Presenting: Pablo Chufeni - Servas Traveller and a Champion of Cross-Border Youth Exchanges

I met Pablo at the Canada-US Servas Conferenceorganized my own local group of Servas hosts here in
that was held at the beginning of August in VancouverRosario, and I got involved in the running of the
where I had a chance to spend about an hour and aorganization. I have been to official meetings in Canada,
half with him to find out more about his involvement asSpain, Argentina, Mexico, UK and Uruguay. The Servas
a volunteer for Servas, an organization with hosts andexperiences are so deep and so profound that it is
travellers in more than 130 countries whose motto isquite complicated to talk about them in a few lines.
"Travel for peace" to promote greater inter-culturalWhat I have experienced is simply amazing, it has
understanding and tolerance. Pablo is one of thosechanged my life.
people who always has a smile on his face and he is3. What countries have you travelled to through
filled with an incredible amount of energy. ThroughServas? What kinds of people from what places
Servas he has travelled through a variety of Europeanhave you hosted in your home? What makes Servas
and North and South American countries.travel sospecial to you?
As a volunteer for Servas, Pablo has tried to harnessI have traveled with Servas in Argentina, Uruguay,
the international network of Servas in new ways, andMexico, Canada, Spain, Belgium, France, Ireland,
most recently he has created an initiative that allowsPortugal, and the UK. But I´ll make my list larger
young Servas members to go on languageas soon aspossible!!! At my place I have hosted people
exchanges free of charge that are facilitated by otherfrom the USA, Germany, France, Spain, the
Servas travellers. Both accommodation and languageNetherlands and Brazil. My house is open to Servas
training are provided free of charge by local Servastravellers all year long.
hosts. So far his network of participating countriesIt´s not only the bridge that Servas builds for
includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, the Unitedyou, but also who is waiting for you on the other side.
States and Canada which will provide no-costAll the people in Servas are great and interesting,
language study opportunities to young Servasotherwise they wouldn't open their doors and use their
members in Spanish, Portuguese, French and English.time to chat with you and show you their world.
In addition he is also organizing a youth summit for4. Please tell us about your 3 favourite or most
Servas, to be held in January 2006 in the resort townmemorable travel stories.
of Bariloche, Argentina. And he does all these activitiesI met a nice couple in Lisbon, she was Mexican and he
part-time, after work, as a volunteer. Meet this bundlewas born in Angola. The time I spent with them was
of positive energy - Pablo Chufeni.great. They originally met trough Servas when she
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where arewas a traveller staying at his house. And now they are
you from, what is your profession, where do you livemarried!!!
now?I also met a guy in Brussels who ate food without
I'm 27 years old and I work as a theater professor incooking it and had strong opinions on flavours and
various institutes. I also study politics at the universityhealth and how human beings developed the art of
as well as French and Portuguese. This year I startedcooking only by following their tongue. I had another
to work for the Developing Bank of the Americas in ainteresting travel experience with an Arab person who
social program here in my city, Rosario, in Argentina,lived in Paris. This was simply amazing. We went
where I currently live nowadays. I work in thetogether to see a show in Paris of Ute Lemper, a
capacitation department as a tutor for teenagers whoGerman singer that I always liked, and one day I saw
are at risk. For 7 years I worked for the local TVsigns in the streets of Paris, announcing one of her
station as a general producer, but that took up all myconcerts. Unfortunately the signs said SOLD OUT! But
time, so now I prefer to use my days in a differentwhen I returned to his house he told me, Pablo, I've got
way. I also work for a foundation that works withtickets to a show tonight in case you want to go. We
cultural promotion here in my city.had a great time at the concert.
2. You have been a Servas member for a few years5. Please tell us about your 3 favourite or most
now. How did you hear about this organization andmemorable hosting experiences.
what was your first travel experience like?It´s hard to say, all my guests have been great
I heard of Servas by acident,sitting at a coffee table.in their own way.
First I went to Europe as a traveller, but after that I