Tozeur Oasis

Yesterday we traveled by bus to Tozeur. Our bus driver and guide are very nice. Our guide Hammadi is very funny. Whenever he tells a joke his eyes and face light up and his laughter is contagious. As we left Tunis and drove south towards the desert, Hammadi pointed out many historical influences on the country and people of Tunis. The landscape changed many times. At first it might have been the Tuscan region of Italy with olive and cypress trees and vineyards. Then the scenery changed to look a lot like California followed by Arizona. The main differences were the camel and donkey drawn cart citings, robed people, and, of course, the fact that there were only prickley pear and no saguaro cactus. We stopped at Sbeitla which is a well preserved ruin from the Roman time. The walls of the three temples Juno, Jupiter and Minerva were quite well preserved and really gave us a sense of life there. We learned a song and saw more than can be described here. We have not been able to download photos yet.

Today we began by visiting the museum of Tozeur which really gave us a sense of every day life as it was historically. We visited the small botanical gardens which might also have been in Arizona or California. There was bouganvilla, hybiscus and banana trees. As artists we also wanted to see how bricks and pottery are traditionally made from the regional resources. Speaking of bricks we have discovered a wonderful fast food called Brik. It is a thin crepe wrapped up with vegetables and egg (or tuna and egg) folded over and deep fried. It has quickly become everyones favorite. There is also a paste made of peppers called mechouia that is somewhat hot in taste. It is great as a dip for our bread.

We also visited the oasis which is not at all like the images we have seen. When I think of an oaisis I imagine a pool of water with a few camels and palm trees. This is not acurate. This oasis is fed by a spring and has over 3000 trees. Now the oasis city of Tozeur is building into a resort city with a golf course and several nice hotels. There are several stands in every medina selling any kind of silver jewelry rugs or other items. Bartering is normal and so far we have had a good time in the process. We may have paid too much one time or too little another. Everyone is having a wonderful time. It is sunny and nice during the day which is much nicer than the cold weather we experienced in the past week in Tunis and Paris.

We have a jeep tour into the mountains tomorrow and I think a camel excursion as well. We are all prepared. They showed us how to wrap our scarves around our heads Bedouin style.

A bientot for now.

Welcome to Tozeur!!!!

We have now traveled South to the Sahara Desert to the town of Tozeur. It is much warmer here of course since we are in the desert. The road to this town has a wonderful scenery of olive trees, fig trees, and cacti that has the fruit of the king growing off it. There are camels walking the roads and we are warned of this with camel crossing signs. It is weird because you see all of these goats and camels, etc. walking around and then you see dead ones being hung up for dinner. We have visited the ancient ruins of this city which are more beautiful than Carthage. I thought that nothing could be more beautiful until I was walking through these ruins in Tozeur, which has many exotic plants around it.

The hotel we are staying at has better plumbing and hot water. I feel refreshed since I've been here and I have more space to breath and relax after a long day of going to the zoo, museum, and old Tozeur medina, where I bartered for the first time in my life! At first, this guy was trying to get me to buy this bracelet for 200 denar which is close to 150 in American dollars. I had to assert myself and say no. I ended up buying a bracelet with a ring attached to it, which is something that I have been trying to find for a long time. The man said 40 denar, I said 20, he said 25, and I said I only have 22. I could have gotten him to go lower, but you do not want to insult them. Since I have been in Tozeur, our tour guide, whose name is also Hammadi, has taken care of us. He is full of great information of the history of Tozeur that has many links to its culture. It makes me realize that we are all connected and that we always look at the differences in each culture, but in reality we are all the same. We are staying a few more days in Tozeur as well as traveling to other cities. I think I am going to like the desert even if I have bad allergies.

So far, I have loved getting my head wrapped with a turban, eating food that gets spicier the further South you go, and meeting local people who are as fascinated with us as we are with them. I also liked seeing camels, peacocks, vultures, monkies, lions, and snakes at the zoo. The zoo also had a botanical garden that was so exotic. I also look forward to taking ceramics 2 when I get back because the group and I got to see how brick was made and how a true Tunisian throws on the wheel!!!!

Before we left for Tozeur, we had a going away party in Tunis. We met Hella's family and friends and had listened to an authentic Iraqi band while belly dancing. It was hard to leave all of the new friends I had met since they really made me feel like I was part of their family. One of the Tunisian students named Aymen gave me a special gift to show how glad he was to have met me. He gave me a bracelet and a box to hold it in. I almost cried because I had never had anyone give me a gift like that after only 3 days of meeting them. Nabiha, the Tunisian professor, also gave us Tunisian pastries and Arabic music to bring home to our families. I cannot wait to share it with them all!!

