Tomorrow night, we'll all be out looking for the moon, and if it is seen then it means that the Month of Ramadan draws to a close and the festival of Eid al-Fitr will begin. In Tunisia, we get two days of holidays and the fun really starts.
It's been an amazing month and I'm so glad that I took the time to hang around and enjoy it this year. This is likely my last Ramadan in a Muslim country and although it was frustrating at times, from the challenges of trying to source your lunch everyday to the impossible mission of finding a taxi between 7:15pm and 8:30pm, it really had an aura of magic about it too. That a whole country can single-mindedly come together in a spiritual pursuit for a whole month, despite the effect it has on their daily comfort, convenience of life, and national economy, is completely remarkable. Here is a list of my favourite moments:
Number 1: Office Logistics
My workplace encourages flexible hours during Ramadan, you can either come in late, and leave late, or start early and leave early. Whatever suits. Most people come in late and leave early, but who am I to judge? It's Ramadan... Relax! Meetings are discrete with comfort breaks and all of the restaurants and the cafes in the area have paper up at the windows, so as not to taunt the fasters. And yet, my company offers NO PRAYER ROOM. This means that for the five-times-a-day prayers, you have to leapfrog over colleagues who have determined that the best place to pray is ... wait for it... the stairwell! The 4:30pm prayers have been my the biggest problem, I was usually carrying coffee.
Number 2: The Ladies' Get-Out-Clause
Number 2: The Ladies' Get-Out-Clause
There are get-outs of fasting. If you're a child, ill or disabled or a lady during her monthly magic-time. My favourite email all Ramadam was from a (female) Muslim colleague:
"Yo Michelle, Let's go for lunch, I just got my period! Yippee!!" Nutso.
Number 3: The Mental Strain
Number 3: The Mental Strain
Productivity levels are so low - your brain is made up almost entirely of water. When preparing some data about various countries, my colleague asked me whether we were assessing the Democratic Republic of Congo. I replied, "No but we need the other one, the other Congo,"...then I smiled and said "y'know the Undemocratic Republic...". He gazed at me blankly. "I'm sorry Michelle, during Ramadan, I am too slow for your best jokes."
Number 4: No Potty Mouth
Number 4: No Potty Mouth
During the holy month, you're not supposed to curse, get angry, be mean or nasty or gossip. I find it hard not to do any of that stuff and so kept getting told off:
"Michelle, Please stop swearing... it's Ramadan" It was just a regular day in the office for me.
Number 5: No Moaning
Number 5: No Moaning
You're also not supposed to moan about how hungry/thirsty/miserable you are. I failed at that too. The office intern said during one of my fasting Fridays, "Oh Michelle, I like it so much more when you fast - I see how greatly you suffer and it makes my own burden easier to bear"
Number 6: The Physical Effects
Number 6: The Physical Effects
On another fasting Friday, I got a ride home with my Muslim Friend Dana:
"Oh my God!? are you okay!? What happened to you face? your eyes?"
I just replied "fasting."
"Wow..." she said, "It shows..."
Number 7: The Awakening of the Spiritual Senses
On my final fast I chose to break it with Lucy over dates and Gin and Tonic. Not exactly traditional, but maybe part way there. She told me how if any more of her colleagues recommend that she fast because it's healthy she was going to scream. I launched into a impromptu speech about the differences between spiritual fasting and will-power fasting and the differences between Ramadan and Lent and the popular 5:2 diet that is taking the UK by storm. I went on and on for ages, barely taking air.
On my final fast I chose to break it with Lucy over dates and Gin and Tonic. Not exactly traditional, but maybe part way there. She told me how if any more of her colleagues recommend that she fast because it's healthy she was going to scream. I launched into a impromptu speech about the differences between spiritual fasting and will-power fasting and the differences between Ramadan and Lent and the popular 5:2 diet that is taking the UK by storm. I went on and on for ages, barely taking air.
"Wow..." said Lucy, "I don't think I'e ever heard you speak so passionately about anything before, you didn't even do that little smile that you do when you're talking about something serious to show that you are not really taking yourself very seriously at all".
I looked her in the eyes and I told her the truth, "I am just really, really hungry."
Number 8: Pockets of Munchie.
My absolute favourite thing about Ramadan, is the little pockets of fast-breakers who just pop out of nowhere, somehow manage to find a table and chairs and break the fast with whoever's around. Like the instructors at the gym who have a little table by the entrance, or the arm guards at the end of my street with their tank, or these security guards at the shopping centre near my house.
Bon Appetite!
In Tunis news, we have just entered Limbo:
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