Trick or...Fast?

Well, I just had a nice lunch with my co-worker and colleague on the upcoming gender project Rodilla. We ate in a Bangladeshi restaurant across the street from the BRAC head office. The entire building was draped with a big bright blue cloth. I was confused for a minute when I realized that it’s RAMADAN. People are fasting all over the city, and for those who are forced to dine before sundown (mostly people with physically strenuous jobs, like rickshaw pullers, or irreverent/chubby foreigners), restaurants and tea stalls provide an establishment-wide veil to conceal your identity. For a shame-free Ramadan lunch special, I highly recommend “Friends” on Mohakhali Ave.

Holiday, schmoliday. Anyway, I’ve really been missing my favourite holiday in the whole world…Halloween. My sister and I spoke on the phone today for the first time in weeks, and we had a lengthy—and 100% serious—discussion on whether she should “move forward” with the pink flamingo costume idea. I thought it was a good move. She felt there were better alternatives. Man, I miss Halloween. Those of you who really know me know what a huge dork I am about the holiday. I haven’t missed a year of dressing up since I was 3. Last year, I was a 60’s flight attendant. This year my plan to masquerade as tennis superstar Venus Williams has been utterly foiled. I just don’t think people in Dhaka would get it. On the bright side, a couple of my fellow interns at BRAC are throwing a Halloween party and inviting a bunch of our Bangladeshi friends to share our American tradition and teach them about this unique holiday. It will be an odd contrast for them: Ramadan stresses sacrifice and prayer, Halloween stresses Reese’s Pieces and those cheap plastic masks with the tiny slots for your eyes.

Anyway, must run. I have a ton of articles to read and a research proposal to draft up by mid-week.

Ramadan Kabeer,

TKP