Name: Pamela Nazareth
Age: 29 years
Nationality: Indian
Occupation: Homemaker
Emirate of residence: Dubai
In the UAE: For 29 years
“I was born in Dubai, this place will always be my first home. You see the obvious changes in the UAE during Ramadan — the shorter working hours, the ‘no eating or drinking during the day’ rule and being observant of the Muslim culture. You also get to see the city slowing down; families spending more time with one another, the roads practically empty close to Iftar and the unending Iftar options to end your fast.
“I must admit, this seems to be the busiest part of the region’s social calendar, too.
“Ramadan will always have a special place in my heart but, no, not because of the buffet options.
“Growing up in the 1990’s Ramadan was so different compared to what it is today. Back then, we didn’t have air-conditioned bus stops or even air conditioners everywhere. It was pretty hot all of June, July and August. Yet, you saw Muslims in the community go about their business as usual.
“Iftar, too, was a community event. You could always count on having one biryani a day from the many neighbours in my Karama neighbourhood. People opened their homes to everyone, there wasn’t a time when any of us couldn’t have gone to someone’s place during Iftar. Also, charity was, and still is, the number one priority during this time. “You see people giving so much back to the community.
“But the best part of all was Eid. Back then we didn’t travel as much as people do today, jetting out of the country for almost every break.
“For me, Eid was hearing about the moon sighting from the television Channel 33 or hearing my excited neighbours and classmates call one another about Eid falling the next day. It was about waking up in the morning to find other children running down the corridors with their colourful dresses of different nationalities, showing me their Eidi (pocket money, given especially to little ones) and telling me what they were going to buy. It was about going to Oman, Hatta or Fujairah to a wadi in a minivan with other families and join in the celebration.
“Those are the days I mostly fondly remember.”
