Life Abroad: Oman

One Month Left! I leave Muscat in exactly one month. Time really has flown by. Students from other...

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:03:00 -0400

One Month Left!

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!)

Just over a week ago I graduated from my high school (Azzan Bin Qais) here in Oman. The ceremony was held at the Grand Hyatt in Qurum and was a nice celebration. With a big crowd however, I did not like how it felt like such a rushed good bye. Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend my high school graduation back home—I was really hoping to. I now however have the summer to look forward to and college at Bowdoin in the fall!

My past week and the weeks to come will hopefully consist of more weekly trips to Ruwi, good books, scholarship applications, excursions, and work on my final project. The six of us have all been assigned a final project. We are to present on a topic of our choice relating to Oman in early June. I am not really looking forward to it. Though I have enjoyed researching my topic (Oman’s relationship with Eastern Africa past through present), what I will actually share on presentation day is uncertain.

In a couple of days the six of us YES Abroad students will go with out coordinator—Fatin—to Salalah. Salalah is southern coastal city in the area of Dhofar. It is pretty far from Muscat and is about a 10-12 hour drive. Lucky for us—we will be flying! I am really looking forward to this last trip out of Muscat.

A recently family emergency has made being far from home/Puerto Rico difficult. I have been feeling pretty down the past week. Much love to my family in PR and VT. I am both excited to be home in a little over a month and sad that I will have to leave Oman.

Love,

Lisa

Do young men and women "date" like they do in the US?

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:02:27 -0400

Hello Annie! Thank you for your question; it is a good thing to mention on the blog. I will express a more personal opinion on the whole thing when I get home…

Dating isn’t as common, but it certainly does happen. Even so, young men and women do not date like they do in the US. In most cases, couples date in secret and do not share it with their families.

I do not know what else to say at the moment (for the blog), but I will have more to tell you later on.

What Do Omanis Wear? The official national dresses in Oman are...

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:23:04 -0400

What Do Omanis Wear?

The official national dresses in Oman are dishdashas for men and abayas for women. Most Omanis do choose to wear this, but wearing other clothing is acceptable as well, (especially with the younger generations). You can read about Omani national dress here.

What Do You Wear Out of the House?

When going out of the house my pants are never higher than just above my ankles. My sleeves are almost always long and rolled up to my elbows. I wear a lot of pants with long shirts that cover from behind. Having cardigans and scarves to wear as shawls have also been pretty helpful. I often see expats wearing skirts and capris just below their knees and small t-shirts — it can really vary. As a not-so-random side-note, Omani females always manage to look extremely put together and stylish. I remember reading this article before coming to Oman, and have definitely made similar observations.

What Do You Wear to School?

With the mandatory uniform, dressing for school is easy. At the beginning of the year, school uniforms are tailored. The only thing we had to supply on our own were white, collared, long-sleeve shirts. Even though it is Oman, the weather can get cool in the winter and the air conditioners are always on. At my school, we were allowed to wear white, grey, or black sweaters over our uniform. I am glad I packed cardigans because I am often cold at school.

What Do You Wear at Home?

At home I usually wear a house jelabia or dierra. They are basically very long and loose nightgowns that come with a scarf. I also wear longer t-shirts and long yoga pants. I never wear shorts or tank tops.

When going out the weekends however, more though is obviously put into the matter. I packed a lot of Jeans and pants that come to above my ankles. I wear tops that do not have an exposing neck line and are long,long in the back… I often wear a scarf around my neck and shoulders.

When going to class I usually wear yoga pants and a t-shirt. It is also acceptable to wear leggings or tight jeans with a dress over.

Do You Ever Have to Wear a Hijab/Lahaf/Scarf?

I am not expected nor am I encouraged to wear a scarf. Muscat is a progressive and multicultural city. When I wear an abaya however, I prefer to wear the scarf with it rather than without.

What advice do you have to next year's YES finalists? To Oman and otherwise!

Fri, 03 May 2013 08:59:01 -0400

Hello! Thank you for your question, and I am sorry that it has taken me quite a while to get back.

My best advice would be to practice the language you will speak in your host country as much as possible and learn as much as you can about your host country’s history and culture. Don’t think too much about leaving your friends and family or about the uncertainties lying ahead. If you know your host family ahead of time, get to know them and learn their names! I discovered who my host family was in the airport on the way to Oman and I really wish I had known earlier. Make sure you pack smart and bring good suitcases that won’t be a pain. With packing, speak with students from the year before about what they brought, what they wished they’d left behind, ect. I know I have a long lists of things I’d brought, left home, and things I’ve found useful. I will make a post about making your year abroad soon, (though it will be more specific to Oman).

