Vip Invitation Format

January 16 - The battles of Carthage

This time it

Raffaele (my youngest son) to wake up. They are the first hours of the morning and call but we are dead tired, we have no desire or strength to stand up, we want to rest. At the end we tell him to come directly into our bed. Raphael is under our blankets, but it requires attention, and we shake with him. I go back to sleep. I seem to svegliarmo back to the sound of a gunshot. Am I dreaming? Or maybe not? I wake up later Monojeet a kimono, another colleague who lives not far from us. He says that he heard gunshots coming from our area and is concerned. Now I do not notice it, it will be just one of many. I get down on the floor below, where the rest of the family is eating breakfast. I ask Frank if there are any news, if our friends on facebook have reported violence in the night. Everything seems to be calm. A few hours later we receive a message from the security department of my work, stating that today is a relatively calm day, is that the staff is allowed to leave the house even if you do not encourage large displacements. Yet the shooting continues, with the usual irregular rhythm. The street in front of the house is deserted. Let us spend our next member of the Protection Committee with a stick. It 's a very tense atmosphere, but the neighbors seem to keep a great calm. We look out to discover the small district defense system. Both sides of the road blocked by a rudimentary defense made vases, wooden beams and other makeshift. Francesca described on Facebook as a defense is a real Beagle Boys, provoking the laughter of the Internet. Yet this small group of gentlemen, most notably sympathetic to e. ... weight to the former official photographer of the Miniter of Tourism, a guy with a mustache and plump the owner of the illegal DVD shop, also with a few extra pounds and a bit bald. We get to take some pictures, but we are now called to order by one of our guardian angels, we suggest to return home and not take risks.

Soon after, it will bring the shots in several waves. Them feel closer. Spiamo the window, but fear of getting too close and risk of possible gunfire. A volley of shots and a street battle is just one block away, in front of a small junction where there was the legumaio the neighborhood. Shortly after starting the shots behind our building at the deserted school. We are on the line of fire.

Meanwhile, the children express their nervousness. They want attention. I'm tired of being inside. They would like their friends, would go to the park. "How do you explain everything that happens to children of 4 and 2 years? the soldiers entered the heart of the game? "asks Francesca in a message on facebook, maintaining his sense of humor and trying to defuse the situation. We put ourselves then we fired into the house. A joke of course. Tell the children that there are bad guys who are going to be caught by the police. Explained that the same people who had seen them a few days before robbing Monoprix, but not to worry because the police is capturing and putting them in prison. Let's pretend to shoot, before I am a cop and bad then I have to shoot them. Without thinking about this game is not really much to what the Tunisians have seen in recent weeks. Cops who shoot the crowd and convert that real attackers from defenders in the order, the army becomes the only true body to fight for peace, citizens from recently converted to peaceful thieves and casual writers of personal revenge and new police officers in addition to taking advantage of thieves to steal them too, while the "Beagle Boys" to become the cornerstones of neighborhoods security. The role playing is one of the tragedies of verie these dark moments, but fortunately for the kids is a fun game that helps to kill time.

While we were struggling with the various battles that took place Carthage, the one with the kids and the real one that happened a block, we call my boss, who was also concerned about the situation, suggests a possible way out. "Even if the office does not take a official position, think about your family and your safety, I will prevent you, and if you need work from Rome in the coming days. " ENI in between we learn of the return from Tunisia. Other friends tell us of their intention to leave. There is air evacuation. By Francesca try to make a decision, but it is impossible. The children need attention, the calls of friends do not stop and the firing off at intervals our moments of tension.

In this tense moment came one of the great gestures of solidarity that we will never forget. We played at the gate. The gate is still locked by our additional barrier of the night. I look out the window of the plane above to understand who he is. It 's the neighbor, proeccupato for us, asking us if we need food, if we have enough stocks. It 's the symbol that will always keep the generosity of a people that not only offers solidarity with their compatriots, but also to foreigners. Fortunately we are well served, but we appreciate the gesture and thank you.

