Treasures discovered in Tunisia

If you think I'll be talking about diamonds, gold, silver, etc. I have to disappoint you, beauty/ preciousness lies in the eyes of the beholder, I never before encountered so many gorgeous cats in one area, some purebred, others an interesting interbreeding, usually homeless little darlings - apart from my meanwhile housemates. Several were dumped in front of my door, often still kittens, or I discovered them with injuries. Lovely Tareqqa, white, brown and black coloured fur with an upward bent tail has only one eye, but she can really examine you with a fine-tooth comb,. lately Myriam arrived (mentioned her before, got caught in an accident), fur fox-coloured, with white and brown, lost one eye. I was wondering how Tareqqa would react seeing her: not too happy, looks like she would prefer to be the only original with just one eye. Amir is a gentle easy-going Persian cat (folks here call them "Turkish" as the Turks brought this breed to Tunisia). He is getting more beautiful every day. When I first saw him, a little fury bundle of joy, I couldn't believe my eyes, how can anyone put such a gorgeous little sweetheart outside (at least in front of my house) the same applies to Saladin, my other Persian cat, who is always hungry and checks all the places where I put food for my little treasures. Even though he likes to eat from every plate, he is very slim (what many people dream of, eat plenty, stay slim). Well, he suffered from diarrhoea and I gave him medication against worms, to be on the safe side. What helps to stop diarrhoea is no food for at least one day. That was hell for him. After 20 hrs he had enough, climbed on my roof terrace and jumped from there onto my awning. Luckily children discovered him and informed me, thus I managed in time to get him down with the aid of a ladder. Took the poor soul indoors. Having to refuse his constant requests for something to eat, looking at me with his big eyes, was tough for me too. Did he think I don't love him anymore? Did he think it's no good to stay in a house that doesn't provide food for him? We were both happy when his little "Ramadan" ended and he even enjoyed his diet: boiled rice with finely chopped carrots and a special tinned paste bought from the veterinary surgeon to built him up again. For a long time we thought that Saladin can't speak, the first time I heard his voice was at the vet's and then when he got really hungry. Reminds me of that joke, parents thought their boy was dump, never said a word until one day, 8 years old, he complained at the table: "Salt is missing." When his surprised parents enquired why he never spoke before, he said: "Everything was always there." Felicitas was my first black cat, I discovered her as a kitten climbing a lot underneath my metal fencing, looking for shelter. So I decided may be she'll be happy to live with us inside. She grew up to be a beautiful lady cat with shinny fur, like velvet, shining black eyes. Then one day children knocked on my door and asked me to help a cat they discovered near my house. She had an injury on her thigh (dog bite) and a big bump on her head, caused by a boy who hit her. The cat appeared to be traumatised and I took her to the vet's. She soon started  to recover and I named her Lilly. When Felicitas saw Lilly she instantly liked her very much: Wow, she looks like me, just beautiful. They stick a lot together, but also welcome all other cats, great gentle characters. I often enjoy having my two black ladies and maybe a third one also, sitting on my lab, cuddling and puring. Honey I found one day near the rubbish containers (so-called stray cats often search there for something to eat), tail chopped off for unknown reasons and bleeding. I noticed that when the bleeding stops, a crust forms partly consisting of dirt, then it brakes off, the bleeding starts again, etc. In the beginning I wasn't sure if she would let me pick her up and take her to the clinic for animals. Well she did, something we both never regretted. Now  she spends most of her time (during the day and all nights) in my house. Honey has a white "bib" and tummy, brown, black and orange coloured fur on her back. She loves the croquettes, a balanced mix with vegetables, taurine, etc. that I buy in a 20 kg sack from the vet. Cats need taurine, those sausages that are sold as joint food for cats and dogs don't provide this and they can cause cancer. I presume it's due to old mouldy bred. The men who collect waste bred take and sell it like that as well, but heat does not destroy mould, so if added to animal food, it remains and eventually makes our animals sick. Food from the rubbish dump is of course also not healthy and in Europe, tinned food contains all sorts of strange additions, mainly to make it appear to be more valuable to the buyer, but also sugar, which one won't  expect to find on an animal's menu - I guess it's added to provide colour and to make the pets addicted to that particular product. One of my cats there suffered from diabetes. I had to buy suitable food from the vet's, and also tablets. Money not wasted on Filou, who as a respected family member managed to reach the age of 18, a rare age for cats living here. Anyhow, Honey is great, when she's outside and sees me leaving the house, she comes running after me shouting, sounds like mourning that I shouldn't leave her. Well, I can live without a lot of things but not without my little treasures. They are my angels, my sunshine on a dark rainy day, a present from heaven. Cinderella is a little beauty with white fur and blue eyes, easy going, loves to cuddle, always the first one to great me in the morning. Found her one day in front of my entrance door in a cardboard box, several months ago, now well integrated. Jousef lived with us for a while, but didn't get on well with the other cats. He still sometimes sleeps here, needs his food fine chopped, even though I had taken him for dental treatment. He is only 3 or 4 years old but looks very tired. Living mainly outside makes cats age quicker, I feel sorry for the little darling, he loves  to sit on my lab. One of my neighbours also feeds him, the lady has a lot of sympathy with the poor little sweethearts and when I first arrived explained to me how to treat cats' eyes and ears. Jolino has white soft fur, gentle modest cat but suffers a lot from colds. This is the time when I have to wipe a lot of noses as my little treasures can't use handkerchiefs. Cold weather can be really tough on them. I try to keep them warm at night with little blankets, yet sometimes they decide to get up again, but they are good at keeping each other warm. Our latest new comers (just as I thought full house now) are Alien, a white cat with grey spots, a few months old, loves chicken and cheese, gets along with all his colleagues, and Suzy, tri-coloured, 2-3 months old, who sneaked in our small corridor, appreciates a cosy place there to sleep. Many more little darlings outside, when I return from shopping, they come from all directions, including roof tops, to greet me. Before the revolution cats were very skinny and they also did this, made me feel very welcome. I always regretted not being able to provide more food for them, was difficult to find at that time. It is amazing, how these little treasures manage to look so neat and clean and remain good-natured in spite of a lot of stupidity they have to put up with every day. But there is hope, more and more folks care and are willing to protect animals. How civilized a society is can be judged by the way they treat and help those in need, human beings and animals.

