adjusting to Ramadan

So today is day four of fasting. Vraiment. For the entire day not eating a thing until after seven thirty or something like that, and eating throughout the night until five the next day. What the hell am I’m trying to do to myself. Well I’m fasting for two reasons. The first reason is because of curiosity to see if I have the willpower to do it. I had already decided before coming to Guinea and after learning of Muslim culture, I would attempt to try fasting during Ramadan. I must admit the first days were hard, because I felt light headed in the evenings and really tired. I kinda don’t want to do anything in the evenings, except countdown till seven thirty. The second reason as to why I’m fasting is more superficial than anything else. I need to cut back on my snaking in order to lose some weight and what a perfect opportunity because no one is going to offer me food if I tell them I’m fasting. I eat so much because everyone tries to feed me and then I go to visit my host mom and she’ll just cry or have a fit if I don’t eat.

I have been taking the opportunity to learn more about the culture this month and it’s been challenging. I had went to the mosque with my friend Binta and it was ok. It’s just that being in there was really awkward for me. You know, I felt really out of place but at the same time I felt really happy and less like a stranger for being invited to go to the mosque. Granted, I have no clue what is going on and what is being said, I still felt more connected to the people here.

My other cultural experience; I learned the purification process. One of my friends had the Coran in French and Arabic so I asked them if I could read a little. But before I could read I had to bathe pretty much. I read a little bit the first fifteen pages or so. It would have been ok if it was in English. But because it was in French I was having a hard time looking up every fifth word to translate what was going on. I spent about an hour reading, or at least until I started to feel sick and laid down. I started reading the first book, the horse, I think it was and the prayer that they use. I’ve always wondered what in the world they were saying in Arabic and now I know and it’s not too different from what I know.

And finally adjusting to the fasting. So the first day I did it, I didn’t wake up in the morning to eat, I just waited till nighttime which was really ridiculous of me cause I hadn’t ate or drank for twenty-four hours. When I came into Labe I stayed with a family who helped me adjust to the fasting. By means of waking me up at four in the morning to eat bread and tea and drink some water. Which I think makes the big difference and then ate night we end the fasting with bouille which is like a porridge type dish and then of course eat rice and sauce. Last night I had fried fish and French fries which was pretty good and went to sleep full. So I’m adjusting ok, mornings are ok, afternoons are eh, but come evenings I feel like I’m counting down the seconds.

I am happy that I am doing this because it takes a great deal of willpower and self control which I most certainly don’t have an abundance of. I’m not suggesting I spend the whole month fasting. I counted another three and a half weeks of this will probably drive me a little off the walls. However, generally people are very responsive and happy that I have taken such an interest in the culture to participate and learn more about their customs. So all in all I have found this experience highly rewarding and even though I’m only on day four, I can tell that continuing will only bring about more opportunities to learn more about my village, my host family and my friends here. But my personal goal is to at least do a week and I’m more than half way there.