“Many
affluent residents may also have to face the month without any
domestic help”
If
this report is true and temperatures are 65C (149F) then this will be
the very least they have to worry about!
NOTE:
for those who notice the improbablity of this - "Temperatures
in the shade would reach 50 degrees while under the DIRECT SUNLIGHT
may reach around 65 degrees"
Saudi
Arabia Braces for 65°C Temperatures During Ramadan
With
the holy month of Ramadan fast approaching, Saudis aren’t only
concerned about scorching record heat in the Kingdom. Many affluent
residents may also have to face the month without any domestic help.
2
June, 2015
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is considered one of the holiest times of the year for many in the Muslim world. During the thirty-day period, Muslims across the world abstain from drinking and eating between sunrise and sunset. Spiritually, the month is also meant to be a time of retrospection, patience, and giving.
The
year’s Ramadan, expected to begin on June 17, promises
to be an exceptionally difficult one for Saudi Arabia,
particularly as the Kingdom braces for one of its
hottest summers ever. According to Saudi climatologist Abdul
Rahman Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, temperatures could reach up to 65°
Celsius (141° Fahrenheit) in the country over the
course of the month.
Speaking
to the Saudi Gazette, Al-Ghamdi predicted the 50° Celsius
to scorch residents even in the shade during Ramadan.
If
Al-Ghamdi’s predictions are accurate, the month will mark the
highest temperature recorded since 1913, when the thermometers
climbed to 56.7°C in Death Valley, California.
Hot,
and Out of Help
Though
the high heat will probably make fasting a little more difficult,
many in the Kingdom have bigger fish to fry. After all,
most of the country’s residents live in air conditioned
housing and, under Saudi labor laws, working hours
during Ramadan are shortened to give observers more rest
and time at home with family.
Instead,
what many Saudis are concerned about is the prospect of facing
the holy month without domestic workers helping around in
the house.
The
so-called "maid crisis" began in 2011, when Indonesia
banned its citizens from migrating to Saudi Arabia
for domestic work. The ban came after an Indonesian maid
was executed in the Kingdom and was in response
to Jakarta’s growing frustration with the treatment
of domestic help in the country. Prior to the ban,
there were about 1.2 million Indonesian migrant workers in the
Kingdom, most of whom worked as maids.
"During
Ramadan, one tends to pray and socialize more than other
months," Ameena, a Saudi nurse, told Arab News. "It is
almost impossible for a housewife to spend the day
cleaning, cooking, praying, reading the Holy Quran after breaking
fast, socializing and then watching some television programs. It’s
kind of mission impossible."
Ameena
is about to face her first Ramadan without help, after her
Indonesian maid left her ten months ago. Though this may complicate
things for her household, it’s difficult to overlook the
irony inherent in her and many other Saudis’ concerns,
particularly as the month is meant to be more
about patience and charity than it is about catching
up on TV.
But
the problem has become so serious that many have resorted to hiring
black market maids instead of waiting for recruitment
agencies to provide them. Some have even complained
about having to pay upwards of $1,333 for black market
maids, claiming they are out of options.
So
here’s to hoping the air conditioner holds up, and wealthy
Saudis like Ameena can nail down staff to pick
up after them. Otherwise Ramadan in the Kingdom could wind
up to be one hot mess.
At the moment this is the situation. Temperatures are about 5-10 degrees above 'normal'
It looks as if Wednesday in Moscow is the day to watch - 85F (30C)
At the moment this is the situation. Temperatures are about 5-10 degrees above 'normal'
It looks as if Wednesday in Moscow is the day to watch - 85F (30C)
Moscow, Russia
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