My personal adventure of entrepreneurship in Tunisia started some days ago. My journey to Nabeul started with a flight from Frankfurt with Air Tunis and an interesting mix of people. One part retired German tourists looking for cheap holidays in the sun, one part what I would suspect to be young Tunisian people returning to their families from a working trip to Germany and lastly one part old females returning from their emigrated families living in Germany. And me.
The ageing plane left from Terminal C at the Frankfurt Airport. The security check was carried out right before boarding the plane which led to a sequential inspection of travellers as a result. Everyone was leaving the Schengen area. It took ages to pass the screening which was partly due to myself carrying German Ritter Sport chocolate next to a label printer I’d need for work in Tunisia. The pattern of organic material and electrical devices looks like explosives. Lessons learned.
My colleague Ibtissem immediately picked me up after I left the arrival zone of Tunis Carthage airport. We bought a SIM card for my ever expanding collection. In addition to the task of choosing a provider and the available plan I used my rusty French for the first time. I still confuse Spanish and French synapses and mix my Bonjour with an occasional de nada and muy bien. I still have to get used to the most beautiful language in the world once again. Pardon Monsieur Dugave.
Setting up shop in Nabeul
My first impression of Tunisia was very positive. 28° C and a clear blue sky. Ibtissem drove her car right to Nabeul where an aunt of my landlord was waiting to hand me the keys to what would be my home for the next 4 weeks. The apartment was super clean and in reality much nicer than I expected it from the pictures.
I spent the next days in the office, doing shopping tours to Monoprix and Carrefour and following on excursions to Hammamet organised by my nice colleagues that proved to be really helpful and kind. As a result my second and third impression where positive as well.
Entrepreneurship and the perspective for change
The most interesting aspect being the chance for change after the revolution of 2010. You can feel the energy with almost everyone you talk to. The people are looking forward to change their country to the better. The environment holds all kinds of chances and the people I’ve met are super polite and well educated.
One aspect I spent a lot of time researching and not at last inspired by Som Land and her Yard from Thailand was sustainable development and entrepreneurship. Most of the people I talked to hadn’t heard about any ongoing initiatives. However I found some interesting programs which I plan to investigate in the following weeks.
- Enpact – NGO project for developing cooperation in North Africa founded by German government and the Quandt foundation
- Tunisia’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem – An analysis of the status quo in Tunisia
- Startup Haus project – A collaborative space for founders and like minded in Tunis
- Economic recovery and revitalization – A task force formed to improve the situation in North Africa and the middle east
I took my camera for some extended strolls through the city this Sunday. I almost bought a carpet and finally a piece of meat in one of the most sympathetic butcher shops I’ve seen for a long time.