Ramadan has started....

and therefore, there has been a lack of posts. I have currently been busy because it's Ramadan.

Ramadan for Muslims is not just about fasting from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, in our case from 3:50 am to 10:00 pm, but it's about striving to become a better Muslim. There is a saying that says Ramadan is 10% Fasting and 90% changing your heart and habits that you will incorporate throughout the coming year.
Visit this link to learn more about Ramadan.

For example, my Ramadan goals this year are to :

• memorize some short chapters and a long chapter from the Quran
• read 20 pages a day in English or French from the Quran and listen to the same reading in Arabic
• reflect every day on a verse or on my experience
• eat healthier and better and exercise daily 
• power naps throughout the day, because sleeping 7 straight hours is not possible!!

If you are not Muslim, but interested in learning more about Ramadan or joining on a 1-day fast please do not hesitate to comment below.

Hello ! Bonjour !

 It seems like forever since I last wrote, probably because it has been. I have had way to much on my plate, work, work and more work and meetings like almost every day, so the blog had to be put on the back burner for a little while.

Plus I went on  a short vacation to the states. It was my first time back to the states since I moved to France three years ago, so it was pretty important. I did loads of fun things and will post pictures as soon as I have the chance, keep a look at for the one about Paris, Kentucky !

And now Ramadan has started... meaning no food or drink during daylight hours (4am-10pm) and this is for a month so today til August 18 with a huge party on the 19th.

Our dinner from last night and probably are dinner tonight made in under an hour : Eggplant and Potato Kebab with Rice, Salad and Red Lentil soup,  a great way to start Ramadan off on the healthy foot.

If you are interested in reading something specific about Paris, France, or Europe, don't hesitate to comment. Your IDEAS are welcome.

Baklava

I finally have some time to post a recipe for Baklava, that I know people have been waiting for !
The Baklava that I have known to make is the Turkish one (I wonder why that is, haha!) I usually make baklava for special occasions like the end of Ramadan or the Eid. But sometimes I just make it to make it.

There are two different kinds that I usually make : rolled up ones that look like catepillars and regular squared baklava.

Here is the recipe for the squared :
Ingredients : finely chopped walnuts, 250g of melted butter, and phyllo (usually 40 sheets)

1. Open up the phyllo, be careful because it tears easily 

If you are not fast at putting each layer on, cover the phyllo with a towel. Because it tends to try out fast.

2. Butter the pan, preferably round. and layer 8 phyllo sheets brushing butter on each layer

3. after 8 layers, generously put walnuts on top and then do another 8 layers and lightly sprinkle walnuts.

4. After the second 8 layer phyllo, place another 8 layers on top and add the additional butter. You might have sheets left, so save those for later, I will post the catepillar recipe soon. If you get confused about the 8 layers think about this : 1. 8 2. walnuts +8 3. walnuts + 8 4. Butter and oven

5. Cut square pieces depending on how small and big you want them. A sharp butcher's knife works best. Put in a hot oven at 350°F and let cook until tops are golden brown or almost burnt. Make the sugar sauce while the baklava are in the oven

6. Sauce : For every cup of sugar add a cup of water. For the baklava that I did below I used 10 cups of sugar. Boil the sugar and then simmer the sugar also add 1 tsp of lemon juice (this prevents the sugar from crystalizing), I just guess on the time.

7. Pour on top of the baklava and cover with aluminum foil and stick somewhere where your husband won't eat them. Baklava is good the next day.

8. and then enjoy!

Turkish Recipe Week

During this last week and half of Ramadan, I am going to share some recipes that I have learned whether it be from my in-laws or online.

grape leaves

grilled chicken

meatballs

Some recipes that I have already wrote about include :
Yogurt à la Turque I will be doing a follow-up to this one because I have discovered a better way to make yogurt
Turkish Bread
If you are interested in learning a specific one, please do not hesitate to ask.

Camping at the Prefecture 2

A second commentary on the prefecture in Bobigny, one has to spend the night just to get a rendez-vous or their carte de sejour, it's really true because I have done it plusieurs fois (many times).

Of course their website only shows the pretty side!

 It was another event-filled day at the Prefecture!! Because it was Ramadan, Y and I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to eat and arrived at the Prefet by 4:30ish! (We didn't actually camp out, but we did see people doing it, ones that had been there since 5 o'clock the day before!)

Both of us were there for two separate reasons so that meant two different entry points. Y was a sans rendez-vous, without a meeting, which is the worse line possible. I was scheduled for an appointment at 14h, but somebody told me that I needed to stand in line early so there I was at 4h30. I found out when the line started moving at 8h30, that I could only stand in line "à partir de 12h", meaning get out of the line and come back @ 12h! So I was pretty angry.

A French Blog about the Prefecture

Y was able to get a ticket, they literally hand out 200 tickets to the first 200 people in line.

Today he was 31! Actually there were not as many people in line today as usual and we figured it as because vacation, Ramadan ( lots of Muslims go here), the mosque and other Friday events. But as usual every other person as a Pakistani/Indian selling their place (20 -200 euros!) And the fights were numerous today, therefore just try to stay out of the fight, in case the police come. 
Has anyone ever bought a place at the Prefecture, or do something of this nature in the states?

We submitted Y's dossier for a temporary work contract and carte de sejour. We hope that it gets accepted, because we kissed it and prayed over it. Please pray that we get good news!

I received my carte de sejour recipisse which means that I will go back the 15th of November to receive my real card!

Does anyone have questions on carte de sejours or visas either on the state-side or the French side?