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Bc. Zdeněk Blabla, Tomas Bata University in Zlin,

ročník 2.

About the country

Location of the place

Tunisia is northernmost country in Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. As of 2013, its population is estimated at just under 10.8 million.

City

Tunis is both the capital and the largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as Grand Tunis.
Situated on a large Mediterranean Sea gulf, behind the Lake of Tunis and the port of La Goulette, the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. At its core lies its antic medina, a world heritage site. Beyond this district lie the suburbs of Carthage, La Marsa, and Sidi Bou Said.

Surroundings (possible trips, ...)

Every weekend IAESTE has organized trips to the beach. During the week football, bowling, cafe restaurant. Short drive away from accommodation you can visit Sidi Bou Said, Carthago, La Marsa and in Gammarth are beautiful beaches a short distance from La Marsa. I do not advise travel alone and far away. Dont forget ISIC card, u dont have to pay fee to museums or Carthago.

Employer

Groupement des Industries de Conserves Alimentaires (GICA). Food laboratoires where I worked with local trainees.

Work description

Basic chemical and microbiological analyzes of canned products, mainly tomato paste, jams, pepper paste etc... And I have visited several factories making Harissa and tomato paste.

Salary (sufficient for local conditions?)

350 TND (4500 CZK) covered food and lodging. Trips you have to pay by yourself (+-50 TND/trip).

Language requirements

You need just good english. At GICA some students spoke very well and when I didnt know something so they advised me. But anyway French is very helpful.

Accommodation (price, who provided it)

Provided by IAESTE. Cheap (23 TND per week) but terrible. In room was only beds and a closet. The first month wifi didnt work and the second month we had to pay. Only some rooms were equipped with a fan but unfortunately we were not so lucky...

Social life

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

Airport pickup was ok and then we went by car to the accommodation. To my work went with me a member of IAESTE. And in Tunisia is normal that you still waiting for something. There isnt schedule for public transport.

Meeting other foreign students

Other student I met firs week. We all lived together in the apartment.

Sport and culture

Short walk from the accommodation is beach but very dirty. I recommend to you go to Gammarth. During the week we played soccer or bowling. At the evening many students went to cafe restaurant or medina. In La Goulette is also a gym but the temperatures was above 35°C all day.

Food, local specialties

In Tunis is a lot of good fastfood. I often went with my colleagues to the local fast food and restaurant. You have to try some traditional dishes as ojja, lablebi, bambaloni in sidi bou said, brika,... All dishes are very spicy but in time you get used to...

Other information

Possibilites to communicate with the Czech Republic

You can buy a sim card and mobile internet (facebook; viber). At my work I didnt have wifi and at the accommodation mostly didnt work.

Recommendations for students who will go to the same place

I dont recommended to go there for people whom this will be the first foreign experience. Be very careful there... And when you decide to go there I suggest only for a month a lot of people flew earlier than has planned.

What not to forget with you

Dont forget courage, long pants, movies, booze (its almost impossible to buy it) and some traditional czech food.

Benefits of the internship

Almost like a vacation where I met a lot of great people and I got to know their culture. I visited factories and I learned to work in the laboratory with the other interns.