| One of the things I do for the website is I | | | | interviewing individual Servas members and will be |
| continuously search out individuals and organizations | | | | completing more indepth interviews with some of |
| that have accomplished unusual things or made | | | | these individuals over the next few weeks. I had a |
| special contributions. Through my research I had | | | | chance to spend 2 to 3 hours with 5 different people |
| come across an organization called SERVAS, an | | | | and I was truly astounded, not only at their travel |
| organization of hosts and travellers world-wide | | | | experience, but at their dedication to this organization |
| throughout 130 countries that intends to foster | | | | and to making a positive contribution to our world in |
| peace through intercultural exchange.Hosts | | | | general.One of the women I talked to, a marathon |
| throughout the member countries generally receive | | | | runner, volunteers by taking a group of blind people |
| travellers for 2 days (or longer if they wish) and | | | | out to run on a regular basis. A young volunteer from |
| accommodate them in their home. Sometimes if they | | | | Argentina is dedicating a huge amount of his personal |
| don't have the facilities, the hosts take their guests | | | | time and energy to build a no-cost language |
| on tours of their local city or have lunch or dinner | | | | exchange program for young Servas members in |
| with them, in which case they are referred to as | | | | countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, |
| day-hosts. Many times the travellers become part of | | | | Canada and the United States. Through this initiative |
| the family, helping out with chores around the house, | | | | young people will have the opportunity to stay with |
| or even being invited to participate in family reunions | | | | other Servas members free of charge and learn |
| or other local activities with their hosts.The really | | | | English, Spanish, Portuguese or French at no cost |
| unique thing about Servas, something that sets it | | | | from volunteer teachers who are also Servas |
| apart from other hospitality exchanges, is that the | | | | members.Another very energetic Servas member |
| organization's stated mission is to foster international | | | | from San Francisco volunteers her time to help the |
| peace, tolerance and understanding through personal | | | | local homeless community and to participate in a |
| connections. Every traveller and every host is | | | | variety of peace-building initiatives. I also talked to a |
| interviewed by a volunteer to ensure that the | | | | nice couple from New Jersey, both teachers, who |
| individual's philosophy is consistent with the | | | | spread the message of peace to an audience of |
| organization, and that the traveller is indeed prepared | | | | young people and they are also involved in the Sierra |
| to undertake a cultural exchange with the hosts, | | | | Club, to help save our environment. Another |
| rather than just looking for free accommodation. | | | | interesting person I talked to is a diversity consultant |
| Following the interview, the traveller receives an | | | | and she helps organizations develop the necessary |
| official signed and stamped Letter of Introduction | | | | sensitivities for working with a multi-cultural |
| which must be presented to the host as proof of | | | | workforce.Over the last few years I have been |
| the screening process.Travelling with SERVAS is | | | | spending a lot of my time reflecting on the state of |
| definitely not a concept for freeloaders, but a | | | | the world, and in light of recent developments like |
| dedicated community of like-minded people who wish | | | | 911, the War in Iraq, the Madrid train bombings and |
| to establish human connections across the globe and | | | | the recent London transit bombings, it is painfully |
| improve global relations one contact at a time. After I | | | | obvious that we are living in very violent times. We |
| completed my interview with Patrice Samara from | | | | are in dire need of people who dedicate a good |
| the US Office of Servas, she suggested I might | | | | portion of their lives towards making this place a |
| want to come out to Vancouver to cover the first | | | | better world, towards building peace and |
| Canadian-US Servas Conference. I had never been | | | | understanding, and exactly this is Servas' stated |
| out to the Canadian West Coast, and I found the | | | | mission.I admit that I have been losing faith in |
| concept of Servas very intriguing, so off I went and | | | | humanity over the last few years, but going out to |
| used my Airmiles to get myself out to | | | | Vancouver and seeing 200 people, all idealists and |
| Vancouver.The conference officially started at 5 pm | | | | active volunteers, was a truly wonderful experience. |
| on Friday, August 5. One of the first conference | | | | It restored my confidence and my optimism, and I |
| events was a welcoming greeting by a local First | | | | felt embraced by these many wonderful enlightened |
| Nations elder who symbolically welcomed us onto his | | | | spirits. The conference and the people I connected |
| beach, using a metaphor for the ocean-front land | | | | with will remain in my thoughts for a long time, and it |
| that had been the holy ground of his fore-fathers. As | | | | goes without saying that I will be joining Servas |
| part of the ceremony a woman was spreading eagle | | | | myself.I started the conference as a writer, but I left |
| feathers on the crowd, sharing one of the most | | | | as a friend.Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a |
| treasured possessions among native people, a true | | | | website called Travel and Transitions( Travel and |
| welcoming gesture.Other program points of the | | | | Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is |
| conference included a sharing of experiences about | | | | chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, |
| peace and travel, personal experiences of hosting or | | | | interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights |
| being a guest, a very interesting exploration of what | | | | and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and |
| it means to be from Canada or the United States, as | | | | many other features. You will also find stories about |
| well as youth perspectives and experiences in Servas. | | | | life and the transitions that we face as we go |
| The organization is making a targeted effort to reach | | | | through our own personal life-long journeys.Submit |
| out to young people to spread the message of | | | | your own travel stories in our first travel story |
| peace through travel to the next generation.I spent | | | | contest( and have a chance to win an amazing |
| the majority of my time at the conference | | | | adventure cruise on the Amazon River. |