Australia is one of the countries with the fastest fasting period for Ramadan. Meanwhile, there is Norway whose fasting time is much longer. Therefore, stories about the experience of fasting abroad often become a question for netizens, what does it taste like?
Fasting in Australia and Norway has its own challenges. The following is a story about the fasting experience of the students who were there.
Imran Aryan Kamil, a student majoring in physics at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) who had his first fast in Tasmania shared his experience of fasting. According to him, in terms of weather and iftar hours, there are no challenges that make it difficult for him to fast abroad. The duration of fasting in Tasmania is only about 12 hours.
"Actually, there are not many (challenges) because the fasting hours are relatively the same . Maybe (the challenge) if we go out are restaurants so it looks like food, someone is eating, ' he said, chuckling.
Currently Australia in the Southern Earth, is entering autumn, the transition from summer. The weather experienced is relatively cold so that the cool air helps make fasting in Tasmania easier for Imran.
Fasting in northern Earth
The opposite condition is experienced in northern Earth. There was Genesia Wahyu Saputro, a master's student in the Project Management program, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) who shared his story of fasting in a country known for its relatively long fasting hours.
In Norway it is currently spring, heading into summer, the opposite of Australia. That means, Gene will have a longer day. The average fast is 16 hours and the longer the fast approaching Eid.
"This is quite a challenging challenge for us Muslims here, because it means the day is getting longer every day. The time to fast from the first time I fasted, it was breaking my fast from 04.00, then I broke my fast at 20.20, it took 4 minutes to increase so 20:20, 20:24, 20:28," said Gene.
At its peak, there is a moment where the breaking time occurs at 20:45 local time. Well, in this second week, the challenge is getting real because there is no 'true night'. The sun does not set more than 17 degrees, so the fasting time there can be said to be longer if it follows the local time.
That's roughly the picture of the struggle of friends abroad to fast. If we are at the equator, we are lucky enough because the fasting time is relatively stable for 13 hours. Have a lot to be grateful for.