I spent three months in Morocco (almost the full 90 day visa) and somehow, my stay perfectly sandwiched the month of Ramadan. We traveled for a week or so, then stayed in the desert for three weeks. By the time we arrived in Anza to volunteer at the surf house, it just so happened to be the first day of Ramadan. We then spent two months in Anza, the first during Ramadan and the second returning to normal life.
Anza is a fairly small town, which we already know, and so were unsurprised by the sleepiness of the little town. Shops opened late in the morning, not too many people milled about. During sunset, right before iftar, there was almost nobody on the streets as they were all preparing to break their fast at home. It seemed like a bit of a ghost town, except for the tourists who would mill about and go surfing and the kids who would be playing all throughout the day and night. Little did we know that most of that would change after the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan
This was my first time experiencing Ramadan in a Muslim country, and it was completely different from anything I’d seen at home. Where I’m from, Islam isn’t recognized as a major religion, so there aren't many accommodations for Muslims during Ramadan. In Morocco, it was different. Life shifted to make fasting easier: for example, the time in Morocco is set back by an hour, so sunset arrives earlier, and businesses adjusted their hours by either opening late, closing early, or shutting down completely for the month.
Now, not to say it is easier for people who are practicing Muslims, but Ramadan is first and foremost, a religious experience, one that is supposed to bring you closer to God. And from what I have been told, your connection to God is one of the main things holding you to fasting. Without that connection holding and encouraging you, it is very hard, if not impossible, to fast for the full month.
The atmosphere of the town, while very quiet, was full of subtle energy and community. Every morning around 4am, everyone wakes up for suhoor, a quick pre-dawn meal before the first prayer and fasting begins. There was one guy in our neighborhood who appointed himself as the backup alarm clock to make sure everyone woke up for their breakfast. He would walk through the streets every morning without fail, banging on his drums and singing (one can only assume the lyrics consisted of “wake up now”)
A lot of the restaurants in town had special Iftar menus which included a few dates, some chebakia (a special fried pastry that is often eaten during Ramadan), some harira (a traditional moroccan soup) and then a tagine or some other food. But the restaurants were not overly busy, because Iftar is typically something that people do in the home with their families. Some people I know had their brothers and sisters come from nearby to stay with their family for the whole month of Ramadan. And all throughout the streets up until sunset for the whole month, you could smell the delicious and extensive meals that people were preparing for Iftar later that night.
My Experience Fasting
I'd always said I wanted to try fasting during Ramadan, both to experience it firsthand and to show solidarity and respect for the discipline of those who observe it. Being in a city where the entire community was centered around fasting seemed like the perfect place to finally try.
To my surprise, when I tried fasting, the easiest part was managing the hunger and the thirst. Even though I made the rookie mistake of not waking up for suhoor before the first prayer, so I thought I would cave on water soon in the day. I surprised myself by how well I did that first day, I wasn’t even ravenous when dinner time came around. I did, however, eat a very rich meal that night too quickly and learned my lesson for the next day: break your fast slowly and lightly.
The second day was much tougher. I managed my hunger and thirst just fine after properly hydrating in the morning. But mentally, I felt drained. At around 4pm, I started crying for almost no reason and I couldn’t stop. Maybe I was tired, because despite fasting I was still working at the hostel, socializing, and doing all the normal things that life demanded. After a brief tow days, it is impressive that practicing Muslims have the power to go about their daily life during Ramadan. I remember in college, Ramadan even overlapped with exam week, and so my friend was fasting during exams. I know two days isn’t a lot, but if it taught me anything, its that fasting is deeply mental and goes far beyond simply abstaining from food and water.
Jordan also participated and managed a very impressive five days of fasting. I can't speak to exactly how he found it, mentally but he never seemed too stressed about hunger or thirst. I will say though, during day five he came down the cold which had been winding its way through the hostel. I managed not to catch it, and I do think its because I had stopped fasting by that point. All of the people at the hostel who were fasting came down with the cold, and the three of us who weren’t fasting, seemed to do fine. Because Jordan got sick, he decided to end his fast there, and I think he also learned a thing or two about Ramadan.
Eid Celebrations
On the morning of Eid, I was woken at sunrise by the call to prayer, but this time it sounded different. I heard singing, dancing, music, laughter, and a contagious energy floating through the streets. They all woke up for prayer as usual, but instead of it signaling the start of their fast for the day, it signaled the beginning of Eid.
Walking through Anza that day felt surreal. The town that had been so sleepy during Ramadan was now bursting with life. Families strolled along the streets, dressed in their finest clothes. Men wore beautifully embroidered long shirts for mosque prayer, and the women and children had fresh hairstyles and new outfits.
By the evening, the beach promenade, which up until that point had been more often than not empty, had been transformed into a full-blown festival. There were music-blaring mini cars packed with kids, food stalls, dessert vendors, balloons, and every playground, basketball court, and soccer field was overflowing with families celebrating together.
It was like the entire town was celebrating a big party, together. It was very interesting coming from a place where we do a lot of celebrations within the home and now shared with our community, but I guess it just shows how much of a community experience Ramadan is. You may not know anything about the person next to you, except for the fact that the two of you just shared an intimate experience with God, and will continue to do so as equals for the rest of your life.
Reflections
I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience a complete Ramadan and Eid in Morocco. The whole experience taught me so much about community, discipline and faith. Fasting challenged me in ways that I really didn’t expect, which broadened my understanding of the religion and the sense of community. Witnessing the strength and unity of all the people participating in the fast really opened my eyes.
Morocco, but Ramadan especially, really showed me the beauty and the necessity of slowing down, having patience and coming together as community, as friends, and as family, and I really hope to carry these values with me long after I leave Morocco.
So cool Abs!
Great experience with Ramadan and Eid x