{"id":87958,"date":"2018-06-15T17:10:21","date_gmt":"2018-06-15T15:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=87958"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:23:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:23:01","slug":"het-zou-geforceerd-zijn-als-ik-het-suikerfeest-hier-probeer-te-vieren-net-als-thuis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/06\/15\/het-zou-geforceerd-zijn-als-ik-het-suikerfeest-hier-probeer-te-vieren-net-als-thuis\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It would feel artificial if I imitated my country’s Eid celebration here’"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Friday, after a month of fasting during Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr. Normally the celebration involves eating delicious food and having a good time with family. But, being away from home, how do foreign Muslim students at Erasmus University celebrate this religious holiday?<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn my country, Eid is a big celebration,\u201d says Mariem Ait Belhadj, Psychology student from Morocco. \u201cWe start the day with Eid prayers, after which we enjoy a delicious feast. Family comes together, everyone is happy and proud that they\u2019ve managed to complete the whole month of fasting. In short, the whole country feels like partying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three years ago, Belhadj moved to the Netherlands.\u00a0Since then, the Islamic holiday hasn\u2019t been a special event for her. \u201cI don\u2019t celebrate Eid here because you can\u2019t feel the atmosphere anyway. In my first year I did buy Moroccan cookies though, just for the sake of memories.\u201d<\/p>\n

No celebration at student associations<\/h2>

KASEUR, the umbrella organisation of multicultural student societies at the EUR, doesn\u2019t organise an Eid celebration either. \u201cThis year, as far as I know, we don\u2019t have any activities for Eid. But it\u2019s actually a good idea for the coming academic year,\u201d says chairman Jennifer Onyenze.<\/p>\n

The same applies to the association of Indonesian students, PPI Rotterdam. \u201cPPI doesn\u2019t have to organise anything because the Indonesian Embassy always ensures that we can celebrate Eid with them,\u201d PPI member Fiandra Azzahra, a second year IBCom, explains.<\/p>\n

On Eid day, most Indonesian students go to The Hague where, after Eid prayers, they are welcome to celebrate the holiday at the Indonesian Embassy. \u201cThe embassy always provides exquisite food and a cosy atmosphere,\u201d says Azzahra. \u201cSo, for a day, we really do feel as though we\u2019re at home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018I (don\u2019t) miss the celebration\u2019<\/h2>

When asked if she misses the Eid celebration, Belhadj shakes her head. \u201cNo, I\u2019m fully aware that it\u2019s different here. It would feel artificial if I tried to celebrate Eid the way I did it in my home country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eliz Hafaz has a different opinion. This year, Hafaz, a Turkish student born and raised in Bulgaria, celebrates her second Eid in the Netherlands. \u201cI really miss the feel of Ramadan and Eid. Last year I didn\u2019t do anything except go out with a Muslim friend, because I didn\u2019t want to be alone during Eid.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, this year looks promising for Hafaz. \u201cMy brother is coming to visit me from Groningen. The next day, we\u2019ll travel together to our parents in Bulgaria to celebrate Eid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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