By Mohamed Hamed (YES 2018–2019, Tunisia, placed with AIFS/AYA in Florence, SC)

During my YES year in the United States, I made many new friends from the program, including my Tunisian peer, Nesrine Khiari and Mohamed Elmarzugi from Libya. Our most memorable time together was during Civic Education Week (CEW) in Washington, D.C. in 2019. We created special memories and strengthened our friendship, and we look back fondly at this time together. So when Mohamed told us this year that he was coming to Tunis to accompany his dad on a business trip, we were very excited to see each other again. Our reunion took place almost exactly two years since CEW. How time flies!

Nesrine and I did our best to welcome Mohamed and help him have a good time. Nesrine is from Tunis, but I had to travel to the city from where I live in the south — but it was worth it! We met at Sidi Bousaid, a very famous neighborhood in Tunis. We spent the morning walking around this beautiful place, which felt more like mountain climbing because the neighborhood is situated on a hill. We sat down on the summit and gazed at Tunis. The view was stunning, and Mohamed loved it.

We ate bambalony, the Tunisian equivalent of donuts, and then went to a traditional restaurant where we ate lablabi, a spicy winter dish. I’ll never forget the reaction on Mohamed’s face when he saw Nesrine and I add even more hot sauce to our dish, while he struggled to eat his because of its spiciness.

We reminisced about CEW throughout the day as we walked around Tunis, like we did at Malcolm X Park in Washington, DC. Although Nesrine and I have been very busy completing our senior year at school, we forgot our stresses for the day to welcome our very dear friend. 

Nesrine Khiari (YES 2018-2019, Tunisia, placed with Aspect Foundation in Crete, NE)

Mohamed Elmarzugi (YES 2018-2019, Libya, placed with AFS-USA in Sheboygan, WI)