When I was 12 years old, I made an unlikely friend from halfway across the world. It was the middle of July, and my mother and I were about to take an overnight train from Paris to Madrid. I had never spent the night on a train before, so I was ecstatic to embark on my new adventure. As we walked along the crowded, noisy platform, my mom explained we would be sharing a room with other people. I wasn’t worried; if anything, I was excited to meet someone from a different country.
We boarded the sleeper train and made our way down the narrow hallway in search of our cabin number. When we found it, we opened the door to a cozy room with two sets of bunk beds and a window. A young woman was seated on one of the beds. She was wearing a black and gold hijab and a long dress that went down to her feet and covered her arms. She smiled, waved to us and started to speak in Spanish, which my mom and I hardly spoke. We attempted to introduce ourselves, but quickly realized she didn’t speak English. My mom gestured and said “America,” and the woman responded, “Türkiye.” We put our luggage up on the shelf and sat on the bed across from her. Before long, we were smiling, nodding and laughing, all without speaking a word of the same language. Through pictures and gestures, we deduced that she was from Turkey and traveling to Spain to visit family. Despite our language barrier, the girl and I connected in an instant. We stayed up late giggling and wandering around the train together until it was time to go to bed, and even then we couldn’t stop talking. It was like I had found a long-lost sister.
When the train pulled into Madrid the next morning, we packed our things and said our goodbyes. As I was walking out the door, she stopped me, reached into her purse, and pulled out an intricate bracelet made of black and white beads. She motioned for me to put it on and said, “Para ti.” We hugged and went our separate ways. I wore that bracelet for months; it was my favorite souvenir of the trip.
That was the summer of 2013. The world feels like a different place now, perhaps because I’m older and more aware of news and events. Terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists have become a regular occurrence in Europe and around the globe. In the United States, we have had attacks and hate crimes against Muslims. People are divided and polarized over cultural, political and religious differences. I see it in social media, and I hear it in everyday conversation. I sometimes wonder if being confined to a train cabin for hours would help people find common ground and understand each other better. If they could communicate honestly, rather than rush to judgment based on limited information or appearances, maybe their differences would be valued rather than feared.
When I think about that train ride, I feel somewhat enlightened because I wasn’t afraid to trust a stranger, who happened to be a Muslim girl, and the result was a genuine human connection that essentially nullified our differences. I don’t know if I would be as instantly comfortable in the same situation today, but I like to think that I would because that’s how peace begins.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
0 Replies to “Peace Train”
Comment on this article
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I love you, CJ!!
Thank you for sharing with us, I think this website truly stands out : D.
I will right away snatch your rss feed as I can not in finding your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me realize so that I may subscribe. Thanks.
Saved as a favorite, I love your blog!
Hello There. I found your weblog the usage of msn. That is an extremely neatly written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read extra of your useful info. Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.
Great job on this post! Kudos to the writer for delivering such a top-notch piece!
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up
plus the rest of the site is also really good.
Good day! This post couldn’t be written any better!
Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate!
He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him.
Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog.
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest
but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later.
All the best
I loved Japan before I visited there– loved their video games, TV shows, martial arts, and amazing sword fights. But my only contact with Japan was through the Internet. Reading Japanese comic books (Manga) and watching Japanese cartoons (Anime) are my favorite pastime. So on Christmas day, when my parents gave me a book about Japanese culture, I was happy. When I opened the book and discovered the plane tickets inside, I was ecstatic.
In preparation for the trip, we took Japanese language lessons from a private tutor. By the time the trip rolled around I was eager to practice my new skills.
After landing in Narita airport, our first stop was the Zen Bed and Breakfast in Asakusa, Tokyo. My formal Japanese greeting impressed the owners. In the mornings, we had breakfast with them. I had never had rice and soup for breakfast before. Being a very picky eater, I rarely try anything new. But in Japan, I was determined to try everything. These home cooked breakfasts were the best meals we had on our trip.
Very good article! We are linking to this great post on our site.
Keep up the great writing.
Nice!
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful if you continue this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Awesome post.
Hi there! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here
on this post. I will be coming back to your
web site for more soon.
The article on My Family Travels about Galveston being a great destination for family reunions is informative and inspiring. It highlights the various attractions and activities in Galveston that make it an ideal choice for bringing families together. From the beautiful beaches and historic sites to the family-friendly accommodations and dining options, Galveston offers something for everyone. The article also provides practical tips and suggestions for planning a successful family reunion, including recommendations for group activities and accommodations. The personal anecdotes and experiences shared by the author add a relatable touch and make the article engaging to read. If you’re considering organizing a family reunion, this article will certainly give you valuable insights and ideas for creating memorable moments with your loved ones in Galveston.
Great post.
I read this piece of writing fully about the difference of most recent
and previous technologies, it’s awesome article.
Excellent post – thank you – there is a lot to digest. We did the Alsace tour last year, which was fantastic, to tour the Rhine too. It is stunning in summer, which I hadn’t anticipated – I’ve always seen it in photos, beautiful in winter with the snow all around.
Great article. I took some ideas for a trip to Cambodia.
I always admire reading high-quality content, which I discovered in your post. I am quite grateful for this post.
I would also recommend other Kids friendly vacation safaris in Africa so that you can explore more areas
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Many thanks
Awsome! Thank you for sharing.
A cruise like this is fantastic, taking in many beautiful ports and coasts, but what it misses, is the vast amount of country and culture that is further inland. While the coastal areas of Europe are stunning, a family would be missing out on a lot of experiences further inland, like Toulouse, lakes of Croatia and many more
Thankyou for this terrific post, I am glad I observed this website on yahoo.
We absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to
be exactly I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content for you?
I wouldn’t mind producing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write regarding here.
Again, awesome web log!
Respect to post author, some fantastic information
Do you have any video of that? I’d love to find out more details.
Wonderful blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo
News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there!
Thanks
bookmarked!!, I like yor website!
When we travel on road trips, getting our cars maintained is always our top priority! It’s never predictable what’s going to happen on the road once our car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. It was a very informative read, as well as the tips that followed!
If you make it out to Key West, definitely try to eat at El Siboney Restaurant. They have delicious, authentic Cuban food. Would highly recommend.
Good information. Lucky me I recently found your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved as a favorite for later!
Appreciating the time and energy you put into your blog and
detailed information you offer. It’s great to come across a blog
every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material.
Excellent read! I’ve bookmarked your site and
I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Morocco is a colorfull country and there are many things to see and do.
This topic is very helpful. Exactly what I was looking for
What’s up, after reading this awesome article i am also delighted to share my familiarity here with mates.
Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was searching for!
Wohh exactly what I was looking for, appreciate it for posting.
Hi there, I discovered your website by means of Google while searching for a similar matter, your web site got here up, it looks good.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, just changed into aware of your weblog thru Google, and found that it is really informative.
I’m going to be careful for brussels. I will appreciate in case you proceed this in future.
Lots of other folks will probably be benefited from your writing.
Cheers!