Ramadan Mubarak!

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So, I've officially been in Morocco for one week, and during that week I've had the pleasure of experiencing a great deal of culture already. I've been practicing Arabic and French, I've seen entire goats (or is it sheep) hung from ceilings of the tiny marche near my university, I've eaten full meals with my hands under the guidance of several amused Moroccans, and now I've begun officially fasting in my very first Ramadan.
Ramadan here is naturally very different from what I've witnessed in the United States.
This is country where something like 99% of the people are Muslim so Ramadan is just another part of life here...of course, it's an extraordinary time, this isn't meant to take away from the spiritual significance of the month, but it is unwavering fact of life...Ramadan is here, the time for صوم (fasting) has begun.

Ahh..the fasting. As a non-Muslim temporarily attending a Moroccan university, I am certainly in the minority here..but that does not prevent me from respecting their culture. This could of course, be done without fasting and instead simply eating discretely in my room or in a corner of the nearly deserted restaurant.
But before coming to Morocco I made a decision to get everything I possibly could from this experience..before I arrived I intended only to observe this holy pillar of Islam..afterall, I can easily respect a religion without starving myself for 4 weeks.
but after talking with a few Moroccan students about Ramadan I felt that maybe could I share in their practice..and in fact, I've notice they greatly appreciate the fact that several other study abroad/exchange/international/non-Muslim students are showing their support by fasting alongside their classmates.

However, talking about fasting and promising to fast are a lot easier than 15.00 on the first day, in a stuffy classroom with a monotone professor and 30 other cranky, starving, nicotine deprived students.
It's a lot easier than a mile and a half jog and light session of abs and push-ups with the university soccer team.

But, then comes فطور. My first Fitour, breaking fast, was with my roommate, her best friend, and another study-abroad student. And as I indulged in sweets such as homemade shabakia, and chatted with the others about the joys of finally eating I felt a lot better about everything. The day was hard, but the reward at the end was wonderful.
And as a Moroccan student mentioned today, it really makes you appreciate the food you have in front of you..

and so, I survived day 1..I learned a lot..I'm not excited about day 2..but I'm ready.

بالسلامة

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