I have many videos that I have filmed that will show the party in Tunis as well as clay working of Tunisian people, and the great cities of Tunisia. Unfortunately, I cannot upload these videos right now but when I can, I will. They are so fascinating and capture the true essence of this wonderful country.

I think the next time you hear from me I will have already ridden a camel! I can't wait to share that experience with you!!


Love and miss everyone,

Erin

Basleema!

Carthage and Sidi Bou Said

Today we went to see the ruins at Carthage and Sidi Bou Said. Both are now resort towns that really feel Mediterranian. White washed walls; blue shutters and ironwork; against a beautiful sea and sky. We had to imagine the sky as blue since it was a bit overcast. We learned a lot about the eras prior to Roman times and all the influences in this center of commerce: Punic; Etruscan; Egyptian; Turkish; Spanish and Greek. There were many artifacts in the museum from all of these. We took the train which seems to break down frequently but people were very kind and helpful to get us on our way again. Speaking French seems to bridge the gap. People are excited to meet Americans which is reassuring.

Last night we had a cooking lesson and feast. The food is phenomenal. Tonight we are going to a a dinner hosted by a local family and there will be a musician known for his expertise in playing traditional music on an instrument from a time before Christ. I imagine belly dancing will be involved.

Tomorrow we are off to the oasis of Tozeur.

Making Art With Hammadi

I almost forgot to tell you that I got to create art with one of the local artists in Tunisia named Hammadi. He is a tall lanky man who has a permanent grin on his face that makes his eyes squint. He is very observant of his surroundings and of the people. After I had some Tunisian pastries, I started to make a collage with materials that an artist from the states brought with him. Hammadi directed me to start folding all of the magazine clippings until I had almost the whole table filled with them. I observed his technique and mimicked it. He dipped the clippings in watered down glue and put it down on his paper. I did the same thing and I also included memorabilia that I had collected in France like artists' cards and train tickets from Tunisia. The main colors we used were red, blue, and green: Red represents the blood of war, Blue represents cleansing and peace, Green represents growth. This is what I saw in Hammadi's heart and I letting him lead me through his art process. He gave me advice on what was good about my collage and what I should improve. It was powerful working next to him and being totally immersed in his world, while sharing the experience with my group and the other artist Ray. The group is making collaborative art projects that reflect what we have gained form our experience and using the art process as a way to stay sane while traveling to foreign countries. I cannot wait for you to see our work with Hammadi's because he is such a passionate and driven artist. I will never forget my morning with the lovely Hammadi.

Tunisian Culture

In Tunisia, we are sipping great wine, eating great food, and being immersed in their culture. I got to learn about 3,000-4,000 years of Islamic history in 3 hours. It was amazing to hear all of this history in such a short amount of time. It was even better to have heard this lecture in the American Embassy in Tunisia. The woman who spoke about this history spoke passionately about it because it was her heritage and she was proud to be the one to pass her knowledge on to more people. After the lecture, another Tunisian woman came to our villa to cook for us. We all observed the preparation and cooking of authentic Tunisian cuisine, which is filled with fresh ingredients that come from the souk, an outdoor marketplace. The freshness and unique spices contribute to create flavors that we cannot get in the US. I learned how to make this aromatic roasted red pepper salad that can be eaten plain, with bread, or used in making several other dishes. She topped the pureed peppers with tuna fish and olives. Before this trip,I hated tuna and olives, but since being here I have not been able to get enough of it. The food here is just so fresh and it does not have preservatives or chemicals in them that I believe cause the ingredients to lack potency and flavor. After dinner,the Tunisian students and their professor came over to give us group gifts. They gave us CD's and DVD's that explain the Islamic and Tunisian culture. These gifts are for us to bring back to the U.S. to share with American students and to educate them about a culture that is rarely talked about and almost wholly unknown to most Americans. I would like to create an open discussion with the American students about this culture and their reaction to its history and how their perception has changed or stayed the same. The wonderful people I have met are well educated and feel passionate towards their country like we do. They have strong feelings about how they are being perceived by the media and struggle with many of the same things that we do. The students also love some of the same things that we do for example, they love to sing, dance, and listen to music. We spent last night singing songs that we all knew, like Michael Jackson as well as singing songs that are from each of our culture. The Tunisian students sang beautiful Arabic songs and we sang songs that are native to our country. I have had a lot of fun over here in Tunisia, and I have also learned a lot about the culture and through the eyes of the people and the students that I have interacted with. I cannot wait for tonight because we have been invited by one of the Tunisian students named Hella for a Tunisian dinner and dancing!

