Week two of my time in Tunisa!
Im finally getting more used to my surroundings, and have actually been able to venture out on my own a bit this week. On Wednesday I came home from work and felt the need to get out and excercise. Now, its uncommon to see people running in the streets around Tunis like one would see in the US, and even more uncommon to see a female jogging or lifting weights. The only places that I have seen to do these kind of activities are private gyms that require an expensive membership, but I was determined to find a place to jog and just enjoy the fresh air. As I was taking a cab home, I noticed the same building that I have passed everyday since I moved into my new apartment. The building complex consists of a large marble dome with several layers of balconies and steps leading up to the entrance. There is a park in the surrounding area with trees and manicured lawns which led me to assume that it was a mosque or some type of government building. Nope, it was in fact a swimming pool with gym facilities!
I took a stroll down to the complex after dinner that even just to check out the area. I knew that if I wore any sort of form fitting running apparel I would get lots of stares, but by this point I didnt even care. So, I put in my ipod and set off for the park. At one point, after thinking that I wasn't going to see any females doing this sort of activity, a woman came jogging around the corner wearing black puma running shoes, running tights, a loose long sleeve shirt, a hijab, and her ipod. I could not have been happier and thought to myself, "ok, if SHE can run here, than I certainly can as well". I felt so good after coming home from the trip, and I plan to check out the surrounding area next week as well.
The taxi cab rides here are always very interesting to me because one nevers knows what to expect. Of course you will eventually get to your destination, but not necessarily in the quickest fashion. Sometimes, they will conveniently "forget where they are going" in the middle of the trip only to remember when they are about 6 blocks off track. Of course, I am a foreigner so therefore I obviously have the means to pay, right? Also, one never knows what the conversation is going to entail. I am usually interested in the taxi cab driver's lives, so i try to strike up a conversation if they have enough French to sustain it. My Arabic is still mediocre, and the drivers usually take great pleasure in laughing at my "cute American accent". The other day I got in the cab and the normal questions began:
- "Oh, you look foreign, pretty lady. Where are you from?"
- "Why are you here? For how long will you stay in Tunisia?"
- "Did you come all by yourself? Who do you live with?"
- "Can I have your number/can I take you out to coffee to practice my English?"
I usually try to steer the conversation so that the last question is not asked. Im ot looking for any dates here, fellas. I usually tell them that I have a company phone and Im not allowed to givethe number out. That usually shuts down any further attempts. I had one driver that attempted to have a political discussion with me on my short ride to work about the US electoral system and the legitimacy of Barak Obama's term. I asked him to clarify, and her said that he was amazed that the US would elect a Muslim president who was not even born in the US. I rolled my eyes and thought, "Really? That opinion has reached all the way to Tunisia?" I reminded him that there was not much that we as Americans could do about it because he was already in office. He then commented that America was the land of folly because even body-building movie stars could become governors and make political decisions. I laughed at the Arnold Swarzenagor as California state governor reference, and then added "it sounds like America is the land of opportunity where everyone has a chance to achieve something great" before handing him the fair and hopping out of the cab. He might have shouted something sly at me, but I didnt care. I know that he would not be able to comment about the state of affairs within his own country for fear of censorship laws, so he felt the need to critique my own country. Smooth move, dude.
This is making me look more and more into taking the metro. Although it is more crowded and I will have to deal with people who are literally all around me, there will be much less conversations and more freedom to get where I need to in a less expensive way. Now, all I need to do is find me a local to show me a few routes . . .
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