Anyway and Anyhow

 "You don't teach the path to a forest to an old gorilla." Ubuntu African Proverb.  "A stranger you give a plate of soup will appreciate more than a brother you give a whole pot of soup with elephant meat." Onyekachin Moore.  "Power is when you have every justification to kill someone, and then you don't." If you saw a dog to be crushed under a car, wouldn't you help him.? "  Oskar Schindler.   " Perhaps it would be the best if the government would elect for itself another people."  Bertholt Brecht.                                    Our sweet tomcat, Carlo, behaves simular to human kids. Whenever his vice-daddy tells him off (usually for forgetting to pull in his claws, unfortunately very common among our feral children), he comes running to his vice-mummy. Tiger is our senior, now 11 years and 4 months old. Having spend every night and several hours during the day in our bedroom, he lately decided to move out and make more use of the rest of the house, mainly the terrace on the roof or downstairs. I miss him cuddling with me under my blanket, in particular since the death of my gorgeous Sandy who used to spoil me with purring me to sleep. All cats are definitely not the same. Our all- black kitten, Coco, loves to cuddle with all adult cats and tries to suck milk from males and females alike, even though her actual mother, Fleur, is still around. Anyhow, Coco is the only one of our 5 kittens who likes to lay on my lap, the others prefer to be with their mothers. Amazing how well our lovely blind boy, Loulou, and pretty blind kitten, Snowflake, manage to get along in our house. My worries were not justified. From time to time, though, Snowflake calls me from the top of the staircase to take her safely downstairs. Originally I had planned to buy a house in an area where mainly academic folks live, but we landed in a mixed place, where the lesser educated are prevailing, this explains several of my disappointments with this quarter of town, expressed on my blog. Why not move? Well, our main compensation are those gorgeous cats around here (inside our house meanwhile and visitors to my Cats' Table). Anyhow, neighbors across the road decided several days ago to put a group of plastic chairs in front of their house in the evenings and regularly hold rather loud meetings of adults and kids, until midnight or even later. It gets so loud that we are forced to close our windows, not ideal during tropic nights. Now we understand why long corridors are so common here. Our house was unfortunately not constructed like that. Though my husband advised me that it would get me nowhere, I thought that one must be able to speak politely with neighbors and ask them to be more considerate please. The reaction I received frankly shocked me. Looks like I tried to hold a civilized conversation with folks who lack basic manners. In Europe one would call the police (in France the baliff) on account of " disturbance of the peace".  The unemployed around here can afford to sleep until lunchtime, therefore require no Siesta and have no problem to stay up all night, including their very young kids, and be "a bit loud" to say the least. Those who believe that no one deserves respect will give you "a mouth full" if you address them. That is why citizens often prefer not to react, just ignore the hooligans. But just looking away won't change anything. Shouldn't we advance more? Educate the ignorant., easier said than done. In Europe they often start with the children. Those who attend Kindergarten are better prepared for school, providing the kids are taught basic manners, apart from fair playing, enjoying books, etc. Kindergarten here are too expensive for many and the standards aren't always perfect. Some parents told me their children  were unhappy, even got beaten. Pre- school kids are at an age when they can and often are eager to learn a lot, if given an opportunity to do so. I once taught a 4 year old girl  and 5 year old boy English as the family intended to move to US. It was great fun. The little girl told me English people eat excrements. When I asked what made her think that, she replied: Well, cake ("Kake" is the German slang word for excrements). And fast food, if you read the first word as a  German one, means almost food. In some cases not so far removed from the truth. Sadly the new generation tends to prefer it to home cooking, so I am told. May be that explains why the new generation grows taller, yet many are rather skinny, legs "stork like". In North Korea people are shorter nowadays than they used to be. Experts say it's the result of poor quality food and the (meanwhile?) past  starvation period. Unicef declared that in Gaza 90 % of Palestinian children are undernourished. At least they are getting vaccinated wef. 1st of September. Hopefully a cease-fire is possible for this, so all concerned won't be endangered. Heaven help us all. 

