Due to a slight time crunch and a major case of procrastination, this next entry will be short but I will try to make it informative.
The Fulbright Crew arrived in Indonesia during the month of Ramadan, marked by the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. Ramadan is a month long period where Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual relations during the day light hours. Usually this means they will eat breakfast at 3-4am and then not eat or drink anything, even water, again until 6pm or at dusk. This month long period of fasting is intended to be a spiritual experience for Muslims, teaching them patience, humility, and also sacrifice in the name of God. Also during the month of Ramadan there is strong emphasis on purifying oneself not only through self-restraint but also through performing good deeds. For more information on Ramadan, see the Wiki page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan
One day during Ramadan, many members of the Fulbright crew decided to fast for a day to get a feel for what it must be like. Of course we can only empathize so much with this spiritual journey that is not our own, but I think the deed was done with good intentions. The hotel we where we were staying gave us a boxed lunch everyday, so we gave up the lunch and fasted from dawn to dusk. The hotel passed out our lunches to us at about 5:30pm, only a half hour before the daily fast could be broken. Several ETAs then collected all the lunched and passed them out to homeless, disabled, or less fortunate people around Bandung. Also in the spirit of providing to all, workers will recieve a bonus to bring home to their families and almost all stores will have enormous sales with very low prices so that nearly everyone can afford to bring something home to their family.
Idul Fitri or Lebaran marks the end of Ramadan. There is a mass exodus from cities as everyone heads back to their native villages and cities to be with their families .(See http://bataviase.co.id/node/366902 for more info) A feast among family members is usually held and after eating neighbors visit neighbors, asking for forgiveness for any wrong doings or harm they may have bestowed upon others. People face each other with praying hands and gently touch fingertips, bow, then touch their fingers to their own heart. The Indonesian saying goes "Mohon maaf lahir batin," meaning "Please forgive me, physical and spiritual," or for any harm done inside or out. As we all witnessed in Bandung, Idul Fitri is quite the celebration. There are fireworks nearly all night long as well as prayer nearly all night long the evening before the fast is broken. Below is the link to a picture website illustrating the variety and range of people observing this holiday:
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/ramadan_2010.html?s_campaign=8315
Observing Ramadan and Idul Fitri was an extremely informative and interesting experience for me personally whose value cannot rightly be expressed in words. The most relevant part of this holiday for me was not necessarily the holiday itself, but the awareness it brought of the coexistence of many religions and cultures in Indonesia. Our Catholic instructors gave traditional gifts to those celebrating Ramadan, and our Muslim teachers do the same for them during Christian holidays. There really is no level of religious intolerance that I have observed; everyone seems quite content with and eager to talk and learn about an other's religious ideals, free from judgement.
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