First Night of Homestay

I met my homestay family today.  My homestay father picked me up from the center and brought m to his home just a short distance from the center.  The entire family was waiting outside for me when we arrived.  I had no idea what to expect while driving to his house.  When we arrived I found that I had my own room which is more than I could ask for.  I do not have a bathroom and the bathroom is outside but that is alright.  While unpacking the children would poke their heads into my room and just stare.  I guess I really am that interesting.  The oldest boy stayed in the room with me and tried to talk to me.  He knows some English and I tried to speak in Arabic with limited success.  One of the girls though is by far the most outgoing.  She does not speak very much but she loves to run into my room and just sit on the couch or play with the books while I busy myself with other things.  An interesting part of unpacking though occurred when most of the kids were congregated in my room and the two oldest boys started pulling the younger children out of the room.  I think that they just wanted to give me some privacy but it amazed me how aggressive they were.  They literally pulled the girls out of the room.  All this while I repeatedly said mishmooshkilah (there's no problem, what's the problem).  I do not know fi it is just the culture or the family but the scene definitely took me off guard.  On another note, I live very near another kid on my program named Jared.  He lives just down the street and we see each other a lot.  Our host fathers are friends.  Tonight my host father took both of us to his friends home to watch him pick out a goat for slaughtering tomorrow.  We arrived at his home where we met his family and were given a small snack of Mandazi (a zanzibari bread).  We then drove to an animal soukh which was really just a bunch of trucks filled with livestock in an open field.  We found a goat truck and haggled over the price.  We ended up paying 40 OMR (about $90).  Jared and me began thinking about how we would transport the goat back to the man's house though once we bought it and could not think of a good answer.  Our questions were answered when my host father opened the trunk  and pushed the goat into the trunk.  As we rode back to the mans home, we could hear the goat whining and moving in the trunk.  The man who is from Zanzibar then took us back to his home where he promptly had his children bring food in for us.  He gave us a type of soup that was very spicy and delicious, more of the Mandazi, and a fried leaf dish (looks like spinach but is the leaves from potato plants that have been fried), and Tea.  Everything was amazing and the tea was great.  It was Nana tea, a very popular type in the Middle East.  Once dinner was finished we said goodbye and left after taking one last look at the goat which was tied up to a swing set in the family's back yard.  Well it is late here and I am going to sleep so that I can wake up early and go back to the man's house tomorrow.  We are going back to watch the goat get slaughtered.  I can honestly say that I would never have guessed that I was going to spend my first night with my host family picking out a goat to slaughter and then slaughtering it the next day. 

Buying Traditional Omani Garb

This week while roaming the Muttra Souk a few of us were able to buy traditional Omani clothing.  The store owner clearly knew that I was a prime target as he went directly for me instead of the two other guys walking with me.  The man came right up to me as I looked at his goods and the next thing I knew, I was in his shop and he had already put a Koomah (traditional Omani head covering) and was wrapping my head in a scarf.  I am not sure how all this happened without me realizing it but this was all in the span of no more than 30 seconds.  By this point I knew that I would be buying something in this store and I think that he did to.  By the time I left I had in my possession one dishdasha (traditional Omani robe which is worn on a daily basis by most of the male population), a Kooma, and a head scarf.  I also left wearing all my new clothing.  The three of us all bought outfits and we were able to get a group discount.  We all wore our outfits out of the souk and felt very Omani as we walked back to rejoin our group.  Every Omani commented on our style and clothing as we left the souk and I am happy to report that much of it was very positive.

