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Ramadam ................

Deli3Deli3
in My baby was born in Mar 08
I dont mean to upset any Muslims reading this post.... I totally respect anyone who can fast all day!!!

I live as you know in Bahrain which is in the middle east. It is mostly a muslim community and at the moment we are in the final week of the month long ramadam.

Here, ALL food outlets, coffee shops, cafes etc etc etc close from sun up to sun down. It means if I out with Amelia and she needs a feed I cant sit in coffee shop and feed her. Its really hard going. Also, its illegal to eat, drink, chew gum, smoke etc.. in public. Even in your car etc... so, when its 40 odd degrees and you cant sip water when out and about you get so thirsty.

Hats off to those who do it here and in other hot countries but, I am used to the UK that is accdepting of all religions and we would never tell them they all had to eat easter eggs at easter or turkey at xmat. So why cant we eat and drink freely during ramadam.

ah well, one week to go! cant wait for it to end as can go to shops and have a starbucks etc..

isnt the world a weird and diverse place???

d xx

Replies

  • cherrytomatoecherrytomatoe
    Thst must be so hard not even being able to have drink when you want. Do the muslim children fast as well? having images of screaming hungry children for the day, Erin worse screaming cry is when she is hungry and i'm a tad late with a fed, i feel sorry for those parents if the kids fast too.
  • SarahAimeeBump2SarahAimeeBump2
    Oh god that must be really hard. I would have to just stay in all day i think xx
  • Deli3Deli3
    No the kids dont have to fast. Neither do pregnant, breast feeding women or anyone who is ill, old or weak. However, the pregnant and BF ladies are expected to fast during day light hours later in the year which is even harder as everyone around you eating.
    I think kids are till they are 12 but I am not sure!

    I would stay in all day but have to drop kids at school and go out once at 12 and again at 2 to get them again!!!!

    hmmmppphhh

    I did eat glace cherries in the car this morning... i know I bf but still dont like to risk gettign stoned to death before i can explain! I ate them secretly. I had just bought them to make cakes with later but could not resisit....yum!!!!!!!!!
    d x
  • CrispyBeefCrispyBeef
    Hey Dee,

    Ramadam is very hard...........im not muslim.....but during my first year at uni i lived with a muslim girl and she did the whole ramadam thing.........as a house we decided to help her along with it as it was her first year away from uni and thought we would be some support to her......it was very hard and i can say i didnt last more than a few days (shame on me!).............i cant imagine living in a country where i would have to follow the religion like you are doing now...........roll on the cafe's opening again!! xx mmmmm starbucks...chocolate frapuccino!!! mmmm
  • ColaBottlesareyummyColaBottlesareyummy
    I work in a school where 85% of the children are Muslim, as are a lot of the support staff. Not thinking I commented to one of the other TA's (who is fasting for Ramadan) last week that I was starving and couldn't wait for lunch. She just looked at me and laughed-I felt awful, didn't stop apologising to her for the rest of the day, oooops! Children upto yr5 (could be 6, not sure) aren't allowed to fast in school but some of them do fast at home.
  • misslauri86misslauri86
    Oh Dee! I can't imagaine how difficult it is for you. I really do take things for granted like just being able to pop into town & know that Ellie can be fed when & wherever she needs.
    Not to offend any muslims but I do think that as Britain is so accepting of other religions that when people move to other countries such as yourself that there should be some sort of exceptions made. You can't nor should you have to walk about with a t-shirt saying I AM BREASTFEEDING!!
    Do your own children have to fast (the older 2) or are they OK? What sort of schools do they attend?
    I'm wild nosey but haven't long finished reading a book about ex-pat's in the Emirates & although it was ficitonal it was fascinating.
  • Deli3Deli3
    Lauren....dont mind you asking questions. I try not to mention life out herre much as its a bit boring and some might see it as a bit showy offy!!!!
    My older 2 go to the British School of Bahrain. Its like a normal comp really. Small classes though. its a bit of a dump but they are moving to new premises soon. They dont have to fast and the muslim kids attending the school have a choice of been around people eating or going to a class during break to be away from the munchers...
    I think anyone who can go with water (some wont even swallow their own spit.....how grim is that) in 40+ degrees heat is worthy of their place in their heaven BUT they should not close down all the cafes etc... its supposed to be about living like the poor and having a taste of their life. However, like our Xmas, it has lost all meaning in a spiritual sense. The poor have to pass bread shops, coffee shops etc and cant eat in them so, during Ramadam how are they getting tested if they dont have temptation in their wake??? It confuses me. It should end this Tuesday so at least it is over with. Must be harder for those in UK as obvioulsy all shops etc are open.
    Joseph goes to St Christophers school and Charlie to a nursery. Amelia stays at home with me. Life here is nice and busy but I miss my family and friends so much. Also, life here is transient....as in people come and go, come and go. You never get to make close friends as it takes so long to make that bond and you just dont have to time scale here. You just get to trust someone and really bond with them and then they tell you that they are off to Dubai or where ever. It has made me a bit hesitant to make new friends. Its hard! My friends from home go back years and thats something you cant get here.
    On the other hand, its an easier lifestyle. The Bahrainis are very laid back and everything can be done tomorrow... their driving is atroicious and the attitude to women is still very backward.

    Zoe and Del... I forget how many muslims are in the UK. It will be hard for them next year as it will fall in part of August so with light mornings and long days they will fast much longer than in other parts of the world. think if I was muslim i would to and live in place where daylight is only for an hour or so a day...bliss!!!!!!!!!

    D xxxx
  • Makka_Pakka2Makka_Pakka2
    I agree with you Dee. I don't think you should have to avoid drinking water in public or eating if your not Islamic. I also think you're right that we're very tolerant in the UK, yet our choices aren't always respected elsewhere in the world.

    Do most of the women in Bahrain wear the full Burkha or just headscarves? I loved Kuala Lumpar as it's a very modern religious place (Muslim, Hindi, Christian, Buddhist). Most of the Muslim women there had funky headscarves to match their outfits and wore makeup and nail polish which was really nice to see.

    There has been a massive boom in burkhas in Cardiff recently. I'm not a fan of the outfits at all because I think it's the ultimate symbol of repression of women. I am a firm believer in equality.

    I was chatting to a lovely lady in the breastfeeding room in Mothercare recently who removed her Burkha to feed her baby. She had a lovely smile and was so nice to talk to and great with her daughter. I just think it's so sad she had to cover her face up to go back out into the real world.

    Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now!

    Jo x
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