Travel as Transformation: Conquer the Limits of Culture to Discover Your Own Identity

 Travel as Transformation: Conquer the Limits of Culture to Discover Your Own Identity  by Gregory V. Diehl  162 pages

Author Gregory Diehl sent me his self-help book review approximately a year ago, maybe longer.  I admit that I was intrigued by the concept. Hubs and I don’t get to travel as much as we’d like, but retirement isn’t that far off, so I thought I’d start thinking about how different cultures could enhance our lives---maybe even cook some other foods beside what we normally eat.  Bottom line, maybe we could start experiencing how other cultures could enhance our lives.

Over the past years, I have picked up this short book, at least two dozen times. And at least a dozen times, I haven’t been able to get past page 19. I’m sure it’s the reader and not the writer, but I found the book so boring. 

I feel bad that I am giving Diehl’s work such a poor grade and comments, but I promised him that I would give him my honest opinion, and for better or worse, here it is.

 “Travel as Transformation: Conquer the Limits of Culture to Discover Your Own Identity ”  receives 1 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist, and Spiritual Seeker

My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist, and Spiritual Seeker by Melissa Burch   208 Pages

Melissa Burch’s story is based on her experiences as a freelance journalist during the Afghan War. When she was only 21 years old, Burch, and her cameraman, was on her to become the first journalist to capture the mujahedeen rebellion against Soviet invaders on tape.

The book opens with Burch sleeping a dirt floor with seven heavily armed Afghan soldiers, ranging from 19 to 20 years old. The tales of journey through Afghanistan will cause the hair on your arms to stand on end. The relentless heat, hunger and fear never left her. The hiding from the Russian soldiers was perilous and terrifying.  She must have covered the entire country either on horseback, motorbike or foot.  I felt her pain as she described a march through the rocky, mountains with Afghan soldiers

There was on anecdote where she and he soldiers were hiding when the Soviets were passing by. They had no sooner left the safety of the deserted compound, than it was blown up. 

One of the things that surprised me about Burch’s time is Afghanistan was that she was never raped. A lone woman traveling with many men had to be vulnerable. Not to say that she didn’t take up with one of the leaders, but it seemed more mutual consent.

My favorite parts of the book were after her return to the States. Maybe it was because I could relate more to that experience.

I approached Burch’s memoir with a bit of negativity. Earlier this year I had tried to read Malala Yousfzai’s I am Malala. I was prepared to be pulled into to that story, but I didn’t past page 50. I was a little afraid that I might experience the same issue with My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist, and Spiritual Seeker. But from the opening scene that I described earlier, I was hooked. Although places were a little choppy, but it is riveting.

I give My Journey Through War and Peace: Explorations of a Young Filmmaker, Feminist, and Spiritual Seeker 5 out of 5 stars.