Until Next Time, 

Sam

Weekend in the Dessert and the Water

This weekend we went to a Bedouin camp where we went off-roading (dune bashing), sand boarding, ate dinner, watched dancing, rode camels, and spend the night.  We all had an amazing time dune bashing.  It was a thrilling experience to be  driving along at 30-50 mph over huge sand dunes and come down he other side at awkward angles.  I am still amazed that these drivers could learn to drive this well.  I realize that they drive these same paths every single day but it was unbelievable.  We spent the rest of the day playing on the dunes.  It is amazing how many dumb activities one can think of doing when not afraid of breaking their neck.  However, I cannot say in all honesty that I was completely uninjured from the day's activities.  After somersaulting down 200 feet of dunes, one is not only dizzy and sandy everywhere but also has a very sore neck.  We watched the son set over  the camp from atop a dune.  We then headed back to camp where we spent the rest of the night relaxing, listening to Bedouin music, watching Bedouin dancers, eating Bedouin food, and enjoying the company of all the other  strangers in the camp.  While my group sat around a fire relaxing we heard the singing of a group of Australians that had brought their own booze and were much too happy to sing along with a guitar playing classic rock.  They did not always remember every verse to every song but they enjoyed every second.  After a while I may or may not have been volunteered to lead the next song.  Unfortunately I had not been lubricated by the Australians drinks and felt just a bit shy.  However it was a good time to go over and join their group.  As people began to head to their tents and the camp grew quiet my tent mates and I decided to bring our mattresses outside and sleep under the stars despite the temperature which had fallen rapidly after the sunset.  I slept great unlike many of the others in my group.  The next morning we had breakfast and went for a camel ride.  I have ridden camels before but never being lead by a four year old boy.  I found out later after talking with the kids that the group comprises two older boys that are in school and only work on the weekend and their three younger brothers.  The group runs the camel business as a sort of lemonade stand operation.  They share all the money they make and the older boys use the money to help with school supplies.  The younger boys run the operation during the week when the older boys are in school.  I was very nervous while riding my camel because I could not help but fear that the camel would step on the little boy leading it.    Finally, we left the camp and headed towards the city of Sur which used to be a massive port but now only makes Dhows (a type of sailing craft that resembles a barge which used to be used to trade between the Arab world and Asia, making trips to India and China).  This old port city was visited and used by the likes of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta (the famous Muslim traveler).  After visiting the Dhow factory, we went to a white sand beach.  The water was not the warmest but it was beautiful and we were able to get a good game of soccer (Football) in on the sand.  I may not be very good at soccer (I suck) but I did put forth the effort required to tie up the game.  (the game was tied up despite my playing)  We decided later that I should win the defensive player of the game award but from the other team.  We then headed to a sink hole which has become a place to swim and cliff jump.  Unfortunately we could not spend that much time there as we needed to start the hour and a half drive back to Muscat and our hotel where we still had to do our homework and study for a test the next day.  All in all, it was a great weekend.

Until Next Time,

Sam

Following are some pictures from the weekend.

 

A glimpse at some of the dunes we were bashing.

 

 

The vehicle that was transporting us over dunes at 50 mph without tipping over.

 The Sun setting in the dessert.

A picture from the top of a sand dune overlooking our camp.

The sink hole where we were able to swim and dive.

Some Good Photos

Omani Coffee

We got to learn about Omani coffee and dates today.  We learned the proper procedure for entering an Omani's home and how to go about eating a meal in the traditional way.  The customs and traditions pertaining to opening ones home to guests are amazing.  I had known that many Omani's are very hospitable but I was unaware that there is a specific routine of questions and answers that are followed when entertaining guests in the home. 

The routine is as follows.

1. The oldest in the group enters the home first followed by the men in order of age.  At this time the host and the oldest guest exchange greetings and superficial information  on their families (only children and males, never the wives or females).   Everyone sits in a circle but never cross legged.  You must sit with one knee in the air.

