Americans are Pretty Amazing Too- July 22, 2010

After one of the best months of my life, I am having trouble leaving Turkey behind and reacclimating to a daily routine in the United States.

I miss my Turkish friends. I miss the thrill of waking up each morning and wondering what adventure awaits. I miss my kebabs.

I needed a few days to relax, unwind, and contemplate life, so I decided to head to the beach, Destin, Florida, to be exact.

Even though Destin is on the Gulf of Mexico, there's no oil here, just a little bit of seaweed, but yesterday that didn't stop anyone, including me, from swimming and enjoying the waves.

Since I've been back from Turkey, I've been sharing my stories about the tremendous generosity of the Turks, and I've been raving about Couch Surfing.

Some people have been trying to dismiss my positive experiences with Couch Surfing, saying things along the lines of, "You were a novelty in Turkey, since you were from the United States, but I'll bet a Turkish person wouldn't get the same treatment in Turkey or an American traveling in the United States."

I disagree because I believe benevolence is benevolence. It doesn't matter if it is Turkey, Taiwan, or the United States. People are people, and most people are good.

Normally, when I decide to take a trip, I jump on the internet to find a hotel, but I wanted to prove to my skeptics that Americans can be just as hospitable as anyone else, so I sent out three requests on Couch Surfing for hosts in Florida, and all three said, "yes."

My latest host is Trevor, a military pilot. Last month, I had to make an initial leap of faith in Turkey, since I had never used Couch Surfing before. This week, Trevor had to do the same because I am the first person he has ever hosted.

Trevor said he decided to join Couch Surfing because his ex-girlfriend had great experiences overseas with the program, and he, too, believes most people are inherently good.

Florida is 5,000 miles away from Turkey, but Trevor gave me a similar warm welcome, and like my hosts in Turkey, even though we had just met, Trevor handed me a key to his house, since he had to leave for a few hours last night because of a previous engagement. "Make your self at home," he said, as he left.

America is full of unwarranted fear. Part of the problem is the media. I say this from the perspective of an ex-newspaper and television reporter who left on good terms and who doesn't have any axes to grind.

Media outlets, especially television stations, tend to focus on the aberrations in society and present them as if they were the norm, but home invasions and drive-by shootings and swindlers are not the norm. Most people are kind, hard working, and are not trying to take advantage of their neighbors.

I also blame the business world because fear sells. Fear sells guns. Fear sells burglar alarms. Fear sells gated communities.

Likewise, I blame governments around the globe. Fear is used to keep populations distracted and under control and to pursue political objectives.

As author Marianne Williamson puts it, "Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learn."

Couch Surfing might not be for everyone, but it is yet another reminder that the universe isn't an evil place. As I learned in Turkey, wonderful things often happen when we are willing to dream more, to trust each other more, and to begin to live with higher expectations.