Unemployment is at an all time high and no one, neither individuals nor businesses, are immune from feeling the pain.
Or are they? Whenever I was going through a hard time, my mother would always say, "cheer up, in every crisis there is a silver lining".
She was right.
Looking back, I could always see how I benefited in some way from every trial and tribulation in my life.
Even in hard times like these that rival the Great Depression, there are some individuals and businesses that are thriving in this crisis.
Why, because they provide something, either a product or service, that offers real value for the price.
One such business is the Hostel.
Hostels provide a low cost way to get a dorm bed or private room for the night or longer.
Why are hostels thriving now? It's not just the low cost, but unemployment has caused a population shift back to cities in search of jobs.
Since most American hostels are located in popular travel destinations, they are benefiting from this shift.
Take Hal, a young, recent college graduate from Missoula, Montana, who came to our Hostel in St.
Augustine, Florida.
When he arrived, I asked him the normal questions, "where are you from".
He replied, "Missoula, Montana".
"Wow, I exclaimed, 'you are a long way from home".
"What brought you to Florida?" His answer surprised me, "I have a degree in Engineering," he said, "And I could not get an engineering job in Montana or anywhere else.
I was offered work here in town as a construction worker, since I have a young family, I took what I could get.
" "Good for you", I said congratulating him on being smart enough to take the work; "We are glad you are here.
How long will you be staying?" "Just until I can find an apartment nearby", he concluded.
Hal is just one of many displaced workers now traveling into cities far outside their comfort zones in search of work.
People are leaving their houses, friends and family in an effort to weather this economic storm.
The Hostel is the perfect place for displaced workers to find a home away from home while they settle into a new area.
It gives them an inexpensive place to stay, provides local contacts, and gives them the time they need to explore an area before making critical decisions on the best places to rent.
The atmosphere Hal found at the Hostel was warm and inviting.
Instead of coming home to a cold and lonely motel or hotel room, Hal was introduced to travelers from around the United States and all over the world.
Friendly people who provided a welcome distraction for Hal along with words of wisdom and simply another point of view.
Best of all, he met locals familiar with where to shop, the best places to eat and a variety of local contacts he couldn't have gotten anywhere else.
Hal summed it up best when he said, "I like the difference in this Hostel very much.
I enjoy meeting other travellers, but really enjoy meeting other Americans and having the opportunity to get to know them and hear about what is going on in their lives.
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