Tunisia 101


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December 17th 2007
Published: December 18th 2007
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TunisiaTunisiaTunisia

Here's the country. In case you wanted to know what it looks like.
Brilliantly written by: ROBIN

The count-down is on! Carolyn and I are bustin' outta this joint in sixteen days. I don't know about Carolyn's family, but I'm sure mine still has a million questions. So pop some popcorn, put your feet up, and get comfortable-- welcome to Tunisia 101: Where, What, and Why the Hell We're Going. I'll try to cover the FAQ I get all the time, but comment if you have more, and Carolyn and/or I will clear it up for you!


NUMBER ONE
The first questions I get asked: WHERE is Tunisia? WHAT is it like? Is this an African safari deal, or will the students be trekking around in the desert on a bunch of grumpy camels?

Well, it's kinda both. Tunisia is a small African republic, roughly the size of a squished Florida, on the central-northern coast of Africa. The north and east borders are a coast right on the Mediterranean! It is bordered by Libya to the south east and Algeria to the west. Tunisians speak Arabic, French, and some English, so somehow we'll hash out an understanding. I speak Frarabenglich! Forty percent of the southern country is covered by the beautiful Saharan desert, complete with miraculous oases. So camels will DEFINITELY be involved in our adventures. And yes, we are ridiculously excited to see who falls off their camel first. Loser buys lunch, Carolyn! The rest of Tunisia is covered in fertile mountains and valleys, creating a rich agriculture and damn bangin' food. Its 1300 km coastline floods the country's cuisine with a large variety of seafood.

NUMBER TWO
WHY??? Also, fun facts about the country.

I specialize in Africa, and Carolyn and I both take Arabic. This is UD's first study abroad to Tunisia, and it's one of the rare programs in Africa. It's a relatively stable Islamic republic, although it is still a developing country. It's one of the most-functional democracies on the continent, and is one of the most Westernized countries.

But hey, on to the fun facts!

FUN FACT # 1
The Star Wars planet of Tatooine was filmed in the ancient Berber settlements of the Tunisian town of Tatwiin. I will be visiting Luke Skywalker's house!

FUN FACT # 2
Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark was largely filmed in the Tunisian cities of Kairouan, Tozeur, and Nefta. We will also be visiting these cities.

FUN FACT # 3
Scorpions are all over the place in the south. Only things worse than the scorpions are the snakes. Woo! Also, the most venomous spider in the world can be found in Tunisia. I can feel my arachnophobia immobilizing me now.

FUN FACT # 4
The Bardo Museum houses the most impressive collection of mosaics in the world, beating out even the Vatican.

FUN FACT # 5
Also rivaling Rome's art is Tunisia's amphitheater, an exact replica just across the Mediterranean from Italy's Colosseum.


So I think this is it for now. The itinerary is in another entry, in case you want to see our day-to-day specifics. Carolyn and I are incredibly excited about sharing this trip with you all, and make sure to send us any questions/concerns!



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3rd January 2008

amazing
Ah, the force is strong in you Robin! Looking forward to hearing of the light saber fights, camel rides, raiding of lost arks, and all the rest!

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