A Journey to Tunis

August Macke, a famous German expressionist painter, travelled with 2 artist colleagues, Paul Klee and Louis Moilliet, to Tunisia in 1914. August Macke got really excited by the lights and colours in Tunisia, as a result of this he did a series of water colour paintings (his  final period, luminist approach) that became famous titled : "Die Tunisreise", more than one hundred years go. What is strange, I have yet to meet someone who knows his name or has seen prints of his masterpieces (several originals are in the Museum (Landesmuseum) in Muenster, Westphalia, Germany, the sister town of Monastir). Pity, the folks here don't know this, could be a good advertising, a couple of his paintings are of Kairouan too, give you some ideas of the "good old days."- I guess a lot changed during the last hundred years, on one of August Macke's painting is a man riding on a donkey, looking quite relaxed, while nowadays everybody appears to be in a hurry, feels stressed, the streets are congested with traffic, too much of it, Taxi drivers complain it's no longer fun to drive, cars constantly overtaking, telephoning while driving is common, so is badly secured load on trucks, quite a few drivers appear to have more luck than brain. On the motorway I viewed 12 empty (winter time) storks' nests on electricity poles, we passed the vineyards of the famous Mornag wine, a pretty green landscape with some mountains. The capital has its famous historic sites, well worth visiting and other old beautiful buildings, often built by the French during their occupation (of course for themselves, not to do the local folks a favour). A lot of marble was used and fantastic tiles on a big scale. While marble and high ceilings are beautiful and great to have in a building when it gets really hot outside, during the cold season, though, it is quite tough to work in such a historic building without heating, you can be proud in summer but have to freeze in winter (at least I would, even in a warm coat). In order to obtain a taxi licence in London you have to know all streets, roads, sites etc. and as part of the training spend 2 years driving all over London (if this hasn't changed with the introduction of the navigation system in UK). In Tunisia it is different, while some drivers know the various destinations (even where road signs are missing, not uncommon in Souse), others don't and could really do with a navigation system. In Europe they make jokes that it is difficult to sell in Arabic countries because Arabs don't like a woman to tell them what to do (usually a female voice). By the way, all pedestrians in Tunis and elsewhere, when asked for help to find a certain place, were polite and trying to be helpful. In Tunis they often couldn't as "this area is so big", "this street is so long", "addresses keep changing." When you get really frustrated, sent from "Pontius to Pilatus", you may be lucky and entcounter at your destination a charming person. And may the sun shines, even though it's winter.

