Retirement and Death in Tunisia

"Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." Jean Paul Satre

Approx. six years ago an elderly German lady addressed me in a supermarket. We stayed in  contact. Now she passed away and this is her story. Following the death of her husband and holidays in Tunisia which she enjoyed, she decided to spent her retirement here. The Mediterranean climate is supposed to be healthy and can reduce the effects of  various health problems, e.g.  rheumatism, arthritis, arthrosis. The lady was quite courageous, she didn't speak Arabic, French or English only German and Russian. Thus she was very much forced to rely on local help. Luckily one can find German folks (mainly on holiday) and also guys  who more or less speak German, not all are unfortunately trustworthy. People from Europe are frequently considered to be rich (often believed to be without a reason, undeserved) and hopefully stupid, happy to throw money out of the window.  Thus some requests are rather astonishing, like the guy she employed as translator (well paid) who thought she might finance his son's wedding, something in the line of 15.000 Dinar. Anyhow, my acquaintance encountered various thieves, male and female, burglars, tricky landlords, one man landed in prison. You may think amazing, sounds like she lived in little Chicago. Actually I noticed that these folks who have difficulties to differentiate between mine and yours often know each other or may even belong to the same clan. I sometimes joke: Their forefathers were pirates, what do you expect? Nevertheless the late lady never regretted (at least never for long)  her emigration to Tunisia. "I have my daily sunshine and I could never afford such a high level of living standard as I enjoy here. I am fine, thanks." Madam made the villas she rented look like palaces, which caused a lot of envying, but she spend very little, and I mean little, money on herself. I personally think she should have spent less on the interior and got herself a good private health insurance. It might have prolonged her life and reduced her suffering in the end. The private clinic being too expensive for her means she had been taken to the university hospital in Sousse where a stroke was diagnosed. The standard there was rather modest and visiting hours rigid, even though patients' evening meal has to be provided by visitors. So she just wanted to get out of that hospital and discharged herself before I had a chance to visit her the 2.  time. A few days later she was forced to return with the second stroke. Again she didn't stay long and could have done with intensive care followed by a cure. As it turned out she didn't have much longer to live. I saw  her two days before she passed away. She couldn't speak, had to be fed and was just lying in bed. Nasiha, a good, honest woman, who helped her a lot during her long months of sickness, put up with her moods (people suffering from diabetes can be quite difficult), did her best. While my acquaintance had always said that she wants to be burried on the cemetery for Europeans in Khalaa Sghira and has given the required sum for the funeral to Moncef in order to make safe that her children (in Germany) won't have to pay even a cent, her will has been ignored. According to my information it was the landlord who had to arrange her funeral and it was not where she wanted to rest. Her children sent some money. She had written her last will and left it either with the court or administration (Beladia), a copy with Moncef (?) and an ex- cleaner with whom she had fallen out in the past and didn't trust, so she told me over and over again. Very strange, wonder what happened with her last will. Wouldn't  be surprised if this also has been ignored. I was supposed to inherite a piece of furniture, I would prefer her still being alive and anyhow I am dead sure that the gift she designed for me has been stolen a long time ago. When the lady passed away authorities investigated in order to establish that it was a natural cause and they contacted the German embassy and her children to get their agreement for a funeral in Tunisia or Germany if desired. Authorities here want to be very correct, but I would have expected that the last will counts reference where one wants to be burried and if this has already been stipulated the children won't be asked. The procedure took some time and her daughter had problems making up her mind. This and possibly the Corona restrictions resulted in 51 days in a coolant room (a very modest charge of 10 Dinar per day) before the lady's body could be laid down for her final rest. I have yet to find out where this is so that I can visit her grave. Poor girl, she experienced a lot of ups and downs. About Nasiha she said that she had done more for her than her own children would have done! I am glad she also found good people here and this helped her to continue thinking positive. May the bad people guided by their greed receive one day the punishment they deserve.