Ramadan

Ramadan began this month and will conclude in mid-October. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset. No food, no drink, no smoking. There are six calls to prayer rather than five. Businesses have different hours, often closed during the afternoon (many people sleep) and then open late into the night. Even Mcdonalds and Starbucks are closed until 6:30 at night. The post office is open from 9:00 PM until 11:00 PM (yes, at night; that's not a typo).

School hours are also shortened. Classes begin at 8:30 AM, and the school day ends at 1:10 PM. Normally, classes run from 8:00 AM until 2:40 PM. Therefore, my classes, which usually are 48 minutes long (a far cry from the 90-minute block scheduling I had back in the States), are now 33 minutes long. Christine's middle-school classes have been shortened from two hours to ninety minutes. I have five classes, in five different classrooms, usually on opposite sides of the building (moving from the girls' side to the boys' side and back); it's tiring enough doing that every 48 minutes. Doing this every half hour is especially hectic. I hardly have time to get settled and get the students working on something before it's time to pack up and leave for another class.

We are enjoying the shortened schedule, however. It's nice to be home by 2:00 in the afternoon. Of course, many businesses are closed (so that trip to the bank or the post office will just have to wait); I can't even go somewhere for a cup of coffee until the sun sets.

This also means that if I want to go to the beach or walk along the Corniche, I am really not supposed to drink water. This is not very easy for someone who really likes his water.

It's interesting, though. The streets come alive at night, and some restaurants sell additional items out in the street that you can grab and take home. Christine and I are trying to get an invitation to a Muslim student's home for "iftar," the breaking of the fast in the evening. Ramadan is scheduled to end on or about October 12, the start of Eid--which will be a reason for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to celebrate (we get a week off from school; Christine and I are planning to go to Oman).