Given the circumstances, we put children in front of the television and try to make a decision. Between a phone and another in a rather quick and we decide to pack up and take the first flight. Site test of Tunisair, and 'not the site does not allow us to book flights for the next 24 hours. Let's Alitalia, site not available. Let to contact the companies directly, but the call centers in Tunisia has an automated message reminding us that the offices close at 15:00 on Sunday! Cabbage! It was 15:15! I bite the hands that have answered a few phone calls and have prevaricated in the decision, we could lose the opportunity to leave. We decide to call in Italy and try to book from them, but those who call? Our best not to involve parents not to give additional stress, in the event of possible failure in the purchase of tickets. I see Claudia, my sister, connected on Skype, so I imagine home connection. We ask Alitalia to see if the site works. And it is so! In haste and fury choose the departure date with the first flight tomorrow at noon. Perfect! "And the return date?" I asked Claudia. Let's guess, but no one has a crystal ball, especially at this time. I bet in 2 weeks, with tickets strictly exchangeable. Hooray you go!

Just bought the ticket, however, starting with the various concerns. "And if perhaps a final departure?" And "if the evacuation of all foreigners and you could not go back?". "Would not it be better to go by boat?". "What will become of the house to our departure?" And if it is attacked by vandals and jackals? "" What do we do? ". I begin to call other friends to know how others are organizing. There 'who do you recommend to keep someone in the house as the nanny, who to send the family, but stay in Tunis to arrange transportation of personal effects. Mark, a colleague was in Tunis and was able to get from his wife and son last week, tells me: "Do not you bring some children's clothing? Use your pounds for the things that have sentimental value or maggiro financiario. We enter the ball over the total. Time passes. The calls intensified. It spreads the news that Carthage is in place already and this morning an attack by forces loyal to President at the presidential palace, a few blocks from our house. Friends from all over Tunis write to us on facebook SMS or call to find out how we are. Meanwhile, the cartoon is over the children, and time to organize and less and less.

us for dinner, but I'm nervous. The children are crazy and we do not have the patience. We finish dinner and forgive quickly, with great bitterness in front of the television. We decide to start all. We decide a compromise, a suitcase full of valuables and clothing that we need immediate Italy. Meanwhile, prepare other luggage where we put things of value, easily identifiable to our landlord, if necessary. We can not go to the first night of 1 and a half hours of morning. We are in pieces.

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January 15 - the turning point of the afternoon and end of the tunnel

receive toss and turn a message immediately: "If the police do not knock open the door." Many police officers have deserted it and commit crimes in addition to vandals and the bodies of Ben Ali. Tension is high at home. We learn from Stephen, a friend of ours who lives in the not too distant Marsa therefore, that the neighbor's house was burglarized. Guihillem another friend with children that many expatriates are beginning to leave. He has just managed to find seats on the plane to start their children (and our age, respectively) on Monday with the grandparents who were visiting. Begin to wonder if it is not the case, for us to go and do it quickly, to be among the first to do so in the coming days. But then if we start? There burglarizing definitely home. And if we do not do more to return in time? It will not be better to wait for the organized repatriation from my office? We start the kids with one of us? And then?

But the turning point came in the afternoon. The past president of the parliamentary secretary to the prime minister pending elections. This seemingly simple change actually puts to rest the various debates that have depopulated facebook, cafes and streets of Tunisia in the final hours, including calls to the farce of a shift of power that in reality 'would return power to send the same elite of the party that had ruled in recent years, without a clear obligation to transition. According to one of the articles of the constitution in fact the transition to the prime minister was in the case of temporary incapacity of the President, which in fact gave way to its eventual return. The use of the article actually recognizes the definitive departure of Ben Ali, by dropping all hope of the men close to the now ex-president of a return to power. The former president and a special weapon of the police who had mutate and actively participated in the violence and more or less organized forms of destabilization are losing power. Once again it is the courage of the Tunisian people coming

at the turn, with the organization in all cities and districts of self-defense committees: Armed with young axes and sticks, which in turn supervise the neighbors. Just as we, the neighborhood is organized. Hide them behind his back so as not to frighten children. It's wonderful.

