Ramadan Karim! The End is Near

17 or more hours of fasting makes me tired...

Wedding or event tent attached to mosque

Typical tent for wedding or memorial ceremonies 

Bagel making, American 'lftor' for Moroccans

We showed the Moroccans how we make breakfast in America
with volunteers, Art/Barb, Anna and Leslie

Beautiful sunset just as the call to prayer goes off

Moroccan pride, Midelt

Colorful changing evening fountain, Midelt

Yoga at Artisan's Center, Midelt

First Moroccan breakfast at home, Moroccan style

Typical Moroccan 'Lftor', breakfast

Hosting Moroccans with American volunteers, Leslie and Josh

Moroccan/American 'lftor' 

Mounaim gets his Bachlor in Computer Science

As Ramadan comes to a close, and nearly a month of no cheating fasting has been completed this year, it is nice to notice how very different from the last two years. I am ready for real food and have had my fill of breakfast for awhile. A typical day for me consists of waking up around 2pm, check email etc, read, watch a movie and on occasion, I need to get up early to run errands. Then I lay around some more as the weather is getting hotter and I have no energy... At 6pm, I go with my site mate (or eat alone) to break fast with a family in the community. Part of Ramadan is to help prepare the breakfast as it is a meditative ritual. I come home around 10pm, either teach yoga at 10:30pm for an hour, nap or watch tv, eat again before 4am, then sleep till 2pm and start it over again. The biggest challenge this year has been being what I call, 'hungrumpy'  beentween 5-7:30pm just before breaking fast. The weather in Midelt has been particularly pleasant with afternoon rain and a constant breeze, a far cry from the last few years in Marrakech with the oppressive heat. It has been interesting and fun to have many invites with the locals to experience different breakfasts and meet new people. All in all, I am proud of my abilities in fasting this year especially and also glad it is coming to a close. I look forward to continued work in my community and the nice weather following the next several months. "How beautiful it is to do nothing, and rest afterward.", Spanish proverb, appropriate for Ramadan. 

Voila! What a spread!