Soul searching, this Ramadan

With the sighting of the new moon, Ramadan will begin, slowing down the city's pace and leaving time for spirituality, family and friends. People of different nationalities tell us how they spend this month.

Alaa Hayek, Syrian

What do you do during Ramadan?
For Ramadan, I usually get together with my friends for Iftar and later go for shisha. On the weekend, I love to stay out late and enjoy the Ramadan atmosphere.

Favourite Ramadan dishes?
Tessye, a Syrian dish made of bread, hummus (chickpea dip), ghee and pine nuts. I'm not much into sweets but I won't say no to Knafe an Arabic pastry made of shredded filo dough, butter, pine nuts and ricotta cheese, topped with syrup.

How do you prepare for the start of Ramadan?
I stock up on groceries for my Iftar and Suhoor meals.

Do you get more time to spend with family and friends?
As I come back from work much earlier, at 3pm, I have the afternoon free to meet up with my friends.

Did you celebrate Ramadan in your home country?
At home, I remember my mum doing a lot of Eid shopping in advance. I also remember going for Iftar to our relatives' houses and then gathering in front of the TV to watch the Syrian sitcoms.

Do you find the pace slows down during Ramadan?
This is what I love about Ramadan in the UAE. Everything slows down, the stress level diminishes and people work fewer hours. During Ramadan, I feel Dubai being immersed in a totally different world. At Iftar time, the streets are empty, and the city looks dormant. In the night, however, life starts again and people usually stay out till late.

What's your favourite Ramadan activity?
Driving around town enjoying the Ramadan atmosphere.

Are Iftars and Suhoors usually at home or outside?
During the week, Iftars and Suhoors are usually at home. Going out every day is tiring. After Iftar, however, I go out with my friends to cafes. On the weekends I like to go to Rotana Towers or the Emirates Mall to break my fast in one of the restaurants there.

Christian Steyl, South African

What do you do during Ramadan?
Although I don't fast, Ramadan is my favourite time of the year and I love having Iftar with my friends.

Do you get to spend more time with family and friends, as school/work hours are shorter?
Naturally.

Do you find the pace slowing down?
Definitely. Everybody's more relaxed.

Is there anything you can do in Ramadan that you don't do otherwise?
Donate to charity. It's the one thing that during Ramadan is really easy to do. Collection points are everywhere and you can give whatever you wish.

What's your favourite hangout during the Ramadan nights?
Madinat Jumeirah. I like it because of the way it's made into an ancient Arabic village. In Ramadan, the place is lit up and decorated, portraying the Ramadan atmosphere.

Monro Reyes, Filipino

What do you do during Ramadan?
During daytime I just stay at home as there is not much to do outside. In the evening, instead, as the city gets more lively, I like to head to the various malls in town.

What's your favourite Ramadan dish?
I love grilled lamb and fish, which, during this season is usually offered on discount.

Do you get to spend more time with family and friends, as work hours are shorter?
In my field of work I don't get shorter hours so the time I spend with family and friends during Ramadan is the same as the rest of the year.

Do you find traffic slowing down or is it aggravated?
Fortunately, for one month a year we get less traffic.

What's your favourite hangout during Ramadan?
Home, playing video games.

Yousef Ahmad, Emarati

What do you do during Ramadan?
At our house, it's tradition to gather with my parents after Iftar and watch the Ramadan shows such as Camera Kafia or Heir Tayer, which are broadcast on Dubai and Abu Dhabi TV. In the evenings, I love going out to coffee shops and have coffee and shisha.

What are your favourite Ramadan dishes?
My favourite Ramadan dish is Haris, a typical local dish made of meat and wheat. I also love Leghemat, round-shaped pastries topped with syrup.

Do you get to spend more time with family and friends, as work hours are shorter?
The shorter hours don't really make a difference for me. Having to take the Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway everyday after I finish work, it takes me a few hours of driving before I reach home. In addition, with the traffic situation the way it is, I reach home at the same time as on normal days. But I make it a point to spend more time with my brothers and sisters, especially those who are married or don't live in the house anymore.

Do you find the city's pace slows down?
I find the city more hectic. Because of the shorter working hours, people have less time to carry out their duties, so you will see everybody going mad trying to finish everything, and to be at home at Iftar.

What's your favourite hangout during Ramadan?
Special Cafe in Abu Dhabi. It's the perfect place to enjoy Ramadan nights. During this period, they screen all my favourite Ramadan shows and I get to drink typical Ramadan juices like Tamer Hindi (a juice made of dates) and Jallab.

Are most Iftars and Suhoors at home or out?
Strictly at home. Nothing can match home-made food. My mum spends all day preparing delicacies – and no one makes Haris like my mum!

Radka Plunderova, Czech

What do you do during Ramadan?
This is the one month of the year when I slow down and finish off all pending business. It's also a time to catch up with friends whom I don't get to see during the year. When my colleagues are having Iftar, I stay in the office finishing up my work and then meet with my friends in the evening for Suhoor. Even though I don't fast, I like participating in the Ramadan traditions.

Do you get to spend more time with friends, as work hours are shorter?
I definitely spend more time with friends and their families as well. I meet up with them after work and usually stay out late smoking shisha and chatting .

Do you find there's a change of pace during Ramadan?
Yes, especially during the afternoon hours when people are resting or at home preparing for Iftar. On the other hand, at night, the city is more lively and vibrant than at any other time of the year.

Do you find traffic slowing down or is it aggravated?
Traffic is excellent during the day, especially early in the morning and in the afternoons before sunset.

