Jill & Me
Fatih & OytunFrom September 24 to October 25 this year is Ramazan (The Turkish name for the Islamic Ramadan). Since Turkey is 98% Muslim, Ramazan affects a lot of people here! In the area where we live in Istanbul the traditions are less strictly followed, but eating, drinking, and even smoking in public during daylight hours is not encouraged. During Ramazan, Muslims fast from the rising of the sun until it sets at the end of the day. Calendars and timetables for the five prayer calls are distributed, and they correspond to the path of the moon. Observers who want to eat breakfast have to get up around 5 am this year to eat before the first prayer call, and cannot eat again until around after 7 pm. These times change about a minute each day - but it's still a long time to fast.
At the end of the day, there is a big meal "Iftar" to break the fast. This Monday, Jill and I got invited to share the dinner meal with some of our Turkish friends (they even cooked it at home!) and learn some of the things that are practiced at Ramazan - like beginning the Iftar with everyone eating a date. While only Fatih is fasting this Ramazan, it was really interesting to learn about some of the traditions and the culture of the country we are living in.
At the end of the day, there is a big meal "Iftar" to break the fast. This Monday, Jill and I got invited to share the dinner meal with some of our Turkish friends (they even cooked it at home!) and learn some of the things that are practiced at Ramazan - like beginning the Iftar with everyone eating a date. While only Fatih is fasting this Ramazan, it was really interesting to learn about some of the traditions and the culture of the country we are living in.
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