At the end of the month of Ramadan (the past few days), there is a 3 day holiday called Eid, at which time everybody basically goes nuts about not having to fast during the day any more, amongst other things. For us non-Muslims, this has basically been a time for us to celebrate not having to conceal the fact that we were eating and drinking during daylight hours any more. What a relief for everybody involved!
To catch everybody up to speed on things, I have kind of been a bum for the past few days that we've had off. On Saturday, I went to the Abu Dhabi public beach with some friends. The place was actually very nice and clean, and there weren't that many people there so we had our own little plot of sand to enjoy. We had heard that there was a little barrier reef not but 20 yards from the beach, so a few of us came prepared with some goggles to go scope it out. Turns out that this little barrier reef happens to be home to lots of tropical fish, and we even some a couple of sea turtles swimming around right beneath us!
On Sunday, I slept in, then headed off to the Marina Mall to scope out all of the Eid sales that were going on. I ended up buying some more professional attire, as well as some odds and ends to spice up my apartment a bit more. Also, I spent about 5 hours pulling some resources together and started creating some activities for my students and I to do during the first 3 or 4 days of school. Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed getting things together for the start of school and got really excited about the upcoming school year, and, in a good sort of way, my job has begun to consume my energy and my thoughts.
Today, I went to the Abu Dhabi Mall to eat lunch with Jeff and do a bit more shopping. I was a bit shopped out by this point so I didn't really buy anything, but it was nice to walk around and see everybody at the mall in such a great mood. (I can't stress enough how much different the atmosphere is around here when people allow themselves to follow "regular" eating schedules again).
Another, less positive (but more realistic) difference I noticed today was on my run along the Corniche this afternoon. Now that people aren't rushing off to eat all evening after fasting all day, the Corniche was really, really crowded with people, to the point where I could hardly get a good run in (it felt more like I was completing an obstacle course than anything). During Ramadan, there would be times when I would run for minutes at a time without passing another person, and I think that kind of spoiled me and gave me false conceptions about how much space I will have to run here. Regardless, the Corniche was still beautiful at dusk, and I don't really blame all the people for wanting to be out there to enjoy it!
Finally, this has been my last night off before school starts. I didn't really do anything too crazy because I'm trying to create a somewhat regular sleep schedule for myself. However, I did find time to go downstairs and relax with some friends and talk about things non-school-related (possibly the last time that happens for a really long time).
Now I'm off to bed, so good night from Abu Dhabi,
Matt
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SCHOOL ROCKS.
ReplyDeleteYour recently-Chiefs-game-attendee sister, Andrea
Matt,
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate that you have been able to experience this Muslim tradition before the start of classes. I wish you the very best as you begin your school year with your new students. I cannot wait to hear of all of the adventures you have with them. I am really missing you!
Lots of love,
Mom
Good luck, Matt!
ReplyDeleteMr. Matt
ReplyDeleteWell Im little surprized, actually its the first time that I read about a non - muslim eid day.
Well Matt, Im a muslim girl, and I wanna tell you what are we doing in Ramadan nights, so the corniche isn't crowded, and what are we doing in Eid.
Well, its a different customs differes from country to another, about Ramadan Nights, its relly lovely to get the family to gether, and share some activities, by watching TV, Or other activities. In Ramadan 14th, 15th day, "the middle of the month", we have a tradition custom called "Qarqee'aan" «القرقيعان» I don't know how would you pronounce it but you can ask some arabian neighbors you have. In this occasion we wear tradition clothes like these pictures
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8520/dsc2730vg1.jpg
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8062/dsc2722uh9.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6273/dsc2713re8.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/6744/dsc2746wr3.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1034/dsc2760ng0.jpg
We call that kind of dresses "Darraa'ah" this is what adult women wear, but the children wear the most traditional clothes like this one
http://www.flickr.com/photos/majedphoto/260468932/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/babomba/3902045261/
We try to smell the fragrance of the past and the heritage of ancestors .. usually "Qarqee'aan"
ReplyDeleteQarqee'aan is one of the most customs and traditions that have remained alive despite the development which has taken him many of the customs and traditions of other ..
