| The first impression of Pablo Chufeni is that he's just a | | | | free learning programs to 18 to 30 year old Servas |
| bundle of energy - Pablo just radiates optimism and | | | | members in 4 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French |
| enthusiasm. He is from Argentina, in his twenties, and | | | | and English.In addition, Pablo is also working on |
| works in a variety of professions, including as a | | | | organizing the first International Servas Youth Meeting |
| professor teaching theatre, and as a TV producer. He | | | | in the Southern Hemisphere. The event is called |
| got his first work experience at a local program of a | | | | "Patagonia 06" and will be held during the 3rd week of |
| developing bank, working with poor teenagers. Beyond | | | | January of 2006. Servas members from all over the |
| these varied work activities, Pablo dedicates a huge | | | | world will be invited to share their experiences of how |
| amount of his time as a volunteer for Servas, and as | | | | to enhance the organization's effectiveness for |
| you will find out soon, he is working on setting up a | | | | promoting peace. Pablo also intends the event to |
| number of exciting international youth initiatives for this | | | | make Servas more dynamic and more accessible to |
| organization.Pablo originally discovered Servas through | | | | young people. He feels there are so many possibilities |
| his uncle. He has had an opportunity to travel to the | | | | of harnessing this international network of like-minded |
| Netherlands, to Belgium, France and England, and he | | | | people for the peaceful development of the |
| credits Servas for making these travels possible since | | | | world.Patagonia 06 will be hosted in the well-known |
| he would otherwise not have been able to visit these | | | | Argentinean resort town of Bariloche and it will be an |
| countries. Servas allowed him to travel cost-effectively | | | | extremely affordable event: The conference program |
| and gave him the opportunity to really get to know | | | | including accommodation and meals will only cost |
| these places.Upon returning from these trips, Pablo | | | | US$160.00. This low cost will allow young people from |
| decided to create a local Servas chapter in Rosario, | | | | all over the world to participate.On a more local level, |
| Argentina's second largest city. Today there are 15 | | | | Pablo hosts "diversity meals", dinners that are intended |
| very active Servas members and the group has | | | | to get more young people involved in Servas. So far |
| already hosted 2 national meetings with people from 5 | | | | he has hosted 4 meals with 4 participants each, and 6 |
| different provinces.Pablo told me of his experiences in | | | | of these people have now become active Servas |
| Montevideo where he met a young Brazilian woman | | | | members, another example of the success of local |
| who wanted to study Spanish. Pablo thought that | | | | outreach programs.Pablo's imagination never rests. In |
| Servas offered a phenomenal international network of | | | | addition to his current projects he is already thinking of |
| open-minded people, and somehow this network could | | | | combining Servas travel with farm work experiences |
| be harnessed in productive ways. He ended up | | | | as well as international job shadowing and internship |
| designing a program for youth to study abroad. This | | | | opportunities. Very soon you'll hear from this whirlwind |
| young Brazilian woman ended up staying a whole | | | | of positive energy himself, how he develops all these |
| month in different Servas member homes in Argentina | | | | creative ideas and finds the time to implement them in |
| while a teacher gave her free Spanish language | | | | his spare-time.Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a |
| lessons. She also had a chance to take tango lessons, | | | | website called Travel and Transitions( Travel and |
| a real introduction to Argentinean culture. This was | | | | Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is |
| enhanced by a scholarship at a theatre arranged by | | | | chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, |
| Pablo, which normally would have cost $700. In return | | | | interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights |
| for this experience, Argentina sent a young Servas | | | | and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and |
| member to Brazil to study Portuguese.This initiative has | | | | many other features. You will also find stories about |
| now expanded, and in addition to Brazil and Argentina, | | | | life and the transitions that we face as we go through |
| Pablo is setting up free youth language exchange | | | | our own personal life-long journeys.Submit your own |
| programs in Mexico and Uruguay, and he is currently | | | | travel stories in our first travel story contest( and have |
| working on expanding the Servas language learning | | | | a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the |
| and cultural exchange experience into Canada and the | | | | Amazon River. |
| United States. All in all, this program will be able to offer | | | | |