Job Discussion Forums

[Tarka_littleotter]

Hi there,

Just a quick question...
As some of you may know I'm going out to Oman soon and I'm in the process of re-vamping my wardrobe to include longer skirts, tops that cover my shoulders and shoes that cover my feet, but I've encountered a slight problem and I'm not sure what to do about it. All the nice shoes I've found are enclosed at the toe and cover the backs of my feet, but they leave the top of my feet exposed....and I have a tattoo on the top of my right foot. Should i be trying to cover this up whilst teaching? Obviously when I wera trousers I'll be wearing different shoes, and socks, but you can't really wear shoes like that with skirts.

I don't want to offend anyone as I'm aware tattoos are frowned upon by the Islamic religion. Any insight would be great. Thank you!

[veiledsentiments]

A small tattoo shouldn't cause any problems. Many of the Bedu tribal women tattoo their faces and you will see country women with the old fashioned tattoos on their chins. As long as it is not something that could be considered insulting to Islam, I don't think anyone will say anything.

Is it an otter?

VS

[ETG]

do you have to wear shoes that cover your feet or are sandals accetable in Oman? I am going soon and was planning to wear sandals as often as possible 9i.e. all the time if I can).

[veiledsentiments]

I pretty much wore sandals 365 days a year. But, they were nice sandals... no flip-flops except at home.

VS

[ETG]

Thanks VS, I really really like my Mephistos because they are soooo kind to my feet and I have been hoping that they would be appropriate.

[Tarka_littleotter]

Thanks!

I was told I couldn't wear open toed shoes. (I was also told this at my last job but soon realised that no one paid much attention to it.)

It's not anything that would offend anyone. No, it's not an otter - good guess though as there is a connection! My horse is called Tarka (yes, after the playful otter in the classic book), and most people who know me well have heard of my Tarka at some time or another, and it's just easier to be tarka_littleotter as people always remember Tarka as being an otter, not a horse. (Phew, do you understand that???) So, the connection....the tattoo on my foot is a horse. Not a Ferrari type horse, just a kind of cave drawing outline of one - it is in fact the White Horse of Uffington (a place in England) but most people here seem to be from outside the UK so the chances of you knowing it are slim.

Actually, I've rambled about it, so here's a picture... (excuse the funny angle of my foot, it was all twisted round so I could take the photo!)



God, just read what I've written.....is it obvious I haven't spoken to many people today??!!

[scot47]

AAAh ! Not only a tatoo but a GRAVEN IMAGE !

I might venture to hazard a guess that you are also acquainted with the BLACK ARTS !

[Tarka_littleotter]

Oh I am so not into the Black Arts!!

The white horse is thought to date back to 1000BC, before the whole...."Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...thou shalt not bow down to them nor serve them..."

I had it tattooed because I love horses and all other horse tattoos are naff. I don't worship horses asbeing anything godlike, I just think they are heaven sent! And they keep me sane and grounded!

Oh dear, if it's seen as a graven image does that mean I defiantely have to cover it up given the whole Islam faith is based on worshiping the one true God and nothing else?? Oh god, bring on sweaty feet then.

[scot47]

Keep it covered when in public - and that means the classroom too.

[veiledsentiments]

Tarka,

I don't think there will be any problem with this in Oman. It is not as obsessive as Saudi (Scot47's territory). I find it quite a tasteful and attractive tattoo actually (and I am not a fan of them... old fogey that I am) but I do like horses. It actually looks like some of the petroglyphs that you can see around the wadis in Oman.

If you want to be extra careful, you might ask your supervisor's advice when you get there... or just ignore it all and see if anyone even mentions it. I suspect that no one will...

VS

[DesertStar]

Cute tattoo!
I doubt if anyone will raise an issue about it. The culture in this part of the ME values body decorations. You might fall in love with henna body paintings (mostly hands and feet). You're likely to see those on your female students. Though nowadays henna has taken the form of tattoo-like shapes around the ankle, arm, etc.

Never heard about a closed toe rule before, enjoy your sandals. With such hot and humid weather, I think it would be torture to wear anything but sandals. Except to work, flip flops can take you to many places- you might get a few stares, but heck you'll get those anyway!

[Tarka_littleotter]

Thanks for the compliments! I don't like big bold tattoos and I figured if I got one on my foot I could cover it up when (if and when!) I get married! And when I'm old and wrinkly no one will have to look at it as I'll have big thick woolly socks on!!

I will ask the people I'm in contact with at the uni, I just seem to be asking so many questions at the moment, I'm sure they'll get fed up with me!

Isn't wearing flip-flops the equivalent of wearing your slippers?!

[veiledsentiments]

Tarka,

In all my years around the ME, I never heard anything about that open-toed thing... all of the male students in Oman wear sandals all the time - and most of the women too. In fact, that was one of the first things that struck me when I went to the Gulf... it was looking out at the class and seeing all those bare toes. In North Africa and the Levant (where they have colder weather in the winter), formal wear tends to be shoes.

The flip-flop thing (I'm thinking the cheap plastic or rubber thingies..) is about class. Only the lowest classes... and servants... would wear such in public. I'd say that they are fine for the beach and around the house, but I wouldn't wear them shopping or to work.

VS