I need to go now so I can get ready for a true Tunisian party with my new friends!!!

Basleema!

Art Therapy at Hospital Sainte Anne

One of the most important aspects of my trip was visiting the Hospital Sainte Anne. I got to listen to a French doctor and several art therapists that talked about their art therapy programs in the Expressive Arts Therapy Center of this hospital. Dr. Dubois is the director of the workshops that take place there, and is in charge of picking out the right type of art for each of her in-patients and out-patients to ensure they are on the right path to recovery. She talked to us about how they separate each type of art in different studios. For example, painting has its own studio, as well as, ceramics, writing, music, collage, etc. In America, art therapists usually use intermodal interventions to increase the speed of their clients process due to limited sessions covered by insurances. French art therapists let their clients go at their own pace in their recovery because they are usually covered by their insurance for six months to a year. They also want to ensure that their clients are really connecting to the art, which helps their problems rise to the surface and helps them deal with their problems. Another difference between Paris and America is that in group therapy they do not share their feelings about their artwork with the group. The clients are taken individually into a private room with their artwork where they discuss their art. The therapists like to do this with their clients because the art is very personal with each client and they want to ensure authenticity. I also got to see the archives in this hospital, as well as, their art exhibition where they display patients work. After being in the Pompidou Center ,I felt really compelled by their work and honored to see it. Dr. Dubois also gave us an Art Brut (psychiatrists had mental patients create art because it calmed them) lesson which paved the pathway for the practice of Art Therapy. The women were very passionate when speaking of this amazing practice and were very helpful at giving me advice on my journey into the Art Therapy field. Contained in the archives of the hospital lie important artwork that has been damaged. However, Dr. Dubois and the hospital do not have the funds to cover the cost of restorations. The art is important to the history of Art Therapy, and it is really sad to hear that these paintings are left tainted without tender love and care like everyone would deserve. My group and I are brainstorming how we can have a fund raiser to raise money for this cause and to share our generosity to the hospital and the powerful women we had met. We will notify you when we have figured out the perfect way to fund this cause and how you can help as well. We just pray that we have permission to help these women who have helped us understand the diversity of French culture and how Art Therapy has improved it.

Sorry for the Delay!!!!!

I finally have access to the internet and it is at the American Embassy in Tunisia. I am waiting for the lecture to begin on Islamic culture and to observe this place that has maximum security like all embassies do. So far, Tunisia has been an interesting and exciting place to be. The medina is full of everything from D & G clothes to toilet paper. The people are friendly and want you to come and join them in their cafes and hear about where you come from. What makes the city of Tunis unique is their art, architecture, and lifestyle which mirrors the French because a lot of it was taken from Tunis.

I have met wonderful warm-hearted Tunisians that have welcomed me into their home, their art studio, and their heart. The students and I are fortunate to have met Tunisian students which was arranged by their professor, Nabiha (sorry for the misspelling of your name) who has helped open many dialogues between us about how diverse our cultures are and how they are similar. The Tunisian students, like us, have strong beliefs of religion and politics and we have crushed the negative and ignorant sterotypes that divide our countries and we hope that this will be a process that will bring hope to more Tunisians and Americans. We are all human and we are here to live our lives to the fullest without the pain and suffering of violence and division. These students have opened the doors to many discussions that I wish to bring back to the U. S. to educate our culture more about Tunisia and their passionate people.

We have also been having lots of fun with the Tunisian people by belly dancing and eating fresh exotic foods with spices that explode in my mouth. I also love being awakened by their prayer calling that is worth getting out of bed to hear instead of the annoying alarm clock that I have in my dorm room.

I will try and find more internet access to share all of my journey that has exceeded all the expectations I have had on this trip.

Now I am going to hear a lecture in the American Embassy in Tunisia. I just can't believe that I am actually experiencing this trip and all that I have learned. I am fortunate to have had this opportunity and look forward to what will happen next.

Basleema (Bye!)

Erin <3