My wife and I recently returned from taking our grandson to Istanbul and the ancient cities of Ephesus, Aphrodisia, and Aspendos. It renewed my belief in why it is so important to visit other countries and older cultures.
Beyond the stimulation of seeing amazing places like a 2000 year old Roman theater that is still used today or the magnificent Blue Mosque, experiencing other cultures enriches your life.
By visiting other cultures, you learn things you would not likely not ever learn and hear perspectives that you don’t hear at home. From this learning, I come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the Middle East countries and why some countries take stances that previously didn’t make sense to me. Without knowing the history of bloodshed between the Turks and the Greeks, and the Kurds, and the Armenians, you can’t understand the challenge of crafting solutions. As I began to learn this history, I realized in a new way that history is not just about dates of empires, great battles, or heroic leaders. History is much more about the experiences of the people and how that experience shapes their perceptions, fears, goals, and stances on issues today such as the presence of US bases, the Iraq war, and so many others.
Unless you have some understanding of the history and intensity of the Sunni – Shia conflicts over the centuries, it is impossible to understand what is happening in Iraq, Iran, or Lebanon. RECOMMENDATION: In my preparation, I learned an enormous amount about current Middle East struggles from a brilliant analyst, Vali Nasr. His book entitled, THE SHIA REVIVAL, is a MUST READ if you want to know “the why” behind what is happening today in Iraq and Iran and what has to take place if there is any chance for a solution.
By visiting older cultures, you begin to discern the wisdom their civilizations have drawn from their rich and long history. You can learn strategies and tactics such as how Alexander the Great was able to defeat armies much bigger than his or how the Romans “air-conditioned” their cities long before electricity. I even learned some new sales strategies.
Perhaps most importantly, I come away with a new respect for older cultures that created significant advances in science, military strategy, and architecture that we use today and for a people who have much to offer us in the future.
If you are planning a trip to Turkey, I would be happy to share information on hotels, tours, and things to see. Just send me an e-mail.