Successful Prayers

"The wall cannot seperate the olive tree from its roots." Raja Shedadek.  "My homeland is not a suitcase, and I am not a travellor." Ghassan Knafani.  "We are all born with the greatest treasures we'll ever have in life. One of those treasures is your mind, the other your heart." Susan Adulhawa.  "You cannot continue to victinize someone else just because you yourself where a victum once - there has to be a limit." Edward Said. "We Palestinians have no future, only a past."  Raja Shehadeh.  "One can rely on evil persons, they at least won't change."  William Faulkner                                                                                No rain for months and than after I wrote that we are praying for rain, it rained the next day in Gafsa, more rain a couple of days later in 4 governments. Rain in Sousse a few days afterwards, though not yet as much as we need. There is supposed to be more to come soon. But anyhow, it's encouraging, so let us pray for peace, punishments for all war criminals, and at long last a two state solution. This senseless suffering must end. Seems to me we are living in a stupid century. There appear to be continued attacks in Gaza on Palestinian schools. It makes me wonder whether Netanyahu deep down hated his school days. After all it is a well known fact that revenge is often taken on innocent persons. - Sadly an estimated 46 % of Tunisians think about leaving their country, the majority with an university education. Brain drain, sounds worrying. Makes it difficult to achieve improvements that would make Tunisia more attractive to stay and create a great country, which I strongly believe is possible, eventually. Some folks tell me first of all we need to change our mentality, get citizens to appreciate and protect nature, animals and the environment. Teach kids the right values, respect, keep their surroundings clean, show responsibility, learn the beauty of books and not just play football every spare minute. Cheap diesel enables youngsters to ride their motorbikes, "let off steam, just for fun", but it comes at a heavy price, considering the pretty obvious pollution (black stinking clouds, smell of something burning, exteme noice at ear-slitting level). Scientists worked out that rising sea levels present a threat to Tunisia losing Kerkennak, Kalaat el-Andalous and other costal areas e. g. Karthago. I read that during a period of over 9 years Tunisians paid 447 Million Dinars to get visas for  European countries. Often lost money, as money spend on visas that finally get rejected is not refunded and Tunisians receive the highest rejections, in particular in Italy. This may well have something to do with "some bad apples", in other words terrorists, whose evil deeds make quite a few Europeans suspicious of North Africans, Arabs and Moslems in general ( recent case in Solingen, still under investgation, suspect arrived 2 years ago from Syria, either mentally sick or a terrorist). Germany had promised asylum to Afghanistan persons and their families threatened by the Taliban with death as they are regarded as traitors, in particular if they worked for foreign armies like e. g. German, American or British. By German laws you normally can't be sent back to a country that intends to kill you, how Germany can now withdraw their visas I don't understand. Frau Faeser, the minister of the interior, declared she is thinking of offering financial aid to those that will be deported, excuse me, but I wonder whether under the given circumstances this money the families would have to finally spend to cover the funeral costs. I believe that human rights should be valued in supposed to be civilized Democratic countries, to take priority over the possibilities of losing votes. Besides, attacks on refugees, 2500 in Germany last year, show that politicians don't fulfill their duties sufficiently to educate the ignorants. What is German culture? Coffee, potatoes? They come from South America, beer? Was invented in Egypt, numbers, letters? Originate from the Orient. The interior of churches often remind me of Mosques, the clothes (dresses) of nuns, monks, priests and other clergyman man, including the pope, doesn't it look oriental? Scientists learned from those of other parts of the world. So who should feel superior? It came to light that one of the richest families in U. K., Indians, exploited their country men. They had to work 18 hrs. a week, were not allowed to go out, had their passports taken away. Something simular happened in Germany, concerning Chinese restaurants, Germans in Spain "helping" Germans to buy a house. Criminals often find it easier to trick in another country their own country men/women. I personally wouldn't expect a person who looks simular to me, speaks the same language, etc. to be necessary my friend - just because we meet in another country. I heard that a Tunisian living in Italy offered help to a Tunisian lady who came with a visa and seemingly a job for one year. After a month she was adviced to look for a new job and the aforementioned Tunisian turned up " to assist". He got her a room in a hotel, free food and a job in a restaurant. Sounds great - but it's not the end of the story. He tricked her into handing him her passport and accepting her wages being paid into his bank account, "after all there are expenses to cover", and she now receives a tiny pocket money. That's modern slavery (she may well be not his only victim)! In such a situation one is well adviced to at least seek support from a local NGO organisation. 

Praying for Rain, Lord have Mercy.

