Topics For Discussion " Tunisia"

Can British people live in Tunisia successfully without it being too much of a culture shock?
Are the differences that great or are we all intermingling successfully?
Do we need to know the language/attempt to speak the language or can we just live in our own little world?
Do the Tunisian people accept us or has anbody experienced racism as many foreigners do living in the UK?

Not Too Different From England
I have found Tunisia very easy to live in and I hardly speak a word of their language. Most people in Tunisia are excellent at languages and even in the most smallest and remotest of towns, there will be at least one person who will pop up and speak to you in English!! Failing that even those of us who paid a little bit of attention in our French lessons at school will find that the few words we learnt, coupled with alot of gestures and hand movements will suffice in most situations Parents Treated With Respect
Most of the Tunisian children who I have met treat their parents respectfully, and as is the case of our builder's sons, you will often find them helping their parents out with the family business during their school holidays, although if you read recent reports in the Tunisian press, Tunisian society seems to think their children's behaviour is changing!

Tunisian Values
Tunisia is a largely secular country, but the official religion is muslim and even if people do not fully practise the religion, most of its values are still upheld.

Women
Tunisians like their women to be quiet and modest. A woman speaking to a male member of the public whom she doesn't know could be thought of as "not entirely innocent" and sometimes it could even be construed as a "come-on."

I have heard that your teenage girl should not go to a Tunisian wedding without her parents and that sleepovers are not a "good thing."

Inviting a male relative into the house whilst the husband is not present, even for an entirely innocent reason, is definitely a "No No!"

Rules
Whilst sometimes one could find all of this a bit irritating, especially as in the UK we see it as normal to say a pleasant "good morning" to everybody who we meet, by following the rules of your new country, you are guaranteeing your own safety.

To me, Tunisia does not seem to have that many rules to follow and I haven't needed to make too many adjustments. What do other people think?

Discuss them in the online guestbook, it will be interesting to hear all of your comments!

Let us know what you like and what you don't like about Tunisia, add to the lists below. Anybody or anything you think deserves a special mention, we will include it on our list. Send your comments to the online guestbook.