Our road, which is located between two main streets of Carthage is thus well protected, first by military checkpoints, the other with the police and neighbors that means much additional force craft are Printa to trigger the first call to police. In high-flying helicopters. We superpotetti thanks to the solidarity and the exceptional response to a still strong army and a country with great courage that is returning to normal. The shots do not stop, but they are not directed toward us. We create a small additional security at the gate, using a network of a bed and other means to make a possible revenue a little harder, a far more, you never know. Let's finally quiet in bed, we see the end of the tunnel. Meanwhile we read that a group of Egyptians demonstrated today in Cairo in support of Tunisians with the slogan "Revolution in Tunis tomorrow in Egypt." It 's a big game that is winning the country and the democratic contagion on the Arab world is becoming increasingly conceivable. That all ends up the best, inshallah

Blurry Vision, Skin Tingling,

January 15 - The day after ... and it's not over yet

After a difficult night largely sleepless, I could not have better wake up: a kiss to Edward, and is the joy of seeing him next, to know that the long night is over and who will certainly be less shooting. Children are also a big stress and close them at this time helps to keep our sanity. Force us to break away from the news and not spend too much time in lengthy phone calls with friends and family who often sow panic more than anything else. Despite all turn on the computers and we hurry now to discover what really happened the night we just tumultuous past. Facebook provides little information, there is a lot less animosity and there are no reports of doctors and citizens in protest. The democratic movement has been mainly at home and has not broken the curfew. There was however a guerrilla war between vandals who burned and looted shopping centers and force of prayer dine. We learn that many of these vandals are actually police officers and special police forces of Ben Ali. There has been violence in the home, other than those of the president's own family and some personal vendetta with people close to power. We hear a lot of noise out of the house, people walking, everything seems normal. I am going to post a message on facebook urging to carry out a normal life and overcome the fear, at least during the day. The cold shower but comes with a security office mssaggio Bank Africa, where I work, which suggests to avoid large displacements. However we decide to rise up in the neighborhood. In fact there is good, we talk with the neighbor, a former Tunisian diplomat, who reassures us by saying that violence is very focused and that the police intervened promptly, as was the case with a neighbor who came into the flask during the night and received first aid from the army. We continue the short walk to Monoprix, a supermarket near his home, which we find with broken glass and burned. We then explain the smell and the shooting last night, probably due to the clash between the vandals and law enforcement.

We approach snoop with children in strollers near the supermarket and we see people who are quick to rob the supermarket. It 's amazing the boldness of these people and the crowd of people that real estate by observing the incident. All of a sudden appear in the service of the order of the machines at full speed toward the parking lot and people start to flee. We move away we too hastily and with his back to Monoprix and running towards the house behind us we hear gunshots coming from the parking lot. We return to the subject at home. It was not a good idea. Edward asks me what's going on and I try to explain that the police are shooting bad guys trying to steal. This makes it even more exciting and would like to see. Luckily no inherent back and front of the house too. The situation remains calm, people continue to walk down the street and the sound of gunfire to stop. We continue our walk in the opposite side. Edward tells us that he saw Peter Pan at night. We get distracted and joke about what his dream with open eyes that diverts attention. Back home, I report the dream of Edward as the breaking news of the day on facebook. Reactions and messages of sympathy raining on my page. In the meantime, began to circulate news about the partial reopening of the airspace and sea. Tunisia has started to fly to Europe. We see the light.

After lunch we try to do another walk around the block forever, this time not in the direction of the supermarket obviously and in any case long before it gets dark. The children are visibly tired of being at home and want to go out, see friends relished taking a little air, and we accordingly. But just inside the door to leave before it's too late here is always new shots from the supermarket. We come back and soon we hear a bus full of armed men parked behind the house, we hear helicopters flying over. E 'A true mobilization and guerrilla warfare between the forces loyal to the president who are trying to loot as much as possible and the army. We learn that the same is happening in other parts of the city. At this point we decide to stay at home, watching cartoons with his children Tom and Jerry and wait for time to pass. At the bottom of the house you are well and safe, and the army is very present in our area. We are calm but impatient that you calm down the situation.