INTERVIEW WITH SADEEN

Looking back at Sadeen’s childhood and pre college times, I asked her about some times she felt deeply connected to and what Ramadan was like for her then. Join us in reading this small conversation.

SADDQA BAHIDRAH:

“WHAT IS A RAMADAN TRADITION THAT YOU USED TO DO BEFORE COLLEGE, THAT YOU EITHER CONTINUED TO DO AT COLLEGE OR WERE NOT ABLE TO DO AT COLLEGE?”

SADEEN OWIS:

“UMM..I MEAN THE FIRST ONE IS KINDA BASIC BUT VIMTO! WE USED TO DRINK VIMTO RELIGIOUSLY, LIKE EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT WAS RAMADAN. I HAVEN’T FOUND VIMTO HERE…”

SADDQA BAHIDRAH:

“REALLY?”

SADEEN OWIS:

“HAVE YOU?”

SADDQA BAHIDRAH:

“YEAH, I’VE FOUND IT! ZAHRAA FOUND IT AT THIS ONE ARABIC SUPERMARKET, AND SHE ALSO FOUND SUN TOP, IF YOU WANTED THAT…”

SADEEN OWIS:

“NO WAY!”

SADDQA BAHIDRAH:

“I THINK WHAT I NOTICED, LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY IS THAT THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS WE REALLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT. THE CITY IS JUST SO DENSE WITH INFORMATION, WE’RE BASICALLY JUST TOUCHING THE SURFACE. I THINK IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING, HAVING SO MANY THINGS TO DO THAT WE JUST DO NOTHING.”

SADEEN OWIS:

“I TOTALLY AGREE.

ANOTHER THING IS I USED TO BE KIND OF WELL KNOWN FOR MAKING REALLY GOOD FRIED SHRIMP IN MY FAMILY. MY DAD IS A SEABOAT CAPTAIN, SO HE BRINGS IN A LOT OF SEAFOOD. I HAVE MY OWN RECIPE FOR MAKING THE BATTERS AND IT’S EVEN BETTER THAN MY DAD, HE HAS BEEN DETHRONED! I USED TO MAKE FRIED SHRIMP AT LEAST ONCE EVERY RAMADAN FOR MY FAMILY AND I STOPPED WHEN I CAME HERE. IT’S HARD TO MAKE FRIED SHRIMP IN THE DORM.”

SADDQA BAHIDRAH:

“I KNOW YOU’RE FROM JEDDAH, SO YOU HAVE THE SEAFOOD AT YOUR DISCRETION. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CONNECT COOKING TO RAMADAN AND THEIR RAMADAN TRADITIONS, SO WE GET TO CONNECT THROUGH FOOD.”