Tips on how to keep the good times rolling?

[inactivelyverby]

Not overly sure this is the best section of the forum for this, but it seemed appropriate.

So, I'm a bit of an entertainer, in the sense that I like being able to bring something of interest to the table in a group setting. My question is, what are a few random little skills that I might brush up on that I could offer to a hosteling/couch surfing/stuck on a bus for 3 hours situation?

I've already decided to dust off the guitar and brush up on that, and I'm thinking I might take some general cooking lessons so that I have something to give back/offer to the places I stay (nobody wants to eat macaroni every day, regardless of how awesome mine is).

Are there any other little miscellaneous skills or handy dandy tricks that I might find useful in my Australia/Europe roamings?

[Greg]

A guitar can go a long way at hostels and beach parties, for sure. I even met a guy in Beijing who was staying and eating for free at his hostel because he would play a couple of hours for the dinner crowd every night.

Learn 1 magic trick and work on only that trick until you perfect it. Make sure the only prop you need is something common like a cigarette, coin, whatever...sounds funny, but it works unbelievably well for breaking the ice in group scenarios.

As for paying back a couchsurfer...just be a good guest! Don't just 'use' your host for a place to crash. Hang out, chat, get to know them, become friends. That's why they are hosting in the first place! 

[inactivelyverby]

Awesome, the guitar is something I've been really wanting to work on, and this will give me a god excuse to torture my roomie lol.

I actually ran across some card tricks that looked really simple and since a deck of cards is always useful and easy enough to carry around, I think I can def work on a couple of those!

And I definitely could never fathom 'using' a host, but at the same time I always feel the necessity to sort of reciprocate/pay back any services ever offered to me. Hah, I couldn't imagine NOT making friends and hanging out with anyone I stayed with, so that's certainly easy enough. I'm just the sort of house guest that even now at 27, if a friend invites me to their house for dinner, I will wash their dishes and clean up the kitchen. I guess I feel like actions speak louder than words, and I use helping out around the house or such as a way to say thanks.

[Greg]

True enough. Giving time back is always a great way to reciprocate someone's kindness. Goes further than a material gift probably (and doesn't weight as much to carry around).