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When Junior Gomes moved to the UAE two years ago, he knew nothing about the country’s culture or its people. But he was always curious. When Ramadan approached, a thought took root. What better way to understand the Islamic culture than to experience it yourself?

"I wanted to know why Muslims do this and how,” he said.

Ramadan Prayer Timings

Originally from Brazil but raised in South Africa, Junior works as the Director of Operations at Little Legends sports academy for children. He has a lot of fasting students, and he wanted to experience what they go through during Ramadan in UAE.

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So, with encouragement from a friend, and plenty of meal-prep guidance, he decided to give it a shot. “It hasn’t been as difficult as I thought it would be,” he admitted. “I know it has been just a few days since Ramadan began but I am enjoying the experience.”

Learning new lessons

Even though it is just the start of the month, he's noticing changes inside himself. "The whole self-control thing is quite important," he reflects. "You actually learn to appreciate things more.”

Beyond the hunger, there's something else. "During the day, be a better person. Have some self-control. Be grateful. Give back. That's one thing I've been trying to do. It feels quite nice."

He said that the hardest part was the last few hours before sunset.

The real challenge comes late in the day. “I think the last hour or two is the struggle,” he said. “That’s when I get more thirsty and start thinking about food. And when I eat, I literally appreciate food so much more. I can’t believe I went through the whole day without eating.”

Waking up at 4am

During the holy month, Junior has been waking up at 4am every day for the pre-dawn suhoor. “I have a meal for the day, my protein shake, eggs and bread,” he said. “I make sure I have enough carbs and fats and drink as much fluids as I can.”

He even fits in a gym workout before work. “I don’t want to skip that either,” he added. By 8am, he is at the academy. “We specialise in the early years,” he said. “We do football, basketball, tennis, ballet, gymnastics and we’re even introducing golf."

His days are full. He manages coaches, marketing, social media, venue bookings and suppliers. “I literally have hands on everything,” he said. “It’s quite a lot sometimes, but I enjoy it. I love working with kids.”

Junior with coaches at his academy

This year, Ramadan scheduling became personal for him. "When I was doing the schedules, I put in a lot more effort. It was tough to change the timings for all our children across all branches, but I wanted to make sure it suited as many families as possible."

Cooking for himself

For him, the biggest transformation has happened in the kitchen. Before Ramadan, Junior always ordered takeout or ate at restaurants. Now, he's having home-cooked meals every day. "I never cooked in my life," he admitted.

He sought the help of a friend and learnt to meal-prep — dishing up spring rolls and other balanced dishes which he never imagined making. "I'm pretty proud of myself," he says. "Everything I'm doing right now is very, very new to me."

His mother back in Brazil is supportive and curious. His brother, who is married to a Muslim woman, decided to fast alongside her. Neither brother knew the other was doing it until days before Ramadan began. "It wasn't planned," he said. "I found out maybe four or five days ago. I was quite surprised."

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