While you are in your host country, make the most of your year. Time passes so quickly, it’s unbelievable… Practice your host country’s language diligently, get to know your host family, and stay busy. Finding things to do at times can be tough, but every YES country is different. Definitely enjoy all of the food that you can while you are abroad. You will certainly gain weight, but that is alright : ) Hmm what else… Keep a positive and optimistic attitude! You are bound to feel just a tad homesick or down at times, but just keep reminding yourself of how lucky you are to be living abroad on a full-scholarship, living with an awesome family, getting incredible exposure to culture, and experiencing something very unique and special.

Times of Oman - YES Abroad

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:09:59 -0400

Times of Oman - YES Abroad

What kind of camera do you use? Your pictures are really nice.

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 02:51:16 -0400

Thank You! I use a Nikon D3100. It is pretty inconvenient to carry around, but it takes nice photos.

Two Months Left?

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:30:37 -0400

Things I Will Miss about Oman: (Another List)

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)
Excitement that comes with each rainfall or hint of clouds
Hearing the early morning call to prayer. It sounds so peaceful and beautiful to my ears.
The other YES Abroad Students
Celebrating Eid
My program coordinator — Fatin
Not having to worry about school
Laid back life style
The normality of families staying out late and shops being open until late all days of the week.
Having time to read, discover music, and make art
Acceptableness of being late - Omani timing in general
Living near the ocean
Telling people that I am living in the grand Middle East
Chips Oman
Family meals and extended family gatherings
Closeness of family
Exchange student life <3

A Weekend Out of Muscat Spending about 24 hours with complete...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:03:00 -0400

A Weekend Out of Muscat

Spending about 24 hours with complete immersion in the the Arabic language is something that is nearly impossible to do in the diverse, developing, and progressive city of Muscat. This past weekend however, I undertook this challenge while staying with a weekend host family in the city of Sohar. Sohar—about two hours north of Muscat—is a smaller and more traditional city with a population of about 105,000. On thursday morning, the six os us YES Abroad students drove up to Sohar to spend time with about twelve female Omani students. These motivated students are on a micro-scholarship program called Access which allows students to take English classes two to three times per week. Like the Kennedy-Lugar YES Program, Access is also funded by the U.S. Department of State.

In Sohar we met up with the Omani girls and did some ice-breaking activities to get to know one another. The activities were followed by presentations we gave to one another about cultural aspects unique to our countries. After a large lunch and a session of group bowling, the YES students each went home separately to different Omani homes.

I went home with a girl from the Access class named Ibtihaj Al-Farsi. I was warmly welcomed by her mother who I just referred to as Khalti (My Aunt) and her two sweet younger sisters. After settling in, a snack, and some relaxation, we left to go to a family friends wedding. As usual, I felt extremely underdressed. Women go all out at weddings. ( For an Arabian wedding think Prom x 1000 + more sparky + extreme hair updos + dramatic Arabian make *Minus* - the presence of men. I will do a more in depth blog post on marriage and weddings later on.) Hmm where was I … So, after the wedding the four of us went to the beach, took photos, went to their grandparents house, ate, and chatted. We got to talking about henna and about five minutes later, a relative was applying henna on my pale hands.

This weekend was special because of the connection I was able to develop with a family outside of Muscat. In a brief 24 hours I felt very comfortable with my weekend family and was a sad to go. I have been invited to a wedding in the family which is to be held next week, but unfortunately will not be able to make it (Sohar is out of my travel range). The weekend was also significant because it was an incredible opportunity for me to practice Arabic. With so much English here is Muscat, there is never full language immersion. This has been both a relief and topic of frustration that has made picking up Arabic more difficult. I was able to communicate well with my family and am thankful that my Arabic skills have progressed over time. Way of life outside of Muscat also varies. Families are more traditional and customs and religion are more firmly held on to. The trips and excursions we take outside of Muscat are incredibly crucial for our (the students) understanding of Oman’s history, beliefs, geography, and culture as a whole.

OMANI MUSIC? Yes, all of my classmates and cousins may be more...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:20:00 -0400

OMANI MUSIC?

Yes, all of my classmates and cousins may be more interested in American Top 40, but Omani songs do exist. This one in particular is specific to Salalah—A southern area in Oman.

