I have spent the past week traveling throughout Tunisia and have seen so many beautiful places. I have spent time in the mountains, at the sea, and almost everything in between. Our journey began early Monday morning at 8am. We boarded the twenty passenger bus that was to become our means of transportation for the …
Tag Archives: Europe
Κρητη!
My alarm springs to life at 6:30 AM in our windowless cabin. Our modest cruise ship of sleep-ridden Americans has swept into the ancient harbor of Heraklion, Crete. Κρητη, as it’s known in Greek (Kree-tee). We have good butter and bad coffee at the little breakfast bar, and tumble into the waiting buses for the …
Eid Mabrouk
Happy Eid to everyone! Today is officially the last day of Eid al-Adha. Eid is a Muslim holiday that celebrates the 70 days after Ramadan and is considered the “Greater Eid.” There is also a celebration called Eid al-Fitr which is celebrated three days after Ramadan. During Eid al-Fitr many sweets are eaten and children dress …
Ancient Ruins, a Turkish Bath and Some Sheep
On Friday we had an excursion to ancient Carthage, which is basically in my backyard. We rode the TGM on the way and we even passed some of the ruins. Our first stop in Carthage was to visit some of the Phoenician ruins. According to legend, Carthage was founded by Didi in 814 B.C. Carthage …
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Chile in Tunisia?
Sitting in class on Wednesday morning I was surprised to hear the name Pinochet mentioned. Pinochet was the dictator of Chile from 1973 until 1988 and was one of the most oppressive dictators in South America, but how does this relate to Tunisia? Apparently Ben Ali was given the nickname “Pinochet on the Mediterranean.” After …
Common Courtesy
Once again I resurface like a beluga from beneath the arctic circle, and almost as graceful. Athens has treated me well. The Greeks are, in truth, a remarkably kind and courteous people. Among the elderly there is the slightest suspicion of foreigners, but among the vast majority of folk on the street, I’ve been treated …
Host Family Life
It had now been a week since I have moved in with my host family. I am living in La Marsa, which is a suburb of Tunis and about a five minute taxi ride from the SIT study center where I take classes. My family consists of my mother whom I call “mama,” one of …
Orientation
“You are studying in a giant political science lab.” That’s what my academic director said to us a few nights ago as we were sitting down eating dinner. Tunisia underwent a revolution in 2011 to become a democracy. Changes are happening all over the country, but change is also slow and democracy takes time. Throughout …
Ahoy from Athens!
Chairete, friends! I’ve landed in fair and summery Greece, which shall be my home for the next four months. At noon today, the plane that moseyed me up from Kuala Lumpur gave up her jet-lagged dead. And here I am at last in the cradle of feta cheese, democracy, and the totalitarian state. Quite a resume for a nation …
Packing, Panicking & Procrastinating
Packing, Panicking & Procrastinating, three words that describe the past two weeks of my life. As my internship came to a close, I found myself in an utter panic. I was leaving for Tunisia in two weeks and I was completely unprepared. To add to my panicked state was that fact that I was to …
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