React in Good Time

It is no use to lock the stable after the horse has bolted. When we started to settle in Souse, I noted quite a few kids causing damage to other folks' property (cars, buildings, plants, etc) without showing any feelings of wrong doing and even worse, enjoy throwing stones at each other, us, animals etc. Trying to address neighbours, these shocked me by replying: "They are children, nothing one can do." I tried in vain to explain the need to make children understand the difference between right and wrong, mine and yours. Children must know boarders, they like to test how far they can go and they can learn empathy, respect, responsibility. If allowed to "get away with murder" while under age, they won't understand why this changes one day. Letting kids run wild doesn't give them the feeling of being valued and loved, but rather that no one cares for them. Now, years later, some of these wild kids turned into disturbing youngsters, mentally unstable. Four days ago I viewed one lad sitting together with 4 others on the doorstep of an unoccupied house, their usual meeting place, in one hand a large knife, in the other a small axe with which he knocked a hole in a newly installed down pipe. I said to him, if I call the police they will probably beat you (he's got a big mouth) and you may even end up in hospital, do you want that? He surprised me by given me his hand. Two days ago I watched one lad with a metal spear with a sharp triangle at the end. He threw this at the wooden entrance door of an opposite located house and created several holes, he acted as if his behaviour was normal. Yesterday another young man, topless in spite of a not very high temperature, appeared with a bred knife and a hatchet looking for a fight with another (or several other) guy(s), and sure enough, another topless keen fighter showed up, unarmed as far as I could see. While workers at a building site were just watching, and so were children happy to have this "entertainment", some middle aged worried women turned up, the usual men from the neighbourhood who would try to prevent the worst, I didn't view this time. Scene like "West side Story"? It could have ended up quite bloody, in which case the police would turn up. Pity they don't patrol this part of town, in my opinion it could work wonders. By the way, there is now another, even bigger hole in the down pipe, presumable also made by axe, which a bored disturbed young man used, sitting on the marble steps next door. Having these mentally unstable aggressive young guys running around here is kind of disturbing, I wish they would be taken away to a psychiatric ward before some disaster happens. Using violence, beating kids, youngsters, is no solution, it makes more aggressive, can result in mental disturbances, if it were a solution, we would have an ideal world here, only gentle people. Spanking children is practiced in many countries unfortunately, i.e. East Europe. In Germany police visits German-Russian families and asked them to stop doing so, their spanked youngsters fill German Prisons and it is against the law in Germany. Children need positive models, they should not regard bad behavior, putting it mildly, as normal and acceptable by society. In Kairouan I was surprised how well behaved the kids are there, no yelling, no disrespect, no stone throwing at cats, friendly, polite children and youngsters. I used to consider this as normal, I guess I've had too much of the other kind, thus staying in Kairouan is relaxing, unfortunately I can't move to Kairouan. It is not the lovely beech that's keeping me, I found beautiful fur angels (cats) in Souse, regular visitors to my cats' table, I don't want to leave them with those disturbed uneducated kids and young men.  The cats here trust, love and respect me, their puring makes up for a lot of stress that I have to put up with in this part of Souse. - Folks are not happy with Tunisians extradited from Germany. They are supposed to be criminals (or perhaps just naive young men that were dreaming of a better future in Europe). People suspect Europe made them criminal and at a demonstration there was a notice saying: "We don't want the garbage from Germany."  If those extradited are Tunisians where else should they go? No country feels that they could do with more criminals, besides, I don't think one should call human beings "garbage". The question is why have some become criminals, what happened, do they come from a bad or broken family, were they  neglected as children? Could it have been prevented if the right people had reacted in good time? Looking away, saying they are kids, it doesn't matter, nothing one can do, is certainly wrong. What can be done? As Tunisia hasn't got much money (following the big bank robbery by Ben Ali and Leila) a foreign country/EU financed project to build Kindergartens for kids from poor families would be a good start. The nursery school teachers would ideally be well trained and would be teaching children from an early age those values that are important for a civilized

country, including empathy, respect, environmental protection, to love and value their country. Yes, kids can learn a lot if they are taught in a playful positive way. No one is born a criminal, some may have bad genes, but the influence of their surroundings must not be underestimated and they must learn that violence is not a solution and yelling creates unnecessary stress, as does lots of noise. Let us work for a better Tunisia and enjoy the beauty of this country.

