By Tys Sniffen

Sometimes when you're traveling, there are situations where the classic Servas hospitality won't work. Sometimes you can't spend two nights in one place, sometimes you find that you're traveling with a larger group, sometimes maybe your family is more particular.

Photo at Left: Linh, (Servas Vietnam day host), my wife Melissa, my daughter Amelia, me, and Linh's daughter, on a hot night in a Hanoi street.

I have found that my 11-year-old will claim she needs to have a pool when we go somewhere warm, and so it's not always possible to stay with Servas hosts. Sometimes you might find that you're traveling in a place where the economic disparities are such that you don't feel comfortable leaning on the hospitality of someone who doesn't have the same resources you do.

This is where the DAY HOST concept works so well! My family's recent trip to Vietnam had the opportunity to include meeting up two different families who were DAY HOSTs. Our first hosts met us at a very typical yet upscale Vietnamese restaurant in an interesting part of Hanoi. We would not have gone there on our own as tourists. We tasted some amazing Vietnamese dishes including every part of a chicken cooked five different ways. It was lovely to spend time with this family whose 4-year-old even spoke a few words of English.

At the tail end of our trip, we managed to connect with a lovely Servas day host and her two daughters.  We went for a very typical meal on a busy sidewalk. The food was delicious and unique. They topped that by taking us to a secret dessert shop which, even as an expert traveler who loves desserts, I never would have realized was a place that sold amazing sweets. We got to try many different desserts and talked about cultures, languages, and even a little about politics.

If you find yourself traveling internationally and aren't finding hosts who can accommodate you on your dates or are traveling with circumstances that don't let you plug into the typical stay, make sure to learn about Day Hosts! Having someone who is willing to spend an afternoon or evening with you and show you around and be your friend is priceless!