Ever since I was a kid I have always asked my father, who is a political science professor, why there is a clash of cultures around the world. In middle school, I made Armenian and Greek friends who quickly were surprised when I said I was of Turkish origin.

Being born and raised in the United States, I had no knowledge of the history and tensions between these nations. Although my friends were “hostile” against Turks, they still befriended me, commonly saying “You are the only Turk I like”. Being a Turkish-American and befriending people despite the historical tensions revealed a “glimmer of hope”.

Mine was a hope of finding a middle ground between polarized nationalistic views. The more I learn about different cultures and people, the more I can befriend and understand other people.

Traveling has been a big part of my life and achieving this goal. Having lived in countries such as Qatar, Turkey, Germany, and across the United States, as well as traveling to a dozen more introduced me to diverse cultures and peoples. I also became interested in not only the cultures, but their traditions and languages. I have studied Turkish, Japanese, and Arabic languages.

In my K-12 education in California, I have made friends of different races, religions, and other backgrounds. My friends and I get along well despite the cultural and ethnic differences we hold. Even one of my best friends, a Lebanese Arab living in Germany who was born in Sweden, and another being Turkish/Kurdish, is evidence that people can hold diverse cultural identities.

A nomad is a person who continuously travels, living where he travels to without any set home. Although I have a home in San Diego, the way I travel is like a nomad living and immersing myself in the places I travel to.

Any person is a complex being that can not be reduced to a single cultural identity. In this blog, I want to discuss this complexity. Follow me as a Generation-Z on my nomadic trips around the world, seeing a modern insight into culture and people!