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My Caravanserai is an educational activity for young minds to create their own caravan and journey to the shared spaces and imaginary places that glimmer on new horizons. We hope that students, parents, and educators will be inspired to find the traveler inside and show us what wondrous worlds we can make together.

Caravanserais are ancient buildings found all across Asia, Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. For ancient caravan travelers, they were like a cozy hotel after a long day’s journey. When they stayed at a caravanserai, travelers would often make new friends and share stories about their homes, their families, their cities, and their journeys.

Most importantly, the caravanserai was a cheerful place where everyone—no matter who they were, what language they spoke or what country they were from—was welcome. Though the days of the caravan travelers have passed, the spirit of their journey flickers in the light inside all of us. We are all part of our own caravan. We all have places we like to visit or dream of visiting one day that are our caravanserais.

Visit My Caravanserai in the Resources section to read about ancient caravan travelers and watch a video describing a long journey that ends with a comforatable rest at a caravanserai. Then, draw a picture from your dreams or make wish in a poem. Take a photo of your favorite place or a friend. Share a story or a joke you love to tell or have never told before. We can all be a part of the caravan!

We will share some of your creations here on the Caravanserai website. Submission instructions are included in the Teacher's Guide for the activity.