Can Travel Be a Force for Peace? This Tour Leader Thinks So.

And now you’re making use of this method to excursions in america?

I used to stay in Washington, D.C., which is a really segregated metropolis, particularly on a category degree, and I spotted that my pals and I wouldn’t enterprise out of the neighborhoods we already knew. So we began to develop a tour of town, and we received a Republican and a Democrat to colead it. That first journey was unbelievable. Watching the information, you’ll suppose that in the event you put a Republican and a Democrat collectively, they’d simply discuss previous one another. However that wasn’t the case in any respect. Some of the attention-grabbing conversations we had was on a go to to the Heritage Basis, which could be very conservative. A few of the liberal folks within the tour group had by no means had this sort of open dialog with a conservative that wasn’t simply sound bites, however an actual, productive dialog. By the tip of it, the dialogue was about “What’s the answer?” relatively than “You’re doing this improper or that improper.” It was fascinating. And that’s what occurs on our excursions in Israel and Palestine. That’s what occurs in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia.

You spent your childhood in a spot with a protracted historical past of battle. How has that have knowledgeable this work?

I grew up in Jerusalem, however I by no means had an actual dialog with a Jewish-Israeli particular person till I used to be 18 years previous. My brother was killed by being overwhelmed up in jail by Israeli troopers, so I grew up very offended, very a lot with the concept the opposite is evil. After which once I was 18, I made a decision to check Hebrew as a result of I needed to — not as a result of I needed to. Residing in Jerusalem, you may’t survive with out Hebrew. I bear in mind strolling into the category considering, “None of those folks most likely need me to be right here.” And I couldn’t have been extra improper. My Hebrew instructor was essentially the most unbelievable human being. She even tried to talk Arabic to me to make me really feel welcome. And that was the primary time I felt like I used to be handled like a human being by the opposite.

However earlier than that second, I solely knew one narrative of Israel, and plenty of Israelis most likely solely know one narrative of Palestinians: the one they hear within the information.

Is that what you imply if you say that essentially the most troublesome journeys might be those which are closest to dwelling?

I believe it may be a lot simpler to be open to studying about points or issues which are occurring 5 – 6 thousand miles away. Typically once I discuss my work with Syrian refugees, folks will say, “Oh, I want to go and volunteer with Syrian refugees in Jordan or Turkey.” And I ask them, “Have you ever volunteered with Syrian refugees in your individual neighborhood? As a result of if not, you need to begin there, after which perhaps go to Syria.”

We have a tendency to consider journey by way of distance, however I believe journey is mostly a life-style, a mind-set. And in the event you be taught to journey in your individual neighborhood, you’ll be taught to journey if you go overseas. For me, the toughest journey I ever took was going from my dwelling in East Jerusalem to West Jerusalem. It’s only a 15- or 20-minute stroll, however making that journey introduced concerning the largest change for me, as a result of it challenged me essentially the most.

Many individuals wish to calm down after they go on trip. Why ought to they select to go on a difficult, dual-narrative journey?

There’s an assumption that when folks journey, they’re not desirous about studying. And that’s not true. Even surveys inform us it’s not true. Individuals wish to do good as they journey, and they’re in search of tradition and connection. I’ve enjoyable in my travels: I am going see museums, I swim within the ocean, I get pleasure from music, all of that. However that’s not all that I do. I prefer to say that journey is an act of diplomacy: Be a diplomat as you’re touring and exit and meet somebody new and listen to their tales. And it’s a lot enjoyable! It’s the factor that you’ll bear in mind, and that you simply’ll inform folks about if you come again.

Paige McClanahan is the host of The Better Travel Podcast.