2. The host then cuts up the fruit or has the youngest guest cut the fruit and pass it out.  When distributing the food, you must start with the host or the oldest guest depending on who is distributing the food.  Everyone takes one piece with their right hand and eats slowly, never taking too large of a bite.  The guests will continue to be offered fruit until the guest adamantly rejects the food in a respectful fashion.  Also, the group eats only one type of fruit at a time.  Usually there are 5 or 6 types of fruit.  So this process is repeated through all the fruit.  (you must also remember that on most occasions the fruit will be followed by an enormous meal, so you cannot allow yourself to eat more than 2 or 3 pieces of each fruit as you are still required to eat the main meal)

3. The next course consists of either dates or Halwa (a type of date pastry) or both.  This course is served in the same fashion as the fruit.
4. The end of the meal is concluded with traditional Omani coffee.  Omani coffee must be served very hot.  When pouring cups of the coffee one must remember to fill the cups only a quarter full, as any more is considered an insult.  The guests must also drink the coffee as quick as possible, though it may be scalding hot.  The host will continue refilling your glass until you say thank you while shaking your cup.  Only then will he allow you to stop drinking coffee. 

Until Next Time,

Sam

Wadi Shab

First Weekend

It is the first day of the week here.  Just finished Saturday classes after a long weekend.  On Thursday we spent the day at Wadi Shab, widely considered to be the most beautify wadi in Oman.  It was beautiful and we were able to get in some great hiking and some good swimming and cliff jumping.  We were also able to swim under a cave wall and into a cave that is open only at the very tope more than 30 feet over the water.  We were able to relax and swim around for a while and then started the hour and a half hike back to the entrance of the Wadi.  On the way we got in some more really good cliff jumping and some more swimming.  The water was amazing.  Not too cold and not too hot.  After Wadi Shab on Thursday, we went to Nizwa on Saturday to visit its famous Soukh, especially the animal Soukh.  We watched as Bedouin women bought and traded goats, oxen, cattle, and camels.  It was an interesting experience because the Bedouin women check the vitality of the animals by grabbing their testicles.  To be honest it looked really uncomfortable and they just went right in and grabbed.  We also visited Nizwa fort, the oldest fort in Oman which has existed since before Islam even existed.  We also visited Bahlya, the oldest town in Oman, more than four thousand years old.  Then we ate a huge Yemeni meal of roasted lamb and rice which was eaten with our right hands and only our right hands (the left hand is never used as it has been traditionally used for wiping yourself when you go to the bathroom).  After lunch we went to the Al Hoota Cave which was discovered in the '60s and is over 5 kilometers long with an enormous underground lake.  It was interesting but I think many of our group were exhausted by this point in the day.  Then we drove the 2 hours back to Muscat. 

Also during the day, Raymond and I tried our first cups of Turkish coffee.  I have never had such thick coffee in my life.  We were forewarned not to drink all the coffee as the bottom of the cup is filled with a thick layer of coffee grounds.  I think we both drank a little too much from the cups as both of our mouths were stained brown for a time afterward. 

Now we are starting another week of school and trying to get all of our homework done.

Until next time,

Sam

Pictures from the roof of the hotel

Livin without bancroft hall

It has been a couple days since I was last able to post anything on the blog.  It has been very busy on my end, with class and homework and most importantly, cooking and cleaning.  It has been interesting cooking dinner for four people and making sure that there are clean dishes and utensils to use at every meal.  This is something that we all have realized that we take for granted at the Naval Academy.  We are used to eating or at least having access to three meals a day and other people clearing the table and cleaning the dishes.  I think that all of us (Ray, James, and Clayton, and me) have enjoyed showing that we can each cook and especially clean dishes.  It has been interesting living on our own.  Last night we cooked chicken on the stove and made spaghetti and peas for dinner.  We spiced the chicken with multiple spices and lemon.  The dinner turned out very nicely.  It was much better than the previous night where we sautéed steak.  However we cooked and finished the steak before anyone even thought about boiling water for the vegetables.  We also cooked way too much vegetables.  So we ended up eating cold steak and serving after serving of mixed vegetables.   

Nonetheless living on our own has proved to be a good experience and if nothing else… entertaining. 

Until next time,

Sam

First Day of Class

Well we just finished our first day of class.  We have only been in class for a total of 3 hours today but we are all exhausted.  It could be the jet lag hitting us or the fact that we just don’t feel like doing school work but whatever the reason, we are all exhausted right now. 

