When I first arrived in Jordan, I was a bit surprised because the culture is a little bit different to where I am from in Massachusetts. For instance, people dress in more modest clothing in Amman so even if it is 90 degrees out, most people will be dressed in full-length pants and shirts. Even though the culture is a little bit different from what I was used to seeing in the United States, I also got to see some new traditions that were very exciting!
While I was in Jordan, I learned about a special tradition that occurs during the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month in the Islamic calendar that is celebrated by fasting from sunrise to sunset. This means that during the day, the Muslim people that live in Jordan are not allowed to eat any food or drink any liquid (including water!). At the end of the day, when the Muslims in Jordan are permitted to eat, they break their fast with a huge feast to mark the end of their fast. During this feast, friends and family come from all over the city and country to eat together. These traditional feasts are called Iftar and are very important when celebrating the month of Ramadan. Also, during Ramadan, there are usually people that walk around the neighborhoods playing drums right before sunrise, so people can wake up to eat and pray before they start fasting.
