Ankara, the capital of Turkey, held a fascinating museum of archaeology and a trip to the mausoleum of Atatürk, beloved as the most prolific leader of reform in Turkey's history.

One of us asked Sidar if he had a picture of Atatürk on his wall.

He smiled. "Do you have a picture of George Washington in your house?"

Turkey has historically been the focus of conflict for thousands of years. Knowing the country is sandwiched between Greece, Bulgaria, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Georgia, our parents and friends had expressed hesitation when we told them where we were vacationing.

The mausoleum was a reminder of how hard some had worked to stay independent in a land fought over since written history began. A letter from Atatürk to the future youth of Turkey named their first duty as protecting the republic from stronger foreign powers or internal corruption.

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