Thanks in Nizwa

I have a lot of things to be thankful for this year. But this year, without a doubt, family takes the cake. And yes, I do really love and appreciate you, my family. But I'm really thankful for the families that have made me feel so at home here in Oman. Being away from home has its difficulties, but I could not ask for better friends, who instantly were like family, here in Muscat and Nizwa.

Thanksgiving passed this year in Nizwa. I rejoined my Nizwa family, carting along my El Paso packaged tex-mex, planning on having a small Thanksgiving to myself and possibly cooking a small treat for my family. Admittedly, it was a strange Thanksgiving... but small and insignificant, it was not. The evening passed with my brother's surprise of dressing up as a pirate for me (partly because I gave them the Halloween costume set, partly because they knew my college's mascot is the Pirate-- hizzah!). My host mother, aunt, sister, and I cooked a half TexMex half Omani meal. Fajitas with goat meat isn't half bad! And 4 trips to the store to buy more bread-- since we ended up feeding 20 people. Oh, and I made Christmas cookies for dessert.

Quite a mix of holidays, granted. But when we sat down to eat, I didn't notice that I was sitting on the floor, Omani style, eating cold goat meat fajitas, or scraping the cookies off the plate since wax paper is no where to be found in the house.... I didn't notice that I was thousands of miles away, away from my family, away from my friends, in a Muslim country, with people who spoke a language completely different than mine. I didn't notice these things.

I noticed that I was surrounded by some of the best friends I could ask for. From my host grandmother- who constantly tells me to keep eating- from my host mom- who tries to explain everything to me, and when I don't understand, we just laugh- from my host uncle- who keeps trying to tell jokes in English- from my little host brothers and sisters- who are fascinated with making funny faces with me-and from my host brothers- who are constantly downloading movies for me to watch.... At that moment around the plastic "table" on the floor, I felt as close to home as I ever could be without the real thing. And when the entire family lifted their palms to pray together, I looked around at a wonderful group of people, said my "Marshall tradition thanks," and when my host mom looked at me, with her smile, asking if it was like home, I smiled back, and was almost the most thankful I've ever been in my life.

More Developments

Well, I've returned from Nizwa, and had a few days to do laundry and settle in Muscat. Coming back was difficult... the change in lifestyle and trying to get back into the original flow. The contrast between rural and metropolitan is so apparent. But, I have talked to my host family in Nizwa, and I am going to return for a week to stay with them and do some work for my independent project. (Which is rapidly approaching, eeeek!)

And now, I am in Doha, Qatar. The change is already such a culture shock. For the first time in 2 months, I've seen a skyscraper. And I don't have to cover... though we are all finding ourselves more comfortable if we do. Seeing tourists along side locals is quite a trip, but that is shocking in Oman too. I am able to walk down the busy street from the hotel to the internet cafe alone... something I definitely could not do in Nizwa, and is always a little awkward in Muscat.

Tomorrow we are going to Al-Jazeera to see a component of media in the Middle East... I cannot wait- what a special opportunity!

In shaa allah, in a week I will update you all on the trips planned for this week- more of Doha, Abu Dhabi, and the famed Dubai! The experiences SIT is providing is outstanding and the personal encounters I'm blessed to have are far beyond what I was anticipating. I already know that coming home will be a little stressful... the changes.. the misconceptions... the realization of things I learned and am learning here.... I already know this has changed many aspects of how I think about.... well... everything.

Nizwa... you stole my heart

I spent the last week in Nizwa, Oman.. living with a new family, who turned out to be more amazing than I could ever imagine. We spent the week learning Arabic, traveling the mountains, visiting schools, dressing up, getting henna, eating the "true" traditional Omani way, learning about Islam, and even slaughtering a goat. All truly amazing... I already know I am going back before I leave in December. I can't leave the loving people and laid back character of this interior city without a longer goodbye.

The view on Jebal Shams

Still on Jebel Shams... overlooking "the Grand Canyon of Oman"

At Nizwa Technical College

Getting henna again at my Nizwa home. They are fabulous!

My Nizwa mom and aunt dressed me up in traditional Omani clothing

Walking along the falaj system in Jebal Akdar

Sunset at a farm in Nizwa

My little brothers (and sister in the background) holding a baby goat at the farm

Clouds, glorious clouds

My sisters in Nizwa- adorable and so funny

The older brothers in Nizwa.. preparing chicken for the big bbq on my last night

My little sister.... and the goat we just slaughtered. If you want to see how they slaughter a goat... I've got a video. Of the entire thing. Its crazy. But you know you want to watch too.