On The Road

One of the ways to get around Tunis is to hail one of the ubiquitous yellow petit taxis. They're more flexible than the bus, and are often more direct than the metro. One of the big joys of taking them is chatting up the taxi drivers. I picked up doing this while I was in Morocco. The trick was learning just the basic local greetings, and it was a pretty surefire way to avoid them fooling with the meter to give you the tourist price (although it almost never worked down in Marrakech - the cabbies were too hardened there). Normally, I get to strike up a pretty decent conversation, and it's a great way to get to know people.

Today was no exception. I got off work today around five, went down to the swanky cafe next to the Italian Cultural Center, and then hailed one of them. We got to talking, as we always do. I told him to go out to this hospital called "Hopital Razi," which is the psychological hospital right next to where I live. We chatted a bit more, and then he asked me if I was married (as in all short conversations), and then he said he wasn't because he had just spent ten years at Razi Hospital...

I tensed up for a second, but the cab ride actually turned into one of the best conversations I've had here yet. A really great, calm guy who's clearly been through a lot, but is very genuine. It's sometimes tough with the cabbies, because my French and limited Modern Standard Arabic only intersect so much with the local Dirja Arabic, but all's good when people mean well. I have his number, and I actually might call him - something I normally stay away from. He also gave me a bid discount on the ride that I was reticent to accept, but he insisted.

As long as we're on the road... Driving here is ridiculous. Tunisia has some of the worst road safety in the world. Lanes are an abstract concept, as are speed limits, stopping for pedestrians, and all manner of road courtesies. Today, for instance, there was a big backup (traffic during rush hour is just plain bad), and I'm sure anyone can relate to being in traffic on freeways back in the states - there's always a few assholes who zoom by on the shoulder. Here, it was so normal that the shoulder was completely backed up. The 45-degree sand embankment to the side of the highway was being used as the de facto shoulder for more than a few cars. I watched more than a few zoom by, kicking up dust.

Also in the recent news. Last night I had a great night out with the director of Amideast Tunisia, Lee. He's a career international NGO guy. He did the Peace Corps in Tunisia back during their pilot year, and has worked in basically every West African and North African country. For example, he's spent three years in Morocco (one year of it was living in the old US Consulate in Tangier - a Bey's Palace in the heart of the Medina that was given to the USA by King Hassan II), plenty of time in Mali, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Senegal, plus time in Haiti and parts elsewhere. He took me out for some nice seafood at this place called "L'Amphitrite," which according to him means "mermaid" in Latin. It's right on the beach in Carthage, and it's quite gorgeous. The hills of Sidi Bou Said are just to your left, and you can sit out on the patio literally twenty feet from the Meditteranean.

Psychologically, it's still tough being here in certain respects. I left my family, my friends, I graduated from University, and Tunis is such a crazy city to get a grip on. Of course, it's only been five days, and I'm getting a little rhythm going. The way I look at this, without sounding overly paternal, is that it's good for me, despite the difficulties. (Honestly, if someone would have showed up on Sunday night when I was all alone, literally crying from emotional exhaustion, and offered me a ticket home, I would've taken it.) Luckily, everyone here has been exceptional, especially Mohamed and Cherifa, who have made me very comfortable. I'll probably be moving soon to something a little closer to town, however. The 45-min commute in either traffic or the hot and crammed metro has been grating at me.

Also, I tried uploading photos, and I'm not having any success with a decent enough connection. I'll keep on looking around for a decent connection. Also, once I get more settled, I'll be more likely to bring around the camera with me. At this point, it's just a little too much "stuff" to have with me all the time.