Arab treats in Summer Heat: a Month in Tunis

I'm living in Tunisia this summer for 3 months working with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), completing the human rights concentration of my McGill University law degree. I'll discuss the work I'm doing in another post, so stay tuned because it's been phenomenal. In this post I want to discuss what it's been like so far living in Tunis. I'll cover where I live, what my favorite foods have been, activities in Tunis, my walks to work, people I've met, and exciting weekend adventures. 

Living in the Medina

For starters, I live in the Medina, which translates to "old town." We're not talking "old" as in old Quebec founded in the 17th century, but we're talking about a city founded in the year 698, which is approximately 1500 years ago. For somebody who lives in Canada, a (settlor) country that recently celebrated its 200 years, that's a lot to wrap my head around. Tunisia has been colonized 7 times, by the Carthaginians, the Romans, a stint by the Vandals and the Byzantine Empire, then the Arabs, the Ottoman Empire, and the French. Amazingly, bits of each of these historical epochs can still be seen as you walk through Tunis, from Roman ruins, to European ceramics, to French pastry shops. I live between the Zitouna mosque - the second oldest mosque in the Maghreb region - and the Kasbah - which literally translates to fortress but in this case refers to the administrative capital of the country. Considering the Medina's streets are too narrow to be driven in, I have to walk about 5 minutes to get out and onto Beb Jedid road where I can hail a cab.

Living in the Medina means I live in a UNESCO world heritage site. There are some 700 historic monuments in the Medina, distributed in 7 areas, among which the most remarkable are the Zitouna Mosque, the Kasbah Mosque, the Youssef Dey Mosque, Bab Jedid Gate, Bab Bhar Gate, the Souq el-Attarine, the Dar el-Bey, Souqs ech-Chaouachia, the Tourbet el Bey, and noble houses such as Dar Hussein, Dar Ben Abdallah, Dar Lasram, the Medrasa Es-Slimanya and El-Mouradia, the El Attarine military barracks and the Zaouia of Sidi Mehrez. 

I live in one of the historical houses (scroll through the slideshow below) right near Tourbet el Bey. In Arabic, "Tourbet" means cemetary, and "Bey" means "king," so I live right near the tomb of the kings who once reigned here. The house is a treasure. The ceramic tiles in the house are hand painted and the doors are made of carved wood. Believe it or not, found the house I'm living on Facebook in a group for people searching for housemates. (Shoutout to Martin for commenting on my post!) My guess is that the king used to live here, but note that's not backed up by any kind of actual historical knowledge. I just want to believe I'm living in a royal palace. 

Amani, my Tunisian housemate, in our private courtyard. I took the photo from the roof!

Each of my housemates is so lovely I could write a blog about all of them. Jeanne is a down-to-earth woman who lives in the moment with cool shoes and a laugh that just fills your heart because it comes from her soul. Martin somehow knows everyone in Tunis, has a phenomenal fashion sense, and takes the time to let people know he cares.  Matthieu has slick shades, witty humour, and makes Tunisia's best Omek Houria (spicy carrot salad) despite not being Tunisian at all. Chloe is an enthusiastic social butterfly who makes everyone in a group comfortable simply by being herself. Amani is a badass Tunisian activist who will one day publish her book that will change lives. Just briefly, I want to emphasize how grateful I am to them for including me in their social circles and inviting me to share moments of their lives. From eating dinner together to having deep chats over coffee, I don't need to explain myself to be understood, which doesn't happen so easily so often. My heart is full in this house.

It would be downright rude for me to write about my house without mentioning our pet, Batman. Batman is a cat whose name was decided before her sex was obvious. We love Batman, our gender-defying cat who is as social as a dog. (For a picture scroll to Week 3.)

The house is nestled between winding roads just wide enough for a donkey cart, with mosques and birds visible from the roof, and cats around every corner. In the afternoons after work, I've picked up the habit of taking a snack in the little courtyard before heading to the roof terrace to exercise, sometimes hearing the mosque prayers in the background of the cardio video on my phone. It's calming up there because hardly anyone goes onto their roofs, so I'm in the middle of the busy city but can't hear traffic (no traffic since cars don't fit in the Medina) and I feel alone, away from the hustle and bustle of the day despite being right above it. I'm lucky enough to catch the sunset most days with the birds circling in the dozens above my head.
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These rugs are most likely from Kairouan, the carpet capital.

