Job Discussion Forums

turtlepi1 · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 94

I know it is a little off the "job" topic, but I am working in the UAE and want to make a weekend jaunt to Oman. I want to bring my surfboard but I don't see the point if the ocean is flat.

Any info appreciated.

P.S. Is driving around alone a relatively safe thing to do? My students get a concerned look when I say I am driving and they tell me about ghosts on the road to/in Oman...but they aren't clear what they mean by ghosts and I am still a newbie so I am not always inclined to pursue these sorts of conversations with my female nationals.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

Never seen any ghosts. Hazards on the road include camels, cattle and maniacs on four wheels.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Ghosts...

I have driven the road from Oman to the UAE many times and nary a ghost to be seen. (the students all have ghosts stories though... mostly about the village of Barka... my favorite has something to do with a teacher being turned into a watermelon...)

I found the biggest danger to be the goats... flocks of them wandering about on the roads on Oman. The UAE has the roads nicely fenced off from the animals.

I used to be able to see the sea from my office window in Oman... never any decent waves that I saw.

Definitely go... it is a great drive with a few looming red sand dunes near Al-Ain and a scenic trip through the mountains on the border. Oman is worth the visit even if you leave the board at home. I hear that there is some good diving.

VS

dialogger · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China

...'teacher into watermelon' mmmm not the other way around?
Must to get to Oman. If VS is a fan it must be good!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

... I thought that would get your attention. It seems that her friend recognized her - even though she was a watermelon and took her home on the bus... or something like that. Shocked

The problem is that I don't remember if she ever got turned back into a person or not.

I mis-typed (or a senior moment...) and the village with the ghosts is Bahla (not Barka). Bahla is also the city known for its pottery. There used to be a really neat old fort that was a very scenic ruin, but I understand that it has been re-furbished. I quite liked the ruin myself... much of the old city wall is there too.

VS

dialogger · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 419 Location: China

Curiouser and curiouser...
Must look more closely at the watermelons I buy...

spicegirl · Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 112

About 10 years ago there was a group of young Omani soldiers who went AWOL for a couple of days. When they returned, apparently they'd been transported temporarily over the border into the UAE, turned into goats and had to wander around like that until eventually they were turned back into soldiers. ........ it wasn't our fault we went AWOL, honest, sir.

Then there was the old beardy grandfather who fell asleep late at night in a ditch near Fanja. When he woke up, he was in another village, having been mysteriously transported there. No bottles of any description were found on or about his person ...... I was advised by my students never to pick up old men on the road to give them a lift, as they were most probably a jinn (ghost).

Of course, talk about jinns and ghosts is haram, though Omanis love to whisper about it. VS is absolutely right, Bahla is the place where the major jinns hang out, and any students from Bahla used to get lots of jokes made about them.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

... loved the soldiers excuse... that is very handy. Do you think the US military would buy "sir, I woke up and I was in Canada..."

Almost all of the students were firm believers because while it is 'haram' to discuss them, the mention of ghosts and jinn in the Quran confirms their existence. So... there you have it!!

VS

Hector_Lector · Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 548

There is a tree in the suq in Bahla which is chained to the ground to prevent the djinn within from taking it away.

There is another tree in the suq in Nizwa which nobody ever stands near. If you do, you will be turned into a goat.

Outside Ibra, in the village of Al Yahmadi, there is a crazy old man who lives in a house in the date plantation. If you want stories of ghosts, speak to him.

As for the existence of djinn, in the Quran, it is stated that Allah created angels, djinn and humans, not necessarily in that order.

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

That explains the existence of Messrs Bush, Blair et al.

Ka`b ibn al-Ashraf · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 11

No, the Oman coast is not surf friendly. The water is best for floating and swimming. You will be disappointed.

Driving is fine. No worries.

I would like to start a new thread about the supernatural befliefs here, though.

Down Home · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 22

The beach at Salalah is good for surfing and sail-surfing most of the year, but not in July and August during Khareef as the ocean then is extremely dangerous.

waygukgaijinhaole · Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:

Wait, wait, wait...

...so the OP's students were actually saying "goats" and not "ghosts"?

Laughing

or was it a typo?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

No, his students were talking about ghosts...

I was the one who suggested that he had more to fear from 'goats' who meander all over the roads in complete disregard of traffic.

The students often warn us about ghosts or spirits... or djinns as they would call them...

VS

Tarka_littleotter · Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 69 Location: Oman

Oh Lordy!!

I'm in for such a treat when I go out there in a few weeks then!! I'm already looking forward to sleeping on the floor and doing all my washing in the bath (no money to furnish a flat) and now I'm going to have to contend with goats, ghosts and the like! Can't wait to get there now!
AND I'm going to be afraid of ever eating a watermelon again, which is a shame 'cause they keep me going for days!