WELCOME TO TUNISIA
WELCOMING LETTER
Hello Dear Incomings :)) You have been accepted in an IFMSA Professional Exchange Program in Monastir, Tunisia. This is a welcoming letter from Associa-Med Tunisia to all incoming students. It contains important informations, so please read it carefully. This letter is not an officional Acceptance Card. To check IFMSA CA, log in with your account in IFMSA DataBase website : www.ifmsa.org.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT TUNISIA ?
North Africa’s smallest country packs in enough diversity for a continent. Vestiges of former rulers dot the landscape: the remains of the mighty city-state of Carthage; Roman ruins that demonstrate this was Rome’s richest imperial province; medieval medinas (walled cities) built at the beginning of the Arabic era; and elegant 19th century French colonial boulevards.
The country’s cuisine is also a delicious hotchpotch -French, North African, Middle Eastern and Turkish.
Beautiful beaches punctuate its 1,400km (875 miles) of Mediterranean coast.
In the south lie the undulating Sahara, salt lakes and otherworldly Berber architecture, used as locations for Star Wars and the English Patient.
In the north, mountains are cloaked in cork forest, while the Cap Bon peninsular and central Tunisia are rich in fruit trees, olive groves and vineyards.
This is Arabia at its most relaxed. Women’s rights are better served than anywhere else in the Arabic world. Alcohol is freely available
VISA
1. The following nationalities do not need a visa for Tunisia for a period of stay not exceeding: three months: Algerians, Germans, Andorra, the Antigua, Argentina, the Austrians, the Bahraini, Barbadians, the Belgians, the people of Bermuda, Bosnian, Brazilian, and Brunei, the Bulgarians, Canadians, Chileans, Koreans, the Ivorian, Croats, Danish, Dominica, the Spanish, Americans, people in Fiji, Finnish, French, Gambian, Greeks, Guinea, Honduras, Hong Kong, the Hungarian , Irish, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Gilbertines (people of Kiribati), the Libyans, the Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Macedonian, the Malaysians, the Maldives, the Malian Maltese, Moroccan, the Mauritian , Mauritanians, the Monaco, the Nigerians, Norwegians, Omanis, Dutch, Portuguese, Qatar, Romania, the UK, the kititiens (residents of St. Kitts and Nevis), Saint Lucia, the Solomon,Islanders the Senegalese people of Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovenia, the Swedish, Swiss, Turkish and Vatican. 2. For nationalities that are not listed, you need a visa to come to Tunisia.
WELCOME TO MONASTIR
Monastir is a small city with lot of places to visit and to chill out in, with a considerable concentration of students (pharmacy and dental universities) which makes the student lifestyle in Monastir more about human contact and freindship.  The University and the Hospital are effortless, in fact; you may move from place to another on feet inside Monastir.  Magnificient cities are nearby (Sousse, Mahdia ) and transportation are easy and daily. This facilitates the escape after clerkships. 
TRANSPORTATION: From & to the airport: If you arrive to Monastir international Airport, someone will be waiting for you there to pick you up. PS: There are also other airports in other cities but the transportation will not be easy, it depends on volunteers’ inability. (you have to pay 50 dinars = 25 euros to be picked up from the airport to Monastir).
Sousse: Ennfidha Airport Tunis: Tunis Carthage Airport Sfax: Sfax Tina Airport Djerba : Djerba Airport And other less important airports ( Tabarka, Tazeur, … ) We advise you to take a flat to Monastir; otherwise you have to contact us earlier to check public transport mean availability and its price. Someone will be waiting for you in the station. Please, make sure you change some of your money first. There's always a 24h working payphone, note your contact number and call him/her so we don't get worried.
DURING YOUR STAY
The LC members will be in charge of transportation, especially for Social program. Payment will be asked for long trips. Weather and clothing: You will be visiting Tunisia during summer, so you have to bring light clothing as it is usually quite hot (30-40°C). Do not forget your swimming suit! (For those visiting Tunis in spring, autumn or winter, please consider that the weather is usually not very cold. Anyway, make sure that you take a look at the weather forecast before you come!) Contact persons: Contacting your contact persons is quite important; they have all informations you might need. Make sure you have informed them about the exact date and time of your arrival so that they pick you up and exchange phone numbers before your arrival here. PS: - LEO & LORE are also available, and they are ready to help.
DEPOSIT : When you arrive here you will have to sign a form about damages in the lodging home and give an insurance of 50 dinars (25€). If there is no damage the money will be of course returned back to you. Pocket money : 60€ Boarding : at cost of student.
RAMADAN The month of July coincides this year with the month of Ramadan in Muslim countries (from 10th of July to the 10th of August). It’s a holy month and during the whole month, Muslims spend the daylight hours in a complete fast. In Ramadan, alcohol can only bought in Touristic places so if you think it ’s necessary bring alcohol with you. For more information, visit this website: http://islam.about.com/od/ra madan/f/ramadanintro.htm
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATIONS Where can you change money?
In Tunisia, you can change your money in Banks, change Offices and some hotels. It’s also possible to use your international credit card. You have just to know that banks are closed in Weekends. Please do change some of your money in the airport to make things easier for you. How to contact your country embassy?
Most of embassies are located in Tunis. Phone numbers & address are found in internet.
How to access to Hospitals ? An active member (Contact Person) will drive you to the hospital the first day. He/She will make presentation to the Tutor or the Head of department.
SOCIAL PROGRAM
A welcoming party the first day to break the ice
MIDWEEKS We offer a variaty of programs in Monastir, Mahdia and Sousse during the midweeks : 
visit the town:
Go to the beatch
Visit kuriat island
Diving
Paint ball
Karting
Food and drinking party Discos Restaurants & Bars ( you will try tunisian food )

Moorish cafe ( with traditional music show )
AND OTHER PROGRAMS !! 
** Food and Drinking party : a mixture of national food will be served, prepared by each incoming. get the best recepee, the best drinks, the best music playlist, don't forget your cultural clothes, and more importantly your country flags
WEEKENDS
We organise long trips for weekends, eventually with other LCs…
Week end : sousse + hammamet
Weekend :==south
Weekend: tunis + tabarka
Weekend :free, You can do wathever you want ;)
The social program Would cost around 250 €
To contact Exchange Officers:
CHAKROUN Ahmed (Local Exchange Officer): Tel: 00 216 22 799 444 00 216 52 199 883 leo_monastir@associamed.org FB Profile: https://www.facebook.com/ahmed.chakroun?ref=tn_tnmn
ABBES Walid (Local Officer of Research Exchange) Tel: 00 216 21 780 369 Lore_Monastir@associamed.org FB Profile: https://www.facebook.com/walid.abbes.14?fref=ts
A Facebook Group is created to make contact between the incomings, and the Associa-Med Members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/607970579227359/608009199223497/? notif_t=group_activity