Ask for the traditional Tunisian tea with the fresh mint and pine nuts.

​A useful traveller tip for wifi: To get internet, I have a small internet box from the Orange phone store with 100 GB I paid $40 CAD for. It means that instead of using data, I can flip on the switch of the handheld box and have internet whenever I need it.  I'm still grateful to Jeanne for taking me there on day 2 when I still couldn't figure my way outside the maze of the Medina.

Tourist Suggestion - Rue Jamaa El Zitouna: If you want a Medina experience, take a spin on Rue Jamaa El Zitouna and get ready for packed streets, souvenirs and teashops, like in the photos above. 

A useful traveller tip for backpacks: I swear by keeping my backpack on my front at most times so that I can always see what's going on. I also highly recommend the brand "Pacsafe" (which I promise I'm not sponsored for) because it allows you to clip the zippers into the side of the bag so no pick-pocketers will open your bag and snatch anything, because you can't simply zip it open. Plus, they're slashproof and RFID protected, meaning people can't take your credit card info through the bag. I've got a backpack - one that I "borrowed" from my mom years ago without looking back - and a little travellers purse. 

The Food

Amani made us some seafood cus cus and it was divine!

​It's only been a month, but I've tried so many delicious foods. I love the street food here, because it's hella cheap and super tasty. You can get a makloub, which is a sandwich-giro filled with tuna and vegetables and spicy harissa, for about $2 CAD. Although makloubs are good, I enjoy mlawi more. Mlawi is a super thin bread with the consistency between a crepe and Indian naan, filled with meat and veggies and spicy harissa (harissa is everywhere) rolled up so you can eat it on the go. Another funny thing here is a fricase, which is a small sandwich made out of a donut commonly eaten as a snack. The best part is this donut sandwich isn't even considered a dessert.

It would be silly to mention all of this without recognizing that the cous-cous here is divine. Amani made some for us the other night, with squid and veggies on top. I've never had such flavorful cous cous.

There are olives and dates sold on every street corner, and nuts sold in every tiny convenience store area. (Although I say convenience store, instead picture a wall where a man or woman sells practical things - like coffee, sweets, cigarettes, toilet paper - behind a small counter).

This was my coffee and sweets break in Sidi Bou Said at Café des Délices.

I'll name just a few culinary experiences so far. In the northern town of Bizerte about an hour from Tunis (see below for Bizerte adventures), apart from the beach, one of my highlights was drinking sweet hazelnut tea and eating freshly grilled fish I bought from a fish market. In the Medina of Tunis I ate at a fancy restaurant called Fondouk el Attarine complete with two appetizers, a salade and an entree (I chose cous cous), and dessert for $16 CAD (see below for pictures). Of course, going to the local market is also quite the experience, and cheap. As for desserts I've eaten way too many baklavas (layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry filled with chopped nut), a kaak warka (marzipan rosewater cookies that are white in color and shaped like rings), samsa (triangle pastries stuffed with roasted nuts​), bambalouni (fried dough ring doughnuts), ghraiba homs (chickpea cookies apparently dating from the Ottoman empire), makroudh (semolina dough with date filling inside doused with honey), Kaber ellouz (almond balls colored to look like sugary peaches), and assida boufriwa (hazelnut creme in a cup).
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These are some of the spices in the busy central market a 15 minute walk from where I live.

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​A useful traveller tip for transport: Getting around is easiest on foot, because public transportation isn't easily accessible from where I live. Using Bolt, an Uber-like application, is quickest, but most expensive. Hailing down cabs so that they use their taxi meter costs half the price as Bolts, so that's my go-to. I live a bit far from where I work (ie. the Medina is about 30 minutes from Lac 1, the fancy schmancy region where the UNHCR is found, where many embassies and international organizations are.) Instead of paying for a taxi each time, which costs about 7-8 dinars ($3-4 CAD) each morning and evening, I posted in the facebook group "Co-voiturage grande Tunis," a carpool group. I now pay 5 dinars ($2 CAD) each day, there and back. Now that's a deal! Another option is to take shared taxis. For trips outside the city, "louages" are shared, cheap vans with parking lot stations.

