amadan is upon is! Tomorrow or the day after starts a 29 or 30 day fast (depends on the moon) where you don't eat or drink from sunrise to sunset.Typical fasting day: wake up before the sun, eat a breakfast of bread, porridge or fruit, go back to sleep. Work in the morning, nap in the afternoon and finally at sunset, come together with the whole family to break fast first with a date something hot like tea or coffee and then the evening prayer. Afterwards, everyone takes the time to eat a sort of second breakfast of bread spread with the preferred topping and tea/coffee. A few hours late everyone eats dinner (read 11pm).
The purpose of fasting is multifacted. Its a time to of reflection and worship through purity of thoughts and actions, as well as participation in acts of charity, and asking for and giving forgiveness. Work slows down a bit as everyone is usually pretty exhausted in the evening time so I'm a little nervous about some new projects I want to start - women's entrepreneur network and an apprentis program. Hopefully they won't get too held up.
This will be my second Ramadan in country, but the first time I've been with a family for the entirety of the fast. Luckily my grandma is excused from fasting as she's older, so my host mom will be making lunch every day so I'll have a mid-day meal ready for me. Although, I may fast a day or two in solidarity if I'm feeling ambitious. The days I don't fast I have to be very discrete about food and especially drink - no one likes to see you drinking a Sprite at 4 in the afternoon when its about 95 degrees outside and the breaking of the fast is about 3 hours away.
P.S. the blog Daily Drop Cap is the source of that cute R up there, check out how they help pretty up posts.
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