International students in Ankara, Turkey are experiencing and observing Ramadan away from the traditions and conveniences of their homelands. Ramadan is a holy month where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, and it is a time for charity and spiritual reflection. For many, it is a time to gather with friends and family to have an iftar, a dinner to mark the breaking of the daily fast.
Ph.D. student in Business Administration at Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Abukar Sadi Mohamud, who is originally from Somalia, has spent the last eight years observing Ramadan in Turkey. He said that if it is the first year and spending Ramadan alone for the first time, it might be challenging. Fasting in Turkey is also challenging due to the long fast, which is around 15 to 16 hours some years. However, Sadi Mohamud enjoys tasting different dishes and has adapted to everything.
Danish Punjabi, who is pursuing his postdoctoral research at Yıldırım Beyazıt University, is observing his second Ramadan in Turkey. He is from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and said that observing and experiencing the holy month in Turkey differs from his country. He has noticed that many people fast during Ramadan, and restaurants are not as crowded during this time. Punjabi also noted that he sees a lot of engagement in activities like iftar in Turkey and appreciated that the government gives food packets for iftar.
Muhammad Sulaiman Muhammad, a mechanical engineering student at Ostim Technical University in Ankara, is observing Ramadan away from his family and country for the first time. He is from Nigeria and said that Turkish cuisine is very different from Nigeria's food culture and tastes. However, he enjoyed eating together with foreigners and trying to understand the culture.
Medical student Omer Krasniqi from Kosovo, residing in a student housing facility in Asma Köprü, said that he was shocked to see many people having iftar at the same time in Turkey. Krasniqi said that being in Turkey during Ramadan is awesome, especially having an iftar with people from different backgrounds.
Despite missing home and traditional foods, international students in Turkey are turning the difficulty of observing Ramadan away from home into an opportunity to experience new cultures and adapt to everything.
