By staying open-minded, the sight of mosques throughout Istanbul no longer give me angst. All I see is the architectural representation of faithful people who I experienced to be both passionate and peaceful.
Staying open-minded is one of the most important things you can be, whether it’s when you’re traveling, or when you’re encountering people even in familiar territory. On my most recent trip, which included visiting the nation of Turkey for the first time, I realized how important staying open-minded really is.
My partner and I travel frequently, most often to Europe. So we always felt like we lived up to staying open-minded with relative ease. But, in the days leading up to this most recent trip, I was expressing my apprehensions. As a gay and Jewish man, how would I be received in Turkey? Would I be safe? In an effort to staying open-minded, I acknowledged those concerns, and “packed a full bag” of curiosity.