Tunisia: The Quiet Journey

The Legacy Collection: Tunisia

March 18th, 1993, we arrived in Tunisia. My brother was 7 years old and I was almost 4.

Tunisia felt like a vacation, especially for my father and uncle. During our ten-day stay, we lived in a furnished home and as it was during Ramadan, the city was alive at night. The two of them enjoyed city life to the fullest.

My mother was in awe of how relieved they seemed as she remained focused on what came next. Her thoughts were on Austria, the next step in our journey, and another unknown chapter ahead.

Austria would not allow Iraqis seeking asylum to enter from Middle Eastern countries. Being that my mother’s employer provided us with visas to travel to Tunisia, we were able to make the quiet journey from Jordan to Tunisia and then finally to Austria, bringing us one step closer to our new home.

Tunisia may have been more than just a way of passage but also the refreshing experience we needed as a family.

It was ashort time but one that offered laughs and lightness without the pressures of war and survival.

The Legacy Collection is a watercolor series created to honor my family’s journey through war, immigration, displacement, and ultimately, freedom. More than landscapes, borders, and national symbols, these artworks represent sacrifice, survival, faith, identity, and the courage to begin again.