Ramazan

 Ramadan (Arabic: رمضان‎ Ramaḍān,Persian: Ramazan IPA: [rɑmɑˈdˤɑːn]) is the ninth month of theIslamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating,drinking, smoking and sex with their partners^[2] during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to god. Muslims fast for the sake of Allah and to offer more prayer than usual. Compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time. Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of god to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.


(JON)  Tonight, our Chakidar has said, Ramazan ends, Eid begins.  The final time of the end of the fast was not announced until after sunset tonight, waiting on the word from the spiritual leaders in Mecca.  3-5 days of visiting family and friends and paying respects is reminiscent of our Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions, but the visits are shorter and the number of visits to make are many. 


The month is over; the return to normal live will be welcome.     Households have been preparing by thorough cleaning, beating of rugs, washing and shopping for food, party clothes and gifts.  The first day, beginning with a trip to the mosque, will be filled with visits to family members, particularly those who have lost someone to death this year.  A cup of tea is offered and food is spread out in the middle of the floor, where everyone sits and eats.  The visits are short as there may be many in a day.  The second day of Eid is a family gathering, where fresh meat, produce and such are purchased that day and prepared...everyone sharing the cost.  The third day of Eid is for friends to make quick visits.  In the country, it is much easier to make it a neighborhood party.  In the city, we need to wait for some indication of an invitation.   On Thursday, we have been invited to make some visits.  Bonuses are given to employees, much like Christmas bonuses in the USA.


There will be three days of holiday....most businesses closed, so we will be staying home, especially if we give the guards time off.  Someone needs to stay home and watch the house!  These days off, will be welcomed, though the US Embassy recommends no travel.  We will miss the month of shorter work days with business and the Hospital closing often at 1:00PM.  People will get back on a proper schedule, eating and drinking during the day and sleeping at night.  That has gotten turned around during Ramazan, leaving the general public a bit ' testy' by afternoon after nothing to eat or drink from about 3:00AM to sunset.  Shops close early in the afternoon as owners prefer a nap.     So, we are all relieved to have gotten to the end of Ramazan!


The folks I work with take their practice seriously.  One fellow says "my heart is softer" after Ramazan, more open to God, aware of the poor and underfed. A good word to us all.  But the joy of grace is missing; the importance of following the Quaran strictly to avoid punishment is fundamental.


 Children, persons who are traveling, pregnant, nursing, ill, or in the hospital are exempt from fasting      (actually they must make it up later to fulfill the Prophet's (peace be upon him) commandment.  But in practice, there is much social pressure to fast anyway,  which increases the chance that nursing mothers may lose their milk supply, sick children and adults may be at even greater risk of dehydration.  The Hospital has a reduced day schedule, but our residents still cover the hospital 24/7.  This time is especially difficult when Romazan comes in July and August.




(MARITA)

looking for the Afs to pay for buttons

Today I felt  good about living here, I think because Jon and I walked together to do some street shopping.  It's only a few blocks to the street-with-the-red-bridge, but I can't do it alone.  It's very nice when we can actually do something together.  We managed to find the Notions shop on a certain alley, where I could buy 


buttons for my long coat that will cover everything but the head.  Cloudia bought me 7 yards of the lightweight black crepe fabric in Dubai.  We took it to a tailor this afternoon.  Meanwhile, Jon and I also managed to buy a lot of vegetables from a vendor...spinach and cucumbers, onions,potatoes, peppers. We may have paid too much, but, hey, it's Ramazan!  Upon arriving home, I soaked the spinach and cukes and peppers in water with a bit of bleach for 20 minutes.  Then, to get the taste of bleach out of the spinach we poured some water from the purified dispenser over it.  Haven't eaten any yet, to see if it tastes OK.
  

 Security Rules for walking when foreigners in Kabul:

 We are to take backroads as much as possible when walking, and vary the route so it is unpredictable.  That is hard to do if you have a short distance to go, repeatedly.  But, of course, I will try not to walk alone anywhere, even if it's
two blocks to either school that I will volunteer for.
Kind of a nuisance, but a necessary one, I guess.

Our route home today was by the 'river.' As you can see, it is full.......but not of water!  Looks a bit like an artificial dam....of garbage.  Even Afghans walk around with scarves over their noses....for the dust and smell.  With Eid coming soon, meat shops have been busy slaughtering animals, some right on the sidewalk.....leaving the remains behind.....or in a garbage dumpster.  I've taken to sleeping with eucalyptus oil under my nose as the rank odor wakes me up at night, with the windows closed!


Jon has enjoyed the visit of Dr. Gary from S. Carolina this past week.  He, and his wife Kathy, lived here a couple years ago to help with the residency program.  He has made other visits to assist and encourage the Afghans. It was a joyful teaching experience.  I much prefer the practical demonstration to lectures.