Continued This is Africa

Reading fairy tales to kids has a positive effect on their brains and increases their intelligence, in some parts of Europe a "good night story" is read to children who go to bed at set hours, fairly early in the evening. North African parent: "When my little ones fished playing football and get home, around midnight, I am too tired to read fairy tales to them and besides, they are too tired to listen." Parents worry (radio): "School hours start at 8 a.m. this is very early, they don't get enough sleep." In summer you can see toddlers being taken for a walk very late at night and people think nothing of it, while in several European countries folks would shake their head and wonder why the little ones aren't fast asleep in bed. People here worry a lot, e.g.: The world cup in Russia. Won't it be too cold for our football players? Yes, if they play table football outside, normal football with a lot of running should keep them fairly warm, like all the other players from hot countries. Besides, as kids and teens constantly play football (never seen anything like it in other countries) they aught to be brilliant. One boy asked me: "Why don't you like us playing football along your house, while you allow cats to sit there?" Well yes, they sit there, don't yell at an ear splitting level, don't kick balls against our house or onto our terraces, don't cause damages or possibly injuries. They respect us. Further more, cats don't throw stones. Now that one neighbour decided to build a little skyscraper (highly in fashion, at least in Sousse), we have a big heap of pebbles opposite our house, this means a lot of "toys", flying stones. Sometimes we wonder, are we considered to be members of an "occupying force"? In the past, before we settled here, folks appeared to be very friendly, polite, with dignity and smiling a lot, what happened? Disappointed the revolution didn't make them rich over night? There were less possessions, no mobile phones, many without a TV or even a fridge, few expensive new cars, more bikes, etc. yet many tourists, often difficult to find a free seat in a restaurant or cafe. There were more jobs, yet very many appeared to be just more or less coping with their income. Sheepskin was not thrown away as waste (I was surprised to view this several times). Times are changing, in many ways, but it's better not to throw out the child with the bath-water. We could do with less noise, often so unnecessary extreme noise. Without this more guys would not to be so nervous, thin-skinned, a bit deaf, therefore always speaking very loud. I hear voices, guests that I don't know of? No, working men at the building site opposite. We require anti-aggression training and learn how to relax and enjoy the beauty of Tunisia, e.g. this perfect beach (if kept clean), teach the ignorant. Some young folks don't like being told that their behaviour is not appropriate, hearing this makes them aggressive, overreacting, feeling like starting a fight, or with a bit of luck, they may even apologise. As you never know and don't feel like getting a mouthful back, many prefer to look the other way and say nothing. Keeping silent is often understood  as consent. Having studied educational sciences I believe education and good models is what we need, in particular for the young ones who still learn by watching and imitating.

