On Ramadan

I've been sort of fuzzy the past few days; I think the combination of the heat, a bad diet, and a rigorous academic schedule have brought me down. Nor does it help that I've replaced exercise with smoking cigarettes as a way to de-stress. (Totally called that one.) While I'm going to be sad to see everyone go, I am really looking forward to sleeping in and doing nothing for a couple of days. Unfortunately though, I'll have to stick my head back in a book soon enough since I take the GRE at the end of August. Also, since learning two languages at once isn't ambitious enough for me, I've decided to take a look at French too. Here in Amman you can get pretty much any movie, tv show, or computer program for 1 JD ($1.40), so I bought Rosetta Stone French to help occupy my upcoming free time.

Ramadan starts on August 1st this year. What exactly is Ramadan you ask? Hopefully, you know the basic gist of it, but if not, Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam that Muslims adhere to. This means that during the day, Muslims do not let anything pass their lips, whether it be food, water, or a cigarette. They get up before dawn for the morning meal (suHoor), then don't eat again till the big meal at dusk (ifTaar). On account of those pesky headaches and the dizziness that I get if I don't eat every few hours, I would never be able to fast, so I admire all the people that do - especially since Ramadan falls in the month of August this year. I don't know how they do it in the heat. Just another reason why I have so much respect for the Islamic faith.

I was in Istanbul for Ramadan two years ago, but since Istanbul represents a more secular society, and I was staying in a touristy area, I wasn't very affected by it. Here in Amman, however, it's a much greater part of the collective daily life. Most shops are closed during the day, and under no circumstances should I eat or drink in public. This is fine - because of the heat, I sort of planned on sleeping all day anyway and being more active at night. I'm excited to see what kind of festivities go on after dusk - in Istanbul, everyone crowded into the park in Sultanahmet where I was staying, and there was music and dancing and a lot of great food. The picture at right is of the Blue Mosque all dressed up for Ramadan (or Ramazan in Turkish), with families enjoying their iftaar at dusk. I wish I had more pictures of the festivities, because it was such a great atmosphere. This time, I'll be sure to get some better pictures.

Speaking of Istanbul, I've been seriously toying with going over my break. That city is always on my mind - it's just so beautiful. Plus I'd really like to explore the Asian side of the city more. I didn't make it over there much the last time I was in Turkey. Unfortunately, plane tickets right now are pricy, and a week in Istanbul alone would easily set me back $700. Oh one day, Istanbul, one day I will return to you my love. The government has a critical language scholarship program that I want to apply for next summer; I'm considering applying to study Turkish rather than Arabic . . . I want to live in Istanbul soooo badly. I ate some really bad Turkish Delight the other day, and it made me so sad to remember how awesome this sweet is fresh from the Spice Bazaar. To alleviate my sadness, I think I will go to Beirut in October. My visa will be up, so I have to leave the country and get a new one. I don't have many options, especially when it's only three days . . . but I've heard fantastic things about Beirut, and it seems like it has that same East meets West vibe that Istanbul has.