Comparisons : consielles

Feb 28th

back at the ewhara hotel. last night i dran,k the first beer since arriving. I enjoyed it with a steak and mashed potatoes. mmmmmmm Work today, tonight hotel again ? My director is quite adament i stay there as opposed to crashing with friends. as he is paying i certainly will stop arguing.

Luke

Feb 27th

(This was written on the 27th posted on the 28th. complements to dialup)

Excuse me for making this one brief but I couldn't get the font off of sandscrit / arabic characters.

Ive got a few emails from people and don’t be offended when I answer your general questions here. Its like wheres waldo. Besides why should only one person be privy to the important incoherent babblings that is my dialect.

Ive been separated from my belongings for a day or so but when I get them back ill put some pics up .

Some quick facts about traveling / living in a developing country
Location
-Just because you're on the mediterannian doesn't mean you want to swim there
-The classification of a four star hotel is relative. It doesn't mean your balcony table will have all 4 legs. It doesn't mean your couch will have all the cushions, and it may lean that your water will be both brown and not hot (yes how ironic my first chance to shower in 60 hours and no hot water)
-Crossing through the middle of a 6 way intersection means that there is always always a car coming.
-the centerline of the road is more of a causal recommendation
-crosswalk? Yeah not likely
-Just because you couldn't read the footnote because it was in Arabic doesn't mean you don’t have to pay the 50 cents per minute charged by the hotel on top of the 50 cents per minute charged by the company
-speaking English words with a French accent doesn’t always work
-when ordering breakfast the night before indicate that you want your breakfast a minimum of an hour before the time you really want it
-to get the @ symbol you have to push control "0" about thirteen times and then two will come up you delete one and move on.
--in excel in english, control d moves the equation of the cell above into the cell below. In French, droit means right and therefore control d moves the equation from the cell on the right to the current cell. Careful when making recommendations on the size of beam to use. This caveat is less necessary if you'll be leaving the french country before the crane is constructed
-High speed internet is also a relative term
-Just because it says Armani doesn’t mean it is Armani the same goes with the word new (careful when buying underwear and deodorant)
-although you would think and hope that the water coming out of the hose beside the toilet was warm……its not be careful
-when getting advise on which train goes to your destination, get it from at least four different people then be prepared to get off the train at the next stop when you ask the conductor where the train goes
-Salut means hello in French salaa is a greeting in arabic leaning peace or something near that. A salaH however is a synonym for asshole…. Be careful with your pronunciation.
-just because its an airport, clothing store, train; bank or pharmacy doesn't mean you wont find people smoking (reportedly 80 percent of the population smoke here.
-not too spicy is relative, also is the term well cooked, fresh and pristine.
Dont be offended or surprised when you're the only one of 13 at the table who is given a fork

-
That’s all the advice for now folks. When the boss asked me where i was sleeping tonight and i replied i didn't know he put me up in a hotel for two nights. At this rate ill double my salary. On Monday morning my boss was speaking quite agrressively with a coworker. I wondered what id do if he spoke like that to me, then I took out the calculator to determine im making 1.9 dollars Canadian an hour and I quickly knew what I would do. Besides hes only going to understand half of what you say if you say it in English. Almost the best of both words to tell someone your true feelings and walk away as friends.

Tonight ill return to tunis 45 min away to stay at Dalis house….i think.


Excuse me for making this one brief but I couldn't get the font off of sandscrit / arabic characters.

Ive got a few emails from people and don’t be offended when I answer your general questions here. Its like wheres waldo. Besides why should only one person be privy to the important incoherent babblings that is my dialect.

Ive been separated from my belongings for a day or so but when I get them back ill put some pics up .

