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Buenos Aires, Argentina.  “At first we thought of the network would only be for students,” Marta Abarratequi, FEVA’s secretary explained to EuskalKultura.com. “It is very common for students who have graduated from high school to travel to the larger cities to enroll in university, and being uprooted like that can be very difficult for them.  Sometimes they feel alone because they are missing their family and friends, and to have a place where they feel welcomed and where they can meet their peers and do things that they used to do in their club offers them a great opportunity to integrate and adapt to their new surroundings.  And we feel that this place can justifiably be the Basque club.” Abarrategui said. 

But after sharing and discussing the project, it grew to include other beneficiaries, including those who have to move between cities for work.  “This is something that we see very often in Arrecifes (Argentinean city).  It is normal for people to have to travel to La Plata and it would be good if they knew ahead of time, for example, where to stay,” she added. 

The proposal has been accepted and for it to work two pieces of information need to be linked.  On the one hand, the traveler’s information is needed, specifically, name, age, destination, potential housing in the new location, email address, telephone, if traveling for work or study, or other reasons, and Basque club affiliation.  This information will then be forwarded by FEVA to the Basque club that corresponds to that traveler’s destination. 

The traveler will then receive information on restaurants, hotels, and businesses associated with each Basque club to create a database.  In this case, businesses that may be able to participate will also be asked for their information: name, address, telephone or email, and if they offer any specials to Basque club members, discounts for example. 

The network that is created will be very useful for travelers but will also serve to strengthen ties of friendship and solidarity between the Basque clubs.