This is Algeria (2016)

So you want to know how it is to live in that Muslim, Arab, Democratic country named Algeria? Well, this is how I see it. (It's very important to stress the obvious: I'm just generalizing. Plus, I'm giving my own personal perspective. Still, not everyone will agree with me and that's fine.)

Society...

The best thing about the Algerian Society is that there's a strong relationship between its citizens that makes them deeply love and care for each other. Naturally, that gives rise to nepotism and all sorts of bureaucratic abuse.

Society is scattered: Everyone is self-centered (either on their personal or familial levels), which allows businessmen and politicians to manipulate people easily; so it has become a pretty "normal" and accepted fact that expenses go crazy in "happy events" (Like Ramadan, festivals, and national days). Eh, what do you expect from these people who don't know a thing about teamwork, having a cause or activism?

Familial bonds (as in 'family') are so strong that real friendships hardly exist: Gossip, hypocrisy, and backstabbing are the norms. (It's not like Algerian families are perfect or anything; dysfunctional families are not uncommon.)

There's an unspoken rule that everyone knows: "see no evil; hear no evil; speak no evil". This "No Evil" thing means that if you get raped in front of everyone, probably nobody shall do anything about it (like telling authorities or giving testimony in courts). If you dare to stand up against wrong doers, chances are, you are starting a "minuscule civil war" between families and friends (or should I say 'gangs'?), and it gets really bloody sometimes...

Democracy...

Democracy in Algeria has already manifested itself in the so-called "Civil War": A long story short, Islamists won the elections, and the FLN Party was like, "No, no, you ain't gonna rule, fuck off!!" and then they started screwing everyone. That is why Algerians generally don't believe in voting. You see, the majority of the people I know don't vote and the ones who do are into other Parties, yet His Highness -Bouteflika- is being elected over and over again. Since I was born, he has been in power. (Die already, for God's sake!)

To some degree, we live under a totalitarian gov. where you are taught to fear the State and not to love and work for your nation. (Seems to work...)

Let's not forget the Mandatory Military Service. The shitty internet connection. Their inability of hosting a basic working website and keeping it up. (Ahem, ONEC...)

Healthcare...

I don't have a lot to say about this topic... so, here are some random thoughts:

Whenever a powerful and wealthy person needs healthcare, he or she leaves aboard. (And gramps Bouteflika knows what I'm talking about...)

Mainly in public health centers, doctors aren't fully qualified. Rather, they are unprofessional, arrogant, biased, short-tempered, and think of you as second-class citizens and that they're doing you some sort of a favor. (I know what I'm saying, some of my relatives work in this domain... OvO)

A comment on Reddit reads something like: "You've a better change in splitting an atom using your bare hands than in convincing an Algerian to get therapy."

Whenever someone needs a false medical certificate, they go either to a public hospital/clinic or a private one to get it. Super easy. (Some for marriage, others to join the army, or maybe for justifying skipping school and not taking exams or something like that... I admit, I'm no angel, I've done the 'school' thing once or twice...)

Education...

Education in Algeria is... emmmmm... well... indescribable? OvO

Memory is the only thing you need to succeed. You're facing a difficult lesson? Your teacher isn't willing to explain it or cannot do it? Damn it, just push it into your head! Memorize it! Use it in your exams and if you get stuck teachers and monitors will help you (Like, in my bac exam, a woman -whose job was to prevent us from cheating- came to me and whispered the correct answers in my ear; dumbfounded, I asked her what; she told me that my answers weren't correct and advised me to change them; being from a conservative Muslim family, I said to her no. Her response was like, "What a retarded asshole!" then she left).