The evening classes are now a regular event at my flat, and of course they last more than the scheduled two hours every time. Finishing a class at the College is much easier than removing hospitality at home. I have never been so sociable - visitors every night bringing gifts of food and drink. It's wonderful. But exhausting. The locals generally have a sleep in the afternoon which explains why there is always noise into the early hours. I can't get into that routine so by the time my visitors eventually leave at 10.00ish, I'm whacked. Then it's off to bed after completing my marking, and up again at about 6 to get prepped for the new day. Quite a busy schedule.
So, I'm looking forward to skipping over to Tunisia by bus tomorrow after work. It's really good value at this time of year - I've found a full board hotel with three swimming pools, tennis courts, a private beach, and lots, lots more for £40 for three nights in total. And I'm not pulling your leg.
My spare sitting room has become a mini-mosque for my visitors and their friends. If they're here when it's prayer time they disappear off for a wash and a pray, and then reappear ten minutes later refuelled and ready for more learning. It was a bit weird to start with, hearing chanting from my spare room, but it's perfectly normal now. Last night I had a long post-prandial chat about Islam on the back of the Turkish initiative to reassess the Hadith, so I think I might be on the receiving end of some helpful literature in the near future.
