There Are Days

There are days that totally take you by surprise. Not much may happen, but at the end of the day you feel fantastic. Today was similar. It was a busy day here in Muscat; I went to SQU to chip away some interviews, and there the day began. Sitting in the library, I was so nervous to approach the girls, all talking in their groups, why would they take the time to talk to me? I finally gathered enough guts to just sit down randomly at a table, and thank goodness, it worked out. I talked to one girl for an hour about my project. Jessica was talking to 2 other girls and once we were done, the girls took us to meet their friends. It so happens that today was graduation, so classes were cancelled in the afternoon.. and the library was closed. So we mosied down to the Women's Engineering Lab where we met handfuls of amazing women. They were so excited to help us out, they made sure they talked to each Jessica and me. We both received some stellar information! To add, they insisted on buying us lunch, showing us around campus, and taking us to their dorm room. As completely and amazingly generous they were, Jessica and I found it pretty funny since we just had a discussion about their opinions on the US... and it wasn't a shining report.

Afterwards, I met some girls at City Center for dinner. I met them at the Nizwa wedding, but since they live in Muscat, they decided to help me out with an interview... and for some fun time to hang out. The 3 sisters came along with their brother... and I had such a blast. The girls are so interesting- talk about strong women. And the brother is studying English so he can be a translator. Needless to say, he was very talkative. Again, Omani hospitality got the best of me, as they refused to let me pay... but I put up a good "Texan hospitality" fight. Every day I am amazed at the kindness here, and I will really miss hanging out with all my new friends. Oman is so far away- Now that there are only 11 days til my return, I've constantly had the discussion of whether I'll return. In my heart, I wish it to be so. But I know it is so difficult, financially, logistically, for us to visit each other. Its really a downer!

A Trying Day

Its almost been 1 month since I arrived in Oman...Today was a perfect example of some culture shock. Right on schedule, eh? Talk about feeling overwhelmed. Arabic today was quite trying.... we are starting to read more Arabic script, and today was full of worksheets all in Arabic. But the kicker... it was all in Standard Arabic and so far we've only learned colloquial Omani Arabic. GAH- Just when I started to get it, a nice curveball. The afternoon was a bit dull, with a professor from the water department of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) to talk about water resources in Oman. Lots of numbers, blah. Got a hefty homework assignment from both my Arabic prof and our program director. Really, its not near as large as the normal SU load... but when I don't have privacy, quiet, or a desk to do any work.. it takes all my patience (and some good headphones with non-rap music) to do it all.

One plus of the reading (about field participation and notes for our research project approaching in November) was that it really got me out of my funk. Reading about the hardships of researchers in other exotic locations was reassuring that, yes, I can vent about these things. However, it did bring to life that I have a research project starting in November. Crud.

Took a break from working to break my fast (iftar)- had rolls, grapes, spring rolls, beans- all finger foods. Then tackled the pile of clothes I've allowed to form a huge mound in the corner of the room. Nervous about sending my clothes with the maid to the washer- I'm still missing 2 shirts from my first load from the first week I arrived. So.... a bucket will do! Lots of refilling the bucket, shimmy-shimmy in the water, rinsing, and taking up to the roof to hang on the line. Very cool view up there... the white of the houses (they aren't allowed to be much variation), the palm tree in the front of the house, and the bold moon. Looked like a postcard, a little hot, but nice to look out over the neighborhood.

Tried to introduce some music other than Snoop to my host brother. He was pretty unimpressed by country, acoustic, or... basically anything without a clubbin beat to it. Eh, I tried!

OH! And if any of you are ever planning on joining this 'different' country- bring your chocolate chips, baking soda, and measuring cups with you. I thought my list was rather simple when I went to Carrefour hypermart last night. They are impossible to find.

Umm, the ocean is on the wrong side

Things you might not have known about Oman that I have learned in the last day and a half:

1. They have these sticks.. which when you put in water, can then use to brush your teeth. Seriously, they are twigs to chew on. Also, this was my mystery item... which did in fact stump everyone in the group.

2. Im glad I didnt eat fish at lunch yesterday, because one guy got food poisoning from his. HA, see why I don't eat it?

3. Wrinkles are a bigggggg no no. You must look sharp. And smell good. At all times. Even after hiking around all day in the heat.

4. The toilets, of the toilets are so stressful. Lets just say it involves a sprayer (or a bucket if in an old place), your left hand, and some toilet paper which must be damn clean when you are done. But lets just say it explains why the left hand is such a big taboo.

5. THe left hand.. don't give anyone anything with it. Do not shake hands with it. Do not eat or drink with it. This is way more hard than you'd think.

6. The people are so very friendly. We went to the Sultan Qaboos University to tour today. We met the Dean of the Arts and Sciences, a few professors, and 3 women English literature majors. The girls were such a delight, so sweet! And the school is very beautiful..

7. Omani time is a relaxed time. Maybe even more so than Spanish time. So dont expect the buses to have schedules or lunch to be under 2 hours.

8. The hypermarts are a drastic change from yesterday's souk. Change smelly good spices and herbs for the US mall (but, in this one, everything has Arabic subtitles) and there was my evening at drop off #2.

9. Buses are hard to catch. And my gruop didn't catch one on our drop off trip. We walked a mile to the market... and then had a taxi driver take us to the wrong place on the way back... only to be noticed by the ocean appearing on the wrong side of the window. Luckily, we somehow figured it out.

10. The University has separate reading areas for men and women. Wonder if more work would get done at good ol SU if this was the case as well!

11. Omani coffee and dates are goooooooooooood

12. I am suddenly an alien. I am scarfless, and I am American, and I am a funny thing to stare at as you walk by. Boy, have I gotten some hilarious looks

annddddd

13. My group is so amazing. Total is at 15, and I think we all mesh pretty well. We all go to smaller, liberal arts type schools- we are all in some form of political science, history, or intl relations- and we are already looking out for each other. And heck, do we laugh a lot