The second exhibition of my project was held in Istanbul at the Italian Cultural Center Circolo Roma Istanbul. Both Turks and Italians living in Turkey participated in the events organized for the exhibition.

The participants appreciated my environmentalist decision not to take airplanes to distant places, preferring a slow journey in a world that is instead in an increasing hurry. Travel was seen as an opportunity to explore oneself while learning about new cultures and territories. Travel based on deep self-listening, where intuition guides the destination and the activities to be done. All of this requires a great deal of self-confidence, which leads to a sense of trust in others. It takes great courage to embark on a journey of which you know only the departure, without planning for the future. 

During our conversations, we explored the impressions of those who make the journey from the East to the West, based on the direct experience of the participants. Some of them, during their journey to the West, noted a frequent condition of loneliness among people living in the West. It was also noted, with sadness and amazement, that people in the West often resort to the use of psychotropic drugs, which, according to them, is due to the inability to have contact and relationships with others. Another important difference is the physical distance that is maintained during interactions in the West. In the East, however, physical contact with others is not feared and is considered an integral part of interaction.

There has also been some discussion about the possible reasons why a person might embark on a journey to the East without any concrete motivation, but rather out of a search for himself. It is as if those who undertake this type of journey feel a restlessness, a void that needs to be filled by searching for something outside themselves. This type of journey is more common in the West than in the East.  In the East, people have a greater awareness that they already have everything they need within.