by Deirdre Araujo

Last January (2023), I joined the 6th annual East Asia Servas online meeting where I met Servas members from around Asia. These new relationships led to many meaningful in real life exchanges.

What began as simple email exchanges with JoJo Jen and Emily Liu about my upcoming trip to Taiwan blossomed during the 6th annual East Asia Servas online meeting. I was captivated by Polly Chan’s insights and glimpses of Hong Kong’s natural beauty. Then I was able to be Terry Chen’s San Francisco day host and prepared for my East Asia sojourn with virtual language lessons with Emily’s daughter, Arielle, in Shanghai.

Once in Taipei my contacts made it possible for me to volunteer at a senior center with JoJo. Later, I reunited with Terry for lunch. Who knew just a few months later, I’d host the Hong Kong keynote speaker, Polly Chan, here in California?

While many in Servas are fortunate to travel, there are many who would still like to travel but face mobility challenges or have environmental concerns. However, they still want the connections and stories. I believe this opens an opportunity for US Servas to provide armchair travel and robust Servas-led virtual programming. (It could be more inclusive and easier on the planet.) By enhancing our virtual programming, we can engage more Servas members both near and far — and continue weaving connections for peace.

Here is a link to the video that was recorded during the East Asia Virtual Meeting. It was a very enthusiastic gathering of 100+ Servas members from every continent but Antarctica. One simple thing I enjoyed during the conference was the opening exercise led by Mei Wang, co Peace Secretary of Servas International. She had the virtual attendees from each Servas group call out their traditional word for "Welcome / Hello" in their language. That word was the put up on the screen transliterated to English for all to see (see image below).