Some quick facts about traveling / living in a developing country
Location
-Just because you're on the mediterannian doesn't mean you want to swim there
-The classification of a four star hotel is relative. It doesn't mean your balcony table will have all 4 legs. It doesn't mean your couch will have all the cushions, and it may lean that your water will be both brown and not hot (yes how ironic my first chance to shower in 60 hours and no hot water)
-Crossing through the middle of a 6 way intersection means that there is always always a car coming.
-the centerline of the road is more of a causal recommendation
-crosswalk? Yeah not likely
-Just because you couldn't read the footnote because it was in Arabic doesn't mean you don’t have to pay the 50 cents per minute charged by the hotel on top of the 50 cents per minute charged by the company
-speaking English words with a French accent doesn’t always work
-when ordering breakfast the night before indicate that you want your breakfast a minimum of an hour before the time you really want it
-to get the @ symbol you have to push control "0" about thirteen times and then two will come up you delete one and move on.
--in excel in english, control d moves the equation of the cell above into the cell below. In French, droit means right and therefore control d moves the equation from the cell on the right to the current cell. Careful when making recommendations on the size of beam to use. This caveat is less necessary if you'll be leaving the french country before the crane is constructed
-High speed internet is also a relative term
-Just because it says Armani doesn’t mean it is Armani the same goes with the word new (careful when buying underwear and deodorant)
-although you would think and hope that the water coming out of the hose beside the toilet was warm……its not be careful
-when getting advise on which train goes to your destination, get it from at least four different people then be prepared to get off the train at the next stop when you ask the conductor where the train goes
-Salut means hello in French salaa is a greeting in arabic leaning peace or something near that. A salaH however is a synonym for asshole…. Be careful with your pronunciation.
-just because its an airport, clothing store, train; bank or pharmacy doesn't mean you wont find people smoking (reportedly 80 percent of the population smoke here.
-not too spicy is relative, also is the term well cooked, fresh and pristine.
Dont be offended or surprised when you're the only one of 13 at the table who is given a fork
- Jess was right. take as many sobeys bags or ziplocks with you you never know how theyll come in handy. IN particular, when you go to a restaurant here they give you a gnormous basket of bread. im pretty sure if you dont eat it they will recycle it like they did to me. so to keep others safe i bring a ziplock and put all unfinished bread in it. makes an excellent snack on the road.

That’s all the advice for now folks. When the boss asked me where i was sleeping tonight and i replied i didn't know he put me up in a hotel for two nights. At this rate ill double my salary. On Monday morning my boss was speaking quite agrressively with a coworker. I wondered what id do if he spoke like that to me, then I took out the calculator to determine im making 1.9 dollars Canadian an hour and I quickly knew what I would do. Besides hes only going to understand half of what you say if you say it in English. Almost the best of both words to tell someone your true feelings and walk away as friends.

Tonight ill return to tunis 45 min away to stay at Dalis house….i think.

Cheers for now

Your recently showered friend
Luke

Cheers for now

Your recently showered friend
Luke

personal hygene 101

Hello ---------

Hows life ?

Good as well. Lucky you the son of the owner of this publinet is watching the place for his father. He’s like 8 or ten and he’s standing over my shoulder making sure I don’t go on any prohibited sites (which is most everything here) therefore my attention will not be taken away from t his script of the story that is my life.

So remember I was bragging out my French ? Yesterday I was talking to this guy for about 5 hours straight in French. I was feeling good about my accomplishments and abilities. Twenty minutes later we meet his brother. His brother asks him if I speak French. He held his hand out and rotated it as if turning a door knob except it was flat. At the same time he said something in Tunisian and made a frowny face. I think it meant stupid Canadians thinks he can but he really doesn’t got much but a few key prhases and some English words with French accents…….. However my Tunisian is no better than my French and I’ve been known to mistranslate before.

As it stands, I woke up Saturday in a four star hotel showered and went to work for four hours. Finishing work I jumped on a train to Tunis. Walked a bunch Then another train 2 hours south. Following that I walked around an 100+ year old city.

Following this I climbed on a bus with Ismael his brother Osama and his cousin Ayemen. Again another hour south. Bye bus.

Spent the night at ismaels house with his gracious family and his authentic mother. I could tell she was genuinely concenred that I had enough to ear, she always put the food closest to me. The whole family was looking out for me even the brothers who in most societies would be dog eat dog trying to get the most food for themselves.

Slept at ismaels spent the morning in a smoke filled café and then vanned bussed and trained back to tunis. Another 3 hours or more travelling. Spent the night at the apartment of ismael then trained it to work this morning.