My (I Have a lot) To-Do List:

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:11:59 -0400

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 constantly making lists …

Practice Arabic and expand my vocabulary.
Take photographs of my host family and friends here.
Go to Muttrah Suq and buy souveneirs and things to give family members.
Visit and take pictures of the Grand Mosque.
Learn more about East Africa and Oman’s relationship past through present.
Shop in Ruwi’s busy streets.
Graduate from high school (May 11th!).
Learn the Omani national anthem.
Learn how to apply henna.
Learn some Swahili.
Make a YES Abroad Oman Video.
Decide where to go to college… Bowdoin? UVM?
Figure out what to do with myself this Summer. (NOLS?VFP?Underhill Country Store? ALANA Summer and UVM?)
Learn how to make chipate & mendazi. (breads)
Learn how to drum well.
Teach the house help from Ethiopa, Obse, more English.
Keep up with informative blog posts (I have internet at home now!)

Host Family

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:49:00 -0400

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 (22), brother Khalid (18), older host brother Mohamed (20s), another older host brother and his wife (Hilal and Zainab), my host parents (Said and Shamsa), and the house help Obse. I have one other host brother as well who is out of the house, married, and with children. We see the four of them quite often. I am extremely settled in with my direct host family and feel lucky to be with them.

I vividly recall the first time that I had a family meal in the upstairs of my new Omani home. Sitting on the floor was certainly new—as was the challenge of eating rice with my hand. I remember feeling extremely self-conscious and incompetent with my limited cultural knowledge and non-existent skills in Arabic. I find it funny to imagine how awkward and alien I must have seemed in those first few days, ha ha… Anyways—these weekly friday lunches do continue. In addition to my closest host family members listed above, my host mother’s brother is usually present. During the school week, there is not too much variation. Everyone eats breakfast at different times of the day. Lunch is eaten around two pm by those who are home. Dinners are usually eaten in small groups, in pairs, or alone—not as a group. The evenings usually consist of talking with family members, homework, eating, exercise, and TV watching with family members coming in and out.

My favorite family day of the week is by far thursday. Every thursday in the early evening, Miad, Khalti Shamsa and drive about 40 minutes to Ruwi. Ruwi—an area in Muscat known for its traffic and substantial Indian population—is often avoided and belittled by typical Omanis. Going to Ruwi for my family however, means a night of talking, food, and more. Oftentimes, I will go out with my host sister and cousins to go cruising (driving without a destination just listening to music) or to go out for a snack. I have really come to love both the area of Ruwi and these weekly trips. These gatherings are almost always women-only, and the same people every week. Spending time with my host cousins and host aunts on these weekends has definitely been a highlight of my year, and it is terrifying to think that I only have about five more of these special gatherings. I am really going to miss the fun times dancing, eating, talking, and laughing with Miad and my host cousins, (Hiyam, Hiyat, Ruwiya, and Rawya).

Here in Oman, the six of us exchange students all have different experiences and lifestyles here due to the type of families we are in. Our families (and Omanis in general) each have a unique cultural mix. My host family for example, would be to referred to by others as a Zanzibari Omani family. Many of my close and extended host family members speak Swahili, and the eldest generation of those speakers actually came from mainland Tanzania in perhaps the 80’s. Their ancestors however, were from Oman and moved to Tanzania at an earlier time when the economy and living condition in Oman was poor. People living in Oman who are Omani but have recently come from Tanzania or Zanzibar are all generalized as Zanzibari, though in some cases this title isn’t correct. I absolutely love staying with a host family that is undoubtedly Omani, but has a flare of East African culture. Three languages—-Arabic, English, and Swahili—are spoken at home. Foods are more often African than they are Arab. Extended family visiting from Dar es Salaam and my host dad making trips to Tanzania are not uncommon. From living with my wonderful host family I have learned a lot about Omanis with a connection to East Africa and developed a keen interest in the topic. For my final project in Middle Eastern History Class I plan on presenting on this topic.

Living with a host family for ten months is an incredible experience. I feel very lucky and grateful to be here. Not only am I learning a new language and learning about the Islamic culture here. The relationships I am developing with the people here are truly invaluable and enlightening.

Saudi guys on KEEK are pretty popular at the moment… As is...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:03:09 -0400

Saudi guys on KEEK are pretty popular at the moment… As is this song.

From Ashley’s Blog!(Another night in...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:12:58 -0400

From Ashley’s Blog!
(Another night in Morocco)
fromtexastomuscat:

Last Wednesday, April 3rd, the six of us sat in at a showing of “An Evening in Morocco” at the Royal Muscat Opera House.

Dunes, Wahiba, and More.

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:36:43 -0400

Dunes, Wahiba, and More.

Sur, Turtles, Wahiba, and Wadis This past weekend the YES Abroad...