Sharon Pereira, Indian

Define Ramadan.
Ramadan for me means coming home early and sleeping in the afternoon. I love going out at night to shop in the malls and hang out with my friends.

Do you find the pace of life changes at all?
Actually no! In my opinion, in Ramadan the hassle and bustle doubles. After Iftar, everybody is out walking, eating at restaurants etc. During the month people also start preparing for Eid and that involves a lot of shopping. The city slows down only when people are home having Iftar.

Do you find any difference in the traffic?
Traffic slows down in the afternoon, but in the evening it is back to crazy.

Is there anything you can do in Ramadan that you can't do otherwise?
In Ramadan, I can finally relax, unwind, watch movies and stay out late soaking in the atmosphere. During this period the feel of the place just changes. The city is all lit up and a spiritual atmosphere overtakes everybody.

What's your favourite hangout?
I love going to the BurJuman mall, to the cafes in Jumeirah and also to Dubai Marina. The good thing is that in Ramadan, the weather should have cooled off a bit too.

What did you do in Ramadan last year?
I arrived in Dubai, just a few months before Ramadan started. It was my first Ramadan experience in a Gulf country and I spent it going around and exploring the city. When one is new, he/she wants to know what's around and Ramadan, with the shorter work-hours was the perfect time to do that.

Anything in particular you're looking forward to this year?
My afternoon naps and movies!

Ameena Al Mazrouei, Emarati

What is Ramadan like for you?
I usually gather with my family for Iftar. Once a week I go out with my friends to various Ramadan tents.

Is Ramadan different from the other months?
For me, Ramadan is a time for family get-togethers, forgiveness and prayers. It is different from the other months for a lot of reasons. First of all, as I fast, I have to wake up at night to have Suhoor and this means sleeping less in the night and going to work tired. Unlike the rest of the year where I usually eat out, in Ramadan, Iftar is at home. Ramadan also means shorter working hours, which I love.

What are your favourite Ramadan dishes?
Haris, a dish made of meat and wheat, is definitely my favourite Ramadan food. Juices such as Vimto are also typical for this time of year. I also love to eat fareed bread – a Ramadan specialty usually served with a red sauce, vegetables and meat.

Do you find the city's pace slowing down during Ramadan?
Yes. People work shorter hours, the streets are empty and people are not in a frenzy like the rest of the year.

How is Ramadan different from when you were a child?
When I was a child there was more social activity going on. I remember people in our neighbourhood went to each other's houses to exchange homemade dishes and sweets. Now this tradition has been replaced by paying visits to neighbours, relatives and friends during Eid Al Fitr celebration. Families spend a lot of money preparing their children and themselves for the festivity. Getting new clothes for the children has become one of the most important rituals of Eid. Earlier, Eid preparations began just days before the festival. Now, families begin their shopping from the start of Ramadan.

Soamia Mehidi, Algerian

What do you enjoy most about Ramadan?
It's about being with family each and every day; at Iftar, in the evening and at Suhoor.

Do you have any favourite Ramadan dishes?
I love to eat this Arabic pastry called Basbouta. which I usually break my fast with. At Iftar, I don't like to eat too much. It's not healthy and it goes against the main concept of the month, which is abstinence and self-sacrifice. For this reason, I usually just have soup and some sweets.

Do you get to spend more time with family and friends, as school/work hours are shorter?
One has the whole year to spend with friends, but only one month to spend with the extended family, and this month should be dedicated wholly to them.

What's your favourite hangout?
My favourite hangout is the mall. After the Tarawih (the last evening prayer) I love going to the mall to shop with my friends.

What did you do last year during Ramadan?
Last year I went once a week to a charity place to help out. I believe that this is more meaningful than just giving out some money, especially since I wouldn't even know where it's going.

Aziem Banderker, South African

What do you do during Ramadan?
Ramadan is spent with my family. At Iftar, we all sit together at the table and thank God for our day. I believe that a family that prays and eats together is a family that stays together.

What do you normally break your fast with?
For starters we like to have samosas (filo pastry wraps filled with meat or vegetables) and savouries. South African Muslims, like us, also have a drink called Boeber, it's a typical Ramadan dessert made mainly of milk, butter and spices like cardamom and cinnamon.

Do you find any difference in the traffic situation during this month?
The traffic gets worse than normal around 3pm when everybody is heading home early.

Is there anything you can do in Ramadan that you can't do otherwise?
The one thing that is impossible to do the rest of the year is going to the Ramadan tents on the beach. I take my family at least once a week. I love this Arabic tradition, which I discovered, for the first time, here in Dubai.

Where do you spend most of your time after Iftar?
At home. During Ramadan one should reflect on the reasons behind the fast. Spending time hanging out in malls or other places defeats the purpose of
this month.

Roshan Mohamed, Sri Lankan

What do you do during Ramadan?
I spend Ramadan at home with my family (see below) avoiding the distractions from the outside world and concentrating on the real meaning of this month: fasting, praying and bonding with loved ones. I convey to my children the meaning of family and teach them that this month is also about helping the less fortunate.

What is your favourite Ramadan food?
I normally break my fast with milk and dates, followed by watermelon. I avoid fast food and elaborate dishes.

Does the city's pace slow down during Ramadan?
Yes, in many ways.Traffic is a lot less during the fasting hours.

Where do you enjoy hanging out during Ramadan?
At home.

Do you have your Iftar and Suhoor at home or at one of the various Ramadan tents?
Always at home as the whole meaning of this month is to be humble and do everything with modesty.