The reason I told you that was so that I could extract what lies between the lines.

My bed has been moving like an out of control slinkly all over this country. I have travelled for over 7 hours four trains two buses and a van and I haven’t showered since Saturday morning. Not to mention im not sure where ill be sleeping tonight or if ill have a chance to shower. Apparently ill be staying at the house of someone called red one I hope its not the redman. My life is like a gameshow of survivor who knows if ill be sowering tonight.

Don’t worry though, although I also havenùt changed my clothes ive been taking lots of travellers showers (quadruple liberal application of deodorant).

Im quite enjoying my time in this country however im sure those who work in close proximity to me today aren’t so happy to have me here.

On an unrelated note to bad personal hygene I had dinner with kaela essagher (sorry for the spelling kaela). It was pretty surreal to have dinner with a daltech classmate on the other side of the world. I think we have officially now spoken more in French than English.

Lots im seeing and hearing that ill probably keep my mouth shut about. If youre wondering where the comment came from then do some research on Tunisia. As I t ype that there is a large man standing behind me with arms crossed reading my screen and in front of me is a picture of the president … wait make that two pictures. Im currently debating going up and changing what ive just written.

Debating heading to Kenya for two monthes following may 12th. However two things stray me from that idea. First and most prevalent life is somewhat uncomfortable here by times do I really want another two month’s seeing as it will probably be harder there than here. Second reason is that primetime in Calgary for a job is probably closer to the beginning of may then the end of july.

Sounds like thunder out there better get back to work. Currently in hammam lif a few hundred meters from the mediterannian. Probably not likely to be voted nicest place on the Mediterranean any time soon though.

That’s it and that’s all. Ill keep you posted with lore details of the bathroom facilities my personal hygene and my love of the keyboard

All the best; Luke


In reference to your much appreciated comments

Alright I’ll take the hint and figure out the grammar. But you should be happy I’m writing in English and not French. Then no one from any country would be deciphering it.

Jessica Julien is a gigolo but quite a nice guy. Dustin is the one who poured the water on chuckers head so im sure youll find that even funnier. I know I was losing it when hennigar texted me/ all I can hear is dustin cackling and Andrew going “what the ____”.

Andrew theres very few toilet seats here so it makes it hard to lay out the paper. However what makes it even harder is the fact that there is rarely toilet paper. I imagine your shaking your head right now. There is however a hose with a tap withing reach of the toilet. Use your imagination from here on in. its much more conveneient then India though where they mostly have only buckets.

blog disection and contradictions

Salut
Deux blog dans deux jour. Luke must have found an internet cafe.

Would you believe that I discovered how to change the keyboard into American format but it started to become a problem because iùve half switched over to the Tunisian. Monde dieuxits actually quite perfect. By the time I’m completely switched over ill be returning to Canada. Quite a bitter fellow over this keyboard thing aren’t I. you should be too though because im sure it doesn’t make my indecipherable thoughts any more decipherable. Well that is going on the assumption that someone is actually reading this incoherent babbling. Franchement (frankly) its kind of like a glorified talking to yourself to post a blog. Sure these people care when I sleep what iùve eaten who iùve met the difficulties iùve had how frequently my bowels move. To my recollection all iùve done on here is brag when its good and whine when its bad.

It’s somewhat of a win win situation. I can really talk about anything. Because if you ever come across something ridiculous and criticisable that I’ve done my defense could be well it must be entertaining enough for you to continue so continue to enjoy or hit the road. (that’s it luke… tell off the only people who are still reading) and the otjer side of the win win is that well if noones reading; who cares what I say it changes from a rant to a journal ….. however who wants people reading your journal I better rethink this whole blog thing….in the meantime youùre welcome to enjoy the journey.

I’d like to pass on that I have been receiving texts from most people but havenùt yet figured out how to respond . you can text me from Canada by going 011 216 2222 2279. Or I’d like to encourage people to put comments on the blog. Seriously; why not its your chance to publicly critisize me. Im not sure how you do it I think at the bottom of each section of blog you can click on the comments and go crazy ( some people already have both put a comment and went crazy).

