man, im hungry. ramadan is amazing. it slows everything down. you go from one day where you are drinking tea and coffee just about every hour to nothing. just like that. bam. all day long you are without the caffiene, sugar, loads of food, and if you are a man the pack or two that you smoke daily. the first couple days are kind of rough. but it is worth it. people spend the days cooking and napping and watching tv. work days are shorter and less intense. and people pray much more often. you are on low power all day long, but then around five pm the sun starts to set. you know you only have about half an hour until you can eat. people start to pace a little and the koran is broadcast from all the loudspeakers at all the mosques. and your eyes barely leave the sky, for fear that the sun would set and you might miss it. it is like waiting for christmas. then all the mosques go slient. this is the most exciting time because you know it is almost time. then, as the sun sets you hear "Allahu Akbar" from the mosques which is the call to prayer, or at least the beginning of it. then you break the fast. but just with a little something because the call to prayer means the men have just two minutes to get to the mosque if they want to go, which they invariably do. so you eat a few dates or a sweet to tide you over. then the men come back from the mosque and everyone sits around and talks and eats and drinks tea and coffee and water. then comes the gatief which are little fried pockets of breat with either cheese or cinnamon and walnuts and coconut inside. they are expecially for ramadan. they are really tasty, but i hear that there have been volunteers who went crazy on the gatief and consequently their pants got too small. after that comes more visiting around town. and everyone is out moving around because they havent really had the energy to do it all day long. and everyone smacks their gum or smokes their cigarettes all over town. its fun. like thanksgiving or something but every day. it feels crazy to attach so much importance to food everyday but i have to say that this is the first time in a while that i have been happy to eat. so far breaking fast has been a treat, except the second day. this particular day all the food was set out for the initial break. dates and cold milk. sounded yummy and i was thirsty. so i grab my milk and take a big swig. what i was met with turned my stomach. it was leban, which is milk that has been turned into yogurt, but not exactly. it isnt thick like yogurt. you chug it. it is sour and honestly tastes a little off to me. i dont care for it when i am expecting it, but when you think it is milk and on an empty stomach... blech. but there is something really satisfying about eating when you are hungry. i cant even really describe it. it is so much better than eating for stress or because you are told you should. it tastes better.
locals wake up at three or four to have a little food to help them till breakfast, but i just stay up till twelve or so and have a little something before i sleep. people are surprised and excited that i am fasting, but would really rather i covered my hair while i do it. and convert to islam while i am at it. but i just insist that i am a christian (ha) and ask them how easy it would be for them to abandon their faith. or i say "en shah allah" which means god willing. the matter is usually dropped. god willing can be used when you are happy to do something or as a complete blow off. i have a lot of free time in ramadan, so i ahve been walking to the local garden and reading. the seventh day and i have been through four books already. anyway, i should go. maybe i can help cook today!