SI MONTHLY NEWS NOVEMBER 2005 Travel and host reports
From SI Exco News
Host and Travel Reports
SERVAS JAPAN IN SPRING
After three years of Japanese studies, I decided to
follow the wave of sakura cherry blossom which
sweeps the main island in the spring and stay with
Servas hosts. What a choice in the Servas book!
There was a traditional sock-maker and a sushi-bar
owner, a sunflower farmer who loves fire-flies…
Should I go to Kyoto just to meet the etiquette
teacher? In the end, the regional coordinator chose
seven hosts along the sakura front.
At first, I was a guest in my teacher’s family in
Nagoya. It was fantastic but I was relentlessly
entertained at great cost. Although her mother had
just recovered from cancer, she would not let me
help at all and would fall asleep on the floor
exhausted as I watched her, guilt ridden. Servas
was a relaxing contrast.
My Japanese experience was full of surprises. I am
now convinced there really are Shinto Gods inside
every craggy stone and gnarled tree. In the spring,
the world turns a magical pink, awash with petals. I
had to abandon many received ideas: no
overcrowding or minimalism in the countryside,
houses were huge, kitchens indescribably cluttered
and home-cooked food was fantastic. I visited a
centre for stroke victims, fed cows and moved boxes
of rice-shoots into a poly-tunnel. I stayed in a Tenri
monastery in a stunning fishing village. It was
election time and a famous wrestler was running
for MP, claiming he’d sit in Parliament with his
face-paint on.
I had plenty of time to cycle around temples and
walk in the mountains. My hosts spoke enough
English and the occasional ‘tourist schedule’ was
welcome because I could at last pay my share. I
saw magnificent temples and castles but Japanese
history is cruel. So, lovelier than any gilded shrine
built with money stolen from the starving are
memories of fun times with families around a low
heated quilt-covered table or sitting in a steamy
rock pool with three generations of women, under
the rain. Travelling with Servas is a privilege. It is
also the only way to discover Japan.
Michèle O’Connell, England
Italy, Sentierinsieme, July 2005
And so returning from Italy where I was at
the 'Sentierinsieme' meeting in the Alps.......
What a fantastic experience!
Once again I could appreciate the spirit of Servas. We were many people, from different countries, talking different languages, of different ages, each with our own professions or jobs which would not generally bring us together in everyday life........
And, in spite of this there was this mutual foundation, this humanistic spirit, which was shared ........
Truly, a magical meeting, where one could remember that it is possible to give real values to life.
Cécile Broche, Belgium/Luxemburg
Australians in Belgium
Dear Rita,
Doug and I have just returned from our visit in among other places, Belgium. We would like to say a big thank you to you for your assistance.
The time we spent with Roos and Jo was wonderful. We enjoyed ourselves immensely. They are such friendly, warm-hearted helpful people. While Roos was recuperating from her knee operation and I might say looking after children and preparing meals Jo showed us his special parts of Bruges during the morning, then Lieve, also a host, showed us the touristic places in the afternoon and put us on to the correct bus to go home.
We spent most of the Sunday by ourselves in Bruges and Leuven and Servaes and Wivine met us at the station late in the afternoon. They took us home for dinner and to spend the night. Servaes drove us to the airport the following morning. We can't tell how much we appreciated that as it was raining that morning.
We want you to be aware of the appreciation we feel for your assistance, also that of Roos and Jo, Lieve and Servaes and Wivine.
If you have any of your lovely friendly folk wanting to visit Brisbane please be sure to give them our email address for them to contact us. If we are in town we will be happy to look after them.
In Friendship and Peace,
Doug and Mae Harding,Australia
inserted by Amelia
