Tunisia- The Unexpected Country

Tunisia was never in my plans. Never even on my radar. I had zero desire in going there but it was significantly cheaper to get to Cairo from Tunisia than from anywhere in Italy so I figured I'd spend a few days and check off another country. However, by the time I boarded the ferry for Africa, my interest was piqued thanks to the recent trip and photos by my traveling American friend. As I walked through the last passport check in Tunis the Tunisian police gave me a big smile and a genuine, "Welcome to Tunisia!" How very kind I thought. In fact, this "Welcome" happened several times throughout my travels here. Unfortunately, since the 2011 revolution and even more so since recent events, tourism in the country is way down and unemployment is way up. At the end of 2015 it was 15.4% but the latest terrorist acts have deterred tourists even further, resulting in the closing of hotels and causing the loss of the Peugeot contract. Thus, current unemployment is even higher but no updated figures were available at the time of writing. Naturally they are very happy for every tourist that comes. The nice thing, however, is that they don't look at you like a wallet as they do in other N. African countries; they let you browse without harassment. Their culture is warm, welcoming and accommodating. They genuinely care about your experience. My new friends and acquaintances seemed to take personally how I was treated in their country-which was nothing short of wonderful!

I did my third Couchsurfing stint in Tunis. My host helped me map out an itinerary to fit my time frame and by the time I rose in the morning, he had arranged for me to join a Tunisian man and his visiting Argentinian friend for their one week road trip through the south--the same one I had planned. I was leaving in less than two hours!

Khalil and Cecilia were my new travel companions. We loaded up the rental car and set off for Khalil's friends' home in Takrouna where we would have dinner and sleep for the night. It didn't even occur to me that I would be spending the next 200 hours in very close proximity to these total strangers-eating, sleeping, driving-and that our personalities might not mesh. As it turned out I made two new, very dear, friends. What started out to be a sightseeing trip quickly turned into a true cultural experience. We looked on as a decorated camel walked by in a parade announcing an upcoming wedding and observed a funeral procession through the streets. We often stayed in homes of his friends and ate a lot of homemade olive oil, played cards (Shkobba or Scoppa in Italian) and watched sunsets from rooftops. We were warmly welcomed everywhere and I was engrossed with the interactions between Tunisians.

Khalil is a funny, easygoing person who meets everyone with a genuine smile and the beautiful greeting of "Assalam Alikom" translated as "Peace upon you" and the greeting is always returned. In Islam, everyone is family, all the men brothers. If I didn't know better I would have believed this to be a literal statement after witnessing the familiar interactions among everyone. At a random food stand he walked into the kitchen and helped himself to the fries. When I remarked on this the man said, "It's no problem, it is the Tunisian way. He is my brother." In the hotel the manager put his arm around Khalil like they were old friends. When we asked what time was check out or breakfast or dinner the answer was always, "As you like." I found a shoe repair man to fix my flip flops. When I tried to pay he said no, it was free. Of course I gave him something but the gesture was unforgettable. One morning when we wanted to get a cup of tea, the hostel owner walked a few minutes to show us a nice cafe, joined us and bought our drinks. His friend in Tozeur always wore a big smile and greeted everyone he encountered everywhere he went. I didn't need to speak Arabic to understand as he approached a short-tempered father and, with a few gently spoken words, easily diffused the man's anger toward his young son. "Love is my religion," he said to me. My first night in Tunis I visited the home of a young lady whose friends and family were visiting and all welcomed me with open arms and a big heart, even providing me with a cell phone to use for my travel in their country! When I went back to her home after the road trip I felt like part of the family. There were no formalities and the laughter and joking was easy and natural as I recalled the adventures of the past week. It's just the way they are. It's the Tunisian way!

Unfortunately our eight days together was ending. But the good news was my trip was extended because my Austrian girlfriend was arriving in Tunis on Sunday for work. We've been friends for 25 years and hadn't seen each other in 10! What kind of forces in the universe were at work that we finally get to meet up here?! It was a really wonderful reunion though only for two days. But that's how life is: you take the moments you can get. The extension also meant that I could attend the monthly couch surfing weekend event in central Tunisia.

Eight cars and 32 people caravanned to Saliana for a weekend getaway. As we drove we left the flat, semi-arid land of Tunis behind in exchange for mountains where rosemary and thyme grow wild among the pines and green fields and groves of blooming cherry trees fill the valley of central Tunisia. It was a mixed group of people of all ages, from 20 to 76. Most were Tunisian but there were also people from Egypt, Libya, Turkey, Ukraine, Germany and France. They were students, a retired engineer, unemployed and employed people in jobs as varied as hospitality, life coaching and conflict resolution. Everyone spoke perfect English. We slept in mixed dorms, laughed a lot and all got along perfectly. We were the only ones in this mountain albergue and I felt like I was at summer camp as we hiked, played games, climbed trees, hopped over creeks, toured a Berber village and explored 3,000 year old Phoenician ruins.

Yes, I did all the fascinating touristy things: saw the well preserved ancient Roman Amphitheater of El Jemm, Star Wars sets, various Berber villages and the expansive, UNESCO cemetery in Mahdia. I saw mosaics being made, gazed upon beautiful art and architecture and slept in a cave hotel. I hiked in the most beautiful desert mountain oasis with a river and waterfall. In the Sahara I rode camels, watched the moon rise, danced in the firelight to a drum beat by our Bedouin guide and slept under the Milky Way. The beauty of silvery olive trees and flowering almond trees covered the landscape and I drank in the scent of orange blossoms. All these things were wonderful but secondary to the people I met, learning about their life, their thoughts, ambitions, concerns and desires. My 'few days' had turned into 15 and I still wasn't ready to leave. Tunisia will forever hold a special place in my heart.