Crossing Boundaries
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Praise for Crossing Boundaries “Aziz Abu Sarah articulates something I have long believed about travel: that it has the potential to help heal and regenerate the planet not just by protecting nature and cultures but also by promoting un- derstanding and peace. And he rightly reminds us that it’s not more travel we should be after but the right kind of travel—one that treads lightly, highlights multiple perspectives (including traditionally mar- ginalized ones), and fosters personal transformation, which is the key to a better world.” —Norie Quintos, independent tourism consultant and Editor at Large, National Geographic Travel Media “Crossing Boundaries reminds us that travel at its best is so much more than selfies and Instagram moments. It is breaking bread and sharing exotic flavors, powerful conversations, and transformational experiences with strangers who quickly become friends and some- times even family. Whether we’re on a trip across town or an expedi- tion halfway around the world . history, art, food, religion, and politics mean very little without human connection and real conver- sation. Aziz Abu Sarah is a guide in the truest sense of the word, ushering in the powerful new age of experiential travel. Read Cross- ing Boundaries and get off the beaten path to discover your own humanity. Let the adventure begin.” —Mark Bauman, former Senior Vice President, Smithsonian Media “Crossing Boundaries is essential reading for any budding traveler. For an inexperienced traveler, it’s a great handbook of how to navigate your way around the world—from avoiding overtourism hotspots to ensuring you are meeting and interacting with local people during your journey. For an experienced traveler, there are lots of important reminders about traveling safely, but more importantly, this book en- courages you to reassess your travel style, your attitudes, and your behavior. “I really enjoyed Aziz’s book as it reflects Intrepid’s vision, which is to change the way people see the world. Travel is vital to cultural understanding and can go a long way toward limiting conflict and war all over the world.” —Geoff Manchester, cofounder and Director, Intrepid Travel “Brimming with humor and humanity, Aziz Abu Sarah is a perfect tour guide. His philosophy of travel penetrates deeply into intriguing places and unknown cultures, but more importantly, he plumbs the warm and vital depths of the human heart. In this book, you can go there with him without ever leaving home.” —Geraldine Brooks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for March “Long before ‘responsible travel’ became a buzzword, Aziz was show- ing the world what it was. He is a true diplomat for world travel in the very best sense of the word. One of my fondest travel memories was dinner at his home on the West Bank with our Palestinian and Israeli guides. He showed us not only how to travel well but how to find a wonderful common ground in one of the most divided regions of our world. I hope all travelers read this book.” —Jean Newman Glock, travel writer, Top Ten Worldwide Travel Expert (Klout), and CEO, JNG Worldwide CROSSING BOUNDARIES This page intentionally left blank CROSSING BOUNDARIES A Traveler’s Guide to WORLD PEACE AZIZ ABU SARAH Berrett–Koehler Publishers, Inc. Crossing Boundaries Copyright © 2020 by Aziz Abu Sarah All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permis- sion of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. 1333 Broadway, Suite 1000 Oakland, CA 94612-1921 Tel: (510) 817-2277, Fax: (510) 817-2278 www.bkconnection.com Ordering information for print editions Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the “Special Sales Department” at the Berrett-Koehler address above. Individual sales. Berrett-Koehler publications are available through most book- stores. They can also be ordered directly from Berrett-Koehler: Tel: (800) 929- 2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626; www.bkconnection.com Orders for college textbook/course adoption use. Please contact Berrett- Koehler: Tel: (800) 929-2929; Fax: (802) 864-7626. Distributed to the U.S. trade and internationally by Penguin Random House Publisher Services. Berrett-Koehler and the BK logo are registered trademarks of Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. First Edition Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-5230-8855-3 PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-5230-8856-0 IDPF e-book ISBN 978-1-5230-8857-7 