Eid Milad Mohammad.

Wednesday, November 06

7:30 am. As usual, I make my way to Tarabot after breakfast. And as usual, we ask Samer, who is sitting at the reception, what program is planned for today when we arrive. We have found that the most reliable way to find out is on the day itself. And indeed, there is something today: on Saturday is the birthday of Prophet Mohammad, the most important person in Islam, which is already being celebrated here with the children today as Tarabot is closed on Saturdays. Therefore, at 3 o'clock, a bus full of children will arrive, who will then expect a fun program here.

But first, the usual suspects who appear here before their lessons: Sara with her brother Jafer and cousin Hamed, as well as Aiham, a friend of theirs. Today, they don't feel like painting and want to play something. Sophia and I already have enough vocabulary in Arabic to understand that. So Sophia explains a well-known game in Arabic: I spy with my little eye. The kids obviously don't know it yet, but they obviously enjoy it, while Sophia and I can refresh our Arabic vocabulary at the same time. Shortly afterwards, they say goodbye until this afternoon, and Sophia and I are called into another room by our Tarabot colleagues.

There is breakfast there today. Fuad, a colleague from Syria, brought Makdus and traditional Syrian cheese, homemade by his mother. Mara'a, the receptionist, also got bread and hummus from Abu Wahid, so now everyone stands around three large tables and dip bread into the various dishes. Yum. We ask Dr. Amina if there is a reason for this. "We just like food!", she answers. So it's really great to work here.

There are about 3 hours left until the children arrive, during which there is nothing to do, so Sophia and I focus on our Arabic materials until our heads spin. Learning a new language is really difficult, as we notice day after day.

Then the time finally comes: the children arrive! About 50 little ones come rushing in and first undergo the attendance check politely. Then everyone is divided into two groups and we start crafting: small wooden sticks with glitter hearts, which are decorated with eyes, mouth, bow, and a praise for Mohammad. From various directions, little hands and scissors are stretched out to me with the request to cut out hearts and bows. And that in record time, because the time for today's afternoon program is always tight. In the end, however, everyone managed it and left the room satisfied, each with a glittering heart smiling brightly.

Now everyone gathers again in the large hall in the middle, where a huge carpet is spread out, on which all the children take their seats. Then Kemos appears, another staff member of Tarabot. He wears a funny costume and reads a story about Prophet Mohammad aloud, which the children listen to attentively. Afterwards, there is a kind of quiz. I don't understand the questions, of course everything is in Arabic, but the children do. They all eagerly raise their little arms - everyone wants to give the right answer and get a candy as a reward. Then a drum is used at the front, and they start singing. Sophia and I watch the whole spectacle from behind and are delighted by the adorable crowd.

Afterwards, everyone gets a sweet treat: Warbat, an Arabic pastry similar to Baklava and filled with sweet cheese. Very greasy and very delicious. In conclusion, all children receive a small gift and then leave the building in a row. That was a really funny performance.

The afternoon program took a bit longer, so we won't make it to the lecture on time today, and then we hurry to Sophia because we still have our Arabic lesson with Rose today. In the late evening, I also have an Arabic-English tandem with Reem, a friend of Ammar's who lives in Syria. Once again, a very long but very successful day. The weekend is approaching soon.