Rama-doing it!

On Friday, I did it. I fasted like my place in Paradise depended on it. It was mainly due to peer-pressure and feeling left out. Everyone in my office was fasting and it looked like so much fun. Okay, not fun, but it certainly looked like they were going through something, I couldn't help but want to be a part of that. So I decided to dive in head first, to go for it. To spend all the daylight hours of Friday neither drinking or eating.

My preparation was a bit shoddy. I went out for work dinner the night before, so with some typical slow and lethargic Tunisian table service, we were still eating at midnight. But I was drinking alcohol, which probably didn't help with the dehydration. I didn't get up for Suhoor, which in Tunisia, you have to stop eating by 3:30. I was already proper full from dinner. I just went to bed after several glasses of water and hoped for the best.

Here's a wee account of my day:

7:00am

I work up with a dry mouth and it was strange not to drink straight away. I had lots more time in the morning without making tea and sitting to eat breakfast. I even straightened my hair and went to work looking like a girl. I didn't feel especially hungry when I woke up, though I did have a thirst, which was strange not to quench. I brushed my teeth. More than once. Ramadan breath is legendary.

9:00am

I had a meeting at work. A room of cakes, pastries and hot coffee. I took a picture so that you can share in the pain.

Plenty of people were fasting, so I didn't really mind. Lots of people knew I was planning to fast, so I felt that I couldn't back down in front of them.

11:00am

My stomach was growling like a crazy thing. I was still in the meeting and the cakes were now looking really appealing. I try to stay calm and focused and luckily had lots to do, so the business kept me sane.

12:00pm

Someone said to me: "oh, are you fasting?" I was surprised that he knew, given that I don't quite look like your average Muslim. He says: "you have the glow"

1:00pm

At lunchtime, everyone went for lunch or to the mosque. I started getting an almighty headache. My mouth was dry and my lips were starting to chap. Concentrating was harder and I felt more tense. It really was the thirst. I wasn't hungry at all.

3:00pm

My office mate said: "Wow, your exhaustion is very transparent, I like how you are so expressive". I think he means stop complaining. My head aches and my mouth feels disgusting.

5:00pm

I feel okay, the end is in sight. I declare to everyone how okay I feel and then continue to work and feel spaced out. It was so hard to concentrate.

6:00pm

I started talking to Alli (my Ugandan, Muslim colleague who I share my office with) excitedly about Ugandan food. Before we can restrain ourselves, we're on facebook, looking at one of another colleague's recent photo albums from a trip to Uganda. Soon we're drooling over pictures of chicken luwombo, matooke, g-nut sauce. Time to go home.

Selfie at home, still going strong - looking a bit wiped out:

7:45pm

It was time to break the fast. I had been invited to dinner with some Muslim clients, but in my hazy, dehydrated state, I went gone to the wrong restaurant. There were now no cabs on the road and I walked for ages to find one. I finally flagged one down, and the driver thinks I'm insane on account of my wild enthusiasm. Finally arrive at the right restaurant at...

8:15pm

...and promptly down two glasses of water. I don't even feel that hungry, but the water tastes amazing. Then I broke the fast the traditional Tunisian way, with Chorba soup, Tunisian salads and Brik. Then I had fish and chips. Then cake. Then I started to feel okay again.

Wow. It was a ride. It was made easier by the fact that it was just one day, knowing that tomorrow, I could eat and drink as I pleased certainly made it better. But wow. The big thing was the dehydration. I kept feeling thirsty and standing up to go to the water fountain without even thinking about it. Then having to force myself to sit back down again. Discussing it with my colleague, Abdel, he said:

"Look, the water is just there, you can drink it if you want, but try not to. This is to teach us compassion. Many people live in the world and have limited access to water and only eat one meal a day."

He's very wise.

In Tunisia the first couple of weeks of Ramadan are all about families. Traditionally people eat the feast while watching a special TV shows that only gets shown during Ramadan. So imagine my delight that every table at the restaurant had it's own TV! I sneaked a picture:

Then the next morning I got up and did my longest run ever! It was so so hot. I melted - look at how swollen my hand is!

24.5km! and yes. I have amazing nails. Thanks.

Here's my melting face - delicious!!

Rama-done (until next Friday)