by Neil Mooney & Vallerie Chun
For decades, my business and personal travels took me across five continents, immersing me in diverse cultures and forging deep connections. Yet, it wasn’t until my recent journey through France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany as a two-year newbie member of this organization that I truly grasped the magic of travel with Servas. Over twelve nights, my partner Valerie Chun and I, both from Tallahassee, Florida, embarked on an adventure that transcended sightseeing. We traveled with purpose, anchored in meaningful human connections.
Our trip was a balance of stays with four Servas hosts and at three Airbnb's. This allowed us to experience both local hospitality and independent exploration. The generosity and warmth we encountered from our hosts reinforced the organization’s mission of fostering peace through cultural exchange.
Our first hosts, a couple in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, reached out just before our departure, asking for our arrival details. This was surprising, as we had never received their accommodation offer. Nevertheless, their enthusiasm was undeterred, and they insisted we cancel our hotel booking to stay with them instead. Their hospitality exceeded all expectations.
We arrived early after a long flight into Frankfurt. They welcomed us with a cheese, sausage, and German bread luncheon feast before leading us on an 8-kilometer walk through their historic town. Dinner that evening was another spectacular affair, featuring homegrown ingredients and organic produce from a farm where they volunteer. Conversation stretched late into the night, covering everything from culture to politics to gardening. The next morning, after yet another lavish meal, they pressed three bottles of homemade jam into our hands as parting gifts. With warm hugs, we set off for the Vosges region of France and returned late that night to another welcoming German home in the Saarland.
Visiting a WWII concentration camp in the Vosges provided a poignant reminder of the very purpose behind Servas—promoting peace and understanding across borders. Later that day, our Saarland Servas hosts welcomed us into a beautiful home they had partially built themselves, complete with wooden floors, walls, and ceilings. Though their work commitments limited their time with us, we shared a memorable two evenings, cooking them a Southern U.S. Gulf of Mexico classic— seafood and grits. It was a delightful exchange of cultures over home-cooked food.
After a few days of independent travel in France, we arrived in Lille, where another extraordinary Servas experience awaited. Our hosts, equally as generous as our German friends, treated us to a “simple” French peasant meal—steak in cream sauce served over magnificent pomme frites, fresh bread, and an incredible cheese platter for dessert. During dessert they shared their emphatic commitment to Servas’ mission of peace promotion. The next day, they joined us on an extensive walking tour of Lille’s historic center.
They then invited us to observe a Servas interview for two prospective new members—an exceptionally talented multiracial and multilingual couple about to embark on a 15-month world journey. Valerie and I are a multiracial couple too, so diversity certainly abounded. The interview unfolded in a unique way: musically. The couple were buskers, and for the first time Valerie and I sang in French. In return, we were encouraged to perform a Woody Guthrie song. The musical exchange lasted over an hour, embodying the spirit of cultural integration that Servas nurtures.
The following morning, with heartfelt double-cheek kisses all around, we set off for Belgium, en route to our final Servas stop in Limburg, Netherlands. Our Dutch host had planned an unforgettable day, balancing history, adventure, and cuisine. We toured monastic schools and breweries, explored an underground coal mine, visited two different centuries-old bakeries, and dined on dishes from the former Dutch colonies. The legacy of war was prominent in Limburg as well, where Germany’s Siegfried Line’s dragon’s teeth presented a stark contrast to France’s Maginot Line in Alsace-Lorraine.
The remainder of our trip took us through Belgium, Luxembourg, and additional German cities, but it was our Servas encounters that truly defined our journey. These experiences were not just highlights; they were the heart and soul of our adventure. Servas has shown Valerie and me a new way to travel—not just as visitors, but as participants in a global community dedicated to peace and cultural understanding. After all these years, I can’t help but ask: Servas, where have you been all my life?
