Bouselim, my New Life

      I am a Tunisian girl. I live in Tunis, the capital city of Tunisia. In September 2015, I moved to Bouselim, a town in Jendouba, to teach there. In fact, it was an unknown journey because I had never gone to Bouselim.  I thought that " I am going to my exile." With time, I started to remove the prejudices from my mind and discover Bouselim from a new perspective.

      Many prejudices are still waving in Tunisians' minds about the so called " rural places in Tunisia" or the underdeveloped ones, especially the north-western regions like Kef, Jendouba, Beja; the so called '' KJB region''.

KJB is the initials of the previous designated regions. It is employed by Tunisians who live in Tunis or in the coastal regions like Nabeul, Sousse, Monastir to make fun of interior regions. Many Tunisians still think that people who reside there are poor farmers who are living outside the modern system.

These prejudices are reinforced by the pre-revolution political policies which were based on marginalization and denial. These policies consist of denying the involvement of this forgotten triangle (KJB) in mainstream economic, political, cultural and even social activities.

      

      When I went to Bouselim I have discovered that I was overwhelmed by fallacious ideas and that it is not an underdeveloped place. 

Bouselim is a beautiful town in Jendouba that is populated by 35.192 inhabitants in 2014.

Bouselim in the map

The town used to be called Souk El Khemis " Thursday Market" , which is a weekly market. After 1966, the town ceased to be called so and started to be officially named Bouselim. This name is a local designation which refers to Ouled Bou Selim tribe that used to live in the territory. 

Bouselim, today, is no longer a little agricultural village but it has become a town whose economic activities are varied and not just limited in agriculture. Its economy is, today, based on trade which has been flourished by the opening of two big stores: Carrefour, a French supermarket chain, and Aziza a Tunisian one.

Carrefour Express 

The economy is also flourishing by a wide variety of banks. There are 7 banks that have facilitated the financial transactions of Bouselim inhabitants. 

 

Banque de Tunisie in Bouselim before 1966.

Another side of Bouselim is its beautiful architecture which reminds its viewer of the French colonizer who used to live here during the protectorate period leaving behind him a rich heritage.

drug store building  

photo credit; Amira Masrour

the train station of Bouselim

                                               the Municipality of Bouselim

                                             Bouselim downtown area

           This building represents the modern aspect of the town.

Cultural coffeehouse