Continued Cats' Story

It turned out that Myriam, the cat that had the accident, was living on a Mosque compound and had the accident (broken jaw, one eye sticking  out 4cm, one back leg numb) 2 days before I was informed. Listening to the Quran all day long, every day, must have saved her. One religious man took a photo of her and sent his son to speak with me. I guess those who saw the little darling, were fearing the costs of a vet, understandable, I paid 120 Dinar, including vitamins, to speed up recovery. Pity no one thought of crowd funding, if many give even a small amount of money, it is possible to cover the costs. Anyhow, Myriam is doing well, eating finely chopped turkey in yogurt sauce, she is very brave, purring, not complaining about her misfortune and when she doesn't feel like  eating I say, one bit for Mummy, one bit for Daddy..... it works, not always, but often. Or I say eat up, then the sun will shine tomorrow, works as well, even with the sun. When I heard that Myriam has kittens, I was relieved to learn they are old enough to cope without their Mum and on the Mosque compound food and water would be provided for them. In the beginning she had problems using the toilet (constipation), now okay following a bit of medication. If you asked why do I take so much trouble with cats, let me tell you I spent most of my life helping people (even managed to save 4 folks' life), viewing how cats live here, I decided now it is time to help them. Something that really bothers me and makes me very sad, is being confronted with many cats suddenly, within 10 days, passing away. I know of 18 cats a few months old, the oldest approx. 1 year. This happened in Sousse and Kairouan (of there I only have limited information) and affected mainly indoor cats, some appeared to have a bit of breathing problems or a cold, all seemed not to be severe enough for them to dy, no obvious symptoms appeared to be grave enough. Kittens several months old died, while their mothers are fit and healthy, other kittens a few months older survived. My guests at the cats' table (cats without a home, more or less finding their own shelter, 3 underneath my yucca plant) are all there as usual, I did a count, no one missing, thank heaven, but I suffered several loses, beautiful, gentle little angels, my co-inhabitants that I miss so much. Quite a few so called stray cats are absolutely beautiful, gentle, clean, respect me and would doubtlessly be happy to find a loving home. I am sure several had been living in-doors before, perhaps the people they've been living with have left the country, putting them out on the street was the cheapest solution. By the way, gorgeous Gloria, who lost all her kittens, one after the other died, adopted an orphan young cat, approx. as old as her little ones that passed away. Yasmina's children are all still there, fit and lively, except for one that has a bad cold. Myriam had her stitches (following the operation of her injured eye that could not be saved) now removed, she remained absolutely calm and gentle as always, a real  little angel,. the kind of patient a vet dreams of. Cats are so amazing, some are demanding while others are absolutely modest. My princess (Thailand cat with turquoise eyes) insists on her own toilet and calls me whenever she needs her servant, I am afraid she would be happier as an "only child". This I can not offer her, pity, those cats are said to be very loyal. She's not too keen on other cats but likes my "ladies in black velvet", who say "marhaban" (welcome) to all newcomers, including of course to our junior, lovely tomcat Allien. So I am surrounded by sleeping beauties at present, all appear to be well and this makes me happy. The sun makes up for cold nights. The rainy season, though, will as usual not be easy for all who are homeless, animals and human beings. Yesterday pre-school kids called me. They had discovered a dead cat underneath a car. It turned out to be an adult white cat with a bit of yellow patches. The cat looked well fed, no blood on the ground, no apparent injuries, no accident. One little boy suggested - in his words that I take the lovely cat to the vet - I had to unfortunately advice him it's too late, the cat has passed away. It looked peaceful, didn't suffer much, as far as I can judge. It is sad, but the boys' reaction gives me hope, their empathy is a good sign.

