Ramadan, Part One; End of the First Week

I’ve now done a week of iftaars, a week of fasting (…or not), and a week of not getting up for suhuur in the morning. Seriously, 4:30 am? I don’t think so. Although I will have to do it at some point; I told my host sister to surprise me one time by waking me up for it, so we’ll see when that happens.

Ramadan in Jordan is tough. Not going to lie, I’m not that good at fasting, and when it’s pushing 40 C and sunny, not drinking water is just not happening. Finding food and beverage for sale is difficult, and a place to consume said contraband even more so. It’s been a week of sneaking into corners, elevators, empty rooms, and dark alley ways for a mere sip or snack.

That said, iftaar kind of makes up for all the difficulties. Begin with three dates, then some soup, then a generous portion of a main course, followed by some sort of dessert and, of course, tea. But that’s just the beginning. A couple hours after iftaar, you get hungry again and go in search of fruit, leftovers, or even better, a cocktail from Lubnani Snack (think smoothie or fruit juice, no alcohol involved). Sleep a few hours, wake up before dawn, eat, sleep more, watch TV, then do it all again. That, in a nut shell, is Ramadan.