| I had a chance to meet Helga recently at the Servas | | | | many people from what countries have you hosted? |
| Conference that I covered in Vancouver. Once you | | | | In your opinion, what is special about traveling |
| read Helga's story you'll realize why she has been | | | | through Servas? |
| included in a recent book called "Women Who Rock", | | | | My children were still teenagers when on a Sunday |
| featuring the stories of women who have made | | | | afternoon hike I met a "little old lady traveling with a |
| outstanding contributions to business, sports or | | | | knapsack"* who told me about Servas. It sounded |
| community endeavours. | | | | interesting, but I did not have the time or money to |
| Originally from East Germany, Helga escaped to the | | | | travel myself, so I decided to become a host and let |
| West in 1963 and came to New York City a few | | | | travelers come to me. Several years later, having |
| years later. Without much help, she raised three | | | | hosted dozens of people from many different |
| children, completed a university degree and | | | | countries, I became really eager to travel myself. |
| successfully established herself in the United States. | | | | If it had not been for Servas, I do not know |
| Helga has volunteered for a variety of non-profit | | | | whether I ever would have had the courage to visit |
| organizations, inspired others to get active by running | | | | other countries on my own. But once I started, it |
| marathon races and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to | | | | quickly became a fascination and my urge to travel |
| raise funds to help African women start their own | | | | was dampened only by financial constraints and the |
| small businesses. Here is Helga's fascinating story: | | | | brief annual vacation employees receive in the US. |
| 1. Please tell us about your background. Where are | | | | During the 20 years I have been a Servas member I |
| you from, where did you grow up? | | | | have hosted hundreds of people and traveled to |
| I grew up in a country that does not exist anymore, | | | | more than 50 countries, visiting Servas people |
| East Germany. Life was not much fun after WWII | | | | whenever possible. |
| and it did not improve when the communists took | | | | There are 15000 Servas hosts in 135 countries, and |
| over in 1948. Since I lived close to West Berlin, there | | | | even though it may not always be feasible to stay |
| was the constant reminder that life can be different. | | | | with them or they may not be available at the time, |
| In those of us, who were not willing to resign | | | | every visit is enriching in some way. Every traveler |
| ourselves to the limitations of the communist regime, | | | | coming into my home has something special about |
| it fostered a rebellion and the urge to throw off the | | | | him or her and I will always make an effort to have |
| chains. | | | | a meaningful encounter. |
| 2. You left East Germany in 1963, 2 years after the | | | | Vice versa, when I visit people in other countries, I |
| Berlin Wall was erected. Please tell us about your | | | | like to find out what their life is like, what are their |
| escape from East Germany. | | | | concerns, what do we have in common and how can |
| When the Wall was built it became nearly impossible | | | | we relate and help each other. In doing so, I believe |
| to leave the country. If caught, the penalty for | | | | that we are fostering understanding and tolerance. |
| escaping from East Germany at the time was 6 | | | | Often we are inspired and motivated to take actions |
| years in prison. But I was single with no binding | | | | in peace building on the grassroots level. A network |
| obligations, so I was willing to take a chance. I | | | | of Servas members worldwide helps in that effort. |
| scouted out several possibilities and finally got onto a | | | | * (Sandy Cherry was listed in the host list with that |
| train which passed locked thru East Germany, | | | | quote. She lived in California, and I met her years |
| stopped in East Berlin to let on foreigners and went | | | | later at one of our national Servas meetings in |
| to West Berlin before being locked again for the | | | | Boston.) |
| second passage thru East Germany to West | | | | 5. Please tell us about your 3 favorite or most |
| Germany. I hid in the train and saw the border police | | | | memorable hosting experiences with Servas. |
| passing by inches away from me. Destiny must have | | | | One of my earliest encounters began in California |
| been on my side because the police did not detect | | | | where I met a lovely young woman from Australia |
| me and I made it to West Berlin. | | | | who was somewhat reluctant to come to 1980s |
| The beginning in West Berlin was not easy since I | | | | crime-ridden New York, or so it was perceived as in |
| had nothing, knew nobody and the official help | | | | those days. I encouraged her to visit me and of |
| offered was barely enough to get one outfit to go | | | | course she loved it. Short after, she wrote to me |
| on a job search. Well, I did get a job, found an | | | | that her parents also wanted to come to New York |
| apartment and basically was on my way. | | | | and asked to find a place for them to stay. Naturally |
| 3. A few years after you left East Germany you | | | | I invited them into my home, even though they |
| came to the United States, to New York City. Please | | | | were not with Servas. They were in the States for |
| tell us about the first few years in the United States. | | | | the first time and instead of doing the usual |
| Now that I was free to make my own decisions, the | | | | sightseeing in New York, they visited a relative of a |
| opportunity arose to come to the United States. The | | | | friend of theirs in the hospital, because he had |
| fact that I did not speak any English did not deter | | | | nobody else who cared about him. I was very |
| me. Indeed, it did make it a bit more difficult, but | | | | impressed by their humanitarian action and |
| challenges are there to make us grow. | | | | selflessness. |
| I took a job as a domestic, learned English as quickly | | | | During the first year as a host I was not sure of |
| as I could, made friends and a year later started | | | | what precisely hosting entailed. An elderly gentleman |
| working in an office. Soon after, I married an | | | | came to visit who had just discovered Servas and |
| American and we had three children during the next | | | | thought it was a marvelous invention. He obviously |
| five years. By that time my husband decided he did | | | | had his own agenda that had nothing to do with the |
| not want a family after all and I was single again. Life | | | | Servas spirit. After smoking up my apartment for |
| became challenging once more. To feed the children, | | | | three days, I asked him whether he was going to |
| I had to go on welfare for a while. But I also | | | | stay with anyone else in New York. His answer was, |
| attended school, and as soon as I had an associate | | | | that he liked it here and that he felt just like at |
| degree I started to work again. This time I took a | | | | home. I did not have the courage to tell him it was |
| job at a major financial institution and stayed with | | | | time to leave and he stayed another three days. |
| them for more than 20 years in a variety of | | | | For the Millennium Forum in 2000, Servas hosts in |
| positions. Along the way I acquired specialized | | | | New York were asked to volunteer hosting UN |
| computer skills that allowed me to support my | | | | delegates of NGOs who often do not receive enough |
| children thru college. My daughter graduated from | | | | funding. I was privileged to host Muborak Sharipova |
| Harvard Law School and works for International | | | | from Tajikistan who knew nothing about Servas. As |
| Development. My son attended Fordham University | | | | a sociologist, Muborak had lived the Servas spirit all |
| and lives in New York with his Ecuadorian wife. Both | | | | her life, becoming a member of Servas was just a |
| of them are recognized and respected graffiti artists, | | | | logical extension of what she was doing all along. We |
| famous for murals in their neighborhood, the City and | | | | now have a close relationship and I am happy to help |
| around the world. | | | | her in more ways than one whenever she comes to |
| 4. How and when did you hear about Servas? What | | | | New York. |
| countries have you traveled to through Servas? How | | | | |