Same versus Different

5 months in Oman?!
And yet some things continue to feel so different and other things that once felt foreign are now normal.
How is Oman different and how is it the same from our lives in the states?

I remember when I first arrived in Oman, I would see a typical Omani man walking down the street. His dark skin would be an attractive contrast to his traditional white cotton gown (dishdasha) and on his head he would have a simple embroidered pill-box style hat (kuma). I remember thinking how different we were and wondering what this traditional Arab man was thinking of me- a young western woman. I guess I connected this stranger more to pictures of Arab men in Time or on CNN than I did as anything else. And lets face it, the western press certainly emphasizes the differences between Arab and Western culture! Now when I see an Omani man or woman I am more likely to think of similarities between us than differences. Yes, Arabic may be their primary language, they may normally write from right to left instead of left to right, and they may be Muslim however, a majority of Omani’s that I meet speak English, are very open to Western-ways, are as curious or more curious to learn about me as I am to learn about them and are far from the typical angry exclusive Arab as portrayed in the press. In fact, I would say that Omani’s in general are some of the most friendly people I have met. I have been invited to my Omani neighbor’s house on many occasions.

Here in Oman children, and especially babies, are treasured. I have had complete strangers (checkout women at the grocery store or the man at the gas station) tickle Taj’s chin or sweep him out of my arms in a warm embrace. In the US, if anyone did this you would fear he/she was a child molester. Here, it is just pure love and affection and trust. It is refreshing.

Surprisingly, Oman is very diverse. On a daily basis I interact with Philipinos, Indians, Americans, Canadians, Japanese, Spaniards, Scandanavians – and those are just my co-workers. Not to mention, the diversity of students at TAISM and within the expat community. It is truly amazing!

Stress. I haven’t started Arabic lessons yet but I wonder if the word translates. Oman is so laid-back. Most stores open from 9-1, close from 1 -4 and then reopen from 4-8. Most Omanis and Indians approach their work with an “ En Shallah” attitude. This means that it will happen if “God wills it”. This can be a good way to approach life on a daily basis but it can also drive you crazy when you are waiting around for the cable installer or internet installer to show up (it could be weeks!). A good example of the laid-back attitude within the culture is the way holidays are approached. As Greg mentioned on our website, Muslim holidays are lunar. So it may say on the calendar that we will have a holiday on January 30 to celebrate the Islamic New Year however, the holiday may actually be called anytime within a week of January 30. My need to plan has been severely challenged here (and I think it’s good for me!!!!)

Lastly, you’ll have to forgive me for sounding conservative but living in Oman has made me realize how sexual American culture is. Fashion, music, advertising, t.v., --it all seems so sexual in the US. Especially when you live in a culture where Omani women wear black robes in public. I don’t see a woman in black robes as a bad thing, in Oman it is truly a choice. However, the pressure put on people (especially women) in western society to look and act and buy seems very unhealthy- it is so pervasive.

What else is different?
There are no old cars in Oman. All cars are new and very clean (otherwise you get a ticket!).

You have to look hard to see animal life. There are a few birds, lizards, goats, sheep and the occasional stray cat or pet dog. Other than this, you have to travel outside the city to see a donkey or camel. It makes me appreciate even the annoying squirrels we had at home.

There are not many overweight Omanis however, exercise is not something that is emphasized in the culture either.

There are no high-rises in Oman. I think the tallest building is the Sheraton Hotel and it is about 15 stories tall- nothing else comes close!

As you can tell from our city photos- all of the buildings are white or a shade of beige.

So, what is the same?
Most people speak English.

You drive on the “right” side of the road.

A surprising number of Western restaurant chains are present (McD’s, KFC, Chilis, Cinnabon, Baskin Robbins, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Pappa Johns, Orange Julius)

Grocery shopping is much more similar than you might imagine. First of all there are grocery stores- you don’t do your shopping at an open-air market. There are 2 grocery stores that we frequent. One (Al-Fair) carries many western brands and products (even some organic items at outrageous prices!). It is very similar to a small grocery store in the US. On the other end of the spectrum is LuLu’s. At night, you can follow the neon to get to LuLu’s. There are neon palm trees and neon fireworks outside the market- it is tough to miss. Shopping here is a social event for most people. It is more packed than any store I have ever been to on weekends and evenings. The store is 2 stories high. The bottom floor is a huge grocery store. They have most things you need including an entire 30 foot aisle dedicated to rice (available in bags of 30 lbs or less). There are escalators going to the second floor and the grocery carts have special grooved wheels that allow them to sit in the escalators (but which makes them very difficult to wheel around the rest of the store). The second floor is kind of like Target but cheaper. It has everything from appliances to clothing to lingerie and Christmas decorations. The only thing that is VERY different about grocery shopping here is that most food to not have ingredients and nutritional information printed in a readable format. Maybe this is trivial to many of you, but I was quite the label-reader in the states.

Lastly, you will be comforted to know that medical care is very similar to the US. Doctors are trained in the US or Europe. The facilities are immaculate and all of the latest technology is available. Communication between Dr and patient is key. Whenever any of us have visited a Dr, he/she spends great lengths of time to insure that all of our questions are answered and we are comfortable. I’ve never felt rushed to get out of the office so that the next patient could come in (that is different from some of my experience in the states).

I imagine that you have heard much of this information from us before. Honestly, I’m sure that there are other differences and similarities that I don’t recognize anymore because I am so immersed in “living in Oman”. I guess I’ll have to address this topic again after we return from our summer in the states.
Can’t wait to see many of you then!