Tunisia is a crazy mix of cultures.

Everyone is using a cell phone but dialup appears to be the most used internet
Everyone has washing machines but they use propane and light their water heaters like Canadians do their barbeque.

Several times a day you hear a wonderous chanting all over the town and it indicates that all should go to the mosque to prey…. However it is almost equally as common if not more you hear akon singing smack that from a radio in a streetside restaurant or fiddy blaring from a car stereo….. and for some reason everyone hear loves celine dion….. you haven’t been confused until youùve eaten cous cous discussed religion in Tunisia and watched your Friend who speaks French and tunisen sing celine dion in English ……….my heart will go on (but I hope the singining doesnùt) Brian adams is popular here too as is ,any tradional types of music.

As for food well they have kit cats but they have a different name coca cola is everywhere so is pizza and pasta. You can order American food but its more of a take on American food. The pureed (mashed ) potatoes are runny like they were accidentally watered down. They have a thing called a sandwhich cafetji where they put meet in a sub and then put fries on top of that all in the sub… actually quite good. Desert is oranges or dates. Bread is everyahere French bed. Not un common to see a child biking with three uncovered ‘ foot French breads in his hand somewhat amusing . cous cous is also popular its like a carbohydrate I think rice but little balls of it not grains and you eat it with fish little sketchy but it does

There are a myriad of autos a lot of car trucks which would be like taking a dodge colt and putting a truck bed off a little Toyota or d50 onto it. Its also entertaining to see a 25 year old on a cell phone hair greased wearing leathers driving a huge tractor. Theres bmws and passaats but im not sure why you would buy one cause everyone iùve seen has been dented up.

Theres desserts mountains and beechs old fashioned trains plaster buildings cobble stone and pavement streets lots of noise lots of dust in the air. Signs are written in Arabic/ tunisien and English.

I must go now my two hour lunch is nearly over. If you have enjoyed this you are obligated to either comment or pass it along to a friend…………. Or both

That’s right … obligated

Okay got to jet and eat ,y sandwhich cafeji

difiiculties

Salut Mes Amis

C’est difficile pour changer de anglais et francais ,ais si j’essayer plus fort je vais souviens (remombre si tu es sam decoste)

As i said its hard to switch back and forth into french and english but not half as hard as learning these keyboards.

Its 8:00 in the evening now: I finished work two hours ago and I’m out and about looking for some dinner:

Currently I’m staying in a four star hotel in a place called hammam lif: my bed is probably no more than 500m from the ocean the meditrannian that is. My Boss monsieur ferjeni is paying for it:

Daily its 20 degrees here. In India there were dogs everywhere:e here there are cats everywhere I mean everywhere. And they always seem to be at eye level ready to attack.

Mangy looking critters too.

Today I was walking down the street talking to Jaime and there was a cows head at eye level::: that’s rightµ. Just the head.

Stuff is pretty cheap here: taxis are a dollar forty five minute trains are .580mille which is about fifty cents Canadian.

Somehow …. I’ve learned French. I don’t really know how it happened so fast but its rare that I canùt communicate what I want these days or that someone canùt talk to me. Tunisien is the first language here which is some hybrid of Arabic and French and a few other mixes. After that people start learning French and Arabic quite early. English is quite a bit later. Its good for me because it forces me to use my French.

Monday was my first day of work. I was up watching French subtitled prison break until 2 so as you can magine I was late for my first day of work.

I was delivered to work by two people in the aiesec association: we sat and waited for the boss for two hours in his office and we were killing ourselves lqughing/ probably we/ they were laughing at my French but none the less were killing ourselves laughing and shortly there after the boss walks in.. I was biting my inner lip so hard to keep from laughing I started to taste blood.

Monsieur walks in and sits across from me. Well dressed man forty five hqs a tony soprano air about him. He was talking a lot in French. The only English was at one point he looked at me and said I have a surprise for you in his pocket in perfect English and then back to French. A little bizarre but I stay away from his pockets. At one point everyone stood up so I did as well/ Still only sure what was said for 30 percent of the conversation I still I don’t know why people are standing

Apparently ,y friends are leaving me alone with this pocket monster*. He takes me around the office at one point I hear him tell a coworker that im from Canada and that im a specialist in steel construction…..oh know::::I think …..I’m in for it. Even jane thorburn canùt save me now. (steel prof at dal).

