SI MONTHLY NEWS JULY 2005 Travel and host reports
From SI Exco News
Ups and downs in West Africa.
Teresa Mazzella from Rome visited Gambia and Senegal. She had varying experiences with Servas in these countries. She is concerned that in some countries there is perhaps more help needed to run Servas effectively. Here are some extracts from her report.
I went to Gambia for a week but with the intention to remain longer. I was there for a month but I could not see any list.
The Senegalese secretary has been more efficient. He has an email address but he has no computer and he has no money to use the public one. He has no money even for a telephone call so he had the last century list with dead members.
I organized a Servas meeting in his house where I was hosted for a few days. He seemed very happy to be helped. Now he has a list of about 70 members even if many of them are in his village, 15 km from Dakar. Now he goes round with a Servas folder looking for someone who can help him to print the list and send it to the main countries.
I think this is the situation of many western African countries The secretaries have a lack of personal experiences, of money, of advice, which weakens their enthusiasm and so undermines the Servas project and aim. They don't pay anything to be in the list (some of them even didn't know they were in the list) They have no travellers (which would be the only income) they have no explanatory material and of course no budget to face a minimum form of organization. What we can do, to help them? Even if they can't afford long trips they can visit nearby countries, learn from others, get new energies and create peace team back home. Some simple ideas:
1) Send them explanatory material (simple english and french pamphlets to hand out in Universities, Embassy, cultural centre etc
2) Give secretaries, who show a "real" efficiency, a bonus
3) Support them with ideas, advice, suggestions without abuse
4) Ask for up to date lists and check them (There are 10 members in the list and one bed)
5) You can talk about this in your national newsletters and at meetings
These are just a few ideas. I'm sure there are many more.
and from Botswana
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"Ao santse o thenya thenya"
— Are you still alive? — Tswana saying
“Raviolis in Montevideo”
I landed in Buenos Aires in November 2004 for my first experience in South America. I guess I chose the wrong time because the humidity and the heat were at their highest. I was received by wonderful Servas members who came to get me at the Airport. I only stayed 3 days there as I had planned to go to Uruguay. So I proceeded with the Busquebus, the fast boat to Montevideo, 2 ½ hours. I called my friend Gustavo and announced my arrival. So they came to get me at the port of Montevideo and found a place for me to sleep. I then called a lady Servas, Zulma and she received me for a few days before I could go and visit Marisa Contini. Many of you at Servas know that charming lady as the Spanish teacher. She is a lively lady full of life and stories, ready to laugh at any moment. I lived with her in Montevideo for one month, she had a room to rent.
So back to the raviolis, Marisa told me that her young cousin was going to sing at La Specia which is a ravioli and spaghetti factory. The owner is a sponsor for many musicians and art. His own daughter is a classical singer and he has a concert hall on top of factory. So following Marisa’s instructions I went by bus to La Specia. I arrived at the store and saw all those goodies, so I asked the saleslady if I could get a plate of ravioli with sauce. She explained that this was only the store to buy and the restaurant was at another location, and was open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So making believe I did not understand I asked again if I could have a meal before the concert. So I guess the young lady asked the owner and she asked me what sauce I wanted and of course I chose the mushroom sauce. She told me that they would put a table upstairs for me so I went upstairs and I only saw a concert hall.
Before I turned around, they put a little table next to window, with a red table cloth and as I sat there I saw the waitress run across the street in the parking lot and bring back one of those big, beautiful flowers that she put in a bowl in front of me. They brought a plate of bread and a bottle of wine and served me a glass. I was delighted and kept looking at the street, to see if Marisa was coming to share my meal. The young lady told me she was a mosa at the restaurant but she helped in the store in the week.
So that was my wonderful story in Montevideo. At the concert the owner came to me and asked me if the raviolis were good and I thanked him with all my heart.
Jacqueline Lewicki, USA and French citizen
