May 2013
4 posts
One Month Left!
[[MORE]]
I leave Muscat in exactly one month. Time really has flown by. Students from other YES Abroad countries are already on their way back to a D.C. return orientation and welcome home. I am making many to-do lists, but with no school, have also had plenty of time to curl up and read. (I am currently reading Into the Wild. It is definitely and quick and interesting read!)
...
annieovt asked: Do young men and women "date" like they do in the US?
Anonymous asked: What advice do you have to next year's YES finalists? To Oman and otherwise!
April 2013
12 posts
9 tags
Times of Oman - YES Abroad →
Anonymous asked: What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are really nice.
4 tags
Two Months Left?
Things I Will Miss about Oman: (Another List)[[MORE]]
Chai Zataar, Chai Zataar, Chipate, Kabooli, Mendazi, Fruits, Samosas, and more foods…
Spending time with the women in my host family every weekend
Outings with my host sister and host cousins
Friends at school
Practicing Arabic and constantly hearing it
The warm weather
Cruising (Driving somewhat aimlessly and listening to music)
...
5 tags
OMANI MUSIC? Yes, all of my classmates and...
My (I Have a lot) To-Do List:
It is crazy to think about how quickly time has past, and there is still so much I would love to do in these two months I have left. Last week in Arabic class we did an activity that was pretty repetitive and slightly boring about making goals. In the end though, it did get me thinking about some important, extremely random, and personal things I would love to do in Oman. I have a habit of...
8 tags
Host Family
I live in Khoudth, about half an hour away from the central areas of Muscat. Although sometimes I feel isolated here, I have come to love this lively and diverse area where I reside with my host family. The family name is Al-Shidhani and as is similar in much of the Arab world, I have a large (and close) extended host family. I live in a house with eight other people including my host sister Miad...
Protests in Oman (2011)
Arab Spring protests in Oman commenced in winter and early spring of 2011. Demonstration and predominantly peaceful protests occurred throughout the country; primarily in Sohar, Salalah (Dhofar), and Muscat. Protesters gathered to push for improved unemployment benefits, more jobs, higher wages, and more freedom of speech. [[MORE]]People also complained about the high living costs and...
March 2013
5 posts
Someone recently asked about how my Arabic has been coming along … [[MORE]] Before I came to Oman I knew absolutely nothing. Just prior to leaving I started teaching myself the alphabet. My Arabic has therefore definitely progressed in the past six months. I was hoping to know and be able to speak more at this point, but it is a challenging language and almost everyone will speak English to...
February 2013
6 posts
6 tags
Weekend Excursion - United Arab Emirates
Last Wednesday through Thursday I had the lovely of experience of traveling with my host sister, mother, uncle, cousins, and aunts to the metropolitan city, Dubai. Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates and is well known for it’s general wealth, shopping, “The Palm”, and Burj Khalifa (Skyscraper). Traveling from Muscat, Oman to Dubai is quite easily; it was about a four...
5 tags
5 tags
6 tags
January 2013
4 posts
7 tags
3 tags
5 tags
5 tags
December 2012
5 posts
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
November 2012
5 posts
5 tags
Happy Thanksgiving
Today, is Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays. About one month ago, when I was celebrating Eid with my host family, I was reminded of Thanksgiving. Both holidays have a connection to the past and are celebrated by enjoying good food with family. Every year back home, whether we are celebrating Thanksgiving in Puerto Rico, Vermont, or New Hampshire, we always go around the table and mention...
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
Eid
Hello All! I have been in Oman for just over two months now. It is the last day of a week long break from school; I am not ready to go back yet. Before coming to Oman, I wasn’t aware that there were actaully two Eid Celebrations. Both are Islamic holidays celebrated by Muslims world-wide. The first is Eid al-Fitr. It is the celebration at the end of Ramadan that breaks the month-long...
October 2012
4 posts
5 tags
5 tags
5 tags
One Month
I have been in Oman for over one month. I have been much busier than I thought I would be here. Between school, family time on weekends, applying to colleges, applying to other abroad programs, taking classes outside of school, and studying for SATs, I’ve been staying busy. Things have been going very well here. I am happy with my host family, have been getting used to school, and my Arabic...
5 tags
September 2012
4 posts
5 tags
5 tags
Week Two
I have now been in Oman for just over two weeks. I have been settling down into a more regular pattern in my new life here. School days I wake up after five, and catch the school bus just after six. School is followed by Arabic class or Middle Eastern Current Events and History Class with the other YES Abroad students, or coming home on the bus. I expected before coming that I would have a lot,...
5 tags
5 tags
Hello from Oman!
I have now been in Oman for just over a week. Many things have happened over the past seven days. New foods, traditions, sounds, sights, language, people, habits, and costums. We arrived in Oman as a group late on Saturday night. After receiving our visas, (which were actually just stamps in our passports), we were welcomed by Sarah and Fatin, our AMIDEAST leaders. The first night we stayed in...
August 2012
7 posts
5 tags
Anonymous asked: Do you have any tips/advice for YES Abroad Hopefuls?
