Tunisia. Tunisia which is in Africa.

I always knew that it was a strong possibility that we were going to move to Tunisia some day.  I have always thought that it was somewhere in the distance and wasn't something I really even needed to think about for a long time.  That distance has gotten shorter and shorter as time has gone on the possibility of moving is becoming a reality.  My brain is finding it hard to process the fact that one day in the near future I could be living in Tunisia.  And living there indefinitely.  Tunisia.  Tunisia is in Africa.  One day I could be living in Africa. One day maybe I'll understand what the other people that live in Tunisia, which is in Africa, are saying.  One day maybe I'll actually like living in Tunisia, which is in Africa.  Maybe one day I can go see some giraffes!  In AFRICA!

This is the countryside in Labiyad which is the "town" near where my husband's little village is.  They have a school, masjid (mosque), and a coffeeshop in Labiyad as well as a souk (marketplace) one day of the week which qualifies it as a town.  This is the view from my in-law's front door.  It's so gorgeous!

This is hindi - prickly pear cactus.  My husband (A) LOVES hindi.  When he was a kid, he made a business from hindi.  He would pick it the night before, all by hand, using a long stick because you can't touch the hindi before you wash it.  Not only does it have the prickles on the outside, it also has this hairy stuff that makes you itch for days if you touch it.  The next day, he would leave early in the morning (3 or 4am) and take the donkey to Haajeb al Ayoun to sell on the street.  He's always been a businessman, mashaAllah.  Hindi is not the business we will be doing when we move to Tunisia.

And here's Baba (my father-in-law) and his sheep.  This year, at the age of 84, he is no longer able to care for his sheep.  Makes me sad because I know he loves walking with morning and night.  The main reason that he can't take care of them any longer is because of thieves in the area.  BOO to the thieves!!

We won't be living in Labiyad when we move to Tunisia.  We won't even be living in Haajeb al Ayoun (the namesake of this blog).  We will most likely live near the capital city of Tunis so that I have access to other English speakers as well as some of the creature comforts I'm used to.  I have a strict set of parameters that my husband must meet before I even consider moving including: running water in the house, a bathtub and shower, and internet.  

We also won't be living here.  This is Sidi Bou Said with beautiful houses built into the hills along the beach.  It's absolutely gorgeous, but you have to have a lot more money than we have to live here!

Tunisia and especially the city of Kairouan is known for their blue doors.  I would LOVE to live in a house with a blue door.  I've always said that I have wanted to to live in a house where you could tell someone generally where you live but they could find it because of some distinguising feature.  Like the house is painted yellow or that you have a blue door. 

How dreamy would it be to walk down this corridor to this blue door when coming home?  Alas, we won't be living here either.  Maybe we'll have a cool door though!

While moving away from my family, friends and the life I've known for 30 years is really scary, I know that moving to Tunisia will have its' own benefits.  I'll be close to my husband's huge family and they have all taken me in as their own, alhamdulilleh.  I also think my husband will be happier there which makes for a happier home.  I'll come visit Minnesota at least once per year (hopefully twice) and will have internet to keep in touch of course.  I know that I'll learn a lot about myself if/when we do move to Tunisia and I know that I will have many, many stories to tell during our time there!  The funniest thing about me moving to Tunisia is that just four years ago when my husband and I met, I had never even heard of Tunisia and now I will probably be moving there!  Life is really full of some amazing twists and turns.