Servas visits ‘rewarding’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 5

Servas visits ‘rewarding’

Living in the homes of other mem-

bers of an international peace organisation provided a rewarding insight into other communities for a Christchurch

travel consultant and her husband, during a recent six-month trip overseas.

Mrs Isobel Davie is the Christchurch co-ordinator for Servas a non-profit, non-political, inter-racial, and inter-faith organisation which promotes peace and understanding through a system of travellers and hosts. “Servas” means “serve” in Esperanto. The movement began in Denmark in 1948. A group of people wanted to establish a more peaceful world, linking people together to preyent war. Since then the movement has grown, and there are members in over 60 countries, with the highest membership in the United States. In New Zealand there are over 80 members, most of whom are in the North Island. There are only eight in the South Island.

Mr and Mrs Davie have been members for about 18 months. They first joined as hosts, and have had about six “travellers” from different parts of the world to stay in that time. Mrs Davie explained that Servas travellers are accepted as part of the family, and have the opportunity to discuss their views on the world situation and its problems within the home setting.

Own homes “For people who don’t have the opportunity to travel, Servas enables them to meet people from other countries in their own homes,” she said. “There are absolutely no limits to those who can join, but to travel a member has to be approved as genuine by a senior member.” Mrs Davie explained that Servas is not a way to have cheap holidays. It was not always possible for them to stay in Servas homes because sometimes there were none in the places they wanted to visit. They did manage to visit Servas families in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, England,

Scotland, and the United States. Organisation was essential, as travellers must introduce themselves, and hosts are under no obligation to accept any traveller. Often hosts and travellers had quite different backgrounds, viewpoints and occupations. “Yet we came away feeling quite good buddies.”

Fascinating time I “The first time we stayed with Servas was in Stockholm The husband was a restorer of art, and'art is not my field generally, but we had a fascinating time listening to him explaining; just how he restores these paintings by studying the chemicals of the paints used, and the way the Masters painted. It developed my‘ interest in art.” Hosts were generally families, because they had the facilities to cater for guests. Many were professional people, often members of church groups. Travellers tend to be in their twenties, or middle aged. Mrs Davie said that Servas , guests would experience an involvement with the community that the average tourist often would not.

“You find out what people do in a community, rather than what you (the tourist) are expected to do. “We hope we have a better understanding of other countries, having been a part of the community for a short time,” she said. She is optimistic about the future of Servas and its aims.

British awards Perhaps their most exciting meeting was not with Servas hosts, but with a proprietor of a little Greek cafe on the border of Jugoslavia. They were stranded for 12 hours waiting for a doctor to check their documents after travelling [through Italy during the [cholera epidemic. The man had been a member of the Greek resistance, and had sheltered 21 soldiers during the war, 17 of them New Zealanders, despite Gestapo torture, and the burning of the village.

He was very excited to be able to talk to New Zealanders in the little English ■he could remember, and [showed them the awards he had received from the •British Government.