David shares his experience participating in this summer’s 8-day Community, Action, and Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) Program, as well as some general tips and packing advice for future students heading to Tunisia.

Program Overview

Day 1 (June 1): Arrival

I arrived at Tunis-Carthage Airport in the morning of June 1, 2024 on a bright and sunny day. It was my first time landing on the African continent and I felt physically exhausted but mentally excited, a great feeling overall. I walked through passport control then met the taxi driver at the Orange telephone store in the arrivals area. He drove me to the Hotel Belvedere and unloaded my bags from the trunk. I then checked into the hotel and dropped my luggage off in my room. I was ready to explore the city so I started walking down the Av. Des Etats Unis, and took a right. I continued to the end of the main avenue and took a left and followed it until I reached a farmer’s market. I purchased strawberries, peaches, and a cantaloupe. I then walked to a nearby juice shop and drank some strawberry juice - tasty and refreshing. I continued walking around the surrounding area until I began to feel tired so I walked back to the hotel, unpacked my bags then laid my head down.

In the evening, we had our first meeting in the dining area of the hotel. I met Sahar and most of the other Amideast CASE students. I enjoyed a chicken meal, fruit, and ice cream. I then went back to bed and awoke for the first scheduled day of our journey.

Day 2 (June 2)

I was running late and quickly ran down the hotel stairs to the bus where everyone was already seated. We drove about 10 minutes to the Amideast/Tunisia office. We had our first panel discussion about “Colonialism and Post-Independence and Effects on Neoliberalism”. I was excited about the opportunity to learn firsthand about Tunisia from the guest speaker (attending via video call) as well as peers of the CASE program - Safa, Amira, and Edris. After the discussion, we had lunch then headed to JCI’s building in the Medina to participate in screen printing and paint art. We then returned to the hotel and had dinner on our own.

Day 3 (June 3)

I woke up for breakfast and ate some filling foods. We then gathered in the bus and drove to Carthage where we had an insightful tour and saw the ancient city, cathedral, cisterns, and more. We also saw the Mosque Malik ibn Anas Carthage. After Carthage. Nearby Carthage, we visited the North Africa American Cemetery where nearly 3,000 US soldiers from World War II are buried.

We then drove to the beautiful city of Sidi Bou Said and had another tour. Lunch at ‘Au Bon Vieux Temps’ was a pleasant experience as we ate flavorful food and watched the Mediterranean Sea. After lunch, we drove to the Amideast office and had a panel discussion about “Labor and Migration.” Following the informative discussion, we visited a beautifully decorated tea house and learned about some artistic techniques to create bracelets. After this experience, we headed back to the hotel. I went with a group of students to the Zoo Restaurant where we enjoyed chicken and honey as well as watched the city from the rooftop.

Day 4 (June 4)

We began our exciting day with a tour of the National Bardo Museum. After the museum, we had a panel discussion about “Race, Colorism, and Indigeneity.” Our speaker informed us about the Amazigh indigenous people of Tunis and the current obstacles they face. She then played her guitar and sang a few traditional Amazigh songs. In the mid-afternoon, we headed to La Marsa to pick up trash, using gloves, around the beach entrance. About half of the 15 students, including myself, swam in the sensational Mediterranean Sea. It was warmer and saltier than I’d imagined, and it was a wonderful experience to enjoy! We then ate at a café near the beach.

Day 5 (June 5)

We began our day with a discussion about “Feminism, Gender, and the LGBTQIA community in Tunis.” It was informative to learn about the difficulties many members of this community face in Tunis. Both of the speakers on this topic were fantastic and very engaging.

We then drove to the Medina and shoveled rocks and debris to clear space. We then dumped top soil in the ground and planted cantaloupe (melon) and watermelon seeds in the soil. This was an effort to add more green space to the Medina area of Tunis. It was a hot day but enjoyable to work alongside the other students and feel empowered to help the Tunis community in a small way.

