Dear Readers,
My parents never traveled for pleasure, and they rarely went out to eat. I, on the other hand, craved adventure – not only to see the world, but to pacify my curious palate. So I slowly started to save money under my mattress. I had limited funds in that stash, but once it would build up – and I was old enough – I would invest it in an airline ticket or imbibe in some new culinary treasure. Whether it was in town or across the globe, I eventually became a bona fide travel junkie.
Today, if I am presented with the opportunity to travel, I take it; if not, I create it. In the past five years alone, I’ve journeyed to a dozen countries from China to Austria. One of my favorite trips was visiting China for 10 days with my sister, where we climbed the Great Wall of China; picked tea in Souzhou; ate the local food; watched the Chinese version of Cirque de Soleil; and rode a high-speed, magnetic levitation train in Shanghai. I visited a Chinese traditional medicine doctor who told me I needed to chill and not stress so much. Spot on. So I took his advice – at least while I was there. I picked freshwater pearls from a lake. I leisurely shopped and treated myself to the purchase of a jade bracelet which, in their culture, is thought to enrich your life and balance your body, mind and spirit.
My children travel with us now and are at the age where they can actually appreciate the experiences. They have acquired a tolerance of other cultures, and they don’t look down on anyone who is different than them. Traveling not only enriches their lives, it makes them better people.
The important thing to remember when traveling – besides the pure pleasure of it all – is to step outside your comfort zone, “go native” and embrace the culture and the air of the people. In Turkey, we have a saying. “The wise man is not the man that reads a lot, but one who travels a lot.”
To Sisterhood,
Hulya Aksu, Founding Publisher
Winter has always been a time of reflection and bonding for me. When the clouds roll in and the temperature steadily drops, I find that the most enjoyable thing to do is to get cozy with my husband in front of a fire and talk about life’s many beauties, hardships and divergent paths. Since beginning I AM Modern Magazine over four years ago, so much has changed in my life. I have so much to be grateful for and know that I still have so much yet to accomplish. Winter is a wonderful time to contemplate, make plans and steady your course towards better, more fulfilling days ahead. Speaking of which, we are featuring some women who have taken the bull by the horns and made the changes they needed to realize their true potential in life. Th uy Casey decided in her 40s that she would not only get into shape, but that she would sculpt her body, perfect it, and bring it to its absolute optimum. Tosca Reno is a national fitness celebrity who not only changed her life by getting into the best shape of her life, she shares her secrets in her Eat Clean series of books with the rest of us. We also bring to you the stories of women who have taken adversity and life’s most difficult challenges and learned to not simply deal with it but to shine in the process. Life is a complex, beautiful thing. We should use this time to think about the good in our lives, and find the courage, perseverance and dedication to alter those aspects that are not as perfect as the others.
NOVA Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics has been a close partner with I AM Modern Magazine for the past 4 years. Dr. Valerie Woo recently won I AM Modern Magazine’s 
Ladies,