​Day-To-Day-Adventures
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Now that we've got the basics out of the way - housing and food, of course - let's dig into how I've spent my month so far. 
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Arrival Weekend: Tunis, Marsa, Sidi Bou Said

​Since the first weekend I had just arrived in Tunis, I spent the weekend meeting my housemates and adjusting to the jet lag. I unpacked, exercised on the roof, and talked to family. 

Walking downtown: The changes in scenery are stark and interesting. Starting from the Medina where I live, I turn through the tight turns and stone walls until I get to the busy bazaars and vendors selling baskets, fruit, jewelry, hardware, clothing, and whatever else you can think of on Bab Jedid avenue. The commotion continues on Rue Al Jazira, where there are coffee shops lining the streets, too much traffic, festive music, children playing, lots of sunshine, and many dates. Turning onto Avenue Habib Bourgiba marks a clear European influence. The Bab el Bhar monument, which translates to "the sea gate," marks the start of the Medina and faces the ocean to the east. Passing by ice cream shops in the Place de L'Independance takes you to the wide street of Habib Bourgiba, where you'll see the French Embassy, the impressive Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul, the beautifully ornate municipal theatre, and expensive shops. Before turning left onto  Avenue Paris or any of the other streets heading north to the Lafayette neighborhood, you can see the Bourgiba clocktower at the other end of the avenue, which one taxi driver once told me, "is our Big Ben!"  One of my favorite streets is Rue des Tanneurs, where there is every kind of cloth imaginable for purchase. 

A useful traveller tip for downtown bars: I went to a bar not far from the house called "Le Malouf" with Jeanne and Matthieu, two of my housemates, meeting some of their French friends here in Tunis. (I learned very quickly that there is a significant French population in Tunisia, so be prepared for cigarette smoke). I highly recommend Le Malouf for an outdoor terrace in downtown Tunis. On Wednesday I went to a terrace/bar called "Majestic" with Matthieu and Martin, also in Lafayette. I recently learned that there are entire neighborhoods that do not allow alcohol (ie Lac 1 is financed by the Saudis and it was a zoning rule not to allow alcohol, if you can imagine), but Lafayette is not dry. Majestic belongs to a fancy hotel, and the spiral staircase up to the terrace is just one more reminder that this city has influence from lots of places. The terrace of Majestic overlooks the busy road below, and the breeze at night feels nice against sunburned skin from the sweaty day.

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The Marsa: On Saturday I hailed a cab and it took 30 minutes (for $4 CAD) to arrive at the Marsa, an upscale community located right on the coast of the Mediterranean, east of the city. Jeanne, a wonderful host, invited me to grab coffee and Italian food at Pizzeria COME Prima with her and her friends there. We walked through a plateau area with a nice view of the Mosque Al Ahmedi before walking right up to the beach. It was very exciting for me to go down the stairs because when I skyped the housemates when I was back in Montreal anxious about the trip, I saw this same view as Jeanne hopped down the stairs in the background of Matthieu's phone. It was crazy to be ther, in person, enjoying a sight I had seen from an ocean away.

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Sidi Bou Said: Afterwards, I walked to Sidi Bou Said, the most picturesque Greek-like town you never knew existed. All the buildings are white with blue roofs, and the ceramic tiles makes it my paradise. 

There were two clear highlights of my afternoon in Sidi Bou Said. The first was sipping a coffee and eating various treats at Café des Délices with a badass Russian woman backpacker named Ulyana (impromptu encounters are great). The coffee was overpriced but I'd say it was definitely worth the view of the ocean on the tip of the peninsula overlooking the beach below. 

The second highlight was being invited by a local shopkeeper into a restaurant called Art Cafe located near Dar El Annabi, a heritage museum. I took the stairs upwards and saw groups of men smoking shisha (is my life a movie?). I climbed up the stairs to the roof with a view of the ocean. It was so unexpected, with its mixed Arab and Andalusian architecture. The music gave it the atmosphere I had come to Tunisia expecting to find. 

Perhaps the best part of the day, beyond the satisfaction from the view or the rooftop, was the inner peace I felt with being out on my own exploring at my pace. On the way to Sidi Bou Said I stopped for an ice cream, enjoying the increasingly blue-white scenery. I met Ulyana because my phone died and I didn't know the way to the coffeeshop, so I bumped into her, asked her for directions, and invited her to join me when she expressed her happiness at finally meeting somebody who spoke English. When I left the cafe, it started pouring and instead of being worried about my clothes, I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. I hopped into an art museum, browsed a book about the region, had a tabouna salad, and admired the little wooden imitation doors being sold left and right. The pottery on sale was colorful and happy. I was colorful and happy, too.

