Until the day he boarded the first of a series of flights that would ultimately take him to Tunisia, Juan Aguilar had never been overseas. Thanks to Montgomery County Community College and the Amideast Community and Social Entrepreneurship Program (CASE), that experience changed his life.

The 20-year-old, second-year history major from Norristown was one of only 13 American students to visit the North African country from May 28 to June 6. The eight-day guided program introduces students to civil society organizations in and around the country’s capital, Tunis, through daily presentations, panel discussions, engagement with local peers, tours, and community service, according to its website. Aguilar interacted with community leaders on civic engagement, sustainability, labor, identity, gender and other global issues through Tunisian and North African lenses.

For Aguilar, the opportunity was the chance of a lifetime.

“This had to have been one of the most impactful things I've ever done,” he said.

The Amideast Community College Scholars Program covers the cost of the trip, and assists with travel and passport expenses. The program enables students enrolled in community colleges and other two-year degree programs to engage with Middle Eastern and North African people through Amideast’s programs.

“The CASE program is a wonderful opportunity for History majors to see other places and perspectives,” said History Assistant Professor Catherine Parzynski. “Everyone, not just historians, can benefit from gaining a global perspective. Hopefully, our students will be able to participate in more transformational opportunities like this one.”

Aguilar’s journey began in late fall 2024 when History Assistant Professor Sanket Desai announced the opportunity to the students of his Middle Eastern History course. Aguilar was the only student to apply, submitting two short essays about why he wanted to participate in the program and how it would benefit him.

Desai said the Amideast program is one of the few study-abroad opportunities specifically designed for community college students.

“I encouraged all of my students to apply and was thrilled that Juan took the initiative,” he said. “It's sometimes hard to convey to students that these opportunities are 'real'—that they're actually for them and not just for students at other institutions. This program is a perfect example of a life-changing experience that is accessible to community college students.”

As a history major, Aguilar said the experience offered him the chance to fully immerse himself in a part of the world about which he had only ever read.

“Getting to go there, be fully immersed, being able to touch, to hear, to smell the things I grew up hearing about,” he said, “it really just felt like ‘Oh, my God, I get it now.’”

The trip to Tunisia began with a flight from Philadelphia to Atlanta and then to Paris for a few- hour layover. From there he connected with other students in the program and shared a flight to Tunis.

“We bonded quickly because none of us knew what we were doing,” said Aguilar. “It was almost 20 hours total of traveling.”

After arriving at Carthage International Airport, culture shock quickly set in as French and Arabic are the two predominant languages spoken. It also meant Aguilar and the others had to pantomime their answers to questions from customs agents.

A highlight of the trip included a guided tour of the ruins of ancient Carthage, including a small colosseum. The tour guide apologized for the lack of sights to see during the stop, said Aguilar.

“I was looking around and comparing it to stuff that’s here from the 1700s,” he said. “I remember telling him, ‘Why are you apologizing? This is amazing.’ I got emotional about it.”

The experience also included a tour of the Palais Ennejma Ezzahra in the Mediterranean town of Sidi Bou Said. The museum houses the Centre des Musiques Arabes et Méditerranéennes and includes a large collection of Tunisian instruments. It also features a channel of running water that cuts through the structure and cools the building naturally. Aguilar said he was amazed at the ingenuity.

 A Tunisian cultural experience wouldn’t be complete without tasting the local dishes. During a food tour of the Médina of Tunis, Aguilar said students were given samples of many popular meals.

“They like their spice. It was difficult for me, but I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I’m a picky eater, but all of it was so good. They love a lot of seafood, a lot of couscous. Ever since I’ve been back, I’ve been trying to find places to get certain things, like the fried doughnut with powdered sugar called the Bambalouni. Every time we saw a place, we’d get one or two.”   

The trip also included a chance to serve the local community. Aguilar and students pitched in to pick up trash at a community garden and planted flowering trees. They then performed a beach cleanup in La Marsa.

Before the journey ended, students were able to visit a market filled with vendors from Algeria, Libya and Morocco selling artisan materials like homemade candles, clothing and tiles. Aguilar said it was a perfect way to cap the once in a lifetime experience.

Since he’s returned how, Aguilar has begun taking French classes at MCCC. The goal is to one day speak the language well enough to go back to Tunisia and repay them for the hospitality they showed him while he was there.

“If I could get to engage a bit more deeply with them and return the neighborly compassion they showed me,” he said, “that would be enough for me.”

After MCCC, his next stop is studying history at four-year-partner school Ursinus College next year, which has been the plan since before the trip to Tunisia. However, thanks to the experience, Aguilar said he’s caught the travel bug and has begun to look for more study-abroad opportunities.

“I've heard that Ursinus recently completed a semester abroad program in Korea, which has definitely drawn me closer to the school now that I've had this experience,” he said. Aguilar would like to work for the National Parks Service or something similar after earning a bachelor’s degree. “I really think it would be worth it, should they offer it again in the time I'm there. I can see myself applying for sure.”