Ramadan Begins!

It is official - a new moon was sighted tonight, marking the start of the month of Ramadan. Though science has long possessed the astronomical technology to accurately predict the start of new lunar cycles, traditionalists in the Islamic world rely on a less-sophisticated method: looking at the sky. The UAE's official moon-sighting committee saw the new moon tonight, as did similar organizations across the Middle East. Ramadan will thus start tomorrow, just as it says in my daily planner which was printed over a year ago.

However, were I without internet or sky access, I would still have likely guessed that Ramadan was indeed beginning due to the noise and hoopla that has been going on outside for hours. Noise is nothing new in my neighborhood, of course - even fireworks go off randomly at all hours of the day and night. But tonight seems much more intense. The music has been blasting all night - my neighbors are playing traditional Ramadan songs such as Hey Soul Sister, Viva la Vida, Tik Tok, and Bad Romance. Windows must stay open or it gets too hot to sleep.... it could be a long night.