode tries to focus on sustainability. Some examples:
* Green energy (electricity is generated in the Netherlands via sun, wind and water)
* Composting barrel in the backyard
* Vegetables in the backyard
* Use of biodegradable cleaning and washing products
* Organic and vegetarian dinners
* Lots of second hand stuff

=== Tolerance and respect ===
Casa Merode is a highly tolerant house. People are never being judged on who they are or what ideas they have, though some actions (like violence) are not being tolerated.

=== Coffee ===
Well, not much of a value, but the fact is that Casa Merode drinks around 750 grams of coffee a week!
The house can make coffee in at least 4 different ways, and there is a manual grinder to grind the beans. Fresh coffee, always!

== Events ==
* Regular game evenings
* Merode cinema (great documentaries and movies)
* (CS-)Parties

== In the media ==
5th of November 2009: Casa Merode was subject of an article[http://www.uvt.nl/univers/nieuws/0910/09/onderdak.html] about student houses in Univers[http://www.uvt.nl/univers], the weekly newspaper of the University of Tilburg[http://www.uvt.nl]. CouchSurfing was one of the issues in the interview.


28th of February 2010: Casa Merode hosted two TV journalists of Campus in Beeld[http://campusinbeeld.ruhosting.nl/]. They reported about CouchSurfing and interviewed the members of Casa Merode. The video[http://www.youtube.com/user/campusinbeeld#p/a/u/1/V8jCyE3aBsw] they made was broadcasted on 'Nijmegen1'[http://www.nijmegen1.nu/] and online. (english subtitled version[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4aqRyTeNy8])

13th of April 2010: Subject in the Dutch CS Newsletter[http://www.csnewsletter.nl] in an article[http://www.csnewsletter.nl/?id=cshouse] about CS-houses

[[Category:Netherlands]]
[[share:Casa Merode]]