Zeeshan Suhail

One of the largest homes in Aspen is owned by none other than Prince Bandar Al-Sultan of Saudi Arabia. The property covers dozens of acres and the master bedroom alone is between 5,000-6,000 square feet. That is even bigger than a large house in a large American city. Of course, one would expect as much from a Saudi monarch

My readers might recall my column from last week in which I mentioned the trials and tribulations that come with staying indoors due to adverse weather. Well, just as that self-imposed hibernation was coming to an end, I was starting a journey that would compel me to become more social and intellectually active. That is a lot to ask of someone who has been surviving on junk food and cheesy films from the 1990s for nearly a week! Alas, it all became easier once I arrived in Aspen, Colorado, in order to participate in the Aspen Institute’s Socrates Seminar.

The Aspen Institute is a world-renowned Washington, DC-based think tank whose mission is “to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues”. The Socrates Society is one part of the Institute that provides a forum for emerging leaders (ages approximately 28-45) to come together from different professional sectors to explore contemporary issues through expert-moderated dialogue. Needless to say, I was excited and more than needed this thought-provoking activity to jostle my mind from the pleasant reverie it was in thanks to the DC blizzards.

Upon arriving in Aspen, the first thing I thought was how much the city reminded me of Skardu, Pakistan. In my visit to the northern Pakistani city, I was captivated by how awe-inspiring the mountains were, how warm the people were and how pleasant the weather. I had a similar feeling in Aspen, although I must say, the city was much more ritzy and glitzy than I had imagined! Someone had informed me that the average value of a house here was approximately $ 6 million. It should also come as no surprise that the city is full of houses owned by celebrities and the rich and famous. In fact, one of the largest homes in Aspen is owned by none other than Prince Bandar Al-Sultan of Saudi Arabia. The property covers dozens of acres and the master bedroom alone is between 5,000-6,000 square feet. That is even bigger than a large house in a large American city. Of course, one would expect as much from a Saudi monarch!

The first evening progressed fairly steadily, with the seminar participants gathering for a reception and then a dinner. Many had travelled even further than I had (my flight was a total of 4-5 hours) and were much more exhausted due to the high altitude. In fact, there was a paper in our folders informing us not to exert ourselves too much because of the geographic placement of the city (nearly 6,000 feet above sea level!). We were advised to consume lots of liquids and to get adequate rest. After all, we were not there simply to ski — some learning must also be done!

The sessions were fantastic in the days to come, beginning in the afternoon on two days, thereby allowing time for leisurely activities in the mornings. Many chose to ski and woke quite early to get the best equipment and take advantage of the fresh snow from the night prior. A fellow housemate and I chose instead to tour the town. A short tour it was! We were done in 15 minutes, but did some further self-exploration. Unfortunately, the town yielded no other real tourist attractions. I guess people truly visit Aspen for the snow sports.

I took advantage of the next morning to participate in an activity I think one can only do if she/he is in Alaska or Colorado: dog sledding! I carefully looked through the various options for snow sports to take part in, but felt all the rest — including hot air ballooning, skiing, snowboarding, fly fishing and snow shoeing — could all be done in other parts of the US, especially in the Northeast where I am located. But dog sledding was novel and I did not want any regrets. Boy, am I thankful! Those huskies were young, but they were powerful and they took me for a ride I will never forget. Down the mountain slope and then straight through beautiful snow-covered meadows until finally back up the mountain again we travelled, sometimes criss-crossing paths with skiers and hikers and all the while seeing nature at its best, with creeks flowing by and claw marks of bears on trees or wolf footprints in the snow ahead of us. The journey was one of exhilaration and most certainly one of beauty.

By the end of the three day sojourn I had the opportunity to interact with some of the smartest minds in the financial, energy and communications sectors in the country. These people were accomplished and working hard to improve the world. I was perhaps the youngest of the lot and I left the gathering with a sense that I had much to do, but at least I had role models I could follow. The destination might be far, but the journey is what matters. I am looking forward to it.

Zeeshan Suhail is a consultant with the World Bank in Washington, DC and Chairperson of the Board of the New York City-based Muslim Consultative Network and a Board Member of the Washington, DC-based Americans for Informed Democracy. He can be reached at zeeshan@aidemocracy.org