Make connections

A woman sitting in the corner of the hostel office can bring you opportunities you could only dream about. The English Center you saw from the window of taxi can mean you a working place for the next two weeks. But only if you give it a try. If you keep your why not attitude and say yes more often. The magic of connections needs acceptance of uncertainity and belief in possibilities.

Planning our trip to Tozeur on that day in the hostel office ended up with a business card of an English Center entrepeneur. As well as getting one more person in our louage, meaning for example lower price, and - what we back then didn't know - actually the starting of a good base for our local connections here. Through the connections of that English center we got in contact with a big Tunisian company, and voilà, two hours every week, completely for us, being free to choose the topics - that's how our working place equality talks and dream discussions with their employees became possible.

The fortune continues with the same English center contacts, by getting to know a wonderful local woman who owns a café in Sfax. She was also interested in our workshops but in the end meant a lot more for us than that. She showed us around the city, offered countless free, amazingly delicious smoothies in her café and introduced us to her friends and family. Thanks for that, we for example got another host family and local guides for Monastir and Tunis,  filled our minds with happiness and stomach with amazing flavours, and saw my future hostel a gorgeus old house.

On one day we saw an English center from the window of a taxi. The day after we went there and asked for possibilities of making our presentations, which would enable us to have a talk about gender equality and to create trusting environment for the discussions because of meeting the same people more than once. At the same time we could provide a space for people to improve their language skills. That straight offer ended up meaning one presentation each day from Monday to Thursday, which with the preparation means full working day and a structured rhythm for the weeks, so excactly what we were looking for.

Do start conversations with strangers. Do keep your eyes open for endless oppportunities around you. Do go and give a try for crazy ideas. Do make connections, because that's how you make things possible.