Day 6 (June 6)

We visited an olive oil plant in a town about 45 minutes outside of Tunis. We observed the older machinery and historical oil process. We then drove to the olive oil orchard and walked along the large aisles of trees. We sat outside and ate a delicious lunch before we continued on a tour of the orchard. The farmer was enthusiastic to share his family history of the farm and the current difficulties faced by a changing climate in Tunisia. After we each walked 5,000 steps, we returned to the bus and headed back to Tunis. Upon returning to the hotel, I ventured into Belvedere Park and walked up to the top of the hill. I encountered a shepherd, horses, dogs, cats, and a few off-shift policemen enjoying beers on a bench. I enjoyed the majestic scenery and watched the setting sun over the city.

Day 7 (June 7)

We began our adventure at Tunisie Recyclage where we learned about some of the challenges of trash collection and recycling in Tunis as well as the different types of recyclable materials. It was inspiring to see the dedication to the nonprofit to help pave a way forward to increase recycling, especially plastic containers. We, using gloves, helped sort 3 bags of recycling into separate containers for future recycling. We then drove to the Amideast office to have our final panel discussion about “Sustainability and Sustainable Foodways.” It was informative and humbling to consider the strained import Tunisian supply chains in contrast to the US where much of the agriculture is grown domestically.

Day 8 (June 8)

We headed to the Medina for a tour and observed some beautiful buildings. We visited a rug store with intricate, hand-woven rugs before having lunch at a cute café. Following lunch, we walked through an amazingly crowded market avenue in the Medina. It felt like a movie scene and I thoroughly enjoyed it; it reminded me of Times Square New York on Friday night. I ate a Jwejem, a very tasty Tunisian dessert with ice cream, yogurt, fruit, and nuts. We met for a treasure hunt where we used clues to scour the historical Medina markets. I purchased a pashmina scarf to keep the sun off my neck. We reconvened at the Dar Ben Gacem Kahia hotel where we listened to an interesting presentation from the very friendly owner about her renovations of the old building and turning it into a boutique hotel that also benefits the Medina community (such as integrating local artisans). After the presentation, we had a lovely dinner meal and we shared what we were most grateful for during our individual experiences on the CASE trip. It was an emotional and fantastic time together to conclude our evening.

Day 9 (June 9)

The program ended and everyone took their flights home. The taxi drove each person to the Tunis-Carthage Airport so they could arrive to check in for their individual flights. I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to experience a piece of Tunisia, the wonderfully dedicated Amideast staff, especially Sahar, Islem, and Hussam. The Amideast Tunisian peers - Amira, Idris, and Safa - were wonderful to help immerse us in the Tunisian experience and feel welcomed in a new country.

Since visiting the Tunis capital area, I learned that there is much more to see in Tunisia and the MENA region. I firmly believe I will return to the region because the people, culture, food, and sights were spectacular.

Packing Recommendations

Silicone ear plugs, sleep mask, phone earbuds, a light jacket, antibacterial wipes, phone charger (and adapter for Type C/E connector), external battery (e.g. Mophie), clothing (bring 2 extra pairs of socks and undergarments)
**Sunscreen and a hat, a scarf (protect your neck)
Entertainment: audio books/downloaded TVs or movies, downloaded Spotify
Hygiene: make sure to bring everything that you carry on in 3.4oz bottles or smaller for travel. Otherwise, pack it in your checked suitcase. You can also purchase hygiene items - body soap, hand soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, wipes - at the Monoprix (or Carrefour) in downtown Tunis
**I would recommend bringing some powdered Gatorade (or similar) to have electrolytes available because there may be some hot days. It’s $5 for a tub of Gatorade powder (It’s TSA allowed) and you will thank yourself later.
**Bring comfortable shoes for walking because there is a lot of walking as part of the program. Your future self will thank yourself later.

General Tips

Drivers need to be watched closely when crossing the street. Don’t assume they are watching you; observe how local Tunisians cross the street and be situationally aware. Stay out of harm’s way!
Wash your hands! You can also buy additional hand soap/hand sanitizer/antibacterial wipes from the Monoprix/Carrefour.
Stay hydrated! Water is used in nearly all biological processes, and it can get quite warm in Tunis.

Photo credit for all images: Evers, 2024.

David Evers is a student at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), and participated in Amideast’s Community, Action, and Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) Program in the Summer 2024.