Lunchtime

When the weather is nice here (October - May), I like to go outside at lunchtime and enjoy the sunshine. I usually bring a salad from home and find a bench in one of the nearby parks. And there's usually time for a quick walk as well.

But the summer poses challenges when it comes to lunchtime, since it's too hot to spend much time outside. In June, July, and August, the temperatures reach over 40 degrees Celsius (100+ Fahrenheit). We have a small café on campus where we gather most days. But sometimes I feel claustrophobic staying inside all day on the same floor of the same building. Here are some ways my coworkers and I have been creative in doing things a little differently this summer:

• Drove to Kitsch Cupcakes to pick up treats for a coworker's birthday.
• Went out for Indian or Lebanese food.
• Ordered Jones the Grocer sandwiches-- best in the city in my book!
• Walked to Costa, an Australian coffee house chain. I used an umbrella to block the sun.
• Headed home to use the time to pray.
• Held a Library Open House for the campus staff. Balloons and sweets wooed people to stop by and learn about the library's resources.

Now that it's Ramadan, we're not taking full lunch breaks because our work days are shorter. It's also illegal to eat or drink in public during the day, though we can still eat in the café because screens block the view. I'm looking forward to the weather cooling off soon... then I'll be outside again mid-day every day!