A few weeks later I was already back to "Sidi Bou," the shorthand locals use to refer to the town. 

Coffee: On Sunday I went to a coffeeshop called Little Sarrajine Coffee, which is a short walk from my house. It's a 3 story building with a view of the street below from the terrace. I read my book and journaled, enjoying the busy street from a perch. The coffee was quite tasty. 

Coffee in Tunisia functions as a social institution. There are hundreds of small coffeeshops where thousands of men sit outside at all hours of the day, either speaking together or enjoying the sidewalk view alone. There are different ways to call coffee depending on what you're looking for. My favorite is the cafe direct, or latte. 

• "Qahwa" = coffee
• "Espress" = espresso, but even more bitter than what I'm used to
• "Cafe filtre" = filter coffee

• "Cafe creme," "Qahwa bi halib" = filter coffee with lots of milk
• "Shtar" = without milk
• "Direct" = espresso with milk, ie a latte or cappuccino 
• "Capucin" = not cappuccino, but espresso with a little milk like a macchiato
• Turkish coffee, Qahwa arbi = grounds form a mud at the bottom

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Tourist Suggestion - Marche Centrale : The central market is the place to be on a Sunday morning. I went with Jeanne and Matthieu to buy vegetables for the week. There are three major sections: the first is a huge fish market, the second is where spices, olives, and cheese are sold, and the third is the giant vegetable/fruit section. One of the mainstays of Tunisian cuisine is spicy harissa Matthieu just adores, so naturally you can buy that in the second section. I met a goofy guy with an impressive lemon stand who gave me a business card I will forever keep in my wallet, considering it has a picture of him and all his lemons. It's worth taking a stroll in the flower section, which smells wonderful. 

Sarrajine coffeeshop

Marche Centrale

Week 1: Pottery Class, the Marsa, Bizerte

​Pottery :  The second weekend I spent Saturday at Cera, a ceramic studio, thanks to my housemate Amani hooking me up with a friend of a friend, Daly, who owns the studio. I'm now spending my Saturdays working there in exchange for learning pottery tips and playing with clay for free. Daly gives classes on Saturday, and so far the people there have been kind and welcoming. I taught a few locals how to make coil pots. The music was warm and the ambiance felt like my Montreal pottery studio. What can I say? I'm happy when I'm playing with clay. 
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A useful traveller tip for language: By the second weekend I had already learned a few key Tunisian arabic phrases, namely thank you (aishek), please (b'lehi), hello (aslema) and bye (bislema). Note that the Tunisian dialect is quite unique, so some of the modern standard arabic I had come prepared with isn't practically used. One of the places most recommended to me for language classes is the Bourgiba Institute of Modern Languages, but I've also heard success stories about one-on-one private tutoring with local contacts.  
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Back to the Marsa: After my pottery class, I went to the Marsa to grab some lunch at a restaurant called La Dokkana House. There is an impressive view on the ocean from the terrace. I was invited by a lovely American-Russian couple my age to share lunch with them. We chatted about traveling, politics and language learning. They both work from home, so are able to travel for months at a time. While traveling with friends is fun, I find that traveling alone allows you to meet and connect with more people because you're drawn into conversations you might not otherwise be drawn into. That was the case here.

After lunch these two new friends showed me around the neighborhood. The Marsa is known for ice cream. As in, I quite literally saw 6 ice cream stores in a short 10 minute cab ride. Naturally, we grabbed ice cream. I love hazelnut, and I'm glad to announce that so do Tunisians. My hazelnut chocolate ice cream was perfect for the hot day. Eventually we wound up at a cafe called the Saf-Saf that occasionally hosts a lady camel. I saw the lady camel. It was a random, fun time. ​

Bizerte: On Sunday Matthieu and I went to Bizerte in a communal van taxi, or "louage" (similar to matatus I took in Kenya), to meet up with Amani. Bizerte is about an hour away from Tunis. Amani's family lives in Bizerte, so it was wonderful to meet her mom and 9 year old brother.

