Ramadan and Other Misconceptions

Since arriving, people have been asking me how I'm doing. I'm doing pretty well but overall, I would have to say that I am on cultural oveload. It isn't bad enough to make me homesick (it's called the honeymoon period). However, I am exhausted each night from the shear overload of things I am observing and learning. Between Egypt and Islam, it's been a culturally learning experience.

When we arrived in Cairo, we knew that we would be hitting the ground during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. I didn't know anything about it but that was changed quite quickly. All I knew was that it was a month of fasting. Since landing, I've learned that it is the celebration of the month is which it is believed that Mohammad first received the Quran. Each day from sun up to sun down, people fast from food, water, and work. The hours of business change and everything is closed down. Most people stay home to sleep, pray, and read the Quran. As we walked around looking for apartments, setting up life, and learning our way around, we have been hiding in corners and ducking into buildings to drink our water. Only certain places were open to eat. It is a respect issue. Then when the sun goes down and the last call to prayer of sounded, everyone breaks their fast with a meal called Iftar. The streets are EMPTY and quiet. Then once everyone eats, the city comes to life. Businesses open and people play, work, eat, worship, and go about life. It is like the season of Christmas in most Western countries. There are lights and bright lanterns everywhere. Mosques are lit up in blues, greens, and reds. At the end of Ramadan (tomorrow), the feast breaks and brings on a four day holiday called Eid. Everything will shut down and people will go on vacation.


(The mosque on my street. Excuse the spots, its the flash reflecting off of the sand in the air.)

In terms of living with surrounded by those who are Muslim, there are a few misconceptions that I've learned about. The biggest one would be the calls to prayer. I expected that five times a day, the city would stop and everyone would prayer. Wrong. The call is sounded five times a day (and yes, it is loud) but the city keeps going. Taxis keep driving. Businesses that are open keep serving customers. Realitors keep showing spaces. Life keeps going but the reminder is there.

I've also learned something interesting. On Ash Wednesday in the Catholic faith, you get ashes on your forehead. In the Islamic faith, bowing prayer is such a focus that on their foreheads are callouses that look like the ashes. But the callouses does rub off. It's almost easier to tell who is more devout than others.

During our orientation yesterday, we heard the overview of Middle Eastern history from the Middle Eastern point of view. The focus was on World War II and the current string of revolutions. Very interesting to hear the other side of the story that CNN doesn't present. I won't share much here because I don't want to start a debate but if you're interested, let me know.

There's so much more. As I shared earlier, cultural overload of learning new things. Another day I'll share what I've learned about Egypt itself. Until then, ask what you want about what I've shared. I may or may not know the answer. If I don't, I'm in a good place to find out.