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:27:56 -0400

Sur, Turtles, Wahiba, and Wadis

This past weekend the YES Abroad students and I went on an eventful weekend excursion that included sea turtles, white sand beaches, teal blue swimming holes, desert dunes, and more. We began the weekend by meeting up bright and early (7:30 AM), at the AMIDEAST offices. We were locked out, but proceeded to fill out ginourmous mid-year study abroad reflection packets and discuss our experiences thus far. (Unfortunately, we still have a ways to go with those.)

About an hour later, we began out lengthly car-ride. Fortunately,we stopped at plenty of interesting places along the way including Wadi Al Arbaeen, the Bimmah Sinkhole, a beach near Finns, and Sur on the way to the Raz Al Jinz Turtle Reserve.

In the evening, sea turtles emerged from the water and began to lay their eggs. Around 9PM, a guide led our large group to the beach where we witnessed giant “Green Sea Turtles” digging nests in the sand with their flippers, laying their golfball-sized eggs, covering their nests, and more. We even got to see the adorable newly-born turtles make their way into the sea. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to bring cameras.

Early Friday morning, Claire, Ashley, Hannah, and I decided to spend time on the beach and watch the sunrise. We walked to the beach and kind of wandered off into our own areas to sit in peace.

On the way home we did some rock/cliff-jumping at Wadi Bin Khalid, “Dune-Bashing” in Wahiba Sands, and Camel riding. For lunch we stopped and ate at a Beduoin’s home in Wahiba Sands.

Another mentionable observation from this weekend’s excursion, was how many tourists we saw at sight-seeing stops. As a student going to an Omani International school and living with an Omani family far from Muscat’s prominent tourist attractions, I do not usually see tourists. Seeing foreigners traveling in Oman is both exciting and unsettling at times. Many tourists are either not aware or have no sensitivity to the Islamic culture here. Seeing women (and men) exposing so much skin was a bit shocking at times…

Leaving the city of Muscat has been beneficial for me and has expanded my knowledge on the country of Oman. Life is definitely different outside of the capital city—something I often forget to think about. Each time I enjoy spending time with the other students, Fatin, seeing new things, and learning more about Oman’s nature, people, culture, and customs.

Protests in Oman (2011)

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:44:00 -0400

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. People also complained about the high living costs and arab-speaking expats being hired before Omanis. While other Arab protesters demanded for changes in the regime, Omanis did not request such modifications, (they are extremely grateful for and dedicated to their country’s leader). They did however call for less government corruption, some political changes, and changes with government officials.

As the head of state, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos responded by promising 50,000 new jobs, giving the Majlis al Shura more power, raising the minimum wages for private sector companies, and increasing unemployment benefits. This rate was increased to 150 RO per month for unemplyed job seekers registered with the Ministry of Manpower. Creating jobs, raising wages, and making changes in the cabinet and ministries worked well. The government’s quick offers and responses did succeed to cease protests.

Sources:

http://www.muscatdaily.com/Archive/Stories-Files/Two-years-later-22hq

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/01/oman.protests/index.html

RYOT.org

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Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:16:00 -0400

Photos from Last Weekend - A Typical Thursday Afternoon and my...

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:02:50 -0400

Photos from Last Weekend - A Typical Thursday Afternoon and my Favorite Meal

Someone recently asked about how my Arabic has been coming along …Before I came to Oman I knew...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:26:00 -0500

Someone recently asked about how my Arabic has been coming along …

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 you automatically. I think that at this point I have the same level of knowledge as I did after taking two years of a language in high school but with stronger conversational and listening skills. Here in Oman, we take classes two times a week where we follow a textbook for vocabulary and grammar, but I think I have learned the most Arabic from spending time with my friends at school and host family. At this point, I understand what’s being spoken about most of the time, but lack a lot of vocabulary. It is also very helpful that people are constantly inserting frequent English words and phrases when they are speaking.

I am happy with what I have learned, but am realizing I have little time left here and have to keep learning and practicing as much as possible.

The Royal Opera HouseThe Royal Opera House! I have been wanting...

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 00:28:30 -0500

The Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House! I have been wanting to go to The Royal Opera House ever since coming to Oman. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

The evening following the trip with the English Access students to Naseem Park, I had the pleasure of joining four of the Access Girls, some Access Boys, the YES Students (Dylan, Peter & Claire), AMIDEAST Access staff, and members from the U.S. Embassy for a get-together and trip to The Royal Opera House. We went to see American Jazz Pianist, Jason Moran and the Bandwagon. I had a fun time seeing some of my new friends from Access, meeting new people, and enjoying the Opera House. I hope to go back again soon with friends or family!