The day began at 7 in the morning when I got up along with the other guys with me.  We made eggs for breakfast and got ready for class.  We left for class at 9:30 and started class at 11.  We began with a standard class on grammar.  We are reviewing in the class right now.  All of the people from the Academy are in the same class despite us being at relatively different levels.  There are five people in our class.  The other student is a Pakistani girl who goes to Queens College in New York.  For lunch we all ate Lebanese food that had been brought into the Center.  After Lunch we had a Arabic conversation class.  I have forgotten a lot but everything comes back slowly.  Now we are just waiting for the bus to take us back to our hotel, where we are going to cook dinner and do our homework.  The homework should not take too long since it is on material that is very much review for us. 

Until Next Time,

Sam Ross

Day 1

30 hours of travel on three different continents and we were tired.  Started in Annapolis, MD at 1 pm on Wednesday and flew into Zurich.  I have not been to Zurich before, but can say that the airport is very nice.  Duty Free was always good.  So many things to buy and still… I did not buy a thing.  After waiting for 5 hours in the airport, we boarded our plane and flew into Dubai and then on to Muscat. 

Customs in Muscat presented its own unique problems and hurdles for us to clear.  We waited in the line that we thought we should be in for an hour only to be told to get out of line and wait to be helped.  We then tried to explain what we are doing in the country and how we were told to enter the country.  Any one that has never traveled under orders from the U.S. Government cannot understand completely how difficult this can actually be.    Finally we were allowed into the wonderful Sultanate of Oman and we proceeded to baggage claim where we promptly found our luggage to be the only bags still on the conveyor as our plane had landed more than an hour and a half earlier.  We then took submitted our bags to be x-rayed (I have never had my bags x-rayed just to leave an airport before) and were met outside by the director of SIT in Oman, Larry Brown and his wife Judy. 

Larry and Judy are some of the nicest people that I have met.  They welcomed us to the country and brought us to our hotel and up to our room.  Somehow I ended up with a queen size bed while Raymond and James are on twin beds.  Unfortunately Clayton is stuck either sharing a bed with me or on a fold out.  WOOPS.  After moving our stuff up to our room, we decided to walk down the street and see if we could find some food.  I do not think that we expected to find anything still open as it was already 1:30 in the morning in Oman.  Nonetheless we went out and found to our delight that the soukh (market street) was still relatively busy with young men just relaxing on the sidewalk and sitting around the various fast food places which serve everything from American style burgers to Shwarma and curry.  We got some food and walked around for a while.  By the time we returned to the hotel it was well past 3 in the morning and I got ready for bed as we were planning on waking up by 9 and going shopping for groceries and other necessities for our apartment style living arrangements.

Waking up was more difficult than I thought it would be but we all woke up and got ready.  We walked down to the local grocery store that we had located the night before and spent a long time looking through each aisle at the various types of food and other stuff present.    I eventually needed to point out to James and Ray that we were going to be carrying all of our groceries the couple blocks back to our hotel, so we couldn’t buy out the whole store.  After we got back to the room and unpacked all of our purchases, we were picked up by Larry and Judy and brought to an enormous mall in Muscat.  The mall has everything from Starbucks to Victoria’s Secret.  It also has an enormous grocery where we proceeded to buy more food that we had been unable to buy in our earlier shopping adventure.  I was overwhelmed by the amount of stores in the mall and food in the grocery.  The grocery contained produce from all over the world (Iran, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Somalia, Turkey, India, and many many more)

We then returned to our hotel where we labored to find space for all of our purchases in our mini refrigerator.

Today we also were given a tour of the World Learning Center (where we will be attending class) and the beach right near the school.  Now it is almost 11 at night here and I am writing this as my first installment for my blog.  We start Arabic classes tomorrow.  We are all excited. 

Until next time,

Sam Ross