An Algerian Eid in Switzerland

I wrote this post for Multicultural Kid Blogs describing how we intend to celebrate Eid in Switzerland, the Algerian way.

I'd love to hear how you plan to celebrate Eid in your corner of the world!

On Belonging and Identity

From time to time, it suddenly hits me. I don't belong anywhere. I left my country, where I grew up. Left my family behind, the familiarity.  There are moments where I feel at ease where I am now, lots of times actually. But then , I suddenly realise, I've not been to a family wedding for a while. Only heard of family members passing away over the phone, not been to see them one last time.

I left home 19 years ago. Another three years, and I would have spent as many years abroad as in my home country. In my heart, I still feel totally Algerian. But I feel definite connections with the places I've lived in: France and England.

But then, it only takes a random sentence, some get-together, to feel excluded. I don't belong. Despite my language and cultural proficiency, I am not French nor English. Actually, I am not sure I still belong in my home country either. And I certainly do not belong in Switzerland!

Ramadan will start in a couple of weeks. For the last eleven years, ever since BK1 was born, I spent most of it in Algeria. There, activity is reduced, life slows right down. Nobody expects you to take kids to the open-door swimming pool in the searing heat while you haven't had a drink or anything to eat for the last 12 hours. Nobody plans a school musical show preceded by nibbles at 5pm. Nobody wonders why on Earth this crazy nursing woman of four kids would abstain from eating or drinking from dawn till dusk.

This year is different. Because the girls are still in school for almost the whole duration of Ramadan, we'll only be able to fast the last few days in Algiers. And it makes me sad. It makes me long for my childhood smells, the market stalls,  the anticipation of sharing a long-awaited meal with my parents, the long evenings, the rituals.

Today is one of those days.

Food, Glorious Food!

Today, I have literally been cooking up a storm, an international one for that matter: I am making a sticky gingerbread, Thamthunt (Algerian bread) and a veggie Lasagna.

Gingerbread

That's what happens when I'm hungry. Reason: I am fasting. I am making up for a couple of days I missed during Ramadan in August. The BabelDad is fasting too, out of solidarity. He makes fun of me. He says I am a cheat, as I choose the shortest days in the year to fast - sunset is at a measly 3.55 compared to the 10pm+ during summer.

Thamthunt

I tried to enlist BK3's help to keep her busy. But no, whisking eggs and weighing sugar are not good enough tasks for a two-year old. She absolutely needs to stir the hot treacle mix and flatten the bread with dirty hands! (rest assured, I did not let her).

Here I am trying to finish the Bechamel sauce, and tidy up the kitchen before fetching the older two from school. By now, BK3 is running wild, taking the pepper mill apart and climbing on the worktop.

Lasagna

Then, while I put the peanut butter jar in the fridge, her little voice goes:
"Maman, zidee khobz maa beurre de cacahuètes" (mum, more bread with peanut butter).

I was struck by the clarity, fluidity and length of this Franco-Arabic sentence.

What a joy to witness multilingualism developing for the third time in our house!