After a short period of discussing the questionnaires and formalities at the institute, the team is ready for the new challenge of fieldwork. As the best way to become familiar with the field research is conducting it in situ, Aleksandra and Ilona start with their first interviews in Tunisia. Heading for the northern governorates Beja and Siliana, the investigation begins.
Looking back on her first field trip, Ilona reports:
“Unfortunately I fell ill shortly before travelling to Tunis and spent the first days in bed. I called some friends and was invited to visit the aunt of my friend in Siliana, who welcomed me with open arms and a smiling face.
The next day I met my former linguistic professor, Mr. Grira and the mayor of Siliana who helped me getting started my fieldwork. Prof. Grira offered me to stay at his house and supported me a lot during my stay, for which I am very grateful.
Then I visited the governor of Siliana and handled some required paper work. With the support of the local authorities, I eventually was brought to Drija, a marvelous little village in the middle of an agricultural area. It was April and the grass between the olive groves and fruit trees was covered with purple blooming xubbīza*. I met many welcoming and friendly people who were ready to answer a lot of questions about their dialect.
After Drija, my next stop was Sidi Hmada. The village’s mayor took me to meet some members of the older generation who kindly told me their stories.
Then I went to visit my fellow student in Garia, a small village close to Kisra. Happy to see her and her family again, I conducted several interviews with her and her relatives as well as with some neighbors.
In addition to that, our cooperation partner Mr. Maataoui, invited Aleksandra and me to attend a meeting at the Department of German Philology, University of Manouba, where we presented the TUNOCENT project and explained our current fieldwork.”
*xubbīza: Cheeseweed