So he throws me at a computer and I draft something okay cest bien he says/

Moving on he has something about a computer and takes me into the back room he starts talking and pointing at an ancient computer I think oh zut as if French won,t hinder my performance let alone this dinasour of a computer for me. I think in the end it was just that the computer had came from Canada and he wanted to show me that. Ill let you know why when I find out

He takes me for lunch. thats cool then we go back to his apt he shows me his 4000 dollar tv. I tell him an in appropriate joke regarding a milkman he laughs his head off

This is work. so again i dont understand what the guys says i just say cest bien cest bien all the time. and when i think its something serious like hes waving a stack of cash i keep saying je ne comprends pas. if he really wants me to understand; he'll put his right hand on my left elbow and put a pressure on it and say what he wants to say at a whisper two inches from my ear and then looks me in the eye and says tu sais quoi j'ai dire ( do you know what i said)

anyway after the first drafting he wants me to do 3d drafting. we communicate that i dont know how. we go into the back room and he gives me two french auto cad books .

Thats fine i sit dowen with them and figure that i can just look at the photos and get by on what french i do know. so i see that the book reccommends to type in pointvue for a code into the program so i try and type that in ::::: of zut. this is an english version of the program . so i start guessing the translation for the codes like point vue.... pointview.... viewpoint ::::wwhere is george smith when you need him eh ?

so thats fine... so i fake it i go into help in autocad and manage to get a few 3d shapes on the screen.

He comes in andc says tresx bien.

phew i think thats over.

then he brings in a problem something suitable for someone who specialiwes in steel.

I ask him for a book with the equations for moment of inertia etc..

great two more french books of little use to me. so here i am with a french excel french books and a subject that is way over my head. he wants me to design him a poulant. i have sole questions and he points to the book and reads the subject headings and then i hear him say (facile)

okay back to the drawing board i go

i nearly started hyperventilating at this point. not only all that but the book is ridden with errors.

you think thats not too bad okay well lets throw in a medical condition. iùll not elaborate too much but it involves frequent trips to the salle du bain. whatever you say ? okay rmember that there is little to no toilet paper here and theres no toilet seat on the toilet either. try and relax aill you

but its getting better donùt get me wrong i understand him a little more and im learning what the books says.

excuse teh whining otherwise i love the plqce

i got to go now thought someone is saying fini fini and pointing at his watch at the internet cafe

qu revoir

Luke

phone calls and friends

This is a photo of LUke Dali and Heni moving from left to right

tout les affairs: all business:



i looked up
http://www.countrycallingcodes.com/
and found to call tunisia from canada you dial 01121622222279
hoopefully that works for texts i donùt know.





jai,e has sennt two texts to me somehow and mom has got two to me as well but noone seems to be able to respond cosistently:





possibly if i reply to your reply it sets up a bad number for which for you to respond
good luck.



somehow we;ll have to figure out the texting




i have broken alot of the health recommendations of the doctor but i have to or i will be quite rude (sorry mom) he told me that roadside frood stands were a haven for bateriq however ive eaten at them often



also i am drinking water from a bottleing company i dont recognie but otherwise taking care: heni and dali laugh at me because i wash my hands without water and so often: they think purell is what doctors use before surgery



emine is th e icx and my host: he is all business alays walking fast alway quick answers alayw on phone or the email: dali and heni are much more relaxed i speak rench ninetey percent of time with them





