@Tania: Thank you so much for connecting on Twitter with us and for leaving such a long comment. Apologies for the delay in responding – we’re just now catching our breath after our visit to Jordan.

It’s interesting to hear how your views have changed since being part of the military and US/Nato foreign policy machine. Having grown up as a kid of diplomats and also working for a public policy organization, I also had certain views that have changed since traveling independently.

I’m not sure that we’ve ever met someone who had never heard of the US, but we have met people who really had no idea about the country or its people. Kind of refreshing and nice to be the first American fact that person meets.

Good luck with your return to school and thanks for following along with our journey!

Yes! I believe we (travelers)do play a big role as informal diplomats through daily cultural exchanges. I am at the end of 3 1/2 years of independent travels after serving 12 years in the Air Force (seven years spent overseas). I am getting ready to return to school and one of my admissions essays was about the importance of being an informal goodwill ambassador abroad and at home.

My views have changed enormously as someone who was once a part of the U.S./NATO foreign policy machine, but now identifies as an independent backpacker/citizen diplomat. Mark Twain cleverly said “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness” which accurately expresses how I’ve evolved through traveling.

While in Burma, I met a monk novice who had never heard of the U.S. My mind was blown to have met someone who had no preconceived notions about the country I am from. Have you had a similar cultural experience?

Tania

p.s. Thank you for following me on Twitter otherwise I may have continued to miss out on your wonderful site. As a travel blog junkie, I’m shocked I’ve never stumbled upon it before. Thank you!

I’ve been very frustrated about the kind of coverage Kyrgyzstan has gotten in the media and blogged about it here, in a series of posts: http://ljcbluemuse.blogspot.com/search/label/kyrgyzstan

My poor readers have probably been confused, since 90% of my posts are about fiction or poetry writing.

And, you are so right when you say that travel allows one to see parts of the world different from your own and relate as individuals, in that universal human way. Travel also makes one challenge your assumptions about your home country and the rest of the world. I am sure you will have many more opportunities to be a citizen diplomat – once you start, it’s hard to stop!

It was the trip of a lifetime for us and for our teenage boys. It was also a precious opportunity to cut through the media hype and political rhetoric on both sides and have individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds interact on the most basic and fundamental level: as individuals.

It also ignited a fierce desire to travel and see the world in both my boys. The world is so much more than most of us ever understand from our narrow viewpoints. Being able to experience a different way of life and to see it as valid and authentic even when it is different than your own, is invaluable.

I hope I can have the opportunity to act as ‘citizen diplomat’ again, because in the end, it enriches my life beyond measure.

Best regards,
Lisa Cohen

It’s great to hear the perspective of fellow American travelers that value the impression 1 person can make in their travels. I’ve been grilled by people, although generally other travelers, about politics, international policies, our health care system, and generally the ideology of Americans, and I love the sharing of ideas. There are so many images around the world that often distort our country’s priorities. In my opinion, there’s a lot of good that can be done, one open traveler at a time.

I’ve been connecting more with the Peace Corps community since participating in the Inaugural Parade, which has brought forth some interesting discussions. Peace Corps Connect was kind enough to let us guest blog about our journey. I’ve also asked for NGO contacts in Central and South America on PC Connect and have gotten some great replies. I’ll try and find you now to connect : )

Also, if you haven’t connected with your former PC community, please so do at….http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org/ Would love to see you contribute!