I was warned. Can earlier? I was asked. It will be a busy time. I was reminded. It will be no problem. I was placated.
I was scheduled to arrive in Pakistana few days before the start of Ramadan, the holiest time of the year for Muslims, and then the majority of my travels would coincide with an religious observation for nearly the entire country.
I briefly weighed the options and knew that as traveling goes, this was my chance. Delaying my travels could result in life getting in the way and the trip never happening or in me simply dying because I was so starved for an international adventure. Either way, the show must go on as they might say. I had traveled in Muslim countries before during the holy month and it did not seem to be too much of an issue, aside from slipping off to consume a snack so that no one would mistaken my behavior as disrespectful or worrying that my fasting driver might fall asleep at the wheel during that difficult afternoon lull that seems to take down those with the best intentions for fasting.
I packed my bags that included my moms famous Rice Krispie Treats for insurance, headed to the airport and enjoyed the first few days of the trip before the holiday began. Then I used the rest of my time in Pakistan to observe, celebrate and learn as much as I could about Ramadan. I snagged a calendar with times of sunset and sunrise, so that I could plan accordingly. I asked a lot of questions and I tried to be as much a part of it as I could.
I learned how well wishes during Ramadan and promptly started telling everyone I met ‘Mubarak Ramadan or Ramadan Kareem only to learn that I had read the calendar incorrectly and Ramadan did not start for another day. Oh well, I tried and my overzealousness provided relief.
Before the day actually arrived, I also learned that in Pakistan, where Urdu is the primary language, it to say Ramzan rather than Ramadan.
I knew the dates of Ramadan changed every year and that the holy month could fall in any of the seasons, with summer being one
of the most difficult seasons to practice the act of fasting. When I fast at home simply for weight or health purposes, my ritual is to avoid foods for a certain amount of time such as hours. I still allow myself to drink all the water or green tea that I want. This is not the case when one is fasting for Ramadan. Nothing is to cross your lips when you are fasting as part of the holiday and this includes water. This includes water even when it is over 100 degrees. YIKES!
One of the first things I noticed about this time of the year in Pakistan was that because nearly everyone is fasting, all establishments related to food or drink are closed from sun up to sun down. This includes airports, hotel restaurants and even kiosks selling water. I walked through a mall one day in search of a currency exchange and noticed everyone was bustling between shops and under the holiday decorations, but the entire food court was dark and lifeless. I almost shed a tear when I saw the Cinnabon all shuttered up and abandoned during prime cinnamon roll eating time. (Prime
Because of the lack of available restaurants and my desire to demonstrate respect to those around me, I fell into a pattern of just not bothering to eat during the day unless I was in a social setting where it was really most respectful to accept chai or whatever was put in front of me. Even though the Pakistanis are all fasting, they are fully aware this ritual is not necessary for non Muslims and their incredible need to attend to any visitors means they will go to great lengths to make sure visitors are fed and showered with hospitality.
When I found that I just really needed a snack or meal, the only plausible option was order room service at the hotel where you could eat in the privacy of your room and utilize the only open kitchens.
The few times I broke the fasting routine was when I was out in the 100 plus degree heat and water was offered to me.
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