Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

Most of us have at least a couple of friends in far-flung corners of the world who don’t mind if we crash on their couch for a few days. But wouldn’t it be fantastic to have friends like that in every country you visit? As it turns out, you do—you just haven’t met them yet.

They are members of an organization called Servas, founded in 1949 by peace activist Bob Luitweiler. They’ll put you up for two nights and share a meal with you, all free of charge. All they ask in return is the chance to get to know you a little.

Here in Japan, Servas has about 300 members, both Japanese and foreign. Long-time member Sachiko Nakagome took the time to talk with Metropolis about the organization and her experiences as a Servas traveler and host.

“I found out about it from a friend,” says Nakagome, who joined more than ten years ago. “It sounded interesting, so I stayed with a Servas host when I went to New Zealand.” The experience convinced her to get more involved. She has now visited several countries through Servas, and plays host to travelers about three times a year.

However, Nakagome is quick to point out that Servas is not really about having a free place to stay. The organization’s philosophy is based on the idea that cultural exchange and seeing the “real life” in a host country are the seeds of tolerance and understanding. Your purpose for traveling to a particular region must have merit beyond a general interest, because Servas doesn’t accept just anyone.

In order to join the organization, prospective members must pass an interview with a regional coordinator, who will size you up in terms of your trustworthiness, ability to be a cultural ambassador, and motivations for international travel. If you pass, you’ll receive a letter of introduction from Servas and access to the individual country’s host books. To cover costs, there is a ¥3,000 fee each for the letter and the book.

The host book provides contact information for Servas members and a bit of info about their interests and personal situations. After that, it’s up to you to contact them and work out the dates and terms of your stay. Of course, hosts are not required to accept everyone who contacts them. If they’re busy or don’t think the traveler would be a good match, they are free to refuse.

Generally speaking, guests are expected to give the host a small gift from their home country, be respectful of a host’s time and property, pay for their phone and internet use, and help out around the house.

“Helping makes for a good relationship between the host and traveler,” explains Nakagome, who adds that by choosing people with similar hobbies and interests, members are more likely to hit it off in the short time they’ll have together. But even if the match isn’t a good one, it’s not a big deal. “It’s only three days, and then it’s finished,” she says with a shrug.

Nakagome recounts her all-time favorite experience with Servas. After she missed a bus in Barcelona and got robbed at the station, her host flew to the rescue, reading the bus company the riot act for their confusing signs and writing an explanation of the robbery in Spanish so Nakagome could get a police report for her insurance company.

“She was so angry,” she recalls. “Even more than me!” And of course, the host stayed until her guest was safely ensconced on the next bus. That was more than three years ago, and the two women remain good friends.

Nowadays, Nakagome doesn’t have a lot of opportunities to go overseas, so she more frequently plays the role of host. But she’s not complaining. “I cannot travel,” she says, “but travelers come to my house and I can communicate with the world.”

To find out more about Servas, see http://joomla.servas.org.