You Never Get What You Want

No need to panic, you better want what you get. Life is easier if you from time to time ask yourself whether certain items or events are really all that

important, is there really a need to get excited/angry? Prices keep raising, if your income doesn't it can be pretty tough. It is expected that the rate of exchange will again become more favourable for tourists and those with foreign currency, thus prices for imports, e.g. some medicine will go up (still cheaper than in Europe). After an acquaintance of mine was taken to the university hospital here, I discovered that no evening meals are provided there. The family, friends, etc. are supposed to bring that food, but visiting hours are limited to 13.00 - 15.00 hrs and no exceptions are made. The alternative is the clinic, modern, efficient but not exactly cheap, 500 Dinar a day not including medical treatment, so I am told. I guess prices vary. Quote (forgot who said this): "It is difficult to make someone understand something that his income forces him not to understand." In the

south in particular the provision of hospital facilities leaves much to be desired. Three presidents purposely neglected the south of Tunisia for political reasons (Tunisian history documentation on Aljazeera English). With the new government the situation will hopefully very much improve. Those of us without a private health insurance but are more or less insured via CNAM (which may also be the case on account of a Tunisian agreement with an European state), are under certain conditions entitled to a small refund (lately reduced again), but this requires a lot of patience and time. The minor refund is usually paid via the post office, if you think it takes too long (2 - 3 months) and complain to CNAM, you will be required to obtain from the post office a paper confirming that you haven't received money from them ( for this the person there needs to make a phone call and charges 1 Dinar.)  Should the money still not arrive, the same procedure may be repeated, (again and again?) Some give up, so I am told. As for me I would consider that wrong from an educational point of view. Perhaps your grandchildren will one day receive the money! Hopefully a lot of unnecessary bureaucracy will eventually be reduced by the new president. He is confronted with a lot of expectations and hopes for more jobs and less corruption.

Now that nights are getting pretty cold (still quite a bit of sunshine during the day usually) my four legged family members are starting to sneeze and I to cough. Our veterinary recommended a new product: Bronchi-stop (only 5 Dinar, doesn't taste nice, cats don't like it, I apply it mixed with water and a bit of sugar in an injection then sprayed into their mouth) and for me  I got a cough mixture. Early in the morning I took a sip of this, at least that is what I thought, tasted a bit strange and it turned out that I grabbed the wrong bottle, anti-worm was actually mend to be medicine for my cats not me. Anyhow, I won't recommend it for humans, it made me vomit, but I was okay not long after, and by the way, I haven't got worms for all I know and after all why

 

should it kill me if my little fur angels can take it, are they stronger than me? 

This is by the bye a photo taken after a flea and vegetable market finished near Sousse, sheep are allowed to eat the vegetable and fruit remains, sounds like a good idea, in particular as there are not plenty of green areas for sheep and other animals to graze.