 "He is happinest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. " " Don't look forward to the day you stop suffering, because when it comes you know you are dead. " " I have always depended on the kindness of strangers. "  Tennessee Williams.  "Happy he who learns to bear what he cannot change." Friedrich Schiller.  "Seeing a snake in your house is not a problem. It becomes a problem when it disappears."   "Blood brothers kill faster than enemies."  Ubuntu African Proverbs.              It seems to be raining everywhere in the world except in North Africa. Some folks are starting to wonder whether Allah wants to punish us for being sinners, our manners are not the way they should be, too much of tricks "to get by", too much neglecting of the environment, too much chasing after money. The other day one of my cats landed on my awning early in the morning. I got a ladder to get her down. A young man saw me and spontaneously offer his help. This is what I like here so much, when folks see you needing help they are quickly prepared to act, often without asking anything in return. You can find great guys with good education, thank heavens. But several have seen better days. On the other hand there are those of the new generation who like to get paid for every helping hand they may offer. My three feral mothers, Fleur, Jane and Madonna, are prepared to share their milk among the babies, helping out their colleagues in stress. Nonetheless 3 tiny ones died lately, the usual problem with the week immune system. I am happy, though, there is such a solidarity among my beautiful children. Madonna's nipples are pretty sore, sometimes she screams. Unfortunately there is nothing on the market to relief her. Some say use olive oil, but our veterinarian doesn't recommend this. Poor little darling, she does her best. I always loved sunshine but there used to be rain as well. The going is getting tough. No rain in sight and too much of the ground is sealed off. I remember lots of trees, where are they gone?  Hardly any shade, heaven help us all. Our cats are lying flat on the ground, sleeping and dreaming of better days. Everything seems to be an effort. Wonder how people manage to live through a war, no shelter, struggling to get food and water, wounded, hospitals and schools, houses of warships destroyed, a living hell. How can people do this to each other? An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth - leaving half the world blind and toothless. Does this make anything better? Is distruction and killing of innocent persons a form of "justice", as politicians are quickly ready to call it? Weapons, more and more weapons, unlimited amounts of money for weapons, the new language of diplomacy........ Is there a God who rewards war criminals with paradise? Reminds me of those priests and padres trying to christianise natives in South America (going back in history), promising them paradise after death. So the native inhabitants inquired whether they would then meet again their colonizers in paradise. When this was confirmed they declared that they would under those conditions prefer hell to such a "paradise." The famous German writer, Wolfgang Borchert, who passed away only 26 years old (1921 - 1947), left very impressive anti-war literature, those in power should should read before demanding revenge and calling it "the right to self-defence." Wolfgang Borchert speaks of 2 human beings that hit each other with their hands, only 2 years old. As they got older they use sticks and throw stones (sounds familiar), when they were 22 they shoot at each other with rifles (thank heavens that guns are difficult to obtain here - unlike America). As they get older the weapons become even more dangerous, thowing bombs at each other. When they are 62 they proove that wisdom doesn't came with age/possibly grey hair, they use bactaria. When they are 82 they die, death puts an end to their "achievements" in life. Was it worth it? They are buried side by side. "When a hundred years later a worm eat its way through the 2 graves, it never noticed that 2 different people had been burnt there. It was the same soil. All the same soil." 

Postscript For Better for Worse, bound to make Mistakes

 "You can be young without money, but you can't be old without it."  "If  I am no longer disturbed mysef, I will deal less with disturbed people, but I don't regret having concerned myself with them because I think most of us are disturbed." Tenessee Wiliams "If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sins, but the one who causes the darkness."  Victor Hugo.  "The voice of the majority is no proof of justive." Friederich Schiller.                                                                  For approx. 2 years sugar has disppeared from shop shelves, apart from occasionally arriving for a short spell. On the black market, though, sugar is usually available at highly inflated prices. The heat is almost unbearable and still no rain. We continue to have the tapped water supply stopped, round about at 6 p. m. until the next morning until approx. 6 a. m., but this doesn't stop the "usual suspects" from watering streets. For a while Sousse was fairly clean, but now unfortunately, generally speaking, rubbish dumping seems to be "fashionable".  What you don't need, drop where ever you are..... Very sad. For unknown reasons youngsters when meeting in the evening, like to sit on steps in front of houses (not those where they actually live) , though benches near a mosque are within 6 minutes walkes and the beach is only 25 minutes away. Like mosquitoes (excuse my comparison) these kids and youngsters are attracted by the bright street light. Tolerance they thank by dumping their litter and noisy conversations at night. Not sure I always want to know what they have been chewing the previous night. In addition folks in the neighborhood continue knocking down and repairing, upgrading their houses, seem to dream of skyscrapers or little palaces. Wish they would instead think of planting trees to reduce the heat. After all we are all, humans and animals, suffering from these heat wave. Several of  those with a bad immune system and lack of money for medical advice and treatment passed away. I have been myself in a poor state of health, feeling very weak and tired, finding it difficult to eat, food suddenly tasted horrible. Slowly getting a bit better. In addition I lost dear feral friends. On the way to the veterinarian with my sweet Kaja, in a poor state of health, (luckily he managed to save her, she was close to death)  a woman suggested I should take her cat together with 4 kittens, as "she can't cope", even though she's approx. 25 years younger than me and since I have already 30 cats another 5 shouldn't be a problem for me. Is this oriental logic? Apart from extra food, space, plus toilets, my ferals not welcoming further additions,  what about more expenditures for sterilization (approx. 500 Dinar), other medications, check ups and treatments, e. g. dental quickly another 500 Dinar? I may add I am not receiving any donations and I am not getting younger! I wonder whether such folks would still try to persuade me one day, while on my death bed, to take their cats since they can't manage....... Strange new world. I feel folks have become more superficial and selfish. One can learn empathy, very young children can already and one can also lose it. Seems to me this is what is presently happening among politicians in Germany. I was shocked to learn they seriously planning to deny asylum to Afghanistans who worked for the German army and are now threatened to be murdered by the Taliban "as traitors". What has become of Germany? It is depressing, also the big sensorship concerning Palestians. A few years ago I would have called that development impossible.