Originally Posted on May 20, 2021

It’s 110 degrees in Doha. I’m drinking a pink rose latte on my balcony—wondering if the Oklahoma heat has prepared me for the desert summer.

I can hardly believe that “spring” is over, and summer is here—but spring is worth documenting.

From mid-April to mid-May, people who are Muslim fasted food, water, and other necessities/pleasures from sunup to sundown as part of Ramadan, a holiday in which they devote themselves to becoming closer to Allah; this holiday is in celebration of the time when they believe that the Qur’an was revealed to Mohammed. Following Ramadan was the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” known as Eid al-Fitr.

Just as my family and I gather for Christmas dinner, the families in Qatar joined together to cook homemade meals in preparation to break the fast at the end of every evening.

Signs across the city lit up with the phrase “Ramadan Kareem,” meaning “Happy Ramadan, and a popular grocery store, Monoprix, even had paper bags with the phrase “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “Blessed Feast”—similar to Braum’s Ice Cream paper bags that are decorated with wreaths, snowmen, and Christmas trees each December.

Parks in Doha were adorned with moon décor and color-changing lights, and my social media news feeds were filled with ads about Ramadan hotel deals, shopping sales, and opportunities to donate to non-profit organizations globally.

This past month was a reminder that my part of the world is only a small part of this big world—but it is also a reminder that “small” is still desirable.

I have met many people who would, in an instance, live in my small part of America.

Many of the delivery and Uber drivers who are from Pakistan, Sudan, Nepal, etc. say, “Oh, you’re from the U.S.? I have been trying to go.” Minimum wage in Qatar is 1,000 riyals ($275 USD), along with minimum allowances of 300 riyals for food and 500 riyals for housing, according to Qatar’s local Al Jazeera Media Network (on March 19, 2021).

This Independence Day, I will be celebrating with a deeper understanding of my freedom—from choosing my career path to publicly worshipping Jesus Christ. I can’t wait to see the fireworks.