Perls and Diamonds among the Rubble

 "The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." Hippocrates.                                                                                      Ramadan has started, this means quiet streets, less traffic in several areas in the morning, a more pleasant walk with puppy Djego (just like me he doesn't enjoy noise, it makes us nervous), but we have to put up all too often with extreme cacophonous kids and youngsters until late at night. The street crossing in front of our house is used as a "football stadium", a kindergarten and a play ground, traffic gets only more or less tolerated, dangerous in particular for motorcyclists or pedestrians, as up to three balls are kicked in all directions, by screaming children. There seems to be a celebration on the street, many neighbours attenting by the sound of it, looking down from the roof.... big surprise, only 4 kids outside. Wow, even louder then 30 monkeys in a zoo (sorry, but I can compare by experience) and on several occasions I counted more then 20 kids of all ages....  In Africa the majority of the population is less than 30 years old, the elderly becoming a rare species. I hope that reading gets fashionable again, not just the internet. The government donated 60 Dinar to poor families as a bit of help during Ramadan, another payment is planned a bit later. Though Ramadan means no food nor drink during the day, it is a custom to have a special good meal in the evening, difficult when you are poor. Moslims tend to be more generous during this period, like Christians around Christmas. A young boy from the neighborhood, coming from a badly off family, shocked my husband by handling him a shoping list for vegetables, spices, rice, noodles, flour, oil, sugar, one chicken, etc. "This is what his mother wants...... if it is too much than perhaps you can buy half or one just one third....?" I may add that over the years we helped that family on various occasions, even though we are most certainly not rich, can't afford a car, nor employing a cleaner, etc. being a private patient and having a big feline family eats up my savings. We do hope to find a good family for Djego, without cats and small children, in a quiet neighborhood, ideally with a garden to play in. He has improved but is still traumatised, that street cat (one I don't know) that all of the sudden jumped on his back and attacked him, while on a leash, has thrown him back, Djego's relationship with cats worsened, seems he wants us to kick them all out, perhaps just keep Fritzchen. I presume Djego would eventually relax more if he would get spayed and neutered, (approx. 200 Dinar), needs to be vaccinated too, 90 Dinar. Too much for us. Pity we haven't got a garden. A puppy needs to play, poor boy, seperated from his mummy while still too young, thrown out on the street, attacked by a dog, close to death and viewing his fright of children, most probably abused by some too, we do wish him a loving for ever home, in Tunisia or Europe. Whenever we go for a walk guys tell me that Djego is beautiful, which race? Atlas, expensive in Europe. He originates from the Atlas mountains, a loyal guardiandog, keen to protect his owner and his property, including his flocks. Very allert to any possible dangers, wild animals, and warns of suddenly appearing strangers, Berbers breed (Aidi) in Morocco, an old race, effectonate and docile.- A neighbour, the kind one can do without, tried to tell my husband that excrements were left on the street by our dog, very strange since we always pick them up and carry this back to our house, won't even leave the excrements in one of those garbage containers as we don't want a plastic bottles collector to accidentally get in contact, while serching the container. Several guys, young, middle aged or old, finance their livelihood with the sale of plastic, so there are no longer lots of plastic bottles polluting the environment (as before the revolution). Tunisia intends to import more tomatoes, onions and pepers and ban export. Why can't we produce enough to cover the demand? So much could and should be improved. Tunisia depends too much on imports, while having to cope with high unemployment. I have been advised that working as or for farmers is not considered

 an attractive lifestyle, too much hard work for too little money. So folks leave the countryside to start a better life in a town. Wonder how many regret this afterwards, difficulties to find a job, no nice cheap flats or houses available, many children but not much money nor much space. If then the kids are allowed to roam the streets, boys spending every spare minutes playing football, what will be their prospects in life? No rules, no boarders, no limit, no respect, no values. I pity those from an ignorant family. Teachers on the whole are not exactly

dedicated, too long and too frequent holidays, etc. Lucky are those from an educated home, taught at an early age the beauty of books. Perhaps having a parent read a good night story to the little one, send to bed when it's dark. It is so important to sleep at night, not just, but in particular for kids. Such knowledge unfortunately hasn't reached North Africa yet, or only some.