Job Discussion Forums

[Chiselpoint]

Let’s say I was running one of these schools. Say I was the dean at a college where my faculty was overwhelmingly expatriates. A college where Indians and Filipinos a sprinkling of other nationalities make up about 95% of the foundation faculty, and the entirety of the post-foundation faculty as well as then IT department (well, except for the Omani supervisor in the corner office playing Angry Birds).

You know what I would do? I would respect what they bring to my school. I would respect that we couldn't make our school work without their expertise.

You know what I would not do? I would not shut the canteen down during Ramadan. Even if I were the piety poster-boy, I would understand that the majority of people here do not fast. I would not think that sending a few leaflets out saying that you-should-do-as-the-locals-do is a satisfactory substitute for water when it’s 45 degrees outside.

Instead, I would try to look beyond myself, and appreciate that expatriates – who are Hindu or Christian or (gasp!!) non-believers – don’t practice my religion, and want a damn glass of water during the work day. I would understand the arrogance and lack of common courtesy inherent in asking others to abide by my practices. It's not like anyone's demanding I go to Easter services, right?

I might ask them to keep it in the canteen, but hey, they wouldn’t mind. And they would be appreciative not only of my basic empathy and consideration, but also in the knowledge that my repeated public exhortations to respect one another’s beliefs and practices is a genuine call for unity and goodwill, rather than some code-word for Omanis getting everything they want, always.

[nomad soul]

[omanoman]

no brainer is right............

[SirAristede]

Considering that Oman is a Muslim nation, I'm not surprised by any action that curtails food service or consumption during Ramadan. I think it's culturally-intolerant to expect them to cater to non-Muslims during that time. It's a choice to work in Arab nations and if one prefers a less restrictive environment there are other options. During Ramadan, just pack a sandwich, a juice box, and keep it moving. Mafi mushkila...

[Tazz]

Don't expect them to 'serve' food. Quite happy to 'pack a sandwich, a juice box.....and keep it moving'???!!! What does this mean-I eat it in the toilet or something? At least provide a 'place' -the canteen being the obvious choice, where non-muslims and of course muslims who are pregnant or menstruating can go and eat/ relax -quite simple to use curtains or blinds to make into a contained and private space that means we ain't sitting at our desks eating/ drinking in full view of those who are fasting...

[Sleepwalker]

In Kuwait, we were allocated a room for eating and another for (gasp) smoking. Here it depends on the place.

[Tazz]

Unfortunately nobody at the MOM colleges or the ministry have the sense to do this....

[MuscatGary]

[pooroldedgar]

Come to think of it, I haven't seen the Omani teachers here the past few days...

[veiledsentiments]

This was never a problem at any of my employers in the Gulf. At SQU, we brought any food/drink we needed, and the Muslims knew that if the door to our office was closed, they best knock... and that we were probably eating or drinking. Not a problem...

At the later private college, there was a room set aside for us. At HCT in the UAE, the faculty lounge stayed open for coffee, tea, and sodas, but we had to bring our own food. The student canteen closed. When the female students were not fasting, they joined us teachers in the faculty lounge - this was the only time of the year that they did this. Often they would take their drink and sit and drink it on the stairs with their friends. At KU, we arranged one of the rooms and the Muslims knew the situation...

It was never a problem. To be honest, I find religion as, if not more, intrusive in America where Christianity is pushed down all of our throats i