ThysdrusRoman Coliseum of El-Jem

Panem et Circensis

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Location: Tunis, Tunisia, Tunisia

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Wishful Thinking

It's been already four years that I moved from Tunisia to live in the USA, a country I never thought that one day I will be able to visit but here I am.In the beginning I had some difficulties to adjust myself to the system but little by little I get used to it. It was quite amazing that I never had that cultural shock that some may encounter during their stay in the USA or other foreign country. I guess that was mainly due to the fact that I knew the USA, its history, its culture, its people, its social diversity mainly through my academic studies that focused on the USA.During those four years I travelled back and forth to Tunisia and it's true I felt that cultural shock in my country but I admitted that after all we cannot compare Tunisia to the USA. Each country has its own specificities, singularities and potentials something that helped me not to draw useless and stupid comparaisons. Each time I meet with fellow tunisian people who happen to live in the USA for many years, I usually hear the same kind of complaints that things in Tunisia are not the same as in the USA, that the life here is better that we need the like of such a person or institution in our country etc Well I agree in some part with those who complain although when you ask them when was the last time you went back to Tunisia they will reply oh may be 5 years or 6 years ago, I remember one day a fellow tunisian told me that he left Tunisia 25 years ago and since that time he never returned back but he is still complaining. Complaining abou what? Let's be realistic and objective how can one draw comparaisons between two countries while cutting off all contacts with the country of origin? Even worse, others who travel to the USA or other foreign countries and stay for a temporary period due to work or studies complain also even if they know that one day they will leave. It is true that we know better our countries of origins when we are abroad but I feel sick in the guts when simply because you stayed a couple of months or a year in one country you start complaining and engage in wishful thinking that lead to nowhere.I think I have to stop here. Have a nice weekend!

3 Comments:

Blogger Leilouta said...

I am surprised! Usually what I hear from Tunisians here is the opposite:complains about how the system works here.
Ok,I got it!
Tunisians who live here complain about the US and those who live in Tunisia complain about Tunisia. The grass is always greener on the other side.
We have the tendency to complain about anything anyway,don't we?
Honestly, I have to complain about the way most Tunisians drive and I will be writing something about that soon:)

1:38 PM  
Blogger Napo said...

ur english is not bad for somebody's who's been here for 4yrs, kudos for that.

@tarek, 50yrs are more than enough to reach developed status, look at taiwan. Tunisia is always compared to taiwan when it comes to population and all other UNDP indicators, ...we do lag, we do lag alot actually, but what the hell, we're happy and enjoyng life and don't need the 7th fleet to protect us from dragons :-)

10:14 PM  
Blogger Hannibal said...

Napo: I didn't learn english because I've been living in the US for four years.My university studies and degree are in fact in english language and civilization, idem, for my third cycle studies. Given the fact that American english and british english differ in many respects, I think my current english skills are being affected by american english thus losing the strict grammatical rules you can find in Queen's english.

11:57 PM  

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