Passport to Oman

Living in a foreign country is quite different from visiting one.

Two weeks into my stay in Oman, I experienced intrigue, frustration, amusement and a vast array of other flitting emotions. My ability to confide in and fall back on close friends and family was absent.

Despite language, lifestyle, cultural and stereotypical barriers, I was able to establish relationships with people I have begun to love. I am living the Omani life and liking it.

Sixteen American students, eight girls and eight guys from various states, joined this society and are walking the roads, eating the food, attending the events and seeking to understand what it means to be Omani.

We arrived in Muscat, Oman, on Feb. 1. The whole bulk of us walked into the Muscat Airport full of Omani men in white dishdashas who stared us down. On the whole, Omanis are friendly and helpful, which seems to be the general atmosphere here.

Already exposed to significant features of an Omani family's life, I am living with my homestay family who are Zanzibari/Omani.

Last week I attended a relative's wedding, a cousin who married their first cousin, in a ballroom full of 60 people including cousins, sisters, mothers and grandmothers. We danced to rhythms similar to African beats with food and greetings.

For the last two weeks, I attended the Muscat Festival that takes place in several locations. One event has rides such as, the "Dubai Bounce," another with a fashion show of wedding dresses and abayas and another celebrating Omani heritage. All of these events have revealed to me the diversity of Omani life.

Events are usually organized around prayer times that come five times a day. The men usually go to the mosque and women pray in a room at home or even at the mall. There are prayer rooms in stores for those who are shopping.

A typical day includes waiting for the school bus, which is actually a small van, in the morning. It may come at 8:10 a.m. but actually arrives at 8:45 a.m.

I feel like a little kid again riding the bus to school. We begin intensive Arabic class from 9 a.m. to noon and lunch from noon to 2 p.m.. After lunch, we have a political or field study seminar. Speakers from the Omani government, or other figures such as an Islamic lecturer or media journalist, reveal the intricacies of Omani life.

After school, I am dropped off at my home, walk in, take my shoes off and greet my family who are usually in the common room visiting with cousins, brothers and sisters while drinking hot chai and eating biscuits. I sit and talk with them, and they are fully awake since they nap from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. After watching cartoons with the kids or studying, I eat supper around 8 p.m. Bedtime usually comes around midnight.

Students and faculty visited the Grand Mosque built by Sultan Qaboos, Sultan Qaboos University, the souq (market) and museums. The latter we had to find on our own in groups of four or less. They sent us out into Muscat with a dinky map and no Arabic training to find a place on a road that no one knows. Omanis don't find places by road names but by landmarks. Then, we had to bargain the price of the ride for taxis because they do not have meters.

Everyday I find out a little more about my family and gain a little more insight into their personalities. I am excited about the differences but am finding more similarities. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

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