After having a couple of days off with the weekend, second week of school went by much faster. Students and staff alike are settling into a routine. Thursday evening several of us went out to Carrefour, the major shopping center in Alex west (an area on the west side of
Ramadan begins next week so people are stocking up on food supplies, getting ready to prepare the daily feasts. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sun up to sun down (including no beverages) and then will feast in the evening. This is hard on our Muslim students and staff because, not only are they fasting, but they stay up very late as well to take part in the feasting and prayer activities. The month of Ramadan varies from year to year with this year being much earlier than last year. This also affects the time as Daylight Savings Time ended Friday morning. It is a bit of a hassle with our computers as there is no set time from year to year like the States, so we have to go around manually and change the times.
Grocery stores are packed not only with people stocking up, but with food supplies as well. Several of the larger supermarkets have “Ramadan” bags prepared for their customers who will be donating food to those who are less fortunate. This is one of the major tenets of the Muslim faith to aid those who are less fortunate. Soon alleys along the streets will be set up with tables so that wealthy Egyptians will have meals catered for the poorer people in the neighborhoods and since our school is located in a lower working class neighborhood, there will be a large “banquet” almost nightly just down the street from the school.
Friday evening Pat and I ordered out for supper for the first time from the famous “Chicken Man” who operates an outdoor grill at the corner of 
ram line. If you mention the “Chicken Man” anywhere in the neighborhood, everyone would know where it is at. They are especially busy during Ramadan preparing hundreds of meals a day. Each meal comes with a half of a grilled chicken, vegetables, salad and bread all for 10 LE ($1.75). They also grill kofta and other meats as well but chicken is their specialty. After supper many of the resident staff got together for an evening of games and cards. Eight of us played Poker while the others played Catch Phrase. My poker skills are lacking so I didn’t fare too well, I didn’t know there were so many varieties of the game! Next time I think I will stick to Catch Phrase!
