“Look”, I said excitedly to an Iranian young man next to me pointing the name on the cover of a book I had with me, “this person had been trying to visit Iran but so far, unfortunately, without success.”
I was talking to a PhD student on agriculture at a university in Malaysia in Qatar Airways. We boarded into the same aircraft from Kuala Lumpur to Doha, Qatar. This fellow student was on the way home to Iran to do his two months research in his family farming land where they also have hundreds of cows and thousand of apple trees. I myself was on my way back to Hartford, US.
I also used the same airlines on the way to Kuala Lumpur. Next to me was also an Iranian, a kind father in his early 60s. Together with his wife and daughters, they were on the way to Malaysia to visit the son who now studies there.
It was my first time to flight with Qatar Airways through Doha directing to Asia. I learned that many of the passengers were students not only from the Middle East but also from Africa. It was about the same on the way back to the US through Doha again. Many of the passengers were students from Middle East and Africa who study in Malaysia.
The book I showed to my fellow passenger is Crossing the Gods, World Religions and Worldly Politics by NJ Demerath III. At Hartford Seminary, we used this book last Fall at one of the class I took: World Religions and Worldly Politics: Church/State Relations Around the World.The writer himself came to our class last December. Thanks to him! It was one of the best times at Hartford Seminary, to have NJ Demerath gave a lecture to do with his book and what’s going on later on around the globe in matter of religion and politics in relation to church/state.
I like a scholar like Demerath. He himself traveled to many countries including Indonesia. At the time when we had him at Hartford Seminary, I said, how I wish that the citizens of the world can travel in freedom or in an easier way. In reality, as many of us know, people from some countries find it difficult to go to other countries. Those from Middle East such as Iran can find it difficult to enter some countries in Europe or North America. Demerath then said that he himself had been trying to visit Iran but to no avail. I was not really aware that the citizens of America could find it difficult to enter another country in the world such as Iran, but then, after I got to talk with two Iranians for my long hours flight, I understood.
I like to travel. In the last ten years I have been to many countries. I have been to several countries in Africa and Europe. This is my third time to live in the US. In Asia, I have been to the neighborhood countries as well. My deep respect to my fellows no matter from which country she/he is who travel, especially those who like to travel so that she/he can see another world other than her/his own.
To travel is to experience. It is a lot different with only reading any information or watching other culture and people through mass media.
Those who value experience are those who likely learn to being humbler. In my traveling, I entrust myself into the caring of the people either I know them already or I have yet to know.
I am a citizen of the world. For me, any land where I set my feet is holy. The whole earth is sacred. I consider all part of the earth as my home. I feel at home in all countries I have been to and my heart says that I feel the same to those I will be visiting or staying. I belong to this sacred earth and I have the right to walk around the globe with respect and love beyond any limitations set up by each country for some reasons.***
