Pittsburgh – Live from Jordan: Letters Home from My Journey Through the Middle East has been out since the start of May. I’ve been receiving a lot of interest and feedback at the “grassroots level” by way of emails, bookstore talks, book clubs, and talk radio/local NPR call-in questions. In a way, it is like the response to the original letters that I sent home from Jordan and Egypt. The New York Times editors may not care less about what I have to say (I still can’t place an oped with them), but people in Wisconsin, South Florida, Utah, and Ohio seem genuinely intrigued.
One of the surprises of this grassroots response is the number of people who have contacted me with questions about traveling or living in Jordan or other parts of the Middle East. Most are in college or just out of college. That’s great news, for everyone involved. There have been a lot of emails, though, and I haven’t been able to keep up as well as I would have liked. So, true to my book, I thought this blog would be a place where I could:
- Answer questions and continue discussions that have arisen from my book
- Continue to write about the intersection of our interests with everyday people and colorful places (in the Middle East, but also in other venues too)
- Respond to travel and living abroad questions and share others' stories too
- Daydream about the upcoming Steelers season, huevos rancheros, and other issues of paramount importance to me
Thanks for stopping by-
Ben
www.benjaminorbach.com
www.myspace.com/benjaminorbach
A blog about good books, the Middle East, travel, the intersection of people and cultures, the Steelers, huevos rancheros, big hair, and other things that I obsess about.
About Me
- Ben
- When I started this blog years ago, I was a 6"2 Jewish guy from Pittsburgh who spoke Arabic, was fascinated by Big Hair, and dreamed of writing a column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sports page. I was always looking for my next burrito opportunity. Since those early days, my Arabic is not as good as it used to be but I still love the Steelers. In 2009, I started America's Unofficial Ambassadors, a citizen diplomacy initiative that sends Americans to volunteer in schools and non-governmental organizations the Muslim World and then helps them to share their experiences when they come home. We’ve helped thousands of people in 10 different countries (including the US!) and shared our stories with more than a million people, hopefully changing some opinions along the way. Occasionally, I write for the Huffington Post, for more, go to: www.benjaminorbach.com All opinions expressed on this blog are uniquely my own (or that of the comment's author in some cases). They do not represent any organization or other entity.
3 comments:
Ben...
Congratulations!
Im really proud to know somebody like u.. I read all the blogs and Im happy to be the first to comment.
wish u the best and hope 2 c u soon
Bahaa'
Hi Ben:
Glad to hear that you are still traveling. There's nothing like the experience of going places and exchanging with people who are culturally different. We get out of our comfort zone, contend with our misconceptions and fears and become more engaged human beings.
I am traveling too. Going back to Pakistan for to visit my husband's family and to talk about a project for a university that was destroyed by the earthquake in the western Himalayas back in 2005.
Perhaps we can exchange some pictures of interest.
Maria Ayub
I'm enjoying your book, although it is taking me a long time to get through (not due to your book as much as my backlog in readings). I look forward to your blog and I will post my comments on your book when I finish...Enjoy your travels...(consider joining the d4dr club ;-))
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