The times are changing in Tunisia...and North Africa

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As you already know, Tunisia is a country undergoing a great deal of change. Some of the Tunisians say the revolution is over, others say they are still fighting for change. The old governement officials are out, but a new government has yet to be established. There is celebrating that the people's voice is being heard, there is relief Tunisia has not experienced the bloodshed and chaos their neigbors in Libya are experiencing, but there is still an angry rumble within communitities that won't go away.

Tunis is still under curfew (yes mom, we are being obedient!), government buildings are still draped in razor wire and graffiti decorates much of the country. Protests are still common news and the military presence is unavoidable.

As an outsider, I would say Tunisia is still going through the pains and victories of a revolution. One can only assume there is more change on the horizon and one can only hope the growing pains won't hurt as much as in Egypt or Libya or Syria. Nonetheless, these are the times that imprint history. Because of these auspicious happenings, dad and I decided we must go to where it all began...Sidi Bouzid.

This is a busy town void of tacky souvenir shops and must see sights. There are no tour buses even passing through this little spot in the middle of Tunisia, let alone tourists walking the streets. But, this town will soon be recognized as the start of the Tunisian revolution and home to the events that set off the domino effect of revolutions in neighboring countries.

Sidi Bouzid is where the young man who was so overwhelmed and frustrated by government bureacracy regarding his fruit cart, lit himself on fire. His death was his last attempt to make the government officials hear his voice. He lit himself on fire in the city center in front of the government building, where the officials held office. There is no way this young man, who worked to support his mother and sistsers by selling fruit, could have known what he started.

Word of the situation spread like crazy and communities united due to the use of Facebook and Twitter. And, I guess they say, the rest is history!

Before heading across the countryside, we reviewed our itinerary with our hotel manager in Sousse because she spoke English and we thought she could help us explain to our driver where we needed to go. (Our "English speaking" driver only know 'good morning' and 'huh?' We make a great team!) I noticed as the hotel manager told him where we were heading, she made a smirk...she was on to us! We had no idea how we would be accepted or if it would be deemed disrespectful to photograph the city center.

This community's isolation from the gawking eyes of tourists was very apparent when we walked around town. To get our bearings in Sidi Bouzid, we went straight to lunch in a local diner. Watching people look around, see us sitting there eating and then when they heard our American English snap their necks like they had just seen Santa Clause himself was priceless! Not a lot of tourists walk these streets.

We were pleasantly surprised that all the evidence of the history making was still in tact...the graffiti had not been cleaned, destruction remained and a makeshift memorial stood for the young man. People went about their days and the only sign of concern was the military outpost set up across the street. Everyone stared at us, but no one seemed to mind us gawking. After all, it is to be expected if your city is making world history.

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Photos

Where it all began
Near where the young man started himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid--the site of where the Tunisian Revolution began.

Graffitti near city center in Sidi Bouzid
Nothing had been changed or cleaned up since the revolution began January 14, 2011. There was a police presence, but everyone was going about their day. Us photographing the area and walking about town did not seem to be a problem.

Comments

[Terrie McCants]

The Facebook Revolution
"The old road is rapidly agin' - get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand, for the times they are a changin' (btw, Bob Dylan turns 70 today)." What an incredible journey you are on! It is absolutely terrific to see your photos of Tunis. Given the language challenges you have experienced, I am surprised to see so much of the graffiti in English. I suppose that's a result of all the cross-cultural connections afforded by technology, no?