Eminehas been the biggest of helps and has done alot;


apparently AIESEC mebers went to the airport the night before to get me as well and didnùt get word i was late



they had like ten people with an aiese sign it was cool and rthey repeated it the next night





the people here are very frienly always want you to come for food and to give you their number
we walk alot: here:





and eat talot
last night i had two pievces of bread with two sausices in it and a salad all in the middle very hard to eat:



then two hours later i was called a chicken when i couldnùt eat alll my lebelya or some thing which is where they crumble bread then put atop chickpeas in sauce ith meat then pour a whole bunch of ketchup like stuff and spices and then break two eggs on top and mix it together:::: chicken:





anyway iùm out good luck with your lifes


*LUke





oh i am sure ,any of you will be happy to know that i tried to wear crocks out in public and my host told me i couldnùt wear them. he said that they were too casual

keyboard est casse

first things first:

excuse the keyboqrd: there is a qpostrophe wahere there should be a m and a q for an a
it makes things difficult: however. i think it is a fine excuse for typing poorly: doùnt you? also it is a little annoying:

dans tout le facon. i a, in tunisia and somehow speaking french all the time;

i only have a few minutes on computer so will be short: i visited i will sum up my trip to germany::::::

josenhans, river, beer church and sausicie from a street vendor is it possible to have a more german experience?

i don,t know:

in tunisia it is great i hang out with three garcon emine, dali and heni. they are funny guys; alot of jokes; alot of eating: alot of walking: we visited a small commuity called sidi bo said: it is the law here to paint your walls white and your windows blue, it is on the ocean qnd very bequtiful:

last night i watched one eiposode of prison breqk with sub titles: this is proably more prison break than i have wqtched in canada: it is like india here but cleaner: and the people stare at ,e less and the shop keepers dont hassle: its kind of the best of both worlds: some how i am speaking french all the time: and i think that people understand me:::: again:::: somehow:

i visited the university here today and met the friends of emine; he is my host: i learned but will forget alot of names: hard names: no bobs and no janes:

now i will go watch more prison break: tomorrow i will visit the univeristy for a presentqtion qnd in a week i will get an apart,ent with a gentleman fro, colombia:

please go on youtube.com and look up the video called where ismatt i have taken a video like this in frankfurt its hillarious:

now i will go

be sqfe or qs they say here phonetically

bismala
Luke

de le terre et pour mon visage.

Hello,

A practice blog for photos. Fought with the subway system, found little italy, china town and old montreal. Again I am dressed for Tunisia, and not for Montreal. Walking in the subway I found a scarf on the ground. Critics will shudder to know that I wrapped my face in my own hankercheif and then wrapped the strangers scarf around my face. The scarf is visible here.

I bumped into One of Ten of the roomates I had last night. A guy named "Choon" who was from Korea. Anyway, he took this photo before we went on a tour of the basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal

Famous people have given away their life and have had their life taken from them in two sacrimonies performed here, Celine Deon and Mario Lemieux were married here and Pierre Trudeau and Maurice Richard had their funerals here. Only in canada would 50% of the famous people discussed be hockey players.

This next photo here is in the chapel of the Basilica, the actually basically was ginormous as you can see on the following link. http://www.etlalumierefut.ca/

Sorry about having to tilt your head

Now I am off to wrestle with the subway and to fly to Frankfurt.

Au revoir,

Luke

Canadian Weather Predictably Unpredictable

What would intrigue all Canadians to this journal I though ? Ah yes, a conversation about the weather should bring them along prior to my departure to Tunisia.

Short story long ? too much snow in montreal, the plane is late leaving for ns, even later returning to montreal and the finale of the lateness was me for my connection to Frankfurt.

After annoying many people by askign the same question several times, I managed to find my way to the down town. I stayed last night at the youth hostel of Montreal. It has sufficed fine, ten roomates are made up for by an all you can eat breakfast for $6.75..which i interpreted to mean all you can eat, and all you can stuff in your carry on .... Muffins for everyone.

Its still snowing here and it appears to have been doing so for quite some time as there is about a foot of snow down.

For now, I must leave to go give muffins to the homeless. Give... who am i kidding, i'm going to try and trade them muffins for one of those big standard issue homeless person parkas. Who knew a trip to tunisia would involve so much snow trodging...

Definition: Trodging,, like trudging, but more snow and less winter clothes. e.g. jane and jill were caught in a snowstorm in July and had to trodge home in order to get more blueberry pie, however Jane had lost her mitts in the snow ....silly Jane.

Well i've polluted your mind with enough falsities and with that ... I am off.

Au revoir.

Luke