From early morning lattes in the garden to navigating Cairo’s bustling souks, Palestinian podcast host and model tracks her day as she prepares for Ramadan and juggles traffic, homesickness, and three very demanding felines.
9:00 AM The first thing I do as soon as I open my eyes is open the Talabat app and order an extra hot latte with honey from Dara’s whilst I’m still in bed, before getting up to assume my duties and feed my three cats who’ve been trying to wake me up for the past hour.
9:05 AM I brush my teeth and splash some water on my face. Ideally, I would start my skincare routine, but the cats are getting impatient and want breakfast. Whilst they’re eating, I put on my favourite Quran playlist, do the washing up, and do a quick wipe down of the kitchen. I try to play Quran recitations in my house at least once a day. It’s something my parents did growing up.
9:20 AM The cats are all done with their breakfast just as my breakfast (coffee) arrives. I take the first sip of my latte in the garden with my husband, which has become our daily ritual. Nature is truly healing.
9:50 AM Once I finish my coffee (sad), I head back inside and start my skincare routine: Dieux Instant Angel moisturiser and Dieux Auracle eye serum, which have been my go-tos for years.
10:30 AM I check my calendar to assess what I have to do for the day, then check my inbox and start replying to emails and DMs.
11:00 AM I get sidetracked and start looking for Ramadan decorations from some local brands on Botit. To be fair, it doesn’t feel like a real distraction because Ramadan prep is technically on my to-do list. Also, my mum has been extremely invested in my Ramadan decor ever since I moved to Egypt for some reason, so I’m basically just being a great daughter.
11:20 AM I would typically have another coffee right around now, but I’ve been trying to stick to one cup in the morning in the weeks leading up to Ramadan to avoid crash outs, even though I will most definitely still probably crash out.
11:50 AM I realise I’ve fallen into a Ramadan decor rabbit hole and decide I should just get up and physically check out some local shops instead. I also successfully bully my husband into coming with me.
12:00 PM I start getting ready and apply SPF, run some clear brow gel through my brows, curl my lashes, and tap a little Huda Beauty liquid blush in Watermelon Pop on my cheeks and lips. Then I stare at my wardrobe for what feels like forever. I have no idea what to wear. I decide to throw on my go-to comfy pieces: a vintage “Allah is the greatest” sweatshirt (one of my best eBay finds), a white T-shirt from The Frankie Shop, AG Denim Kora jeans in a faded black wash, and my Vela Scarves Square Jersey Lite scarf in grey, which is essentially the sweatpants equivalent of a scarf in the best way ever.
12:25 PM I check the weather and realise it’s actually chillier than I thought it would be, so I grab my favourite oversized black leather jacket from SVC Vintage. I also switch out my current bag, dumping the contents of my pale blue Balenciaga City bag and moving a few essentials (my card holder, keys, EADEM lip balm in Boba, Huda Beauty lip contour in Warm Brown) into my Prada Explore bag so I can be hands-free whilst I shop. A few spritzes of Orabella in Salted Muse, then I grab my Gentle Monster x Margiela sunglasses and head out.
12:45 PM In the taxi, the driver is playing one of my favourite chapters of the Quran: “Surat Maryam”. It always makes me think of my dad because he’s the one who taught me to memorise it when I was young. I start feeling emo thinking about spending Ramadan far from my immediate family since they’re all in the U.S., and honestly, a little car sick. My body has yet to fully adapt to sitting in Cairo traffic. I text my parents that I love them. I really miss them, if it wasn’t already apparent. I open my notes app and make a quick list of which chapters of the Quran I’d like to memorise during the upcoming month of Ramadan. I spend the rest of the ride silently reciting Surat Maryam.
1:25 PM We arrive at Souk El-Khayamiya (the Tentmakers Bazaar) in Old Cairo. I’m excited, but also overstimulated, because Cairo can be a lot. And I moved here from NYC, so that’s saying something.
1:45 PM Anytime I go shopping at a souk like this, I like to do a quick walkthrough and scan all the sellers before committing to one shop. I end up leaving with two small golden lanterns that are cute, but I still have a few other things in mind that I want to find before Ramadan begins. I’m trying not to wait until the last minute, which is what I typically end up doing.
2:15 PM I still really want coffee, but I resist the temptation and opt for a fresh mango juice instead, which Egypt does better than anywhere else.
3:02 PM The call to Asr prayer can be heard all around the city, but especially in areas like Old Cairo. It never gets old. We head back home because the cats are definitely pissed and want their midday meal.
5:22 PM I completely lost track of time and have no idea how it’s already Maghrib, but I know I’ll be grateful for an early sunset in just a few short weeks when I’m fasting.
5:45 PM I typically have my first real meal of the day around 5:30 to 6-ish, which I’m now realising should make fasting a lot easier, so that’s kind of a slay. Anyway, my husband and I decided to have kofta sandwiches for dinner, and it was truly an excellent choice.
7:00 PM As I begin to wind down from the day, I write a few Ramadan intentions in my notes app. I’m not aiming for perfection. I’m just trying to show up better than last year.