Ahlam Bader

Environment inspector

Ahlam Bader, an environment inspector at the Environment Ministry's Inspection and Monitoring Directorate, has been busy over the past few days baking traditional Eid sweets - pastry dough stuffed with dates and covered with pistachios - and preparing the house for Eid Al Fitr.

"Now, I'm busy with shopping for clothes for my children, husband and myself," Bader said.

The mother of four, whose job is responding to complaints of environmental violations by visiting the facilities, examining the breaches and issuing recommendations to rectify them, noted that Ramadan is a slow month.

"Even the number of complaints received on environmental violations drop," she said, noting that her field visits to facilities and industries in Amman decrease.

“Apparently people do not report violations in Ramadan as they do during the rest of the year; maybe it has to do with the spirituality of the month," Bader said jokingly.

She said she usually receives around 20 complaints a day, but in Ramadan, the number drops by half.

"It is true that working hours and the workload drop during Ramadan, but due to the nature of our work we cannot afford to become lenient, because ignoring any complaint means endangering our environment and people's health," Bader said.

By Hana Namrouqa

Mohammad Ersan

Radio presenter

Having no time to see family friends during working days is normal for a majority of the workforce, but not being able to see them even in the Eid holiday is exclusive to those working in the media, health and some other sectors, according to a radio presenter.

Mohammad Ersan, a presenter in Radio El Balad and AmmanNet Internet radio, he lives in Amman as his work is based here, but his family is in Irbid, 80kms from the capital.

“I used to look forward to Eid as an opportunity to spend time with my family and see friends I have not met for ages,” Ersan told The Jordan Times. “But in this job, unfortunately, Eid is like any other day as I have to work in the station at least one full day during the vacation, while on the other days I have to work from home.”

Ersan said his job is twofold: A presenter on the radio and reporter for AmmanNet.

“Internet radio or news websites require updates around-the-clock. Even when on my day off during Eid, I have to check the website and update the news,” he explained.

“I had plans to travel outside the country during Eid, but unfortunately could not do so,” Ersan noted.

By Khetam Malkawi

Muyassar Shayet

Secretary

Muyassar Shayet plans to spend the entire Eid holiday with friends and family in the country.

The 45-year-old mother of four, who has been working as a secretary for the Jordan Football Association for the past three years, said she will not be able to travel abroad.

"We have a big family and it is very hard for my husband and me to just travel to any country in the region. It costs more than we can afford and we have other important priorities," Shayet said.

Therefore, she added, the plan for the first day of Eid is to have a family lunch with her husband, children and relatives.

"This is one of the greatest joys for me during Eid. The entire family will be reunited and we get to eat a nice meal and then some sweets. It is a lovely event," she said.

The rest of the Eid holiday will continue to be a hectic for Shayet, basically an exchange of visits between relatives and friends to wish each other a happy Eid, she said.

"I have three sisters and six brothers in addition to my in-laws. So it is going to be a busy week for our family and relatives," she added.

By Rana Husseini

Um Yousef

Housewife

For Um Yousef, who is nostalgic about the days when her children were at home and waiting for Eid Al Fitr, the holiday is no longer the same.

The mother of two blames her sons' absence for the lack of the "true joy" of Eid.

"My two sons work in the UAE and sometimes it's difficult for them to come and spend the Eid in Jordan," said Um Yousef, who lives with her husband in Amman.

The 65-year-old recalled how she used to work very hard before Eid to ensure that everything was "perfect".

"When my sons, Yousef and Yasar, were young I used to buy the most beautiful and unique clothes to make them look their best during the Eid," said Um Yousef, noting that family gatherings during the occasion were something to look forward to.

But Eid has changed nowadays, according to Um Yousef, because people hardly meet and some of them seize the opportunity of the holiday to travel outside the country.

"People have become busier and less appreciative of family bonds," she pointed out, adding that she always tells her sons to keep practising the same Eid "habits" so their children can feel the joy of Eid as they did in their childhood.

By Laila Azzeh