Once again,
Am set to embark to Tunisie, and I hoped to visit Algerie but I have been plagued.......(well that is an overstatement)...with respiratory problems and am not sure if I am rugged enough to also go to Algerie in Winter as I have planned. The idea is Tunisia-Algeria-Tunisia. However after my plan, was basically formulated, including organising most of the Algerian leg of the trip..............which was due to follow after some time in Tunisia, well I have some family health problems and a situation that may need me to be at home. So, my original (selfish?!) plan (selfish as it means leaving my adult children at home...with other family members around them). My original plan was approximately 30 days in each country...and I have a possibility to visit Tatouine, in Tunisia, and of course I hope to fit that in to see some friends. The landscape looks incredible.
So, despite rather meticulous planning and organising an itinerary for Algeria and finding out information, well as the climate in some of the regions I want to go to, may be snowy and is cold at night....if anything unexpected happens, like I miss a bus and have to wait in the cold, well am not sure that I am rugged enought to deal with too much cold. I am sure it would be fine near the coast and also in the Sahara region that I could go to, inchallah but to go to some of the mountainous regions I want to go to, well its a challenge. I have to wait and see how my health is. Other than that, I have a great plan, and perhaps I will have to do it at a warmer time of year. I was sure that I would be Ok, and am sure I will be. Now instead of 60 days overseas, I am inclined to just over 3 weeks due to my energy levels but mostly my situation at home. See what happens. I hope to get to Algerie eventually. My children are old enough to fend for themselves but one of them also has health problems, so I will wait and see. He wants to see Carthage, and I hope that he can come with me sometime. Even for a week, as it is not too cool to hang out with your Mum. Right now I am not feeling too intrepid but if I reduce my own pressure and demands on myself it should be fine, inchallah.
Oh, and my French is slowly improving, and I am getting a little more Arabic. The only thing that is certain is that I have my tickets and have made some plans to see a few friends and the rest will have to be played by ear. Maybe I will change the route, as I would love to go through Doha, or the dates.
This journal really is not about anything much, other than my uncertainity but once I do get to a destination, well I will roam about with my camera. Also I would like to do a language summer school somewhere in N Africa. Would love to do French in Tunisia, Algeria or Morocco even and also do an intensive Arabic language school one day, inchallah. My hope is to teach English as a Second Language. I did an ESL short course and hope to do a TESOL course ASAP. I am not qualified but could do private tutoring but of course would want to do any tutoring under the correct visas! Simply I have to finish one of my degrees...or combine them then do a TESOL course plus get more experience. Currently I am tutoring several people from N African countries.
Right now am getting orgnnised for whatever the next step is, and hopefully I will make it to at least Tunisia. Yes, I do want to go to Algeria, and the organisational process was going fine but now I have this family situation.
The best laid plans of mice and men...........as they say but this time I have not made actual plans except for one, but people have expectations from me but there are only so many peoples schedules you can fit in with. am not sure if I will have this laptop with me...is one more thing to carry. Is a major hassle to have to go to internet cafes frequently and on my last trip, I could not even find a cyber cafe in TUNIS....lol, so I only caught up with friends who I could contact on my phone. Also last trip, the language barrier did actually reduce my ability to catch up with a few friends as we simply could not understand what the other was saying on the mobile phone. You do what you can that is all. Also I am reading lots about the history of N Africa and also learning about Islam. It interests me.
Spirituality interests me. Ok well I have organisational things to do, and not sure when I will next update but, hey, am learning to be flexible and above all to try to keep my sense of humour.
Cheers and happy travelling or reading : ))
