Day 134: 21 March 2026

 Short Story 

She woke to the morning call to prayer.

It wasn’t a sound that was usually a part of her routine, but as the days passed, it because a familiar ritual — waking up to the morning call to prayer.

She changed into her clothes for the day and quietly headed out to the kitchen. In the adjacent living room, the News would be on the tv. She and one host would sit and drink coffee and watch the news.

Then it’d be time for her to leave.

She loved this walk. The sun was coming up. The streets were quiet but there was an energy to them as shop owners put up awnings, washed the spaces in front of shops, and started arranging tables. The smell of fresh bread lingered in the air near one of the bakeries. Voices carried over the stillness: a baker and a delivery driver.

It would take her around half an hour to walk from her hosts’ house to the hotel where she’d meet up with the other volunteers.

As her she neared her destination, more and more school children and parents out with school children were to be seen.

The day would be spent on a farm working or on a tour.

And at the end of the day, when the coach just deposited everyone back at the hotel — usually sometime before dinner — she’d walk back to her host family’s house.

Evenings were spent eating dinner and sharing about their respective days. Her one host was graciously helping her learn some of the language. Tonight’s words and sentences would become part of tomorrow morning’s conversation.

Then she’d head to bed.

Tomorrow would be a similar day. And a different day. Who could tell what it would hold? But chances are good, it would start with waking up to the call to prayer.