“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of [people] and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” – Mark Twain

This morning’s post comes to you from Košice, Slovakia, and from Lake Balaton in Hungary. Both are destinations on the A-Team’s February road trip as they have a week off school.

The A-Team – in case you don’t already know – is comprised of Andrew, Alicia and six-year-old Mr. T. It’s not often that we get sharable photos of our grandson so I don’t want to pass up the opportunity.

Poland, as I am sure most of you know, is centrally located in Europe, which makes a lot of countries accessible from their home in Krakow. Slovakia and Hungary are due south. Ukraine is a short drive to the east. The Czech Republic then Germany are due west. Then, as they did during the fall break, the drive northwest through Germany makes Denmark and Sweden accessible.

Finally, lined up in a row to their east and north of Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania.

Any study considering the geopolitics of Europe has to note the strategic centrality of Poland, especially considering the topography south of Krakow where the Carpathian Mountains come into play.

I believe that a functional understanding of the geography, the history and the politics of Europe is of critical importance for Americans. Especially now that both nationalism and territorial ambition seem to be on the rise worldwide.

“Nationalism,” by the way, is not interchangeable with “patriotism.” Patriotism is when we love our country and we understand and respect patriotism in other nations. Nationalism is the idea that our own interests should be advanced to the exclusion and detriment of other nations.

Patriotism evokes pride and mutual respect, while nationalism promotes xenophobia, fear of immigrants, feelings of superiority, hatred, bullying and war.

Think of it this way: With nationalism you get WW2. With patriotism you get the Olympics.

I love our world. I value and celebrate its diversity. And I am so proud of what our son and his family are doing – every day – to promote peace and unity via education and travel.

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, uhh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y’all
War, huh (good God, y’all)
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me, oh (Edwin Starr)