To travel with Servas is to have a shared cultural experience that often includes chatting and listening to stories, and learning about or getting involved in community activities. The hope of Servas is that through shared experiences members will bring about global peace and goodwill initiatives through multicultural dialogue between peoples of various backgrounds. Servas travel is about respect, cultural tolerance, and making an effort to understand other cultures.
To make the most of your travelling experiences, follow these few simple steps:
- Be a climate-conscious traveller, for a more peaceful world! Climate change and Servas
- Review the Canadian Traveller Guidelines
- Produce your LOI and have it validated (current hosts and former travellers, please see sections below). All travellers must have their LOIs validated and pay the traveller fee before contacting hosts.
- Find and contact hosts at your destinations:
- If the country you are travelling to is on ServasOnline
- Click on “Find Members;” enter your destination and other characteristics you are looking for
- You will see where members are located on the map. Use “Switch to List View” for brief descriptions of each member
- Go to a member’s profile for more details
- Contact the host you would like to visit by clicking on “Send a Message.” You can continue to communicate with the hosts either through the site or with personal email.
- If the country is not using ServasOnline yet:
- Your interviewer will get the host list for you.
- Contact your prospective hosts by email or phone.
- If you use email, send them a copy of your validated Letter of Introduction (LOI) in the initial email.
- If the country you are travelling to is on ServasOnline
- On the Servas Canada website; submit your Travellers’ Tales to contact us
- Through social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
- Hosts travelling internationally pay half the traveller fee;, but you must have a valid Letter of Introduction (LOI)
- Contact the most convenient interviewer
- If you are listed as a host and have not travelled with Servas in the last five years, you need an interview
- If your ServasOnline record doesn’t show the role of “Traveller”, your interviewer will have it added so that you can complete the LOI
- Pay your fee
- Your interviewer will have the official “estamp” added to your record.
- Complete your LOI and have it validated. (see Help section: Completing your letter of Introduction on the Servas.org website).
- Fill out the “Personal Background” section
- Click on “Print Your Letter” to download it. (Make sure it has been signed and e-stamped before you print it).
- Either email or take the letter to your interviewer (or another administrator, as directed by the interviewer) to have it signed.
- If your destination country is on ServasOnline, you can view host lists and contact members online (See Help section: “How to find Members” on the Servas.org website)
- If your destination country is not on ServasOnline, the interviewer will get you the host list
- Canadian hosts can travel within Canadafree of charge, without going through an interviewer, or getting an e-stamp. but complete your Letter of Introduction in ServasOnline, so hosts know about you. Contact hosts through ServasOnline or through their “best means of contact” listed.
- If you already have an account in Servas.org, follow the procedures for hosts above.
- If you do not yet have an account:
- Contact an interviewer (link to map) and ask them to add a record for you.
- Go through any interview/orientation procedures needed (as above) and pay the fee.
- Complete your profile and your letter of Introduction Note: “Basic Information” and “More About Me” must be completed before downloading your LOI.
- Once it is signed by an interviewer and e-stamped, download your profile and get it signed (as above).