The power of smile

Getting to know the reality of Tunisian women started with going to a cooking class of a local NGO called Free women. The day was a big day for the women there as they were having their final exam before getting the certificate. Happily we figured out that our expectations towards what was waiting for us were lower than the reality.

As true as it is than Africa also has internet connection we also were able to find people with ready degrees and language skills. For most of them coming there wasn't anyhow the only option they were capable of doing. The challenge isn't about succeeding in studies, it is the unemployment, which still follows even after graduating for example from business school. Getting the certificate from the baking course might not ensure getting a job but helps with creating the job on your own.

Some of the younger women also spoke English, which made the communication easier for me as well in this Arabic and French filled country. Most importantly, I was able to find the most powerful common language of all the languages; smile. With one of the women I met there and felt the most connected with we didn't have a common spoken language but we were still able to share feelings. And feelings create stories.
 

Maybe the best known non-spoken language is the survival hand language. However, in addition to trying to show the directions, it's possible also to connect with people only using impressions and gestures. We were able to sigh for the heat and detailed work, appreciate the effort of giving one's best, engourage, be friendly and interested in each others. And in the end, that's all what matters.

The women of the Free women have the attitude. The next day we went to their graduation party where their paistries were served, people were sitting in fancy tables wearing their best costumes, dancing, sharing the proud moment together and smiling the smile of succeeded woman. I had a feeling I could sense the attitude also from the participating children, which isn't really surprising as they have been raised surrounded by those role models. Already taking the opportunity to take part in the course asks for courage in the society where it's assumed that all the women just know all tricks of baking and cooking. After seeing those strong smiles, ruling my own life as courageously as them seems the only pursued way to live. I believe, it's also the way to achieve those strong smiles and the determined attitude.

How does the life here look like?

Sand and light colored houses, chaotic traffic, talkative people who are willing to help, eating on the beach in the sunset, palm trees. Getting to know the other EPs, figuring out the mystery of medina - a place about which everyone is talking about but you don't understand before seeing what does it actually mean - cafes on the rooftop.

Emshi [insert the destination], plaza, Dinar khamsmia - and that's how you get the cheap shared taxi after 9 pm. This is how we'll start to be Tunisialized!

The whole new world

Everything is so different. I have continuously the feeling that my eyes should be recording all the details, streets, markets, buildings, cars, busses, markets, mosques. There is a new culture shock waiting behind every corner. Crossing the street and taking a taxi require some talent. They say we are going to get used to it, let's see. The question about survival of "just tourists" still remains. Even if they would ask for more money from foreigners, how the system could be understood without the inside knowledge?

I have to admit that going to the city center for the first time was stressful. Having all the reminders about being careful flashing in my mind, trying to memorise the road back, wanting to enjoy the fascinating scenery and the perfect temperature after the sunset, while listening to the local's analysis about the environment and the things I would have even known to pay attention to - that was quite much to handle but we survived. Fortunately I share (a room and) the taxi. Being confused together was highly appreciated.

Meeting with the AIESECers and the other already arrived EPs was really good. It reminded me that the life is still the same here as well and it was so much easier to relax after realizing it. Also, being able to have the common AIESEC language felt super nice after being compeletely lost with the majority of language based information here. Abbreviations, I wouldn't have ever believed I could feel so happy to hear you.

The local language they speak here sounds for me just like random noises after each other. It's kind of hard to even believe that those noises would mean something for somebody. On the other hand, it's easy to not to pay attention to it so it's not taking too much of your energy but the feeling of being really useless with my language skills is strong. It feels extremely necessary to learn some expressions to feel more comfortable and polite. I already have a list of the very basics and the host sister promised to teach us more little by little every day. Challenge accepted.

P.S. Yesterday I really got to know the power of sun. It's nothing you cannot live with, but it's definetely a tiring factor, in addition to all the other new things and the new enviroment. Water and light clothes, thank you for existing.

First impression

Stopover in Frankfurt still felt so familiar with the prices in Euros, understable language and not so different looking environment. However, the airport there also had the honor to cause the first moment of culture shock which looked like this:

Yes, the flight was supposed to leave at 22:15 but looking at this screen being already confused with the timezone changes made me look couple of times again. Luckily the texts were changing with the more familiar alphabetical ones and I hadn't yet lost my ability to read.

The other heart pumping moment came when they gave us boarding cards in the plane. This was something no one had told me about and my fellow traveller and discussion buddy next to me didn't have a clue of either. Filling in a paper with your own basic information of course isn't a big deal, but they were also asking for an address in Tunisia, about which I had no idea. Fingers crossed I then went to the passport control, and survived. After that the hand luggage scanner already stole my attention so that I even forgot to check the first stamp I got.

When stepping out from the airport I did my best to resist taking photos after laughing a bit in my mind at the EPs (exchange participants) doing so when I have been picking them up in Finland. I might also have been too amazed and hyped about the warmth of the air. And that combined to the darkness! It has always meant something exotic for me.

As an answer to a question if people in general speak English here I got "No, French they do speak a lot". In addition to sheep, also pedestrians walk beside the highway. The sun is shining exactly from above. The wind doesn't really cool the air. It IS hot. So far the hotness has still been enjoyable, in the end this is still what I signed for with my country decision.

With 16 Dinars (6 Euros) you can get from Tunis to Sfax in 2,5 hours. The question just is how would a person without any local contacts and language knowledge have found the bus station, understood where to pay and stepped into the right louage. Thanks AIESEC for providing us these, as well as the strategical phone calls with the driver.

The host family found us, stomach has been filled, rooster is crowing somewhere in the distance. Tunisia has treated well so far.