We had just returned from Turkey a few months earlier and had fallen in love with the land and the people. It wasn t always easy, but it was always deeply rewarding, creating memories and bonds among us that will last a lifetime. In Turkey, we were touched at the ways in which our daughters provided a connection to the people, a bridge to the culture and society. Now we realized that many of the people we met, laughed with and with whom we stayed up late drinking tea and discussing the problems of the world were dead or homeless, and certainly grieving for their losses. Plan your trip for Turkey for next year and help their economy as they struggle to rebuild.
Many parents have a healthy curiosity about other parts of the world.
Greece, Russia or the United Kingdom may not be on your family s immediate travel agenda, but that doesn t preclude the possibility of going to one of these countries some day or just wanting to know something about them, such as how people bring up their children or how they celebrate birthdays. Turkey, a much misunderstood country, has very strong family traditions and values. Sadly, the only images many Americans have seen from Turkey are those associated with pain and destruction. We wanted to present another snapshot of this fascinating and beautiful country that so few of us know anything about. It s twice the size of New York and is remarkably free of crime safer, perhaps, than most major American cities.