Tunisia

It has been almost seven years since we have come out graduating the Technology Management program at the George Mason University. There was a great deal of learning for us in the program which was taken to an entirely different level through our study tour to a distant land - Tunisia, in the northern Africa. We had visited the country with a lot of excitement, expectation and curiosity. Histrionics aside, which are parts of any large group traveling together to another country for a long period of time, the cool weather of a desert land was welcoming enough for us to have created long lasting memories in our minds. The leisurely days, when we went from one company to another learning their business models and management practices, understanding the aspirations of the country trying to forego its legacy to embrace modernism, were topped off by our dinner expeditions to local restaurants and after-dinner strolls at the sea beach. These were the days before Tunisia initiated the "Arab Spring", the aftermath of which is still reverberating across the world today. As we traveled by the luxury bus to our various destinations within the city of Tunis, we were surprised by the congregations which were absent everywhere else but at the tea-stalls, and inconspicuous presence of the women in general. We visited a number of Roman ruins that were indicative enough of the might and reach of the Roman empire.

Our main host during the study tour was a management institute, which was well known and popular in  Tunisia and had some collaboration with a French counterpart. They were propagating the best management practices that the world has to offer and it was quite eye-opening for us too.

I will request some of the students who were part of this tour to share some thoughts and embellish our collective experience and memories....