I know I do nothing poorly. I mean, when there is nothing to do I am not at my best. Another meaning of the first sentence is that I do everything well but that’s not what I want to say today.

Ramadan, for non-fasting Christians, is 28 days of NOTHING. Remember: During Ramadan, for Muslims who observe the fast, there is no taking into the body of anything (i.e. food, smoke, drink,  injections, etc.) during the time the sun is up.  After sunset (just about) anything goes.

I can get my own breakfast. It’s just instant coffee and bread. (Why, living on the island that gave coffee its name, do we only use instant coffee???) I offered to take care of lunch myself but the mother of my host family said that she had to get lunch for the 5 year old granddaughter living with us, (young children do not fast) she could just as easily get lunch for me. I eat dinner when the family eats their breaking of the fast (breakfast) meal just after the call to evening prayer. The usual way for them to break their fasts is to start with something very very sweet, like dates in warm sweetened coconut milk. I tried that but found that I couldn’t eat the main meal after having desert first. So I have the meals covered which you would think would be the most difficult part of the month.  It isn’t.

The schools take a three week vacation. Anyone who can, saves up vacation days to go back to their home village to spend Ramadan with their greater families. In short, no one works. This leaves me with nothing to do.

Knowing that I do nothing poorly, I came up with a plan. Last year I read all 7 Harry Potter books. This year, I decided to read the 4 books of the Lord of the Ring including The Hobbit. I did that.  I also read a WWII novel, a mystery and have only one more of the 7 Narnia books to finish either today or tomorrow.  During this Ramadan I have seen the 3 Hobbit movies and have the 3 Lord of the Ring movies yet to see. (Thank you Brandon, the new PCV in Sumedang (20 minutes away) for giving me the movies.)

You might think I do nothing but read 24-7. I have to admit the drum players who walk around at 3:00 a.m. to ensure people wake up for the last meal of the night have woken me every night but, I usually sleep regular hours. (I did get out of bed one night and go outside to see who these people were who roam the streets making noise in the middle of the night. As I thought, they are miscreant youth getting away with religiously acceptable mischief.)  I have also gone 8 hours south of Cimalaka for 4 days at a beach and spent three days getting to and from Bandung (3 hours away) to go to the dentist. I’ve also done a 9 square inch needlepoint project. I spent two days helping my host family make cookies and snacks for the visitors they will have during the Eid (feast).

I try not to have nothing to do.