Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
h is book isn't a preachy political treatise. (At least, I hope it isn't.)
Since I'm a travel writer at heart, this topic is heavy on travel tales and
people-to-people connections. My premise is that thoughtful travel comes
with powerful lessons. With this topic, I hope to inspire others to travel
more purposefully.
I'll draw conclusions throughout...not always coni dent that I'm right.
My goal is not to be “right” all the time, but to learn with an open mind, to
consider new solutions to old problems, to come home and look more hon-
estly into the mirror, and to become involved in helping our society confront
its challenges more wisely.
By the nature of this topic, you'll get a lot of my opinions. My opinions
are shaped by who I am. Along with being a traveler, I'm a historian, Chris-
tian, husband, parent, carnivore, musician, capitalist, minimalist, member of
NORML, and a workaholic. I've picked up my progressive politics (and my
favorite ways to relax) largely from the people I've met overseas. And I seem to
end up teaching everything I love: history, music, travel...and now, politics.
Your opinions will dif er from mine because we draw from dif erent life
experiences. As a writer, I'll try not to abuse my bully pulpit. Still, rather than
take the edge of of my opinions, I'll share them with the knowledge that
good people will respectfully disagree with each other. I've always marveled
at how passionate I am when my Dad and I disagree on some political issue.
He's my l esh and blood. Often his political assessment of something will
exasperate me. I love him—but how can he possibly believe these things?
While I don't necessarily want him to change his mind, I want him to
understand my perspective. Sharing it with him consumes me. In writing
this topic, I've discovered a similar passion. I want to share what I've learned
with my fellow Americans...because I consider us all part of one big family.
And I assume that you're reading this topic for the same reason that I wrote
it: because we both care.
In the following chapter, I lay out the framework—the fundamental
skills—that have helped me open up my perspective. h en we'll travel
together to seven very dif erent destinations. By the time we return home,
I hope that—as on any good trip—we'll have a richer understanding of
our world.
