Proud of the "Harkous" by Olfa Souissi

This was in the spring of 2005, on the evening before we set off on a trip to El Djem and other destinations in southern Tunisia. That day, I had introduced Mara to my tutor of Arabic, Olfa. Olfa remembers Mara hugging her when they first met. At that moment, Olfa was carrying a bouquet of yellow flowers because, she later told me, "I know that you love her." Inspired by Mara's "white soft hand" she applied her henna artistry which in Tunisia is called harkous. We visited Olfa's family and drank tea together at the Bardo museum with its incredible mosaics.