At the time (May 2006) I was the Executive Director of the South Coast Interfaith Council, based in Long Beach, with a membership of 140 faith communities including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Baha’i, Unitarian and others.
“That’s random”, my daughter continued. And, indeed, it seemed so for me at first, because I didn’t know that much about Turkey. But as I started to read about its Christian and Muslim history, its East-West connection and its rich culture, as well as the teachings of Fethullah Gulen concerning dialog and understanding, it seemed a perfect destination. The trip did not disappoint at all. It was a “once in a lifetime” experience for me and I will always be grateful to Pacifica Institute for the unique opportunity.
“What was the highlight of the trip?” I’m frequently asked. All of us who went agreed that it was meeting the people, eating with them, visiting in their homes, schools and places of work, talking with them.
Yes, it was wondrous touring the sights in Istanbul including the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Sultan.s Palace and a Bosphorus Boat Tour. We also went to Izmir, Antalya, Konya, Nigde, Pamukkale and the fascinating Capadocia. We saw beautiful beaches and mosques, put our feet in hot springs and went into deep rock caves.
We ate large portions of fantastic food wherever we went. I remember particularly the lentil soup, lamb and fish dishes, dolma, fresh fruits and baklava. Breakfast included every manner of bread, jams, olives, cheeses, cereals, eggs. One meal we ate was actually in a restaurant in a tree. And with every meal, and at every stop, there was tea. We were even served tea when our mini-bus would stop at a gas station!
Even so, it was the people who made the biggest impression. Kindness, generosity and hospitality were the characteristics of the Muslim families and individuals we met. One family I ate with in their home was a very conservative family, where the women were completely veiled and ate in a separate room, but embraced us warmly and took pictures with us when we left. Another family I ate with was a wealthy family in a single family home. The grandmother was fully robed; the mother wore a sequined head scarf and the teenage daughter, no scarf at all.
I was interested in why some women wore scarves and some didn.t. I was surprised that it was illegal to wear scarves when working in government offices or going to school. That made no sense to me. The women I talked with clearly stated that it was their choice to wear a scarf as a reminder of their relationship with God, not something required by their husbands.
A few topics seemed to be off limits: politics, the relationship with Kurds (we did have one Kurd as a guide) and the Armenians. But there was much else to discuss, including parenting and how they were inspired by Gulen.
I was inspired myself to write a “silly song” to the tune of “By the Sea” to thank our PI hosts. The refrain goes “By the sea, by the Sea, by the beautiful Sea, in Tur-key, in Tur-key, Oh, how happy we’ll be.”
…
“Christians here, Muslims there, we have all become friends, As we learn of the work of the famous Gulen.”
“Homes are open, so are hearts. We have all been welcomed. “Tesekkur Ederim, Seni Seviyorum.”