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The image showcases 'Baitarek,' a monument and observation tower in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana. The futuristic structure symbolizes the country's move towards privatization and capitalism after its existence as a former Soviet republic, which I found fascinating. I chose this country because I met someone from the 5Cs in my shuttle back to campus after winter break, and was astounded because when they told me their country of origin, I realized how little I know about the nations in Central Asia.

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Bahrain is an island country in West Asia on the Persian Gulf. It is an archipelago made up of tens of real and artificial islands (tentatively 50 real and 33 artificial ones, it seems). I chose this aspect of Bahrain to discuss because it broke through my expectation of Middle Eastern countries as not being mostly/entirely surrounded by water, which upon looking at a map, I have realized I have been very naive about. The image displays some of its artificial islands, which I will be honest seem a bit eery - I did not know you could build whole artificial land masses, but I suppose it makes sense economically to do so.

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Tajikistan is in Central Asia, and is popular for hiking and climbing. The picture above shows Iskanderkul, a turquoise lake which was formed by glaciers hundreds of years ago. Iskander is the Persian pronunciation of Alexander, relating this lake to two myths to Alexander the Great (one of which was that the lake used to be the location of inhabitants who resisted Alexander, causing him to divert a river to kill them). I chose this location for its beauty and its storied history, especially as I know very little about both the nation and the former King of Macedonia himself.

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This mosque, the Masjid al-Qiblatain, is famous for being the site at which the Prophet Muhammad was commanded to change the direction of prayer to Mecca. I do not know too much about Islam, and did not know Muslims used to pray facing Jerusalem. Tens of centuries of history are represented in this mosque: that fact alone is why I wanted to highlight it. It is mind-bogglingly incredible.

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This sordid photo from Mosul, a major city in northern Iraq, in 2017. It was taken after heavy clashes between Iraqi forces and Isis in the city, with over 40,000 people displaced and violence at every corner. I completely understand that this violent picture of the Middle East is often very stereotyped, but I wanted to highlight this aspect in particular because of the desperation which get buried under the narratives of terrorist groups fighting governments, or whatever it may be. It is those with the power who control the lives of those who just want to live, masking their pain.

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I have never heard of this city in Israel in particular, but this photo stuck out to me, as it reminds me of my own home. I live in Gurugram, which is about 30 minutes from Delhi, and is trying its best to become appealing for younger and more foreign audiences. This sort of modernization can definitely bolster tourism, but often makes me think about why the Western standard must be pursued for growth. An undoubtedly beautiful city, though.

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Kermanshah, which means "King of Kerman," stuck out to me because of the intricate stone carvings at Taq-e Bostan. They mimic ancient temples I visited in Orissa this winter, from their intricacy to their depth. It makes me realize that the distance between "the Middle East" and "the Far East" are much more fluid than I had thought or previously anticipated.

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I did not know there was a vast desert region in southern Israel, which seems so vast and empty in its photo but has a Museum of Art, a cultural center, multiple families living there, etc. It was an important reminder to me that images can deceive incredible.

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What struck me about this desert, nicknamed "the Empty Quarter", is its name: "khali" in Hindi also means empty. This desert is a stretch of unbroken sand and has been very, very difficult to surpass for many. Very cool to see.

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These mountains have a total length of 1,600km and run through Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. What I found incredibly interesting was that this natural barrier has set the boundary for numerous cultural and political identities, from the early Mesopotamian and Median cultures to the Persian and Ottoman empires. Geography plays such a powerful role in history.

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The Amu Darya is a major river in Afghanistan and Central Asia that flows north-westwards. In the classic antiquity period, the river's name was Ōxus in Latin. The name Amu came about from the name of the medieval city Amūl, and Darya came from the Persian word for lake. Physical features carry history with them.

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The Kyrgyz tourism industry dubbed the nation 'the land of Santa Claus' in 2008, due to a Swedish engineering consultancy company dubbing it the most efficient location for Santa to begin his journey. This is particularly interesting because 75% of Kyrgyz citizens are Muslim. Yet, the other 25% are comprised of Christians, Buddhists, and those who don't identify with a religion.