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Bc. Filip Králik, UCT Prague, ročník 5.

Faculty Faculty of chemical engineering
Field of study Chemical engineering
Field of internship Chemistry, Material Science, and Chemical Engineering
Specialization of InternshipChemical Engineering
Internship period (from - to) 10.6.2019 - 31.7.2019
Internship duration (weeks) 7
Transport (means, price) 350 euro for return flight ticket from Prague to Tunis
Insurance/Insurance company Union poisťovňa
Visa/Work permit (yes/no) No
Price of Visa -
City of Internship Zobrazit místo na mapě  Tunisia, Tunis
Internship reference number TN-2019-8010-PE

About the country

Location of the place

Tunisia is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. .

City

Tunis is the capital and the largest city of Tunisia. Situated on the Gulf of Tunis, behind the Lake of Tunis and the port of La Goulette, the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it.

Surroundings (possible trips, ...)

In Tunis, there are several places that are worth visiting, including:
Old Medina of Tunis
The National Bardo Museum
La Goulette
Zitouna Mosque
Parc du Belvédère
Carthage
Sidi Bou Said
Ville Nouvelle
Mosque of Sidi Mahrez


Employer

Employer

During my internship in Tunisia, I was employed by two different companies. The first company I worked for was wireline well service (WWS), where I spent the first two weeks of my stay. My second employer was National Engineering School of Tunis (ENIT), where I worked for four weeks.

Work description

In WWS, while waiting for my relocation from Tunis to the South of Tunisia where most of the oil fields are located, I spent my time reading books related to the oil and gas industry. Unfortunately, because IAESTE Tunisia did not allow me to work outside of the capital (Tunis) and WWS did not have any meaningful work for me in the office they have in Tunis, WWS suggested me to pursue other career opportunities (they fired me). After one week of being unemployed (3rd week of my stay in Tunis), IAESTE found me another job at the local university (ENIT). I was assigned to the solar power plant, where my main work duty was to analyze data.

Salary (sufficient for local conditions?)

My salary was 100 TND (32 EURO) per week, which was barely enough to cover trip expenses. Therefore I had to pay for accommodation and food with my own pocket money.

Language requirements

Compared to regular Tunisians, both people from IAESTE Tunisia and my colleagues from WWS/ENIT spoke good English. The official language is Arabic, but regular people speak French as well, therefore knowledge of either of them is well-recommended.

Accommodation (price, who provided it)

The accommodation was provided by IAESTE Tunisia. It was located in La Goulette and we were charged 25 TND/week. They owned several apartments in the building. The apartment I lived in had two living rooms where two people were accommodated, one common living and one kitchen with gas stove and fridge.

Social life

Meeting IAESTE members (pick-up at the airport, organized events...)

The first time I met a member of IAESTE Tunisia was at the airport, where he came to pick me up after I gave them notice about my arrival. Almost every weekend, there was a trip organized for us. Iaeste member usually hung out with us during the week as well. After work, we used to go for bowling, to a local amusement park, grab dinner, etc.

Meeting other foreign students

All foreign trainees were accommodated in one building block. We usually grouped together after work to go out to one of several bars located in La Goulette neighborhood, to grab dinner in a restaurant or to smoke shisha.

Sport and culture

After work, I used to go to the gym that was located nearby our accommodation. Some people liked to go for a swim/jogging to the beach in La Goulette. Culture (cinema, theatre, etc.) was mostly located in the city center (easily accessible by train in 20 minutes).

Food, local specialties

During my stay, I had the opportunity to discover Tunisian cuisine, which is heavily based on olive oil, spices, tomatoes, seafood, and meat. Traditional Tunisian dishes worth trying are:
Shakshuka - the stew-like dish is prepared with tomatoes, onions, garlic and green peppers, along with a variety of optional ingredients such as potatoes, courgettes or even broad bean.
Brik a l'oeuf - a thin sheet of pastry is filled with egg yolk, folded into a triangular shape and deep-fried.
Couscous - a dish consisting of a stew-like sauce of vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, courgettes, carrots, squash or pumpkin, and lamb or chicken.
Lablabi - a soup-like mixture made of chickpeas stewed with a mixture of olive oil, harissa, cumin, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
Makroudh - a fried dessert made of semolina flour and olive oil and filled with date paste.

Other information

Possibilites to communicate with the Czech Republic

Soon after my arrival, I bought a sim card with pre-paid data package so when needed, I had internet access everywhere. For communication purposes, I was using mostly WhatsApp, although facebook, skype, etc. were also available.

Recommendations for students who will go to the same place

Be prepared for a completely different culture. Tunisians are friendly people, but some of them may try to take advantage of you if you are caucasian, because based on your skin color, they may assume you are a wealthy tourist. Compared to Europe, Also Tunisia is a dirty country with trash just laying on streets, so be prepared for that as well.

What not to forget with you

Sunscreen (it's usually hot and the sun is strong during the day}, pocket money (you will receive your paycheck at the end of your internship) and patience.

Benefits of the internship

Meeting other foreign students, making new friends around the world, experiencing a new culture and discovering a different way of living.

Cooperation with IAESTE in the foreign country

Smooth and without any issues.

Overall experience with IAESTE

Overall experience was amazing. If you have the opportunity to go to Tunisia for an internship, just go for it.

Student's website

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Employer's webiste

http://www.wwstunisia.com/about.html#
http://www.enit.rnu.tn/fr/diverses/news.php

Other useful links

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Other comments

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