Ramadan Far from Home: A Teacher’s First Lessons in Distance and Devotion

For many in Oman, Ramadan is inseparable from gatherings: families around the iftar table, neighbours exchanging dishes before sunset, and streets that stay lively late into the night. For Ahood, however, this year’s Ramadan felt very different.
A young geography teacher in her first year working with the Ministry of Education, Ahood spent the holy month far from home in Dhalkut, in North Dhofar. The distance was more than physical. “It’s not only far,” she says. “It feels almost disconnected because the area is remote and services are very limited.”
Unlike cities where shops and cafés stay open late during Ramadan, Dhalkut offers few such options. The quiet surroundings intensified her homesickness. Knowing how difficult it would be, her family welcomed Ramadan by sending boxes filled with household items and Ramadan essentials. “They knew the circumstances I live in,” she says. “So they sent me everything I might need.” The gesture helped bridge the distance, even if the emotional longing remained.

To ease the feeling, Ahood and her colleagues tried to recreate a sense of home. They decorated the small apartment they shared with lights and simple Ramadan decorations. Still, nothing could replace family gatherings. Most evenings, only a few teachers shared iftar together, sometimes just four people.
“Back home, preparations start early,” she recalls. “We cook together, prepare many dishes, and everyone waits for the moment of iftar.” In Dhalkut, meals were much simpler. Some evenings consisted only of dates and laban.
Occasionally, she and her colleagues tried to create their own moments. One memorable escape was taking iftar to the beach and breaking their fast while watching the sea. “You feel something pleasant for maybe half an hour,” Ahood says, “but then you remember you are still missing the real Ramadan atmosphere.”

Yet the quiet environment also brought unexpected blessings. With fewer social distractions, she found more time for worship, prayer, and reading the Qur’an. Still, she missed communal traditions, especially attending Taraweeh prayers and the lively evening walks common in her hometown. “In Dhalkut, after 10 p.m., everything becomes very quiet,” she explains.
Despite the isolation, local residents showed generosity, sometimes sharing fresh fish and seafood. A colleague living nearby also invited the teachers to her home for iftar, offering a warm sense of family and togetherness.
When Ahood briefly returned home after two weeks, she realized how deeply the distance had affected her. Yet the experience also left lasting memories: breaking fast by the sea, watching the sunrise, spotting crabs along the shore, and sharing quiet cups of tea after night prayers.
For Ahood, her first Ramadan away from home became more than a challenge. It was a reminder that even in the quietest places, the spirit of the holy month endures.