Unseen stories, day 1: Siliana, Tunisia.


I promised myself once that one day, I will succeed to visit each and every corner of my country. People would think that it's not as hard as it may sound. However, with all of the things we get involved in, we find ourselves growing old, forgetting the promises that we made to ourselves. We forget how our eyes used to spark whenever a new dream pops up in our minds. We forget our passions and bucket lists we once pinned on our vision boards.

However, what youth of Siliana taught me is that age, money and materials are nothing but excuses that we set as boundaries between ourselves and our dreams.
© Wassim Ben Romdhane
These two young men from Bargou started playing guitar thanks to the music club of the region. They were using the club's guitars whenever they had the chance to. When the club closed due to budgeting issue, these guys worked to save money to get their own guitars and formed a small band with the other kids of the neighborhood.
    


With all of the poverty, regionalism, and the risk of getting brainwashed by violent groups, they believed in art and stood against social norms to submit their visions through art...
The day I spend showed me that it's obligation for everyone in this country to get out of his/her comfort zone, from the dissatisfaction of public transportation, of food, or educational system, and go discover the other darker side. 
Young people of Siliana confirmed that if there's a will, there will always be a way. It may not be as easy as it sounds like, but in a country like ours, proving ourself is becoming a challenge in this post-revolutionary society. 
Taking the example of a young photograph I met in one of the youth complexes in Siliana, the amount of passion and persistence did nothing but inspired me to fight for my beliefs and the future that i believe is best for me.

"I am 27 years old now. In this town, it was very hard for me to get out of my parents' and go to Tunis to study photography. However, I found a total support from my father who believed in me until I graduated."
" I've been living here my whole life, I started a photography club last year. Although we didn't have enough cameras for all the kids - I mean the boys- , we managed to share everything in order to submit our work to several national and international competitions."




The stories I've heard, and the faces I've seen will forever be marked in my memory to remind me that I belong to the most courageous and brave nation on earth. At least that's what I think they are.

                                                    Don't forget to leave your feedbacks and experiences down below.

Love, from Siliana. 

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