DINAH LORD: Deal with it Dhimmi!

While surfing in Borneo earlier I found this site and this interesting piece: How does Ramadhan affect expatriates?

Given that we are devoting ourselves this month to the Religion Of Peaceful Explosions and their Ramadan Offensive, -er celebration, I thought it might be instructive to post.

The overall pace of life overall slows down. Things take longer to get accomplished both at home and at the office.

Your live-in household staff will arise very early in the morning to prepare their pre-dawn meal and many try to complete their heavy chores early in the morning just after they've eaten . If their pre-sunrise noise is bothering your family, talk with your staff to see how they can reduce their noise levels while your family is still asleep.

Your household staff may need a nap mid-morning or in the afternoon to keep pace with their altered sleeping and eating schedules.

Muslims that may not normally be diligent in observing the obligatory five prayers a day, may begin to pray regularly during this time, necessitating their absence from work for about 10-15 minutes.
It would be best to schedule difficult tasks before or after Ramadhan to achieve your workers best efforts.

Your cook will not be able to taste the foods she is cooking for you.
Your driver will appreciate it if you can let him break the fast in the car with a drink of water and a sweet snack, if he is driving you home at sunset.

Food vendors and some restaurants close during the day and some restaurants stop serving alcohol. The government closes night entertainment centers during the beginning and end of Ramadhan and shortens their hours throughout the month. You won't have any trouble finding seating at restaurants throughout Jakarta for lunch, but dinner may be more difficult. Buffets catering to those breaking their fast at sunset offer a delicious array of Indonesian specialties.

You may be awoken early in the morning by the enthusiastic young people parading through the neighborhood (DON'T tell them to be quiet! This would be extremely offensive, just quietly endure.)

Food prices rise dramatically as Lebaran nears.

Your household staff will want to take one to two weeks off to visit their family in the village and you'll be left to cope without a cook, driver, watchman and helpers. Consequently, restaurants do a brisk trade during this period as families eat out more often than usual.

A one-month bonus is commonly paid to all household staff and salaried employees in offices and factories near the end of the fasting month. This is referred to as THR (tay-ha-err) Tunjangan Hari Raya, or bulan ketigabelas - the 13th month.

An increased level of patience and tolerance is required when dealing with workers who are fasting.

Do not speak harshly with those fasting as if they get angry or have negative feelings towards others it invalidates their fasting for that day.

Traffic jams from the afternoon rush hour start earlier as many office workers leave earlier than usual to break the fast with family and friends.

It's difficult to schedule travel in Indonesia near the end of Ramadhan due to the annual exodus of millions of city dwellers to their hometowns.

You may feel uncomfortable eating or drinking before your fasting staff/friends. It would be considerate to refrain from eating or drinking in front of others that are fasting.
Your neighborhood association may organize a charitable drive for the poor in your neighborhood. Give to this drive as a gesture of good faith and your membership in the local community.

You'll notice a big increase in beggars at traffic lights as the poor flock into the city from the villages at this traditional time of heightened charity giving.