GRIP, Internships Abroad Ramadan in Dubai

Alserkal Avenue - Dubai, United Arab Emirates 

In the months preceding my departure for my internship in Dubai, many people have given me advice on what to expect and what to do when I got there. Beyond the anticipated "Be careful"s and "You can't bring home a camel so please don't buy one"s, I was surprised by the tone of people's voices when they figured out that I would be there just before the start of Ramadan, Islam's holy month of fasting and reflection. The consensus was that Dubai during Ramadan would be scaled back in certain ways, different from the usual Dubai. The city's restaurants would have restricted hours, with many closed until sunset, and those that are open during the day require diners to eat behind big curtains. Certain tourist sites and public spaces would too have restricted hours, and people wouldn't be out as much. In sum, the city would appear less lively than it "truly" is. All of these concerns were echoed by many of my coworkers upon my arrival. As a natural consequence of these warnings, I worried about whether or not I would enjoy my Ramadan here. 

I have since recognized the unique experience and gift of being in Dubai during Ramadan. The city's decorations celebrating the holy month has remade the city's sleek architecture into something even more sparkling than the glass skyscrapers. And despite everyone's concerns that Ramadan would make for a sleepier Dubai, the city's liveliness has only been delayed until after fasting ends each day. 

Every sunset during the month of Ramadan, Muslims break their fast in an evening dinner called an iftar. The occasion of iftar creates a social space for the entire city. For me personally, iftars have provided a welcoming introduction to the city and some of its holiday time customs. In my first week here, I attended three iftars. First, my landlady and housemates introduced me to the city with an iftar which included several past tenants. At my workspace in Alserkal Avenue, I attended two separate iftars as well, each of which brought me in touch with the Avenue's high-profile founder, Abdelmonem Alserkal (pictured with me). Iftars have given me a chance to get to know my housemates and coworkers, they've taken me to some beautiful areas of the city, and they've introduced me to (so much) delicious Gulf and Levantine traditional Ramadan food, including a Levantine Ramadan drink called djellaba that I can't get enough of. Ultimately, watching the city come alive at night with the holy month's customs has been a privilege that I am pleased to experience.

For me, a fun little feature of Ramadan is that it is the holy month, following the Islamic religious lunar calendar. In other words, you can track the month/holiday's progression by reading the moon's phases. As the moon has already begun to wane, I know that we're quickly approaching Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month. If that day of gift-giving and celebration is anything like the rest of the month, I know I'll have something to look forward to. 

(I just hope someone gives me the gift of a camel.)