Where I've been

I recently returned from a cruise that took me through the Eastern Mediterranean starting in Civitavecchia, Italy about an hour away from Rome, Italy. The first stop on my journey was in Napoli, Italy and the amazing scenery of Sorrento and Capri. My second stop in Athens, Greece was tense with rioting and disgruntled citizens but nonetheless a historically rich experience. My third stop was Kusadasi, turkey as well as the nearby city of Ephesus found in the Bible. My fourth stop was Rhodes Island, Greece, an island full of history from cultures throughout the Mediterranean. Next was the port of Alexandria in Egypt where we made the three-hour trek to Cairo to learn about a history that dates back 5,000 years. The last stop was the city of Messina in Sicily, Italy, where I had breathtaking views of magnificent castles and architecture that littered the Island. After disembarking the ship we spent two days touring the magnificent Rome, Italy where are many of the treasures of the ancient world can be admired.

At every stop my family had a personal tour guide and driver that gave us a first hand introduction to the local culture. The insights they gave us finally gave me the vision I needed to see the world in the all its glory. I finally saw what so many people throughout the world have the ability to see, but my upbringing had made it nearly impossible for me to grasp. Stuck inside the media sea of the United States it is hard to see the rest of the world. I always dreaded the idea of living in China because of all the media restrictions the government enforces on the citizens of China, but after spending weeks watching only BBC channels I was able to see that Americans face similar restrictions, I don’t want this to turn this a political blog, I just want to acknowledge the fact that America has media restrictions that are surprisingly similar to the ridiculed Chinese restrictions.

I love the world. I have yet to find a country that has not left a permanent mark on my heart. I love the discovery of priceless wonders found within each culture. My attempt over the next few weeks will be to describe in detail how each country I’ve visited has affected me, the discoveries I have made, and the wonders each culture has to offer. My discussion is intended to describe the people and the culture and refrain from politics since that could be entirely different discussion. The world is a mystifying place that is an adventure to explore and understand and this is where I will begin my own process of learning about the cultures that surround us.