Cats Never Ending Story

A cat got hit by a car in the neighbourhood, a 10 year old boy informed me. It turned out to be a lovely gentle cat (4 colours: white, orange, brown, black) sitting near a mosque, one eye sticking out several cm. She didn't scream, didn't complain when I picked her up and carried her to my house in order to put her in a transport box. I took a taxi, together with the young lad, to the vet, who luckily declared she can help and as the cat is still young (approx. 1 year) she'll recover and manage to get along with one eye only (my sweet Tareqqa also does perfectly well). Following further examinations the vet discovered that the accident victim had in addition her jaw broken. Poor soul. In spite of all her suffering she remained amazingly calm. As she's going to live with me now for a while I decided she needs a name: Myriam (in view of her beauty). The vet explained that Myriam now has problems to swallow, requires very finely chopped meals with liquid and added vitamins for 10 days, needs to wear a plastic collar to prevent her from scratching her wound. My vet truly loves animals and offered me a rebate as she values my action. The boy explained to her that he knows me as a person who can be addressed whenever a cat needs help and that is why he knocked at my door. Yesterday, the day of her operation Myriam didn't eat or drink, apart from the water with melted tablet that I sprayed into her mouth. Today she managed to eat, thank heaven, sits there quietly, accepting me and her fate. On the way back we saw a woman standing next to a taxi waving; she offered to share the taxi with us as she was travelling the same direction.  She told the driver that I love cats a lot, which is great, and wanted to show me on her mobile phone a picture of a woman feeding cats. I was surprised to learn it was me, looks like more people know me than I do. - Kids also watch me a lot, some expressed they share my appreciation of cats and/or dogs. I am frequently asked the names of cats near my house. Some of them I have actually given a name and they react when I use it. Anyhow, when I informed a 5 year old boy that a certain tomcat is called Jousef, he smiled and said: "Hello, Jousef." Then he advised me that that is also his name. Cats need a dentist (the vet also) from time to time. Yousef couldn't eat without pain. It was easier than I expected to put him in a transport box. It turned out that 2 of his molars were in a real bad state and needed to be extracted. I succeeded to give him his tablet (mixed with soft cheese), but only for 7 instead of 10 days. At least he can eat now without problems. Bijou, one of our co-inhabitants, stopped eating, so it was time for her also to have a check-up. The vet explained a similar problem, unfortunately the water here is very calcareous. It effects the teeth and can lead to stones in the kidneys. Her teeth was in a bad state due to this kind of water. When we got back to the house she went hiding (normal behaviour for animals, when they are wounded or sick they do it for their own safety in order not to become easy prey). Time to feed Myriam, my cats keep me on my toes! Myriam (1 day later) has started to eat, finely chopped meat with gravy and she enjoys her daily massage, thanks me with purring. She is amazing. Her beautiful fur is soft like velvet. I will never understand why some folks don't like cats. Several kids grow up with bad models who throw stones. Kids watch and imitate. On account of bad experience cats here tends to be very careful with children, who may well be their "enemies".  This kind of behaviour I never viewed in any other country (visited quite a few). When I feel depressed on account of this lack of empathy, strange, I often encounter kids/ folks who love animals, thank heaven for that.

Postcript This is Africa

Living in this part of Souse sounds like living next to a football stadium, several kids constantly yelling or talking very loud, (a bit better during school hours, thank heaven for that) and at other times like a market place. Various street vendors sell vegetables, fruit, etc., three men trying to sell fish, some times they more less arrive at the same time. So much fish, who wants to eat this all day long? All this shouting and hooting, difficult for expats to get used  to, yet the folks here think it's normal, if you don't, you are the odd one out. The first sentence toddlers learn is: "It wasn't me", the usual reply one gets if a kid is caught getting up to no good (like throwing stones, hitting cats, etc.). Never leave tools or other items unattended outside, not even for a few minutes, otherwise it will disappear in no time. Still, with a bit of luck children will return it if you offer a reward, it worked twice. - Hairdressers' prices are approx. the same as in Germany. They work differently though, like to pull hair straight (not my taste, my hair has started to get curly here, all by itself, I like it that way) on various occasions wondered do they want to pull out my hair, burn my skull (too hot hair dryer). The first hairdresser I visited in Souse (on recommendation - never rely on that unless you know the person really well) demanded 50 Dinar for dyeing my hair with my on product, complained about a lot of work (I was the only customer)  and high expenditure. She just had her saloon newly decorated, did she mean that or a bit of water and electricity? Not happy to pay a "surcharge for tourists or expats" (all supposed to be rich), I decided never to return. - On the radio: News presented at a high speed, is there someone in the studio with a whip? Most of the talking interrupted by lots of giggling and laughing. Jokes, comedy, performed with a strange, child-like voice mend to be funny. Sounds like kids' program to me. - Alcohol, with the exception of beer and some local vine, is very expensive, brilliant, though this doesn't mean no alcoholics, it reduces the problem and it's the hard drinks that really make aggressive. Nevertheless anti-aggression training would be a good idea for several kids, teens and adults who mainly had bad models and quickly get furious, boil with rage because they lack self-control. In Germany for example anti-aggression training proved to be worth it. Let us all get more relaxed, we only live once. By the way, stroking a pet, e.g. a cat or dog, is relaxing and can reduce too high blood pressure. There is a demonstration in Souse, folks want those in power to do more for the protection of women against sexual harassment, as e.g. quite a few young men show no respect and use bad language, etc and also provide a better protection against theft (I for example feel safer without expensive jewellery or even a handbag, when I go shopping). The demonstration shows that democracy is working here and there is a political awareness in the population - unlike at the time of Ben Ali when the people didn't dare to express their thoughts freely.