Dr. Gary explaining to midwives how to do a complicated birth

Two fellow-Rotarian accompanied them as the Rotarians nearly eliminated polio in the world with their immunization programs.  Only 3 countries report polio cases; only one so far this year "reported" in Afghanistan.  It was a privilege to meet Shamesh, who bicycled across Canada for polio awareness, as a polio survivor.
http://www.kingscountynews.ca/Sports/Cycling/2008-09-01/article-590683/Journey-to-fight-polio-brings-hand-cyclist-to-Valley/1

I have finally found a sewing machine to borrow, so will get to finish the tops I started in the US.  Cathy is taking a couple packets to the US to mail to grandkids for me.  Next week when  I start teaching some of 4 days each week, I won't have as much time for projects.  That will be another story....teaching.


Grace to you in Eid,
Marita and Jon

Lo, there a rose 'er blooming

                      Our Own Garden of Eden

Beautiful Roses & Kites

Teatime

    The Aviary.......
          pigeons
          peacocks
          doves
          parakeets

POMEGRANATES

Dubai Delights

After a false start on Tuesday, we got to fly out of Kabul....leaving the dusty, dirty, chaotic town behind for a few days.  I was so bummed on Tuesday after getting up at 5 to get to the airport, thru the two patdowns, many visa flashings....then to have someone READ the visa and refuse to let us go further!  Waiting another hour for our director of Morning Star to show up with papers didn't help, so back to town we went!  We went back to our new room rather than the guest house, in which we'd gotten up that morning.  Jon decided he might as well go to the hospital, so I set to moving in more, making the bed, napping.  I was beginning to feel a bit more reconciled  when  a gal who is moving OUT of this house soon decided to order in Lebanese food for us all!  There had been about 4 alerts of trouble in town......so she didn't think we should go TO the restaurant.  It was superb!  A nice ending to a very disappointing beginning.

An Assistant  from Morning Star brought us our visas with the proper EXIT permit on them shortly after noon Wednesday, so we began looking for tickets online.  He had tried getting the EXIT permits for us the week before and the immigration man had treated him rudely and said we didn't need them!  He was shamed, I think, that this had happened.  I told him it was OK, these things happen.....at least we weren't trying to catch other flights on an extended trip.   

We were invited to dinner, Bevins and us, by a wonderful young M family....in their home, eating AFghan style,  sitting on Toshaks (pillows against the walls of the room) and everything laid out on the floor.  Not my easiest pose, but I managed.  Delicious dinner, finished off by a peach cobbler from the peach trees in their yard!  Yum.

So, we shuffled our still-packed bags and got up at 5 again....got thru all the barriers at the airport and onto a Boeing 737.  It seemed so clean and comfortable.  They even fed us breakfast!  I guess travelers get to eat during Ramazan....and children under 12.....during daylight hours.  
   This place is such a contrast to Afghanistan.   Beauty in their architecture and landscaping.  Highways galore, that are kept free of sand.  Landscaping is watered at an exhorbitant cost.    We've made our first Mall trip....to buy groceries.

Dates were harvested daily

The guest house we stayed in

FRIDAY, or FUNDAY:   Fellowship was in the ballroom of the Mariott Hotel downtown Dubai..  Afterward, the carload we were in from the guest home here in Dubai stopped by a food court in a mall to get take-away food.  You cannot eat in public during daylight hours of Ramazan. Consequently, the Malls start getting busy late afternoon and folks order their food near 7 pm and wait for the Mullah's Call that ends the fast.    I walked by the Starbucks.....all closed up!  But McD's and a few others were selling food, so I ordered a salad and a McFlurry...they didn't make shakes.  WEll, I turn around and start to move the spoon in the ice-cream and the M nearby said,'Don't you dare eat that!'  I said, "Even in the car?"  "If the police see you, they'll write down our car license #."  Well!   

Feasting at the Outback 

   We visited Mall #2 that evening with our friends from Kabul, Chas and Cloudia and two boys.  The men got dropped off at ACE Hardware across the street and the rest of us went to IKEA.  It's a small world, huh?  We found lamps for our room, and other goodies to make the house nicer.  When 7pm came, we were ready to eat, along with thousands of others waiting for the Mullah's call to break the Fast.

The harbour end of Festival Centre Mall....waterfalls over the
walls at the bottom...and behind

Saturday we visited the Jumeirah Mosque (Masjid), one of two that allows foreigners inside.  We attended a session that introduces people to the traditions, values, culture and religion of the people of the UAE.  We are getting well- acquainted with taxi's here.....finding them a welcome escape from the heat.  We move from one air-conditioned space to another as the temps are over 100 F. 