We spent the day admiring the colorful buildings and fishing boats in Bizerte's old port, enjoyed visiting a busy fish market where we bought our lunch to be grilled, and ate it on the side of the water with tabouna bread and a spicy green sauce-like salad called mechouia salad. The nice thing about hanging out with locals is that they bring you to all the local hangouts. I would have never ventured into that busy fish market, bought a raw fish, and brought it to the grill. (You don't pay them for the fish, but for the grilling.) Amani was a star and somehow found us a nice table by the water despite the hundreds of people swarming around the area.

​We grabbed a coffee on the boardwalk before hopping in the car and heading to the beach, a local place called "Grotte 1." I drew in my journal soaking up the sun, watching Amani's little brother play in the waves. I don't know why, but when I ran on the sand it started squeaking! (My guess is there are air pockets in the sand? Any guesses as to why would be appreciated.) We ended the day with a sweet hazelnut tea before heading back to Tunis in the louage. ​

Movies: Matthieu, a movie buff, invited me to go along with him and watch a film at a movie theatre during the week. Azur City is a giant mall about 20 minutes in taxi (which costs about 6 dinars or $3 CAD to get to). I must admit that I wasn't expecting such a phenomenal movie theatre. The surround sound was insane, the couches were red and welcoming, and the place was clean.

Before the film we went to grab a bite to eat at the food court, and I found it so funny that the American chain Chiles was there, with a drinks page in the menu with "Sprite" instead of gin or vodka. Turns out Azur City is non-alcoholic. 

We had trouble finding a Bolt to go back home, but eventually made it. One tip might be arranging transportation beforehand for a late night film.​
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Week 2: Conference of Coincidence, Queer Play & Yuka 

Coincidences of all coincidences: I know I said I wouldn't speak too much about work in this post, but the entirety of week 3 was fun and random - like traveling tends to be - precisely because of work-related shenanigans.

After a rapid change in plans concerning my prior internship, I emailed the Canadian embassy for guidance on legal organizations doing good work in and around Tunis with whom I could work with. I honestly wasn't expecting a response. Within 30 minutes, I got an email from who I now consider a friend, Lara, from the International Bureau for Children's Rights. Believe it or not, she was contacted by somebody from the embassy and happened to be sitting in a cab with my professor, Dr. Francois Crepeau, who taught me refugee and immigration law last semester. (Aside: Dr. Crepeau used to be the United Nations special rapporteur on migration, so he's kind of a big deal but also one of the most laid back profs I know). Turns out my prof from Montreal was here in Tunis to help lead a conference on the child rights of migrants. WHAAT?! Considering I just finished writing a 30-page research paper about Mediterranean migration routes and EU policy, and a few months ago wrote another 30-pager about child labour for my human rights class, Lara invited me to attend the conference. 

Sometimes when you least expect things to go smoothly, life defies your expectations and you oggle at the way things work out.

The two-day conference at the Hotel Berge du Lac was phenomenal both in terms of agenda but also in terms of getting me back on my feet. I met Lara's lovely co-workers including bubbly Marie-Soleil, a Québécoise woman whose accent made me feel right at home, and young Ivorian and Congolese friends passionate about refugee rights. I learned about unaccompanied child migrants in Tunisia and enjoyed a cocktail casually meeting the Canadian ambassador, representatives from the IOM (International Organization for Migration), UNICEF (UN agency for children's rights), and UNHCR (UN agency for refugees). Although normal people want to meet Lady Gaga, for me meeting people working at the UN was a *pinch me* day. With no time to waste, I bolstered my confidence and spoke to all these reps explaining my situation and proposing internships. Usually nailing down a UN internship is a year-long process. I don't know why or how, but by Monday, these three organizations had offered me internships. It was a serendipitous, confidence-boosting week as I started my time with the UNHCR.

Sometimes, the toughest thing to do is to make a decision for your mental health that you're unsure will end well. This is one of those examples where being courageous enough to put a quick end to a plan couldn't have had a better turn of events.

Berges du Lac has 2 zones: Lac 1 (where the UNHCR office is) and Lac 2.

Rooftop Party: Like I mentioned above, my roommates are pretty cool. This week, they decided to host an apero at our house on Thursday. With great weather and great people, the gathering was a perfectly timed opportunity to make pals.
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​Have I mentioned I'm grateful to be living with these lovely human beings? 

