What does Ramadan mean to a Muslim- part I

My wife Ika is a Muslim from Central Java and I asked her to tell me a bit about what Ramadan means to her.

Baliblog: Is Ramadan the same time every year?
Ika: Usually it goes 1 month forward. If last year in November, now is October. The next year it will be September.

Baliblog: So it could be in January or February?
Ika: Yes.

Baliblog: So does it jump forward 1 month every time?
Ika: Not exactly a month. The date could change because Ramadan is 30 days and the Muslim calendar is 11 months.

Baliblog: So the name Ramadan is the same as in the Middle East?
Ika: Yes. Ramadan is like fasting days.

Baliblog: The day before Ramadan do you do anything special?
Ika: We usually go to the mosque and if the praying Isa, is 4 times, so after Isa we pray more than 4 times. It's like 11 times, depend on the mosque.

Baliblog: The day before you pray 11 times?
Ika: In the nighttime yes.

Baliblog: Do you have special food?
Ika: No.

Baliblog: In the morning, the first morning of Ramadan, what is that called?
Ika: We wake up in the morning before sunrise and its called sahur, that means, we have a meal.

Baliblog: Does sunrise have a special name?
Ika: No.

Baliblog: Do you pray during the daytime during Ramadan?
Ika: Should be ya.

Baliblog: How many times?
Ika: The 5 times praying, we should always doing it, not only in Ramadan.

Baliblog: After sundown what happens then?
Ika: We like to eat.

Baliblog: Straight away?
Ika: Yes. That's called maharit.

Baliblog: That's around 6.30pm.
Ika: Yes, in Bali. It's called buka puasa.

Baliblog: Are you praying now?
Ika: Cannot while breast feeding.

Baliblog: So just like normal.
Ika: Yes. Maybe I should and give Jevon the canned milk?
Baliblog: Maybe next year.

Baliblog: In Java when everyone is together and fasting together, it's a happy time?
Ika: Oh very! Because it's a special moment.

Baliblog: What do you like about it?
Ika: I like when buka.

Baliblog: When it finishes?
Ika: Ya.

Baliblog: In the west we have a kind of Ramadan, where you don't eat for a while, its called diet and you can do that anytime you like.
Ika: Yeah but Ramadan means we are getting closer to God. So if people usually pray 5 times a day, during Ramadan it's going to be more. Inside the mosque are many many people. Usually the mosque is quiet, but during Ramadan plenty of people go. That makes it special, Ramadan is special.