Quick water update: We haven’t had water for a full day yet. But each day it comes on for a longer period than the previous, and the water is a little more clear every time. But I heard through the grape-vine that it’s supposed to go out all weekend again, like last weekend. Bummer! At least we’ll be more prepared this time – I plan on filling as many buckets as I can get my hands on, and I’m going to take a beautiful, nice, long shower tonight (if there’s water).
Ramadan has been a very, uh, interesting experience so far. The first night, Tuesday, I got back from class at the usual 7:30 time. My family had already cut their fast 30 minutes earlier, which meant they drank coffee, water, and juice, ate 1 date, and a little bit of bread. God – I was expecting a feast! Then, they went to pray at the mosque at 8ish, and, even though they said they’d be 20 minutes, they didn’t get back until 9:30. This meant that we didn’t eat dinner (ceebu-jen, a very heavy meal to be eating so late) until almost 10pm. I was actually kind of mad because I was tired but didn’t want to go to bed for a little while, just to let my stomach digest.
Yesterday, I finished class at 1pm (my 5pm class was canceled!), so I went home to work on my paper that is due today (I’m done). I sat outside in the garden and wrote it. My mom was sleeping beside me, my sister beside her, and my maid beside her. They claim to do this every day (which I suppose I can’t verify because I’m usually at school), but I have a sneaking suspicious it was the lack of food and water in their bodies that was making them so tired… I felt kind of bad eating lunch in front of them, but at the same time, fasting for Ramadan is supposed to be an exercise in self-control and sacrifice, so I suppose I shouldn’t feel too bad.
At 7pm, I was around for the snack. I was surprised at how slowly and non-chalantly they would ingest the food. If I had been them, I would have been majorly pigging out! Then, yet again, they went to pray. I knew it was going to be a while until dinner, though I secretly hoped that they would get their praying done quickly. I was really excited about the meal tonight – mashed potatoes and chicken. An American meal! I was pretty pumped about the creamy, smooth, mashed potatoes. I made a point of telling them how good it all was in the hopes they’ll get the idea and make them more often…
It’s very interesting watching my sister and my maid pray. By now I’m used to seeing old people pray (they’re all religious here), but the young ones seem to only do it during the holy month. It’s kind of weird seeing Moussou wrap her whole head in a scarf, get down on her knees, and touch her head to the ground.
Another thing I’ve noticed about praying is how half-assed people pray. My mom has this amazing ability to pray while listening to a conversation or watching television. Sometimes she’ll pray in the middle of a room that has a party going on in it, or while she’s over at someone’s house for lunch. I don’t understand why she just doesn’t slip into a bedroom and shut the door to pray. I thought prayer was supposed to private. And I certainly didn’t think it was one of those things that you can do with only half a mind. But alas, each to his own.
Ramadan and Water Updates
