Little Bajram Day

We are home from work today because this is the Muslim holiday called Little Bajram Day.  Bajram is pronounced just like the town of Byrum just south of Jackson.  I did the Google and found the following:  Eid al-Adha is the Arabic name.  It is a day of sacrifice, and comes at the end of the pilgrimage month and honors the would be sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham.  

People here kill a chicken, or some people here kill a chicken.  When I asked Albanian people I know what the significance of Little Bajram Day is, most said killing the chicken.  According to the Google, the meat sacrifice is shared one-third to the family; one-third to friends; one-third to the poor.  

It actually started yesterday at sunset.  I think Jewish and Muslim holidays start at sundown on the day before the calendar day; Christian holidays are calendar-day holidays.  Don't know why that is.

Anyway, the embassy closes for American as well as Albanian holidays, so we're closed today.  

Speaking of holidays, my class starts January 20 at the State Department's Foreign Service Institute.  This is inauguration day, and it is a Federal Holiday, but limited to federal workers in the DC area.  So I guess my class will start the 21st.  I'll be in DC for a month, staying at the Oakwood Apartments at Crystal City.  More about that later.