My name is Katrin Scholtz Barth. I am Kai’s wife and I have my own consulting firm in Washington DC on environmental consulting. I also teach six years at the University of Pennsylvania and for two years at Harvard University about ecological and sustainable institution design and watershed protection in particular green roots. I have um, first of all I have to start in thanking Ali and Jenna for this wonderful trip and the group in general for great company throughout those seven days with conversations that I would never had imagined.

 My name is Kai Henrik Barth. I am a Professor in the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University where I teach in the Security Studies Program. My own portfolio is technology and security. I would like to thank in particular Ali, Jenna and Zafer for a fantastic organization of the trip. It has been very rewarding in a number of ways. In particular it is for the first time in many years I have to say that I have thought so much about religion and culture in a short period of time. I had the good fortune of having a very interesting conversation with Ali today and I am sure he has come to similar view that he has never talked with a guy like me, and I have never talked with a guy like him on issues such as religion.

 I am Maria McMahon, currently an agnation volunteer with a non-profit that helps women with low incomes. I am so grateful for having been able to go on this trip. It has been a wonderful experience. The incredibly breathtaking and awe-inspiring historic religious sites have been wonderful. But most I have enjoyed being able to meet and talk with Turkish people especially the RumiForum people on the trip. It has been a wonderful opportunity to learn more about how people live in Turkey which my interest at the moment.

 My name is Michael Talbert. I am an Elder at Burke Presbyterian Church in Burke, Virginia. I spent, in my working career; a lot of time oversees mostly involved with various international development projects. I was quite excited about the idea coming back to Turkey. I was here in 1997 for a few days in Istanbul. We have to say that the first thing I have a comment on this trip is the people I was traveling with. You couldn’t imagine a more delightful group of to be on the road day and night. I thank everyone for that.

 My name is Miriam Achenbach. I am a librarian at Georgetown University, and was previously a public librarian for almost twenty years. The first thing came to mind when you asked about our thoughts on the trip were that it offered an incredible range for learning that we could learn every moment that we were engaged in the trip about ourselves, about each other, about the country, that I am someone who needs a lot of time to digest things that was not really possible on this trip.

I am Marilyn Jersild from Norfolk Virginia. I first of all want to say to the RumiForum people: thank you again for all of this! It was wonderful meeting to all staff and all the people on this trip as many have said again, that’s been a real highpoint, and all the good conversations we had. I am very grateful that you allow the couple of 75 year olds to come along. (laughs) We debated for a while if we are up to this but it’s been wonderful and even though the pace has been hectic, we did it, so it has been good. I especially was fascinated and happy to learn to more about the whole political scene here in Turkey. It has been very complex, not easily understood by us, and so it was very helpful to be exposed to everything that you are doing here.

I am Paul Jersid, a retired Professor of Ethics at The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia South Carolina. I live in Norfolk. I will certainly echo everything my wife has said. One point that I might just raise is; although you have to recognize that a decrepit retired fellow is making the point; but sometimes I thought that the schedule was too hectic. We could have eliminated may be one event every other day. Something like that! Hah hah! I don’t know! At the same time we would have missed … this is the eliminated version… (laughs)… oh dear! (laughs)… I appreciated all of our stops but particularly meaningful for me was the Cappadocia day, and seeing that Monastic community and associating it with the great names of Basil and the two Gregory’s.

My name is William Collinge and I teach Theology and some Philosophy from time to time at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Maryland. I was trying to say it is tough to be the eighth inline, I guess I am ninth now counting the Muezzin (laughs). Many of my reactions would be the same as with what other people have said. I have been delighted by the wonderful hospitality of the Turkish people. I just loved the conversations that have gone on within the group. We really do have a great group, great and diverse group. The trip will certainly change the way that I teach about this part of the world. I never really said much about Turkey because I didn’t understand it very well, and I still don’t, but I think I know a little more now.