​Impromptu Lunch in the Medina: After pottery on Saturday, I was invited to an impromptu lunch with a woman named Myriam taking pottery classes at Cera. She was heading downtown to meet up with her cousin and aunt and offered to give me a ride to the Medina. Rather than just dropping me off, she brought me to eat lunch with them.

I've found that Tunisians are like that. They want you to feel welcome, and they'll invite you wherever they're going. One time, a taxi driver eating a sandwich even offered me a bite of his sandwich! I politely declined. 
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Tourist Suggestion - Fonduk El Attarine: This is a definite must-see in the Medina. For a 3 course meal, plus a shared appetizer of bread and olives, the cost is 38 dinars, or $16 CAD. Apparently there's a similar restaurant that serves the same food for double the price nearby, but let me assure you that you're not missing anything if you come here. The chef is the same person.

I had the generous salad du chef, which pleasantly had strawberries and nuts, followed by the couscous poisson aia karkenaise, which was DIVINE, and finally the zriga assida or hazelnut chocolate mousse. With cold water and coffee, this is the slam dunk deal of the Medina. To be clear, this is quite an expensive meal for here, considering a filling streetfood meal is about $2-$4. The experience was worth the cost. We stayed for around 3 hours talking and laughing.

It's important to recognize that Myriam didn't need to invite me to this lunch, but she did. Not only that, but her and her cousin and aunt included me in conversation, sharing other secret gems in the Medina. It's always a privilege to be invited into the intimate family spaces of strangers.

Queer Activist Play, Flagrant Delit: There might be nothing I like better than queer activism in a country that penalizes sexual intercourse between people of the same sex. (See my blog post about anti-homosexuality laws in Kenya, here.) Let's just say Article 230 of the Tunisian Penal Code of 1913 is not a friendly law for queer people. 

On Saturday night, I went to see the play called "Flagrant Delit," organized by the local grassroots NGO called Mawjoudin We Exist. This NGO took the lead from Damj, a queer organization in Tunisia that hosted the first queer play a few years ago in all of the Arab world. That's a big deal. These people are trailblazers in terms of human rights. Flagrant Delit, the play I saw, was an edge of your seat, heart-wrenching, humanizing, utterly raw play about being a trans person in Tunisia. Amani, who I live with, works at L'Art Rue, who was in partnership with Mawjoudin on this project, and provided me with a ticket. The play took place at Rio Theatre in downtown Tunis. There were french subtitles dancing across the top of the screen as the scenes unfolded. Even though I didn't understand everything, I understood enough to get shivers. The play was mindful of the heavy subject, and somehow included both humorous moments and education about the legal context in Tunisia.

I've learned a lot about queer rights in Tunisia in the past month, considering I've become good friends with various queer activists, my house is a safe space and amenable to meaningful conversations about the subject, and my personal interest means I've read 3 studies about LGBTQ rights and its evolution in Tunisia this month. Before leaving the country, I'm going to do some research and write another post like I did for Kenya, but this time amplifying the voices of Tunisians fighting the system rather than my own superficial experience. Their work is important. It was an honour to see the play and the hard work of the writers, incredibly courageous actors, and organizers who made the event possible. It was a lovely surprise to learn a few weeks later that one of my co-workers knows one of the writers of this play.

Le Muret : That evening I went to a resto/bar called "Le Muret" near Place D'Afrique with friends from the Canadian embassy I had made during the conference earlier in the week, namely Joelle and Khawla, two lovely people who like to have a good time. The music was delightful because the woman singing had such a powerful voice. (At first we thought it was a CD, she was so good! And in English as well as in Arabic.) It was a great evening. We laughed, we danced, we ate good pizza, and all fought over the little crunchy appetizers we couldn't decide were peanuts or chickpeas (they were peanuts; I lost that fight). It was the night I started picturing myself actually living in Tunisia for more than just a 3 month internship. Who knows, maybe I'll be back for longer.
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Yuka with Canadian Embassy Reps: The next day I went to Yuka, a beach bar in Gammarth, to hang out with some of the folks I met from the Canadian embassy at the conference and at the Flagrant play earlier in the week. I'll admit that a few times I thought about how weirdly random it was to be casually hanging out with diplomats at a beach bar in Gammarth, Tunisia. Mostly though, I just enjoyed the company and the encouragement to apply to become a diplomat. Maybe my favorite part was to be speaking French with other people from Quebec who used slang that made this beachside bar feel so familiar. We talked about our favorite places to visit in Montreal. Traveling is strange and wonderful. 

