In Salone, one of the first questions that someone will ask you is, "Yu na kristen o muslim?"
So you're either Muslim or Christian, if you're neither, Sierra Leoneans expect you to at least believe in something. Being atheist or agnostic is just an unheard of concept here and they don't take it too well. My advice is if you don't want to go to any church then say you're Buddhist.
Muslim Sierra Leoneans are currently observing Ramadan. Sori, one of my LCFs (language teacher) had asked if I would be willing to fast one day for him, a padi to padi (friend) request. I love challenges so we shook on it and said I would follow the Ramadan fasting practice of no food or water from 5:00am to 7:20pm. Sori is my friend so I was doing it in honor of him, my mother's father who was Muslim, and of course, in honor of Ramadan itself.
Some Muslims are even so hardcore about the fasting practice that they won't even swallow their own saliva. There's alot of spitting during Ramadan. Not everyone does it, but some do. At Ahmadiyya JSS/SSS, I noticed kids going out of the classroom to spit or if they're by the window they just straight up turn their head and spit. I'm trying to ignore the spitting.......
So today, I fasted just to try it out for the heck of it. It's hard when you're trying to fast at a school where good snacks are sold by the students themselves. Anyone ever see that Kat Williams standup......"errrrday we hustlin, hustlin, hustlin, hustlin'", lol. Sorry, I digress, but ya this girl kept toting around this tub of granat kek on her head which is basically peanut brittle and it's really good......dammit.......I'm bringing my 5block (Le500 = 10cents) tomorrow.
I think the bigger challenge of the fast is that you can't even drink water. It kinda helps that it's rainy season so it's cooler. It was cold and misty all day today, that helped me out big time. I can't believe Sori played in that futbol match last Sunday, it was a hot humid day under the sun without water. I told him he was crazy and that I'm glad he didn't pass out from dehydration.
My mom found it hilarious when I told her to not prepare any food for me today b/c I was observing Ramadan for one day, lol. During lunchtime back at the training facility, I went over to the staff room and hung out with the other Muslim staff members. We high-fived each other and said "dis na 'No Eating Club' na ya" lol.
Fasting isn't so bad when you're busy all day but I definitely did alot of time checking once I got home.....waiting and waiting for 7:20pm. My book was not a good enough distraction.
Around 6:45pm, the Logistics Coordinator, Mohammed, came by my house and surprised me with dinner. Awww how thoughtful!!! He he called it "fast food", lol! That was super nice of him it's not like I'm even Muslim or observing the Ramadan fast for the entire duration. Such a nice gesture, now I feel like I have to bump up my Temne with him b/c we always greet each other everyday in Temne then he starts to talk really fast and then I revert back to Krio, lol.
The Peace Corps staff is really awesome, they take good care of us and we have all become so close.
No comments:
Post a Comment