Journal Entry #4 : The Fasting Month

The month of Ramadan is here again. We’ve been fasting for almost two weeks now. Wow! Halfway there already…how time flies when you’re having fun...right… It should be how time flies when you’ve got assignments to finish or how time flies when you’re cramming for quizzes, how time flies when, well, you’ve got the idea. Well, just the other day Mr Jaferi told us to write something, anything about the fasting month. I’ve been staring at the screen for several hours now, trying to come up with something. At the rate I’m going I now, I don’t think I’ll finish by sahur time. Sigh…such perfect timing for writer’s block. I’m going back to balik kampong tomorrow…(oops, it’s already pass 12 midnight so technically it’s today) to celebrate the fasting month with my family. And I don’t plan on thinking about this blog or any other work while I’m away so I have to finish writing this blog entry by…well, by now actually.

It would be a lot easier if I didn’t have to go home today, but I’ve already promised my mum I would. Way before the start of the fasting month she had expertly and cunningly extracted a promise from me that I would spend at least 1 weekend at home during Ramadan, excluding the time off we get before Raya of course. I guess if it was up to her, she would want me to come home every weekend. Tempting…but then again Ramadan is all about fighting temptations so I have to be strong. Sure, being home means you don’t have to wander aimlessly back and forth the Bazaar Ramadan, trying to decide what to eat and controlling yourself from buying literally everything. But the bazaar does have its charm. Nothing spells human camaraderie better than mingling your bucketfuls of sweats with hundreds of other people, all aiming for the same thing, something to quench the thirst and satisfy the hunger. As you shuffle your way through inch by inch, following the delicious aroma of the absurdly priced char kuey teow, you started to think that nothing helps to hone your patience like spending time at the bazaar. Not that ridiculously well organized and spacious one at section 17 mind you. Everyone having their own breathing space, every stall neatly arranged, where’s the fun in that? The one at section 18’s the real deal. Stalls arranged along a strip of road so narrow that it’s not uncommon to find yourself being suddenly accosted by other people’s arms,hips,shoulders and rear ends. Isn’t that exciting?

Speaking of bazaar Ramadan, I’ve listed some tips to make shopping experience more enjoyable:

1. There are usually two lanes of human traffic, going the opposite way from one end of the bazaar to the other. Choose the lane you wish to follow and brace yourself for the awesome ride.

2. If you'd missed the stall that you wish to stop at, stay in your lane until you get to the end, then follow the other one to go back to the stall. Think of the journey as a gastronomical experience.

3. Going against the flow of traffic is not reccomended. You could actually end up progressing much slower. Trying to push your way against the flow is like wrestling a brick wall.

4. Sometimes, when the traffic is heavy, a traffic jam may occur. This is when you find yourself stuck in one place, neither coming nor going. Stay calm and try to pass the time by daydreaming about what you’re going to have for berbuka puasa.

5. Be prepared for an attack on your senses, mainly sight, sound and smell. Amped up your defense or you could bite off more than you could chew.

6. If you’re looking for a bargain, go to the bazaar about 5 minutes before berbuka. Some give discounts, or if you’re lucky, you might get food stuff for free. (Try to act as if you’ve just finished your class. Students generally get more sympathy)