A useful traveller tip for nightlife: The eastern suburbs, including Gammarth, the Marsa, and the Goulette, are the places to be if you want some life at night. For a classic evening out, head to Yuka, which is actually only one of about 5 bars in the complex. I went back to Yuka at night the next weekend with Jeanne and Chloe and it was bumpin' at night.

Week 3: UNHCR, Martin's Goodbye, Beach Day

View from the Golden Tulip Hotel, where the conference was held.

UNHCR: Week 3 was my first *full* week with the UNHCR, and boy can I say it I enjoyed it. Everyone in the office is extremely friendly, well intentioned, and hardworking. I'll check on the confidentiality permissions before writing a more detailed explanation of my work there so far, but let it suffice to say I'm academically and intellectually satisfied with what I'm learning. Beyond researching relevant legal questions the team is working on, I went to a conference this week about protecting the rights of child migrants in Tunisia at the Golden Tulip Hotel. It was great to see Lara, Marie Soleil, and Joelle again from the International Bureau for Children's Rights and the Canadian embassy.

Another *wild* thing about the conference was the simultaneous translation happening from French to Arabic and back. I took a silly picture of myself with the headset, with no intention of sharing it in the future, but include it here just to share how neat this headset was. I'll admit that I let myself close my eyes for a moment and pretend like I was at the UN General Assembly, switching into my language of choice. 
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As for the office environment at the UNHCR, let me just say that my supervisor and co-workers are lovely. Rihem is a kind-hearted person who drove me to work once, shared with me her love of music. Mariem is an activist with fun hair who jokes around sometimes but is a fierce leader with refugees and asylum seekers when she needs to be. Both are young Tunisian women working in human rights and killing it. Michael is from Saskatchewan and always recognizes the work of interns on emails, which is appreciated. Lilia, Mouna, and Ghita are all distinct personalities who jive together. It's a great team. 

Martin's Farewell: To celebrate Martin's departure to Italy, we had a gathering at Majestic on Wednesday. I couldn't be happier that my path and Martin's crossed when they did. Cheers to Martin's new chapter and his stylin outfit!

A useful traveller tip for shopping: You think thrift shops are cool? You've never been to Tunisian streets, where pop-up clothing stands on plastic tables are the things of dreams. Going to the "Fripe" means going to a thrift shop where you'll find $200 brand name boots for $20 like Jeanne did last week, t-shirts for 50 cents, and beautiful flowy yet elegant new work pants (because it's too hot to wear anything tighter!) for $7, which is considered expensive.
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Martin found his lovely jacket at a Fripe.

Goulette Evening: The weekend was more relaxed than others. Friday night I went to La Goulette, a neighborhood near the beach, and enjoyed my time with Jeanne, Chloe, and their friends at a bar called Wet Flamingo. The pizza was quite good. Saturday I read my book at home and hung out with batman, our (lady) cat. 
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Beach Day: Sunday I went to eat a big bowl of salad with Jeanne in the Marsa and then went to the beach to soak up some sun. Apart from some good chats with Jeanne, my highlight of the day was definitely playing soccer with local boys on the beach, who just about went ballistic when I scored.

Bougainvilleas in the Marsa

Batman, our lady cat

Week 4: Morning Italian, Paddleboard, Beach Paradise

Morning Italian: May, my ride to work who I found on the CoVoiturage Facebook group, likes to sing on the 30 minute drive to work and honk angrily at cars that cut her off. She also picks me up at 7 AM from Bab Jedid, which means I'm at work at 7:30, an hour early. Lucky for me, there's a great coffee shop called Cosmitto right near the office safe enough to pull out my computer. Since I'm heading on exchange to Italy in September (where is the time going), my early ride is a blessing in disguise since it both allows me to not sit in traffic when it's blistering hot, and also forces me to get on that Italian studying game. 