Where it is sorted by type of family cohesion and social .. as well as instilling in children the social values desired from the generosity and participation of the feelings of others and their joys .....!
a group of children to the confusion, bringing with them folk Okiashm for a candy and allocated for this occasion in each house of Kuwait ..
They go around among the houses, chanting songs of beautiful ones
(Coruña Coruña House and a short and returned to you fast of Ramadan every year and every year .....)
But with the passage of time and evolution of life and welfare of the people .. the development of this tradition to be little room for competition between the families and children ..!
At this night we make kind of party. We gather together with all of our relatives, and make some kind of party, and we distribute some sweets bags..
Sweets,
In the past, Qarqee'aan is composed of some nuts in this time as (peanut / egg Alassao with multiple colors and candy .. (Gaclet) ....,,)
K Coruña happy children play when distributed to them ...
Download Now Qarqee'aan other innovations carry with them luxury types of candy, cocoa and even small toys that children enjoy .. the end of the cans to the beautiful and luxurious, which is set out Qarqee'aan ..!
, Costing parents an enormous amount on the opposite of what was in the past .....!
ReplyDeleteWhich can be seen from the things that sustained by the rule of what to Qarqee'aan people live and love from the manifestations of well-being led to a lot of competition in this area
Not by children only .. and even adults ..!!
The more development of the society for these usually add something new ... beautiful!
Appropriate Qarqee'aan rest of her privacy .. great ..
Carry with them memories of our life and our kids .. Wes once knew frequency for many generations after us the same songs that have remained to every nook and present in our memories and our hearts ...!
.
After partying in the house, the little children visit every house in the neighborhood to ask them some sweets or money, so they give them, if they dont they sing a bad song to the house which dont give them.
In my openion its similar to the halloween, so this is the reason why the corniche isn't crowded. Because people enjoy fasting from dawn to sunset, then they break their fast with 3 dates and a cup of water, pray then back to eat some soup and a tradition meal called Samboosa, its triangle shaped bakery, we put some meat or cheese then start making the triangle shape which have the cheese or meat or any thing they like inside it.
Then we start to watch TV until we get some rest, then after al'esha pray we have a pray called Taraweeh which we pray and ask allah = god to have mercy on us and forgive us. Its a short pray it starts after ale'sha pray and ends in 10 to 10:30
after that we sit together, cuz this month give us a chance to strength our relationships with each other and with god who said that this month the first 10 days of it a mercy, and the middle 10 days forgiveness and the end of it an obligatory freeing of the hell.
This is what makes us busy in this time every year.
This is about Ramadan, and I will tell you about the Eid what we do.
Sorry for my weak english but i found your post interesting, and couldn't pass without making my mark.
Now Im gonna tell you about the Eid day what do we do. My family or you can say muslim families starts the eid from a day before, they clean the house, and give some food and money to the poor families we call it Eid Zakat.
ReplyDeleteThen we wait for the Eid pray, pray it in the mosque, then get back to home. Start to wear our best clothes that we baught days before, for adults and children. Then start the day by kissing the forehead of our parents and grand parents and their hands to show them respect, and its our custom to show them respect always.
Then they give us money, its kind of a present of Eid called Eediya. And it differes depending on the level of the family income. Usually it starts from 1000 for an adult person and up. And for children it starts from 100 .
Then we dance and My mom stands on the top of the stairs. While we are waiting for her down stairs, then she starts to scatter candies on us with money coins while we try to collect as much as we can, "by the way we are mix of adults and children"
And we continue to dance, talk and laugh until we eat the lunch then start to visit our relatives and said Eid Mubarak = we congratulate them.
Then we can go out to show our happyness and having fun outside the house.
This is what my family do and we celebrate for 3 days.
Hope you like My Eid as I like Yours.
Ops, forgot to say: Eid Mubarak Matt. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Wk-UsSb0I
this is about eid traditions in UAE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU0J8_uFmas
ReplyDeleteNight of Eid In Riyadh.
Sorry for My Long Long Comment << Blushed!
ReplyDelete