Ramadan Kareem

Today the Holy month of Ramadan begins. During Ramadan Muslims fast from food and water from sun-up to sun down. This is quite a feat, especially considering that it will be 97F today. At the American School where I coach, the Muslim students work out after school despite having no food or water all day. Ramadan does share a few similarities to Lent, but the vibe of it is quite different. Ramadan is a month of fasting and feasting, especially in Egypt. Every night is a party. People take off work early to home and eat with their family (they break the fast at the call of the minaret at sun set). Tents line the streets that are filled with tables for the poor to eat in; local businesses take turns providing the tents with food. The whole country is festive, and the pace of life totally changes. In many ways, it is my favorite time of the year.

However, there is something about how Egypt celebrates Ramadan that is strange, and often infuriating. Nothing gets done during Ramadan; in the weeks leading up to Ramadan we try to take care of anything that needs to be done in the following month. For many Egyptians Ramadan looks like this- sleep in late, wake go to work for a few hours (where they do little work because they are exhausted, hungry, and thirsty), leave work early, take a nap, break the fast with a huge opulent meal, take another nap, eat sweets, go out to visit with friends, have another meal around 2am, and eat sweets until right before sun up, when they go to bed. More food is consumed during Ramadan than any other month of the year. Oh, and the government instituted a temporary Day-light savings, so people could break their fast earlier.

All that said, Egypt is unique; few places in the Arab world are so opulent in their feasting, and many Egyptians are very humble in their fast. For one person Ramadan is a month of deep spirituality when they deprive themselves of sustenance and focus on recitation of the Quran, whereas for other, its a month long party.

Hope that provides a little snapshot of Ramadan in Egypt. I will get out one of these days and take some photos.

Cheers,

Ben