If the show is done, we are not done.

To all On The Road In America II crew and cast members,

I would like to thank you for the effort you have all given to make this show happen.

We started as individuals and we are continuing as a big, multinational family. I came to America wondering how Americans would accept me being an Arab, especially because I know that stereotypes are our biggest enemy. I met the crew the second I left the airport and the RV didn’t stop rolling from then on, always wondering what comes next. We traveled from city to city, and I thought we were just crossing the country.

We met black people, white people, anti-Arab, pro-Arab, religious and non-religious.  All of them were astonished to find that we were Christians, Jews, and Muslims all traveling and living together in one space. Once, we were having dinner in Santa Fe and a beautiful lady in her early fifties came up to me and asked, “What are you doing here?” I told her about the show and its purpose. She asked, “Who are all of these people?” I answered spontaneously, “My American family.”

After the lady left I thought about what I said, and I realized that friends and co-workers might have dinner together one or two days but never three days in a row. We were together eating at the same place, same time and the same table for 40 days– isn’t that beautiful?  I used to love taking food from Micah’s plate without asking his permission, which pissed him off big time, and then go to Guy and give him a bite from my plate so I could take the rest of his plate. I miss you guys!

In this trip I saw a Muslim sheikh shaking hands with a rabbi, laughing and talking as if war never existed in their history.

We began in LA and for the entire time until we reached DC, we were building a family.

I learned about people, community, and religion, and I realized that bad and good is everywhere.

Before I finish this letter I would like to ask you all to write me one line about what you have learned from this trip, and what you would advise the world to do?

I will start with myself.

I have learned from this trip to accept change, and to love life with all the good and the bad.

I advise the world to communicate and hold hands, because it is community that creates governments, but governments have never created people.  Never differentiate between Muslims, Christians or Jews, black or white, Arabs or Americans, because we all have the same common ground; GOD and HUMANS.

If you want to Call GOD “ALLAH,” go for it, if you want to Call GOD “JESUS,” go for it, even if you want to CALL GOD “NATURE,” go for it; this is something between you and GOD. Don’t allow anyone to change your belief and don’t allow yourself to criticize religons. You are not GOD to say who is GOOD and who is BAD– leave this to the creator who brought us all together to face the world.

Anyway, I am going to start my next journey in Chicago, it’s a very beautiful city and the people here are amazing (you were right, Allison). If any of you are planning to come to Chicago, you have a place to stay.

All the best to the best crew and cast I have ever worked with.

Bash…