new_contents: # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
  
  
  def to_unicode(unicode_or_str):
      """
      Takes a str or unicode and always returns a unicode
      :param unicode_or_str: unicode or str
      :return: unicode
      """
      if isinstance(unicode_or_str, str):
          value = unicode_or_str.decode('utf-8')
      else:
          value = unicode_or_str
      return value  # Instance of unicode
  
  
  def to_str(unicode_or_str):
      """
      Takes str or unicode and always returns a str
      :param unicode_or_str: unicode or str
      :return: unicode
      """
      if isinstance(unicode_or_str, unicode):
          value = unicode_or_str.encode('utf-8')
      else:
          value = unicode_or_str
      return value  # Instance of str
  
subject: Add string/unicode utility functions