Engagement

The girl of pancakes (galette) got engaged thursday after Ramadan party.

She has a 2 year old kid and everyone calls her fiancé "husband", I had believed that she was already engaged well married !"

But apparently in islam tradition or customs, she has not.

Her dad had a hard time to explain it to me...

"She gonna will get engaged next Thursday. Well, she is already engaged but hummm..."

Anyway,

While all men were in Mosk, women stayed at home.

I went to visit her on that day after work.

It was very much normal atmosphere there, more likely a weekend, not traditonal or special, to be honest.

But many visitors were there.

The official financée was very beautiful.

Her face is so small...

With 2 of her 5 young sisters

The youngest put also nice clothes on, especially on her feet.

My Burkinabè parents (well, hers)

Finally...

I thought that it would never possible to do fasting in my life.

But...

Last Sunday, as I had no plan for the day to go out, I believed that it would be the 1st and last chance to try it!

Well, I confess at the beginning but I didn't do acually 100 %.

Because it was already 7a.m when I woke up in the morning...

I should have waken up at 4:45 and done eating before 5...

Anyway I started fasting day from then after quickly eat some rice.

In the morning, I washed my clothes then studied a little bit.

At 10, I went to see my neighbor family, of course to tell them I do ramadan today!

They appreciated my action.

One of girls told me to break the fasting together in the evening.

I observed the famous, delicious pancake preparation.

Then around noon, I went back home.

It was a very beautiful day, which means it was hot as well...

Gradually I started feeling thirsty.

My stomach started making noise too.

No way of giving up right now !

I tried to kill time and forget these desire with reading and watching a film.

From 4p.m, it became dark and started raining, really hard.

It became very cool, thanks god !

At 5:30, one more hour.

Well, actually I started feeling nothing really...

It doesn't mean that I started losing my consciousness but just I was anymore neither hungry nor thirsty.

Then just before 6:30,

Everyone started clean body (have a shower) before the pray.

Me and one of girls went out to the road side to buy her older sister's galettes.

After praying, the moment came...!

In fact, it wasn't as exciting as I expected because I wasn't suffering from not eating or drinking...

Once the peak passes, it is not so difficult apparently...

Anyway with water I started feeding my empty stomach then ginger juice, millet soupe (like oatmeal), pancakes and yogourt.

I was already full at this time...

We watced TV all together then at 7:30.

"Come here pray !"

"What?! me too!?"

"Of course ! why not ?" They didn't say that actually but sounded so I couldn't refuse it...

Behind the family's dad who leads the pray, the other all members stand on goat skin carpet.

Women and girls wear scarf around their head, of course me too.

Then it started.

I had no idea so just I tried to immitate others and follow them.

Stand up, sit down, put your head on the ground, then stand up again, sit down...

Repeating, repeating and repeating.

From the certain moment, I chould guess what was next movement with hearing what the dad said.

It took about 20min.

Then the real dinner came. That day it was riz sauce (rice with sauce).

One day was done.

I was already full before the pray, I didn't eat much rice and went back home.

It was very cultural day with new experiences!

One month only special sweet

This year too, the period came :

One month of fast...

My neighbor's family is very islamic. All family except young children does ramadan.

Mom and daughters woke up 4:45 to start preparing food before sunrise.

Pray at 5.

Eat....

Then work without eating and even drinking any water until sunset...

Weekend, when I pass at their house, they ask me to taste the sauce for dinner and tell if there is enough salt or else because they can't even taste it...

The special work during the ramadan month for this family is to sell "galette" (small pancakes) on the street.

Islamic people "break" the ramadan of the day with this pancakes.

This sweet is usually made of millet flour, water and sugar.

But this family's galette is special.

It is my favorite in the whole city !

Because they put some banana in it.

It is sweet but not too much, just ! and so soft :)

There are several regular customers like me.

This is a special galette maker.

She is the oldest daughter in this family.

10 francs cfa (2 yen, 0.01 euro, 2.5 cents) for one.

People buy usually for 50 to 200 francs.

She gives me usually more than the price :D

I have to be careful because they put lots of sugar and so so so much of oil while cooking...

But I can't stop eating them ! Around 5, 6pm, just my stomach starts making noise...

You see so many women cooking and selling on streets like every 10m.

I wait until I arrive in front of my house to buy my neighbor's ones !

The family asks me when I will fast with them...

I say "ah... maybe next weekend..."

But to be honest, I probably can never do it because I am too "gourmand" !!!