dispatches from muscat

It's been 2 weeks since I first arrived here in Muscat and things have progressed relatively well. Granted, my housing situation is still up in the air right now, but honestly, I enjoy living with my fellow Fulbrighters. As cramped as the kitchen and dining table can be, we all take turns cooking and doing dishes, buying groceries for everyone, etc. It's like being in a big family; Anthony, Meredith and Amelia have all been very gracious and patient while Marcus, Liyam and I get ourselves on our feet here. As mentioned before, life's pace is just a bit slower here, but there is also a lot of bureaucracy (as warned dubiously by the Fulbright website information on Oman), so things do take a lot longer than expected. Exhibit A: On Wednesday, Liyam, Marcus and I were escorted ALL over the Sultan Qaboos University campus to take care of Liyam's administrative business in various departments (I was there to meet with an old SQCC contact, Dr. Thuwayba) to find out that ID's weren't taken care of and neither were their visas ... yet. In the desert heat (it was much drier out there past the airport than humid Muscat) and the Ramadan fast, Liyam and I were practically dying of thirst wandering around campus (which is a nice size - not too incredibly large - and filled with stark white, tan or cream-colored buildings allll built in traditional Omani architectural style) until we got to the library women's restroom (after accidentally entering through the men's entrance and receiving curious stares ... actually stares were abound as well in the women's side) to sneak in a few sips of water just to gain our bearings.

Also on that same day, thanks to Dr. Thuwayba, Liyam and I met with a very sweet Sudanese woman who tutors in Arabic and who lives in the neighboring village. The hospitality and graciousness and kindness of all the Omanis I've met here have been unparalleled; Liyam and I both received two glasses filled with refreshingly sweet just-squeezed pineapple juice, despite the fact that our company was fasting, and the lady was all smiles and very appreciative that we were in her home. Despite the commute out to Al-Khod (about 15-20 minutes away by an easier route discovered by Marcus and Liyam only recently), I think I will enjoy her company very much. There is a warmth that exudes about her ... you should have heard her say such kind things about Dr. Thuwayba's son (who just started university in Minnesota ... crazy boy!).

Tuesday, I both regret and am pleased to report that I experienced the worst and the best part of my stay here so far. After much misunderstanding (due to cultural differences? I'm not quite sure. But it was so stressful on Tuesday afternoon), Liyam and I thought it would be best not to take Arabic classes at Polyglot and instead pursue our own studies with a private tutor to fulfill our Fulbright requirements. Despite the large Arabic-speaking population, Oman does not have an Arabic language school adequate to teach Arabic to non-native speakers who have studied the language previously. A lot of people who want to learn Arabic are referred to Sudanese women who tutor privately -- the Sudanese are apparently the best Arabic teachers ... Egyptians, apparently, are the worst. But more on that at another time. One of the women tutors we met at the Embassy had a schedule so packed; so many people had heard about her teaching and wanted to study with her!

That same evening, I joined SQCC's deputy director and my former "boss" of sorts, the one and only Mr. Mubarak, at a dinner he had hosted for his Diwan office staff. (I had misunderstood his earlier invitation - I had thought I was sharing in a traditional Omani iftar meal with his family, but the experience was enjoyable just the same.) It was held at Al-Maha Club, a country club of sorts, nestled in the area west of Muscat proper, near the Grand Mosque and towards the airport. As I entered the garden space where the long table was set up for a nice dinner (a cross between Iftar and Suhur -- "kind of like brunch," Mubarak said), all the people there were men dressed in the traditional dishdasha ... no woman in sight. I was the only one. Slight discomfort arises. But then I realize that Mubarak wouldn't have invited me if I wouldn't feel comfortable or respected, so that thought eases my discomfort a bit.

I met his staff, educated Omanis who have studied abroad and work indirectly for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. Mubarak had introduced me as the woman who had worked in the SQCC office and that "she speaks Arabic. So tonight, she will speak Arabic with you ... but only fus-ha - modern standard - and a little bit of maghribiyya - Moroccan dialect." Oh geez.

I think I fared quite well in such a social setting; the Omani men there were jovial and chatty (well some of them), with a genuine interest in what I was doing in Oman, why I was interested in the country, and where I had come from in the U.S. (I even met the man directly involved with trying to bring the W&M Middle Eastern Music Ensemble to the Muscat Festival in early 2008!) At times, I spoke freely in Arabic and other times I felt that the Arabic was waning and English came ... these men spoke very good English! The conversation was delightful (from what I could understand), and it was great to hear such hearty laughs, some of which were at the expense of the man in charge, muhandis Mubarak! But being the Mubarak we all know and love, he took it well and joked along with everyone. One of the younger men had to leave early because he just had his first baby. He was recounting to everyone about how he wanted to name his son "Cesar," but his (grand?) parents refused, saying it was too Roman and not Arab. So the rest of the men joked and said to name the child, "Mubarak," in honor of his boss! Also,"Mubarak" is actually a very popular name in Oman and quite revered. Hearty laughs all around.

I only had one slight mishap with the food - it was buffet style, with 2 courses, and silly me filled up my first plate with both courses, thinking that since all the dishes were open, they were all up for grabs. Whoops. Halfway through the evening, a female member of Mubarak's staff arrived, and I breathed a silent sigh of relief. She was dressed in a beautiful abaya with patterns and designs all over and her makeup was flawless. I recently had a conversation with Liyam and Meredith about how the abaya is not native Omani ... that mostly women in the capital wear it as a fashion statement (kind of like the idea that all people wear in NYC or DC are black suits). Women of the interior wear much more colorful and traditional clothing. Back to the point, she knew Dr. Thuwayba (who is also very well-connected) and offered her help with my research or anything else in general.

That's what I've noticed in abundance here -- the offer to help out no matter the circumstance (that doesn't necessarily mean it will get done, but that's beside the point!). I made quite good contacts with some higher-ups, and it was nice to finally see Mubarak in Oman, dressed in the stately dishdasha, rather than in the stuffy SQCC office with a suit and tie. We made plans to visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque library (the SQCC library fellow works there), as well as the SQCC office there. As he drove me back to Al-Khuwair, I could see the almost full moon, and I felt a sense of contentment (not just from eating so much food!). My once-stressful day had ended quite lovely. That dinner was my first "real" Omani experience ... I was the only American/Westerner in presence; I felt welcome and in some ways, quite comfortable with that. I hope that sense of contentment arises more during my time here .. and not just after eating copious amounts of sumptuous food ...