Tourist Suggestion - Taxi Rides : Honestly I love taxi drivers. From practicing Spanish in Ecuador without embarrassment because I knew I wouldn't see the driver again, to a  Nairobi driver who just shrugged when I got my phone stolen from my lap due to a hand snatching it from the window on the open highway, taxi rides are perhaps the most underrated traveling companions. In Tunis, I've met over-educated taxi drivers who speak multiple languages and world geography. They've taught me where to take shared taxis to save money, shared local police numbers with me because they were "my uncle," stopped so that I could buy fruit on the side of the road, and shared useful phrases like "mush mushkool" which means "no problem." So don't spend your time on your phones in taxis. Talk to the drivers and you could learn a lot. 
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Paddleboard in Sidi Bou after work: On Fridays, we get off work at 3 PM. I don't know who thought of ending the day early on Friday, but I love the idea. After work this week I hailed a cab from the hot road until I got to the beach at Sidi Bou Said. Myriam, the pottery friend who invited me to the lunch mentioned above, comes here all the time to do paddleboarding. Well I was interested! For 30 dinars or $12.50 CAD, we had a half hour on the paddle boards with the Luckyy Boy Club rentals. Considering I had done paddleboarding before, I thought I'd have an easy time. The detail I forgot about was that I had only paddle boarded on lakes! Let me be clear that I fell quite a few times, but it was wonderful considering the water was perfectly warm to hang out in for hours. 

After playing soccer with the paddleboard crew, I meet up with friends at Le Pirate, a restaurant bar near the Sidi Bou Said beach. I ordered an enormous salad and was so happy to be eating a salad (considering my veggie intake hasn't been great).

​After a few hours of laughs with Jeanne and Florine, I got a text from my pottery pal Daly who invited me to Wet Flamingo, another bar in the Goulette I had been to the week before. I head over there and he introduced me to his friends. I'm usually not one to stay out late, but it's not the first time in Tunisia I got home after midnight. 

Jeanne is the star of the night.

​Capitaine El Bounta in Raf Raf : The next day was one of those summer adventures I'll remember for a long time. After falling in love with a tiny kitten we found near Chloe's grandparent's house, Chloe and Jeanne and I spent the day driving to Raf Raf, which is near Bizerte but hidden away in a little cove.

I think the day was so good precisely because Chloe and Jeanne feel like old friends who accept me for me, shenanigans and all, despite only knowing me a few weeks. We sang music, watched the olive groves pass by on the drive there, and even laughed at a man wearing a McGill University t-shirt he had probably bought from a local fripe. I had pangs of Kenya memories as we drove through little towns with fruit stands lining the dusty roads, wishing I could share all of my life experiences with the two sitting in the front seat talking about the differences between one French town and another. After glimpsing the ocean, turning left, and passing by vividly orange mounds of soil, we found a dusty parking lot and hopped out with our towels. It was sunny and hot - the kind of heat that makes you really glad you're hopping in the ocean soon.​

I don't know who found this adventure but I'm glad I was included in the plan to spend the day at Capitaine El Bounta, which is a beach bar that you need to take a boat to get to. We got to the beach waiting for our boat taxi, and I played soccer with a lad near the water before hopping in the boat and holding onto my hat, waving at him goodbye. The boat ride lasted a short 10 minutes.

​I actually could not believe the color of the water. I didn't edit any of these photos. I've never used the word "aquamarine" to describe a color in a better place than here.

​The place was really neat. We had a little table on stilts and spent the whole afternoon there. The cost for the day at Capitaine was 70 dinars per person, or $29 CAD, which included the boat ride, the whole day at the place, a delicious lunch comprised of freshly grilled fish, salad, bread, fries, water, and an afternoon watermelon snack, and the boat ride back. It doesn't look like Capitaine is the only place like this, as we boated past another place called Lovina, which had a similar setup.

It was neat to go exploring up above our little paradise, where we found a really old building that we think was a mausoleum? The views from the top of the little hill were phenomenal. 

After our beautiful day, Chloe was a champ and drove back to Tunis under wild traffic conditions including erratic drivers and one-way streets that weren't one way streets.

We went back to the Yuka bar (I had gone there with the Canadian embassy people during the day, remember?) but this time at night. The vibe was neat and fun and different. The lights were on, the atmosphere was club-like and the people were all much more nicely dressed than us. We grabbed a table and chatted about life before heading home way too late but happy in our hearts. 

Takeaway

The first month in Tunisia has been a whirlwind of fun and beauty and unexpected encounters. From exploring the Medina, trying new foods, visiting blue-white towns, making new friends, going to the beaches, feeling diplomatic, drinking coffee, people watching, learning arabic, and generally living in the moment, I can say I've seen a lot and learned a ton. I can't wait to see what the second month has to offer.