Tunisian Internship 2010: July 2010

Somehow I have managed to have a relatively interesting and lively time here in Tunis outside of work. This last week, however, has demonstrated to me what a particularly rare and precious opportunity working at AMIDEAST truly is. For five days the advising team here hosted the Youth Exchange Program (YES) Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO). YES sends well-prepared Tunisian high school students to live and study for one year in the U.S. The one week PDO is the final step in getting these outstanding young scholars ready to live with an American host family and study in an American high school. In just five days, these young adults participated in approximately 30 hours of lecture including several one-on-one panel discussions with recently returning YES alumni – some of whom have only been back in Tunisia for a few weeks. Evenings were spent attending cross-cultural events including a film screening with discussion, a soccer match, and even dinner at the home of the American ambassador to Tunisia. As this was a residential event with students staying in a nearby hotel with constant supervision by AMIDEAST staff, everyone had ample opportunity to get to know one another. The week culminated with the students putting together their very own presentations for their parents and families on what to expect over the following year along with the challenges and rewards. I was absolutely shocked to discover on Friday how emotional I was. The alumni spoke at length about their American adventures and more than once I heard someone say that going to the U.S was the best decision they had ever made. It was obvious how powerful the school year abroad had been for them and how attached they had become to American culture, language, and people. I was astounded and somewhat overwhelmed to experience such warmth from citizens of a country that, frankly, most of us Americans could not find on a map – including me not all that long ago. After the presentations wrapped up and a final Q&A was had, the students, families, YES alumni, AMIDEAST interns and staff all said their farewells with hugs for everyone. This is especially unique if you realize that Tunisians don’t typically hug like Americans – they go for the double cheek smooch. Hugging is as odd for them as cheek kissing would be for most Americans. Tears actually flowed as emails and facebook details were exchanged. I could not believe how anxious I was while giving last minute advice to one brave Tunisian soul who would be living with a host family in Anchorage, Alaska – my old stomping ground. I had really connected with this lively and adventurous group and, moreover, they reciprocated my feelings. I will relish hearing from each of them about their time abroad and communicating with those who have just returned as they finish off their last year or two in school at home. You would likely be amazed at how “Americanized” most of them have become. Music tastes, use of slang, local dialect, and American tastes make many of them indistinguishable from their U.S. counterparts - if it weren’t for their penchant of meandering back and forth among three or four different languages anyway. Truly stunning stuff. One guy named Firas kept me in stitches. He had spent his last year in Macon, Georgia and acquired the local dialect. Very little is funnier than hearing a Tunisian teen “ya’lling” and drawling during English presentations while others affected their own unique brand of colloquial English. Too funny. Enjoy the pictures of the week’s festivities and of some of the brightest young academic lights in Tunisia today. My great appreciation goes out to AMIDEAST for giving me the chance to work with all of them and to IE3 for getting me here. Bislemma!

DD

PS: These pics are from Sidi Bou Said at the Ambassador’s house. Don’t think I ignored the guys in the photos. There are far more females in the program than guys. Go figure.

This is just a quick interim post before I head out to the Medina for lunch today with Leila. I took the train to Sousse Thursday to scout out an apartment that a small contigent of fast-talking entrepenurial female British expat real estate agents lined up for me. Pictures included. It is pricey by local standards - 650 TD per month which is about $430 a month for an IMMACULATE 3-bedroom, all new, third story apartment with a huge terraced roof and walled -in courtyard below. It's only a 10 minute walk to work and a 15 min walk to the beach which is VERY well-stocked. Beer and food is served in small cabana-esque beach-front restaurants and amusements like jet-skis and para-skiiing abound. Paradise, you say? Maybe. For any of you who care to sample this for yourself, it appears you just may have a place to stay - reserve your spot now...... Summer is tourist season here..... and August begins Ramadan. A very hot and barren time. I recommend considering a visit from mid-Sep to beginning of December. I myself am working out some sort of south desert ascetic nomadic wandering tour via camel (Jmel in Arabic) followed by a European- Parisian-Christmas festivity. Oh, if any of you haven't noticed, there are comment sections below every post - use them if you have a question or accusation or something. I am craving interwebal feedback.

Bon Weekend to you all!!

DD