Ramadan= extreme dieting

I thought I would do a quick post on Ramadan since I'm hoping I can teach a bit (I'm actually hoping I am not the only one who doesn't/didn't have a much idea about it). If you have any questions that I don't answer, please leave it in the comments and I'll be happy to answer you! 

Ramadan is the month of fasting in Islamic culture. It is a time of reflection, typically of the religious variety, charity, remembering those less fortunate, self-discipline, and control. Everyone fasts from puberty until old age, unless you are menstruating, pregnant, beast feeding, sick, or a bus driver currently working. Often children will start younger than puberty because they want to be a "good Muslim", or at least that was the answer I got from the kids when I asked. 

Muslims fast from before sunrise (around 3:30-4ish) til sunset prayer (7:30ish pm). During this time there is NO food or beverage (water included!), no smokings, and no sexual relations. People still work; however the hours are decreased and oftentimes are nonexistent entirely toward the middle/end of the month. This year was particularly difficult because it was in August. August, particularly where I live, it the worst month. It was practically unbearable and I was just staying in my house and drinking loads of water. 

My experience during Ramadan was that everything stopped. My whole village seemed to shut down. There was no school, but no kids were playing outside, no teenagers roaming the streets, birds didn't even come out. That may be a bit dramatic, but it is how it felt. My neighbors would stay  up as late as possible, then sleep all day to avoid feeling hungry. They would wake up around 3-4pm to start preparing break-fast. I would roll out of my house around 7:30 to eat with them at 7:45 and stay for a few hours to visit during the evening. At approximately 7:15pm my entire village became electric, you didn't have to see anyone to know they were sitting around the food (im)patiently waiting for the first call to prayer in the evening. As soon as the first note was hit, everyone began eating the dates (the typical first food of breakfast) and then furiously devouring the rest. After about 15 minutes of nonstop eating, tea was served, then fruit, then breads, then more fruit, then another drink, then sweets, then coffee…and so on. So much food! Because of this, the days I ate with my family (which was most days) I would fast during the day, besides water. I sat directly under my fan in order to cool myself and drank water as if it was the only thing saving me! 

One of my friends said this when I asked why he liked Ramadan: "I like the feeling of family. I like that everyone in Jordan is sitting down to eat at the same time. I like the reminder of those without live, and I like the challenge." I feel like that sums up the idea of Ramadan more than I ever could.

Eid alFitr (basically giant break-fast holiday the day after Ramadan is over) was an experience in itself. My family was beyond excited, as this is their biggest holiday. Everyone gets new clothes, food is served like never before, and the visiting never ends. I mean NEVER, the holiday is a few days, so people can travel and visit too. My celebration started the night before when my landlady gave me a new pair of pjs to wear (very xmas eve in some families) and an order to come visit as early as possible. I talked her down from 7am to 8ish. Let me remind you that we had collectively been going to sleep at like, 6am so waking up at 7am was laughable to me. 

I showed up at 8:00am to see what exactly was going to happen so early. I was expecting a nice breakfast, maybe some falafel, eggs, date bread, etc…what I got was very different. All the men were sitting outside with the coffee and ignoring the children, who were dolled up in new dresses , jeans, hi-tops, headbands…and toy guns. Nothing would be complete without very loud toyguns going off every 15 seconds. I walked inside and walked straight into the butchering of a goat. The women were elbow deep in goat parts and blood, hacking away like it was totally normal for this to be happening at 8am. I sat and watched them, drank some tea, and laughed at the kids as they ran back and forth. Finally, at 10am I found out that goat was brunch and they made some sort of stew with it. I am not an eater of goat. I ALWAYS get sick after, so I just had some broth and pita. 

Besides that we didn't eat much in terms of meals. I sat and greeted guests as my landlady's daughter (she is adamant that is how I am introduced), drank gallons of sugary tea, ate 500 dates,  ate random gifts of candy, chocolate, fruit, etc. until I was falling asleep where I sat. At about 3 I took a couple hour visit break and hid in my house, making oatmeal and checking in with other volunteers on their adventures. Many of them went to other houses to visit different families, but since my landlady is the elder in the family, everyone comes to her. Eventually I made my way back to the visit area, which had now become our veranda. I took my spot next to her and again played happy daughter, meeting people, impressing with my amazing Arabic (not really), and taking bets on how many more people would call me skinny as they came in. Every single woman said it. By the end of the night my landlady and I were laughing about it. This went on for a few days, by the end I was exhausted, chatted out, and never wanted to see another date again in my life. It was 100% worth it and I am so happy I got to experience what Eid was like with a family.  

Insha'allah next year won't be quite as unbearably hot, or maybe I will go on vacation to Antarctica. 

Some pics:

Typical Break-fast: meat, soup, eggplant dip stuff, salad, molkheah (spinach soup= the WORST)

2/3 of the boys that live upstairs, Omar & Ahmad

Fruit during break-fast

Sweet Eid al-Fitr pj set

well, good morning...

Hacking away like pros