During Ramadan, life seems to trickle to a halt within Jordan's society and become a life of fatigue, stress, and food. Even though the day is supposed to go on as usual, let's face it - everyone wakes up at least four hours later than usual due to the fact that they had to get up and eat a meal at 3:30 in the morning (called Suhoor) and also to avoid feeling hunger for great lengths throughout the day.
Yesterday our group was invited to the home of Natalie's aunt to enjoy an Iftar feast. Her entire family turned up for the celebration, and we were introduced to multitudes of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her aunt lives in a large house in the wealthy district of Khalda, a rarity in Amman. We chatted around the living room for what seemed like eternity, waiting for the clock to strike 7:50. As Iftar neared, we were sheparded outside into a beautiful patio deck, where massive plates of sealed dishes were waiting.
However, I have decided that nothing beats "Iftar" with the family. When I am at home with my host family, I can appreciate the vast amount of effort that goes into preparing and cooking a meal on an empty stomach, as each dish takes an hour to make. The meals are a labor of love from the ladies of the house! At 7:50, the entire family gathers around the table and savors their cup of water with a sweet date. Today, I was treated to Maqluba and stuffed grape leaves.
After Iftar, our group met at the Cantina Cafe to discuss our work and homestay experiences thus far. Though the general consensus was that our stay has been enjoyable, many students brought up issues they had at work. It seems that the slow pace of Ramadan has gotten to everyone, and many are dissatisfied with the slow and unproductive pace of their work. Many students suggested improvements for next year's program, including shortening the stay, introducing a group component of the internship such as a joint project, and having more basic Arabic training before we separated into homestays.
We also celebrated Natalie's 20th birthday at the Cantina Cafe, and I couldn't help but grin at her sheepish face with the restaurant began playing birthday music at full blast and our large group sang to her in english as the rest of the restaurant watched on. What a delightful way to end the evening!
The only downside is that Marissa, a DukeEngager who lives close by, is going to leave us early and return to the United States. She said goodbye to us from the cafe, and we hugged her goodbye. I know that I, as well as the rest of the group, will sorely miss her presence during Ramadan.
Yesterday our group was invited to the home of Natalie's aunt to enjoy an Iftar feast. Her entire family turned up for the celebration, and we were introduced to multitudes of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her aunt lives in a large house in the wealthy district of Khalda, a rarity in Amman. We chatted around the living room for what seemed like eternity, waiting for the clock to strike 7:50. As Iftar neared, we were sheparded outside into a beautiful patio deck, where massive plates of sealed dishes were waiting.
However, I have decided that nothing beats "Iftar" with the family. When I am at home with my host family, I can appreciate the vast amount of effort that goes into preparing and cooking a meal on an empty stomach, as each dish takes an hour to make. The meals are a labor of love from the ladies of the house! At 7:50, the entire family gathers around the table and savors their cup of water with a sweet date. Today, I was treated to Maqluba and stuffed grape leaves.
After Iftar, our group met at the Cantina Cafe to discuss our work and homestay experiences thus far. Though the general consensus was that our stay has been enjoyable, many students brought up issues they had at work. It seems that the slow pace of Ramadan has gotten to everyone, and many are dissatisfied with the slow and unproductive pace of their work. Many students suggested improvements for next year's program, including shortening the stay, introducing a group component of the internship such as a joint project, and having more basic Arabic training before we separated into homestays.
We also celebrated Natalie's 20th birthday at the Cantina Cafe, and I couldn't help but grin at her sheepish face with the restaurant began playing birthday music at full blast and our large group sang to her in english as the rest of the restaurant watched on. What a delightful way to end the evening!
The only downside is that Marissa, a DukeEngager who lives close by, is going to leave us early and return to the United States. She said goodbye to us from the cafe, and we hugged her goodbye. I know that I, as well as the rest of the group, will sorely miss her presence during Ramadan.
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