Reise des Unsichtbaren/ رحلة اللامرئية
Is there social media there? When I was first asked this question, I didn't know if it was a joke or serious. Because in which part of the world is society not so advanced that one is at least technically aware of what social media is. I often notice that some people have certain images of countries and cultures that do not match the reality in those countries. This is not an accusation, because how should one know something if they have no points of contact with the country or, at best, have never been there. In my case, I'm talking about Tunisia. Geographically, the country is about 147 km as the crow flies from Italy. So not so far away on the globe to think that the modern way of life is a foreign concept there. When I think about it, even friends and relatives have no idea, let alone a picture of Tunisia. Most people from the Western cultural circle associate it with package tours and camels in the desert. It is even almost always confused with Morocco and has little recognition value for most. Tunisia is my second home. Since my childhood, I've been there every year and lived there for two years. As someone who grew up between two cultures, one might think that I could be a mediator. Born and raised in Germany, this part of my identity is also in harmony with my Tunisian identity. Based on this foundation, I am confident that my knowledge of this country is sufficient and reliable. Over time, however, I have realized that I have always had and still have difficulty categorizing the country. When people in my environment ask me about it, I find it difficult to give a clear answer. There is no clear line for me to orient myself by, no real primer that covers everything in a blanket way and describes the diversity of this country between opposing mentalities, delicate-wild customs, and progressive "live and let live" well. I began to think more consciously about the whole thing and to engage with this (one) part of my own identity. All these years, I had missed that my hybrid existence is based on a feeling that I cannot grasp. It is a feeling that one carries within oneself and that allows one to adapt like a chameleon to the most diverse situations. An emotional compass. Whenever I think of Tunisia, I feel this feeling. It is a cocktail of influences and impressions. The diversity of this country, which one cannot find in any travel guide, one carries as an invisible something within oneself. I have the direct comparison and can say with certainty that my German self is much more tangible and definable. Despite this identity security, I am characterized by an ignorance that I cannot explain. I decided to embark on a journey to a country I know, to search for a visual language that can express this feeling.