The Adventure Begins!

This could be the beginning of a love affair.

In four days, I leave on a 10-day trip to Turkey with three of my colleagues at Santa Monica College as part of a cultural and interfaith goodwill tour that will offer keen insight into a fascinating nation. The journey is part of SMC's groundbreaking Global Citizenship Initiative and is sponsored by the nonprofit Pacifica Institute, based in L.A.

This will be no ordinary journey (during which I will be blogging). Yes, we will have the opportunity to soak in the rich history, the magnificent mosques, the stunning scenery, the delectable cuisine, the legendary hospitality, and the mystery and wonder of a country that has come to symbolize the meeting of East and West.

But this trip will be more: a chance to stay with families, visit schools and universities, have a dialogue with journalists and writers. We're embarking on an adventure at an interesting time: the political landscape is shifting in a country that is right behind India and China as among the fastest growing economies in the world. Turkey is working to repair relations with Israel in the wake of Israel's attack on an aid flotilla in international waters last month. The world is paying attention.

Pacifica does not just want its guests to get the casual visitor experience. Nor is its goal political. The organization wants "to promote cross-cultural awareness to attain peace and diversity and help establish a better society where individuals love, respect and accept each other as they are."

I would take it one step further by borrowing from Margaret Mead who said, "Knowledge of one other culture sharpens our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly, our own."

And so, this journey is a gift.

And so, this is why I think this might be the beginning of a love affair with Turkey.

I can tell you one thing for sure: I already have a crush.