Tozeur - weekend in the south

Those tourist shops in the middle of nowhere selling 'sea flowers'.

The road crossing the salt sea.

Waves of a different kind of ocean.

Paradise called Résidence Loued Hotel in the middle of my personal heat record, +42°C.

I have never seen this many palm trees at the same time. Welcome to the jungle for real.

Every tourist who appreciates herself goes to see the Star Wars scene when visiting Tozeur.

Sahara is only one type of a desert, but really a breathtaking one.

The mirage exists (even though you wouldn't believe it by looking this picture).

Appreciation towards water just got new definition during this trip. Even the wind coming from the window while driving a car was just burning hot, like being in a dry sauna, continuously. Many of the locals still had jeans or black dresses on. No idea how they survive. My feet were burning in sandals. The clothes which were wet of sweating could have been considered for a while as refreshing, but for that you need some good imagination. Challenging environment, new experiences, this was definetely one example of it.

P.S. Palm trees produce dates instead of coconuts here. Water bottle of half litre is useless. But cold water, it's heavenly.

Kerkenah islands

These beautiful landscapes taught me that there are still places where women's and men's jobs exist in career planning as well as the mindset of children. However, in those places as well there are strong women who believe in their abilities of being the role model for the next generations and taking the needed initiatives for change.

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!