Sunday morning.........Last night Cloudia and I found the Starbucks, finally!  We timed a massage at Mary's to be after the Starbucks opened at 7.  So, I bought a French Press, a couple bags of coffee beans, 
a United Arab Emirates/Starbucks mug, and a drink before and after.

I surmised quickly that my massage was 'special.'  My first clue
 was needing to take All my clothes off and being handed a towel that
 didn't quite cover the subject.  My first mistake was not choosing

'soft' when she asked whether I wanted soft or hard massage.  I found

out afterward that it was a Chinese Massage........with all the

slapping, cupping, deep digital(meaning digits as in thumb and

fingers), hacking, and popping.... that resembled a Tae-Kwan-Do

session. She beat my muscles into submission!  I occ. reminded her to

leave my sore shoulder alone, then my sore hip, and my sensitive

calves.  She would laugh after awhile....thinking she had an invalid

on her hands?  At the end I naively thought I could relax, and 'whop!'

 She had slapped my feet over each other, then out...doing a number on

my bad hip.....just never knew what was coming next!*  All the while,

Cloudia was visitng with her girl, sharing her story and asking to pr.

for her.....with tears from her....wonderful.  Next time I believe

I"ll pay more for the Bali Massage  closer to the Starbucks.  We had

Frappucinos and laughed about my experience.  I WAS able to walk

easier afterward! 

*no photo of this session!

Sunday was ride-the-
rails-day.....Jon's hankering.  Actually it's really slick, and cheap...and air-conditioned.  We rode to a Mall....surprise!   This was the IBN Battuta, fashioned around the travels of an adventurer of the 14th century who travelled the world as a young man.  It was well past noon and we couldn't buy anything to eat!  We could only get thru Egypt, Persia....leaving India, China, and someplace else unexplored.  Home we went...to rest a bit before the best Mall ever! 

Chas' father, Jack, had arrived from Phoenix to visit.  Chas' sister and husband would arrive from China (where they are M's) on Tuesday after we leave.  Guess they're having a little reunion in the middle?  Anyway, we all hired a taxi van and took off for The Dubai Mall.

This is where there is an aquarium 100 fit. long, 3 storys high with 30 " thick plexiglass.  Those are the few figures we found out.
You can pay to go thru the tunnel in the middle, feed the fish from an enclosed box in the water, or ride in a glass-bottomed 'boat.'  We ab-stained!


This is where the renowned Dancing Fountains are and we got to see them....performing to music...I forget what.  Behind them is the tallest building in the world, The Burj Khalifa.  We managed to eat, too!


MONDAY...our final day....each one keeps getting hotter.  Today is The Big Bus Tour....double decker.  I sat in the air-conditioned part of the upper level.  Jon hung out in the heat to take photos of the scenery.  The first line took us thru town and along the beach to see all the fantastic resorts and architectural wonders.  There are man-made islands that create a map of the world.  Notables of wealth have bought them, and can build on them.  There is the

Atlantis of the Palm......man-made islands creating a palm tree, upon which there is much development.  These can really only be seen in totality from the air.  The afternoon section was along The Creek, which is the life-blood of commerce for the city.....we only made it to one Souk, to buy a wall-hanging for the house.  The Spice and Gold Souks will have to wait til later.  The Water Taxi's are a favorite way to cross the 'creek.'    We did bring our Mall total to five, only because the Big Bus Tours started and stopped at one!  

We bought a candy bar to eat in the restroom, out of sight.  No lunch again today.  We dragged our weary bodies home via rail and taxi, after the bus and boat......the pork chop dinner at the guest house was glorious.....another item we don't find in Kabul.

Tuesday was fly-back day....Airbuses are nice and roomy!  Even in economy.  We noticed blue sky upon landing (a rarity) and the heat was diminished.  We figured it was because of

Dubai that we were cooler.....but friends here say the heat 'broke' while we were gone. 
 Even had a spell of rain!  So, we may not have the air-con in our room fixed after all.
  A fan is sufficient.  

We're back in the thick of things.  I met with the English Language people today and they have a plan for my teaching.  I will start observing and see if it works for me.  The Int. School wants me, too.  Isn't it great to be wanted?  

First I have to buy food and an ironing board.  The desk with a towel did not work well!  

And find some bicarbonate soda to add to the laundry.  Our whites are gray already.....details.  Can't get away from them, huh?

Thanks for going on our visa-trip (or was it a Mall trip?) with us.....oh, yah!  We did get our visas renewed on Sunday, and in three mos. can supposedly renew them from Kabul.  Let's hope!

May you who want more heat have it,

Marita and Jon

Moving to our home-room

                We are living in our new space!

