{"id":254032,"date":"2026-07-13T03:13:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T00:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/belonging-to-the-world-barry-hoffner\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T03:13:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T00:13:37","slug":"belonging-to-the-world-barry-hoffner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1kitap1.com\/en\/belonging-to-the-world-barry-hoffner\/","title":{"rendered":"Belonging To The World – Barry Hoffner"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"<\/figure>\n

\u201cWould you be comfortable with me going? It could be my one opportunity to go, you never know.\u201d \u201cWell, Dad, you let me get a motorcycle even though you were not entirely comfortable with the idea, so I guess I should be okay with your going to Afghanistan.\u201d<\/p>\n

And when the next email arrived from Alvaro, I had already said yes. Men: 1. Leave your beard for the next month. Don\u2019t shave it. It\u2019s the single most important thing (aside from the local clothes) that will make you blend in and, hence, keep you safe.<\/p>\n

2. Dye your hair if you are blond. Go for a dark brown. 3. Don\u2019t be very well groomed. Keep your beards scruffy for an A+. 4. We will be wearing local clothes at all times to blend in. I hate facial hair and wearing anything but my comfortable Unbound Merino clothes when traveling, but if that was the price of entry into this mysterious land, I was willing to pay it. In heading to Afghanistan, I had no illusions about the risks. But after everything I\u2019d been through, the idea of turning down a journey because it frightened me a bit didn\u2019t sit right.<\/p>\n

Somewhere between the salt rim of my margarita and the final click of \u201cconfirm,\u201d I knew: I wasn\u2019t just saying yes to Afghanistan; I was saying yes to life. I also knew that each time I stepped into a new country, I left behind an old fear.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t the same man who once feared elephants. Or solitude. Or uncertainty. And then Silvia again texted me, \u201cPushing beyond our travel boundaries is where the soul expands and the magic hides.\u201d And if I could travel to Afghanistan only a year after the Taliban took over, what other fears could I overcome?<\/p>\n

Sometimes, the bravest thing isn\u2019t choosing safety; it\u2019s choosing possibility. 1kitap1.com\/en Part 5 Becoming Bolder: Beyond the Comfort Zone Finding Grace in the World\u2019s Challenging Places 1kitap1.com\/en Chapter 19 Taliban Tourism Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. \u2014\u2060T. S. Eliot October 2022 Afghanistan Some countries make headlines for violence, but countries live in their people and places, in shades of resilience and wonder that few outsiders ever witness.<\/p>\n

\n

Praise for Belonging to the World \u201cBelonging to the World is much more than the story of the tragic loss of a spouse or stepping foot in every country. It is the joy of connecting to the familiar as well as the gratification of learning cultures and fellowship with our broader sense of humanity. This book is an inspiration, a map that leads the reader toward positive affirmation of change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2060Julia Roberts \u201cIn Belonging to the World, Barry Hoffner transforms profound personal tragedy into a remarkable journey of meaning and connection. His story resonates deeply with anyone who has seen both the beauty and the brutality of the world and still chooses hope. This book is a testament to resilience, empathy, and the belief that through understanding others, we rediscover ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2060Bill Browder, author of New York Times bestsellers Red Notice and Freezing Order \u201cBarry reminds us of the beauty of human connection and the power of using grief to reimagine instead of to detach.\u201d \u2014\u2060Luke Russert, author of New York Times bestseller Look for Me There \u201cThis moment in time is our most precious resource.<\/p>\n

. . . I\u2019m reminded of that this morning by Barry Hoffner, who writes . . . about how, after losing his wife, he decided to spend his time traveling\u2060\u2014discovering and rediscovering places\u2060\u2014and sharing what he learned along the way. That\u2019s how he chose to spend his time, and I\u2019m so glad he took the time to share his learnings with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2060Maria Shriver, in her introduction to Hoffner\u2019s article in the \u201cI\u2019ve Been Thinking\u201d column of The Sunday Paper \u201cIn Belonging to the World, Barry Hoffner takes the transformative nature of travel to a whole other level. He sees travel as a way to connect with others in a profound way, and, as a result, he builds schools where there are none.<\/p>\n

He builds roads to connect villages and encourages young girls to dream about a future filled with the promise of a better tomorrow. Barry inspires us to make a lasting difference in the lives of others we meet along the way. This book will encourage the reader to view travel in a new and enriching light.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span><\/path><\/svg><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n