First Crocus and Tunisia

First Crocus and Tunisia
Blog Entry 10-03-07

Reporting the first blooms on the earliest of the 85 crocus bulbs (brandusa de primavarii) that I planted in the little flower bed outside our block apartment building last fall. 85 bulbs in a small space will make a fairly impressive display in a few years as the bulbs naturalize. Even now the bright little yellow and gold flowers of the snow crocus brighten the area. The three strawberry plants I set in last spring have multiplied and are beginning to leaf out in several new spots.

Yesterday the neighbors trimmed back some of the branches of the cedar trees leaving more sunshine to come to the patch which will make a positive difference this year. Now, if I can only teach them to pile the fall leaves from the cherry trees atop the bed to form a mulch, then I will have left a legacy.

No pictures this posting of the crocus – first year so they are a little thin as expected - pictures instead of Nancy and my trip to Tunisia. We spent a week’s vacation stationed by the Mediterranean Sea near Sousse. It is a well developed tourist center catering to many English, French, Romanian and other European tourists looking for a bargain. Only three hours away by plane from Cluj, it was also convenient for us.

The main attraction for us was not the fine sand beach or the clear water, but seeing a new country, a new continent. Three Peace Corps companions spent the vacation with us and none of us had the least sense of being in an unfriendly country or culture. We were welcomed. Sometimes, too welcomed, as it became easier for us to use our Romanian and explain that we were from Cluj in order to deflect some of the aggressive salesmanship that is practiced there. Only a few hawkers knew enough Romanian to deal with us – they knew every other language though - so by saving we came from our adoptive homes we escaped some of the sales pressure.

The country itself was fascinating. The home of the Berbers and Carthage and ancient Roman ruins and 52 million olive trees and the scene for much of the first Star Wars movie and desert oases of date palms Tunisia surprised us with its diversity. Parts of the country were pastoral beauty, parts rugged scenery, part sandy scrub, but all of it interesting.

Romania and Tunisia have much in common. In some ways Romania seems more advanced, but in others, particularly agriculture, Tunisia appears to have established a more sustainable economy. Both countries also share some obvious problems, particularly trash disposal and other environmental issues. Development is never easy and in some areas not wise, but it appears that in both countries there are segments determined to bring their nation into modern society and segments unwilling or unable to grasp the change necessary to accomplish that goal.

We Peace Corps volunteers, by our example hopefully show the better part of advancement. Perhaps it’s only a few crocus in the garden in early spring and an attitude that suggests, these crocus will be here for years, long after Nancy and I leave. They’ll be here to brighten your path, and we plant them not only for ourselves, but for you.