Digital audio ISBN 978-1-5230-8858-4 2020-1 Cover design and interior illustration: Nola Burger; Book production and text design: Leigh McLellan Design; Copyeditor: Elissa Rabellino; Proofreader: Mary Hazlewood; Indexer: Ken Dellapenta CONTENTS 1 Travel Is a State of Mind 1 2 The Case for (Responsible) Travel 19 3 What Does Responsible Travel Look Like? 37 4 Diversifying Your Itinerary 53 5 How to Meet People While Traveling 73 6 Avoiding “Voluntourism” and “Poverty Tourism” 89 7 Overcoming Fear, Stereotypes, and Negativity 111 8 Disaster Management 101: When Travel Goes Wrong 125 9 A Woman’s Perspective, by Ellie Cleary 141 10 Fostering Interreligious Exchange through Travel 157 11 Revisiting Historical Narratives 171 12 Resolving Confl ict and the Art of Responsible Travel 185 CONCLUSION: The Case for a Different Kind of Travel 201 Notes 205 Acknowledgments 211 Index 213 About the Author 221 v This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER 1 TRAVEL IS A STATE OF MIND THE FIRST TRIP you take feels the farthest. When I was 18 years old, I had never traveled to a country outside the Middle East. I only spoke Arabic and some broken English. But despite my limited exposure to the world, I was confi dent in my knowledge of it. One day, however, I took what felt like the longest journey of my life: I traveled across town to study Hebrew in West Jerusalem. I had visited the western side of Jerusalem before, but only as a dishwasher at an Israeli café. At the café, I didn’t speak He- brew, and no one really tried to speak to me. I didn’t have any meaningful interactions with Israelis and never felt like I was treated as an equal. For the Israelis, I was the Arab who washed the dishes, and that was as far as our relationship went. I worked and went home. I was just hoping to save money to buy a computer. But the job left me angry, convinced that I had nothing in common with Israelis. 1 2 Crossing Boundaries When I started studying Hebrew, though, that trip from the east to the west of the city became more meaningful. It forced me to explore my own life through the other side. I remember one of the first days walking to my Hebrew class, when sounds of sirens suddenly cut across the skies. The sirens—which you can hear across Israel on Holo- caust Day and Memorial Day (for remembering Israelis killed in the Arab-Israeli conflicts)—caught me off guard. Suddenly, the crowds on Ben Yehuda Street stopped walking and stood still. This was typical for a moment of silence in Israel, but I had no knowledge of it. I freaked out. I tried to ask people on the street what was going on, but they refused to talk—because they’re not supposed to. I was always very into sci-fi books, so my brain went in bizarre directions, scrambling to find an explanation for their odd be- havior. Were they being controlled by aliens? Were they robots? I was less than a 20-minute walk from my house, and I felt like I had been dropped into a completely foreign environment and culture. Later, my Hebrew teacher took the time to explain these moments in which I had felt out of place. In retrospect, I wonder: What had all these Israelis thought, seeing me run around instead of standing still to commemorate the Holocaust? Did they think I was purposely being disrespectful? How much fear and hatred exist between our communities due to ignorance and fear? I was fortunate in that the Hebrew class helped me overcome my fear and acclimate to this new and strange habitat down the street from me. I was the only Palestinian in the class, and it was the first time I had had any real interactions with Jews and Israelis as an equal. I was just another student in the classroom, and we all studied together. For the first time, I was learning about their culture and history. Our teacher had us listen to each other’s music and discuss movies and television. Travel Is a State of Mind 3 Although the class was just across town, going to and from it was an act of traveling, and it profoundly transformed me. Before, I had only seen Israelis as the ones who had killed my brother and shot at me on my way to school. I had never met everyday Israelis, who were just everyday people, living their lives just like me. And this journey occurred just a few minutes from my home. I faced my own ignorance—for example, I learned that not all Jews are Israelis and not all Israelis are Jews. I realized how little I knew, and I was excited to explore this new world. Despite being born with no passport or citizenship, I’ve now traveled to more than 60 countries.