Marita with the Faders and Chakador in July

Dr. Bill and Jan arrived a week ago, starting Dari language study two days later.  Of afternoons we have made trips shopping for household things, or trips moving belongings.   It is a shared house.....by us two couples and two singles, Darla and Steve.  Darla has lived in AFghanistan for many years and currently works on a project with roses and rose water.  Consequently the yard is full of roses!  A gardener helps her care for them.  I'm keeping my eye on a pomegranate tree!

Our menagerie includes a pair of peacocks, male and female....so far no unreasonable racket from them.  Another large cage has pigeons, parakeets, etc.   There is also a very old dog that 'guards' the place.  We have three chakedors (guards) who take 24 hour shifts, with one on the weekend....which falls on Thursday and Friday here.   This house is in the neighborhood of the Community Center for expats, the International School, the Language School, many homes of friends, and street shopping not too far away.

                 This kitchen will be shared by all...nice big one!              

It is possible for us to walk quite a
few places together.  I will have to
see where and how far I want to go
alone.  I can always send the chak-
ador to do some shopping for food.
These guards do not know English,
so I will have to draw pictures of
what I want.  Of course, I could
learn some Dari!



This is how our room looked when
we first saw it five weeks ago.

   ....and this is how it looks now! Much better, don't you think?  The bed, armoire, & desk are on loan from an NGO, the rest some of our friends donated $ to help us get started on making home...paint, rug,wicker set, elctronic stabilizer, fan,  etc.  We are grateful! We get to use the common areas, which
are right off our room...so do other people, and the kitchen is behind the red curtain here!  There is a glassed-in window, but it can get noisy.  Our bathroom is off the entry way....all ours, but a trip.  Hey, at least we have one to ourselves.  Jon has been scouring it down...still has some ways to go.

That is the moving-in story....stayed tuned for the fly-to-
Dubai-to-get-your-visa saga that we are in the midst
of at the moment.  Life is never dull...wish it were
sometimes!       From our home to yours,
                         Jon and Marita

Driving in Kabul

You would love driving here!  One rule:  "the driver in front has the
right of way".  Well, maybe two rules:  "Don't hit anybody".  The
pavement, or not,  is open to all. Some streets have lines but it
would be better to put the paint somewhere else. Nary a  street light;
 clearly a waste of resources.  Some corners have policeman who must
feel like some of the most ignored people in the world.

 Literally cars can go anywhere, pass right or left, go the opposite
way on a one way street, come within inches of each other (I am learning to not hang my arm out the window), 6 abreast in a 3 lane
road, bikes and motorcycles in between, pick an opening whenever you
can get. If the traffic is too crowded on the street coming the other
way, just come on up our side, not a problem, someone will always move
around you.  The best tactic is at round-a-bouts where the one who
wants to turn left is on the far outside lane.  Not a problem just cut
off the traffic (no one ever gets T-boned), cut straight a cross and
of course if you are also wanting to go that direction, but buses,
trucks, etc are coming from your right, it is a great opportunity to
sneak right under the cover of the other vehicle and go the direction
you want.

 (Just a note, "round-a-bouts" are an oxymoron at times as it clearly
is a waste of time to go all the way right around an island when you
can much more easily just turn left into oncoming traffic and get
where you want to be, without wasting all that gas going
"round-a-about!)

 It is is especially fun to see how close you can get to a bicyclist
on your right, no matter how much space you have on your left.  And
cars , trucks, coming right at you will likely slightly swerve the
opposite direction as you do to  never  hit head on.  Of course if
there is a pedestrian or a bicyclist or cart between you and the truck
coming right at you... that always provides a bit of a buffer.

Another great maneuver is when passing, speed up like mad, no matter
who may be coming the other direction and cut off the guy you just
passed before a pot hole or speed bump n the road 'cause you know
everyone is going to slow down for that anyway and not hit you.  Works
every time.

Of course the horn means you are coming, everyone look out because you
likely are not going to change your direction, especially if someone
is wasting space and there are only 5 cars abreast and you are making
it 6.  And if you are following the polite rule of usually passing
behind, not in front, of a pedestrian in the middle of the street, you
both can keep going at your same pace without wasting time slowing
down.  After all, a miss by an inch, is still a miss.

Oh, maybe rule #3:  don't drive into the gutter at the edge of the
road.  That 2-3 foot drop right at the edge of city streets would
likely stop your car and be embarrassing, although I doubt it would
jam up traffic much.

It's always a relief to get back home in one piece.
The drivers, Mouhammed and Haroum, do a superb
job of driving and translating our directions....we  rely
on them a lot to know where people live and locations.
All homes are behind locked, and guarded gates, walls, barbed wire, and.....depending on how important you are to the government, all sorts of cement and ram-proof barriers.  That's another subject!


May your drive in the lines,


Jon and Marita