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kuberkat
Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Oman
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:03 pm Post subject: Friends Living and Taking Your Quarterlife Crisis To Oman |
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With all the taboos hanging in the air, the idea of sharing never even crossed my mind. In the teensy-tiny Omani town where I arrived two months ago, there were simply no apartments or villas to be found at the beginning of semester. Did anyone think of sharing? No way. It probably is because of the higher average age of teachers, thanks to the job requirements. Most have reached the age where they either have families or prefer privacy.
And on the subject of age, if tarka and maybeme are "Friends" age or below, brace yourselves, honeys. Rural Oman (yes, where the colleges are) is a patient place. Very not MTV generation, and in terms of tech it can be purgatory on a stick. The older professionals take this in their stride, but it is a monumental downer to say, techjunkie me. Being younger is an asset in many ways, but don't expect it to be seen as proof of your competence. This is not an industry where being a hot young thing is an asset! If you are younger, especially if you are a female, you may find that you have to prove your professional worth just a little more adamantly. Not that this will be a problem for you, I'm sure;-).
In the wild brown yonder outside the college walls, well, any woman gets loads of attention. Exponentially so if you're younger. Yes, even if you cover up in your most decent drab formless garb, or abbeya with headscarf! They smell you. Don't let it put you off, but be prepared for it and stick up for yourself. In public, you will be treated like a princess. As soon as nobody's watching, morals are easily misplaced, especially by the types you'd rather not get delightfully immoral with. Just stay in princess mode, and steer them back to it.
Oman is a beautiful place with delightful people, and your students will be adorable. But it is necessary to know that it can also be difficult, especially if you are a young woman. Why say that? Because I heard it, ignored it and then, bam! I felt it. Ouch. Fear not: there are many redeeming qualities, too, and you will have a great time. |
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abufletcher
Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 779 Location: Shikoku Japan (for now)
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Friends Living and Taking Your Quarterlife Crisis To Oma |
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kuberkat wrote: |
Yes, even if you cover up in your most decent drab formless garb, or abbeya with headscarf! |
I remember watching bemusedly as a group of my Saudi students (military) leered and commented on a group of passing Saudi females dressed head to toe in black (the classic "Guiness bottle"). They all agreed on which one was the most beautiful. At this point I figured they were just putting me on so I asked how could they possibly know which abaya'ed form was the most beautiful. They said it came from years and years of watching the way an abaya moved and that it was fairly easy to deduce the figure underneath.
This made me think back to my days playing high school football and how you got so you could recognize everyone by the small details of the fit (or ill-fit) of their uniform.
On another occassion I was showing my Omani students a photograph that I had taken of a Yemeni women also completely covered. Seconds after showing the photo a male in the front row (still 5 feet away) commented that she had a very beautiful finger! I had to do a double take and look at my own photograph and sure enough you could just barely make out one knuckle of her thumb clutching at her abaya.
The moral: Never underestimate the ability of an eager male to spot and appreciate a well-turned ankle -- or thumb as the case may be!  |
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scot47

Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:24 am Post subject: |
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Itr seems strange to me that the original poster cannot see that the norms in Oman might be different from what is acceptable in California ! Does (s)he really think the whole world is like his Western university town ? |
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The Ciderman
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 12
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 2:53 pm Post subject: Sharing in Oman |
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I admit to having shared a house in a village near Nizwa a few summers ago with two other men! We were well off the beaten track so I doubt anyone noticed or cared and we got well paid for our sinful living. |
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Hector_Lector
Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 548
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Ciderman, I believe I was one of the other two men!
If so, we lived together in a manly way, none of your funny business. Beer, separate cars and eating out every day! No messing with girly stuff like cooking! |
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grahamb

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 7:07 pm Post subject: Girly stuff |
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Who emptied the ashtrays and took out the rubbish in the absence of girlies, Hector?
Note for the politically correct: tongue firmly in cheek here. |
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abufletcher
Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 779 Location: Shikoku Japan (for now)
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:28 am Post subject: Re: Girly stuff |
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grahamb wrote: |
Who emptied the ashtrays and took out the rubbish in the absence of girlies, Hector? |
My son says that if there's one thing he's learned from playing the Sims, it's that when your house gets too messy, you burn it down and get a new one! 
Last edited by abufletcher on Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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grahamb

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945
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Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 8:10 am Post subject: Burning problem |
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I'd rather employ a cute Filipina to tidy up.  |
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Hector_Lector
Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 548
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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For �ashtrays�. read �garden�. The only rubbish was in the form of empty cans, which we binned (having first carefully placed them in plastic bags, so as not to offend non-drinking believers). |
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grahamb

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 3:46 pm Post subject: Groan. |
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So, Hector, was the bin laden? |
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grahamb

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945
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Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 6:44 pm Post subject: Uncle Osama |
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I guess that one was a shade too subtle. |
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Hector_Lector
Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 548
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Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 10:35 am Post subject: |
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I�m still trying to think of a witty answer. |
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abufletcher
Joined: 14 Sep 2005 Posts: 779 Location: Shikoku Japan (for now)
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Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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At this point, even a half-witty answer will do. |
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Russell Hadd
Joined: 06 May 2004 Posts: 181
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 12:28 am Post subject: |
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abufletcher wrote: |
At this point, even a half-witty answer will do. |
Well grambrain might even be able to manage that himself if he thinks for a while. Let's wait and see  |
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grahamb

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945
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Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 1:05 pm Post subject: Wits' end |
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Okay, Rushdie, I'll supply the half-witty answer and leave the half-wit answer to you.  |
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