Mapping Magnificence
You are about to embark on a journey that will no doubt change your life. You will be traveling to the faraway and magical lands of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in Central Asia. This is a special journey because you have been given a singular gift: time travel. But don't worry, for you will not be traveling alone! Two of the world's greatest travelers will accompany you!
For the first leg of your journey you will be a traveler on the greatest highway of all time, the Silk Road. As you know, the Silk Road was an ancient travel route that linked China to the West. Rather than just one road, it was a network of caravan tracts that carried new belief systems, ideas, goods, and peoples. You will be accompanied by no other than the great Mīrzā Muhammad Tāraghay bin Shāhrukh, better known as Ulugh Beg, which means "great prince." Ulugh Beg, the grandson of Timur, is one of the greatest astronomers, scientists, patron of the arts, and builders this world has ever seen. Some people believe he spoke 5 languages: Arabic, Persian, Turkic, Mongolian, and a little Chinese. WOW! Your time with him on the Silk Road will be so exhilarating that you may not want to leave when the time comes, but you must!
For the second leg of your journey, you will travel to present day Uzbekistan to learn about the incredible story of resilience of the Koryo-Saram and then onward to Tajikistan. Your travel companion will be the renown National Geographic explorer, Paul Salopek. A fellow traveler, Paul, is on the Out of Eden Walk, a 24,000 mile journey which began in Ethiopia in January 2013 and will end at the tip of South America. He is retracing our ancestors' ancient migration on foot out of Africa and across the globe. He is thrilled to walk with you while in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and share some of his stories with you about his experiences here. On Foot in the Path of the Silk Road
You will begin your journey as all great geographers do... with a map. Although your adventure will primarily take you to Uzbekistan, the most populous of the Central Asia republics, and Tajikistan, the smallest and most mountainous, it is important to have an understanding of the region as a whole because of some fascinating historical encounters you will experience throughout this trek. Make sure you complete the cartographic mission before embarking on this once in a lifetime phenomenal exploration.
As you are learning about the region, keep the following questions in mind:
1. How does geography affect the people of a region?
2. What are the major physical and political characteristics of Uzbekistan? Tajikistan?
3. Why is having an understanding of maps important?
4. What story do maps tell?
5. How do maps reflect history, politics, and economics?
