Tunis anyone?

[Breadandroses1]

We may be making the move to Tunis next year with 2 DCs who will be 7 and 4.

Is anyone there and can give us the lowdown on living there with young kids? I'm finding it hard to find much on expat life there. It would be for my job and DP would be trailing. I'd be especially interested to get a readout on the British International School- I think in an ideal world I'd put them in French medium but we will likely be back in the UK in a few years and they'll need to reintegrate to school.

I have visited but not for a long while. My Arabic is almost non existent and I can get by in French, but it's not amazing...!

I have never been to Tunis, but as a French expat with children in the Australian (very similar to UK) system I would invite you to reconsider the French school.
To live fully in a French speaking country, knowing the language well will be paramount, and the French school system is so rigorous it will actually be a strong advantage for your kids when they move back into the UK one.
We moved here to Sydney when my kids had basically no English but they learned it very quickly and the learning habits from the French system allowed them to be top of the class in no time. They will be ahead in many subjects, especially maths.
The French system is not fun, if your work is badly done, you won't receive a sticker saying good effort, but you will be asked to do it again.
Also, learning a new language is such a great quality for life.

Also really probably not that helpful, but I grew up in Algeria and went to French school there. Overall very positive experience except when it came to doing the baccalaureat as you had little choice at the time, your stream was chosen for you by the Headmaster. Algeria was socialist and austere and we used to go over to Tunisia on holidays to relax, us kids loved it. Tunisians are to my mind the most cosmopolitan of the North Africans. Middle class Tunisians basically align quite closely to westerners in terms of values. Caveat: this was in the 70s and 80s!

Also really probably not that helpful, but I grew up in Algeria and went to French school there. Overall very positive experience except when it came to doing the baccalaureat as you had little choice at the time, your stream was chosen for you by the Headmaster. Algeria was socialist and austere and we used to go over to Tunisia on holidays to relax, us kids loved it. Tunisians are to my mind the most cosmopolitan of the North Africans. Middle class Tunisians basically align quite closely to westerners in terms of values. Caveat: this was in the 70s and 80s!