My friend Andrea , who is in the Air Force Reserves spent the summer in Kuwait. Below is an email she sent me describing her experience. She is due back around 10/1/04

Kev, Here is a little info about the Ramadan Holiday. See below. Miss you!!

Andrea

Ramadan

(October 15, 2004 to November 13, 2004)

The Islamic year is marked by many religious and traditional holidays. Some involve prayer and fasting. Some are more cultural than religious and some are obligatory for the believer while others are not. Ramadan, the next Islamic holiday, is celebrated throughout the Moslem world. As of now, Ramadan will be observed from 15 Oct - 13 Nov 2004. These dates are subject to change dependent on the actual sightings of the moon. The actual beginning and end of Ramadan will be announced in the newspaper and over TV and radio.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Moslem year, is entirely devoted to meditation and spiritual purification through self-discipline. It is a period of abstinence from food, drink (including water), and physical pleasure (including smoking) during daylight hours only. Although non-Moslems are not expected to fast, it is prohibited (by Kuwaiti law) for anyone to eat, drink, or smoke in public between the hours of sunrise and sunset.

During Ramadan, Moslems must work a full day without so much as a sip of water, and since meals are only authorized during the hours of darkness, sleep is often forsaken. The combined result is that people may become tired, tense, and easily irritated during the normal workday. One must be extra alert when driving, particularly during the late afternoon hours when many are returning home to break their fast. After sunset, the faithful say the evening prayers and gather for a meal. Guests are frequently invited to share in these often-sumptuous feasts. There is also a small meal shortly before dawn.

In Kuwait, most major hotels will keep one dining room open during the day and usually screened from public view. Here, they will provide meals and beverages to non-Moslem guests of the hotel. Otherwise, restaurants and fast-food shops will be closed during the day. Vending machines will be turned off. In keeping with the purpose of this period, personnel's dress and conduct should be especially conservative.

Kuwaitis are always the best of hosts, and may offer refreshments during fasting hours in Ramadan to non-Moslems, although they cannot partake. Such offers should be courteously declined. Employees who receive Moslem guests in their offices should keep food and drink out of sight. Even on the U.S. Embassy grounds, out of respect to their Moslem colleagues and visitors, it is requested that you be particularly sensitive to eating, drinking, and smoking during Ramadan.

Please remember that while non-Moslem guests in Kuwait are not expected to fast during Ramadan, they are expected to observe the custom and law by refraining from eating, drinking, and smoking in public during daylight hours. "In public" includes riding in a bus or car on a city street. Eating, drinking, or smoking by a non-Moslem in public during the daytime in this holy month is considered infringement of the sanctity of the Moslem observance of this sacred period, and a manifested lack of regard for the spiritual atmosphere. Eating, drinking, or smoking in public could also lead to arrest.

Hi....Long time, no email....
How are you? I am okay, looking forward to coming home, that's for sure. Sorry, I have not written sooner, this deployment has kept me very busy!!!

We are still currently on lock down from off base travel, so I haven't visited Kuwait City much. I have only been there a couple times... I have gone out for Lebanese food, it was very yummy. All the hummus and bread, you can eat here.....
I have noticed that the Kuwaiti females over here, some wear full Berkas all the time in complete black, baggy dresses, and other women wear tight jeans and shirts....I guess depending on how religious a person/ family is, depends on the way they dress and what the females are allowed to wear.....It's funny to see women in the shops wearing full berkas down to their ankles looking at lingerie... Men wear white. White silk like dresses and white turbans. Sometimes you will see them in Red & white turbans..It means that they are wealthy/ powerful...( I don't know how true that is though) Men wear white b/c it means they are pure. Women wear black b/c they are not, (they say women are not pure, from what I have heard)

You will see men hold hands here, and hug each other/ kinda hang all over each other...while the female walks behind them...They say that females are for fornication and the men are for pleasure.. So, it's kinda weird....

On your way to Kuwait City, you will see huge houses, mansion like houses....Beautiful houses. The cars I see the most around Kuwait City is BMWs or Mercedes. Kuwaitis live well..However Kuwait is made up of people from other countries looking for work. So, you also see allot of poor people as well...


Kuwait City is very westernized though. They have Starbucks Coffee, Ruby Tuesdays, Burger Kings, and shops just like in the States. Kuwaitis love florescent lighting, so all over the place (even in the middle of dark deserts at night) you will see florescent lights....Kuwait City kinda reminds me of New York City, buildings are tall, and there is allot of traffic....but New York of course, by far, is better...

You see camels just walking around in the desert. Pretty neat..What I can't get used too, is seeing people stop in the middle of the highway, to get out of their cars and start praying on the side of the road.....They have different times in the day when they have to stop whatever they are doing and pray. It's pretty cool...

The temperature has finally dropped a little, thank goodness...For the duration of my tour over here, the average temp was prob. 135 degrees, the temp has come down about 25 degrees less...The nights are getting a cooler, so that's good. I have to give credit to the tents Air Conditioning...I would of been miserable this summer if we didn't have A/C....Not once did it break on us....Thank Goodness!!!


So, I have gotten an award over here and I made "Airman of the Month", which is a pretty big deal when here in the desert, I guess....

I was offered 2 jobs back home; one is with the TALCE unit, and the other was with the Flying Squadron. I have to talk to the commanders when I get home, and see what my options are. I don't know yet if they are offering a full time position for me yet but I really hope so!! My commander seems to think that they are, so we will see!! I have done a lot of thinking over here, and I know I NEED to finish school, so that is on my list of goals too...

I am sorry I didn't email you sooner, I really have been busy...I only have 8 more days and 1 wake up until I leave, but I will send you pics and more stuff to tell you about. love/ miss you Kev...

Andrea