Job Discussion Forums

balqis · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 373

Protran,

How does the Technical College compare to Dhofar University? Same city, but would it be the same sentiment? I incline to the uni, but maybe I should not at all?
Having the choice between the two, would there be no dif more or less?
Is it possible to make 3500 dollars a month from any of the jobs doing one's contracted hours? If not, then how much?
Tell me: is housing in Salalah fine? Roomy and quiet? In villas or spacy flats?
What does a roughly 300 OR budget allow you for accomodation-wise?

Is there a mall where you can shop or only local souqs?
Adoring local souqs, I also adore wholemeal German sour rye grainy bread.

balqis

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

$3500 = 1350 OR

I haven't seen any jobs advertised with a salary for anywhere near that... unless the number also included all benefits... meaning that out of it you pay for your housing, flights, etc... perhaps at SQU with an MA and lots (10+ years at university level) of Middle East experience.

And I suspect that exotic foreign breads are little found outside of Muscat. Laughing

But since I rarely eat bread, I wouldn't even have looked.

VS

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

VS,

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

Al Fear? Do you mean Al-Fair? Or were you using phonetic spelling? Laughing

VS

Mojoski · Joined: 03 May 2009 Posts: 170

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

So, is it new or a name change? I had thought that they were closing the Al-Fairs... at least they closed the one right across the street from me in Madinet Qaboos, which made me very sad. I had to then walk a whole extra block to Matrah Cold Store.

VS

boundforsaudi · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 243

Ha! The bread at Spinney's is crap. Half Air. You won't find decent rye bread south of Dubai, or coffee beans south of Muscat. I was gonna make my own rye bread and had Spinny's in Salalah order me a bag of flour. When it arrived it was full of bugs and cost a fortune, so I got out of the deal. Get used to Arabic bread. It's pretty good, really. You won't even find decent whole wheat bread in Salalah. They sell some disgusting thing they call "brown bread," which is I think a British term for white bread, maybe made with slightly courser flour and food coloring. You also can't get decent whole wheat flour in Salalah. ALL of the flour there, for that matter, has a peculiar taste. Too bad, because Brotzeit ist die shoenste Zeit. If Starbucks still hasn't made it to Salalah, go to Spinny's as soon as you arrive and get them to order some decent coffee beans, as they will take a month to arrive, if at all.

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

BFS,

It really is a matter of taste isn't it? I like nothing more than walking into Spinneys and smelling the newly baked bread. I have never had a problem with the stuff they bake, and as for Rye bread? Well as I said it really a matter of personal taste.

VS,

The Al Fair is still going strong in Madinet Qaboos and there are two other outlets of the same company in Muscat. We are hoping that the huge new shopping/entertainment complex being built near Al Wadi here in Salalah is going to have an Al Fair branch in it, some say it will be Carrefours, it has yet to be announced. The guys at Spinney's try to keep up western style food supplies but the choice compared to Al Fair is still fairly limited.

Duffy Laughing

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

PattyFlipper,

Thats cool!!
Whenever we get to Muscat it is usually for a couple of days only, one of which is spent between City Centre and Markez Al Barja ( Marks and Spencers & Al Fair), I know the other one at the back of the Ramadan Hotel (Al Qurum). Don't know the others, care to tell where they are?

Duffy Laughing

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

Interesting that they have re-opened the one in Madinet Qaboos. Is it in the same building in the old shopping area? (not that it matters... I'm just curious) The closing was rather odd and we all hoped that all of them wouldn't be closed. As usual, there were so many rumors at the time. Laughing

I suspected that it was a fight with Towell & Co, but I couldn't get the guys in the office to "fess up." It is so unusual... and handy... to be able to walk to a super market in Oman... especially being just across the street.

VS

Beachee · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 22 Location: Beachee head

You can get Rye bread at Reema Perfect (aka Spinneys) in Salalah. The shop may not be perfect but the service is good and the manager is terribly helpful - he will always take orders and do everything in his power to get the requested items. The choice of stock there is actually rather good and varied.

Duffy · Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 449 Location: Oman

Beachee,

Having no taste for this rye bread. I would never have known it was available in what I will always refer to as "Spinneys".

Though I will agree that the manager and all the guys (and Omani girls on the checkout) are really helpful. To have a cheerful greeting from an Omani lady on any checkout is unusual, but the ladies there are exceptional and always are cheerful. Not like others in Lulu's who throw your goods down to the packer (poor sod!!) and scowl (that is a plus sometimes) when you pay them. Same goes for Isteqrar (or IsteqRATS as I have heard them described)..Ultimately where you shop is your decision. Happy shopping Very Happy

Duffy

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

ryder · Joined: 28 Nov 2009 Posts: 21

Yes indeed Omanis are very courteous and have a work ethic. They earn their bread, unlike the very spoiled Emiratis I now teach. The biggest adjustment I've had to make is dealing with students who think they know it all (and have it all). I miss my polite Omani students, they are so well-bred.