A Miezio in Muscat

So, with the crazy drivers here in Oman, it would be inevitable that I would be in an accident.  I did not get hit at a roundabout, which are difficult to navigate because drivers in the inner ring have the right of way, no it was in a construction zone, where sane people should have been traveling at sane speeds.  So a big dump truck pulls out right in front of me, and of course, I had to stop.  Of course, the dump truck, filled with rocks, did not signal, but that is beside the point.

I stopped, and the car in back of me, in the construction zone, going way too fast rammed into the rear end of my car.  Of course, the guys in the car spoke no English (English is taught from 5 to 12th grade), so I called Bernard, who sent someone from Administration at the college to see me through the process.  When Rashid, the guy from the college got to the accident scene, which was less than a mile from the college, he told me that the driver of a car that smashes a rear end of another car is always at fault in Oman.  My rear bumper was destroyed.

So Rashid talked to the guys who smashed the car, and we proceeded to the police station to file an accident report.  All accidents must be reported to the police if insurance is involved.  It costs $125 to file the report, and can take a few hours.  In the meantime, Rashid called the owner of the rental company and explained what happened.

As we drove to the police station, the driver of the other car signaled us to pull over on the side of the road.  He offered a deal to fix the car out of pocket to Rashid, and Rashid called the owner of the car rental company and they agreed on an arrangement.   I guess it is the Oman version of setteling on the courthouse steps.   The car was fixed for $200.  Parts and labor are cheap in this part of the world.

As an American, I tend to take my ability to travel around the world for granted.  True, I may have to get a visa sometimes, but everyone wants my tourist money, right?

So when my colleague Hamid said he found a flight to New York City on Qatar Airways for $700, I said go!  Hold it a minute said Hamid, it is not that easy.  I have brown skin, I am an Arab, and I may not be able to get a visa to visit the US.  Hmm, I said, I never thought of it that way.

But, to be honest, I do know people, South Americans, who were denied tourist visas.  Hamid had to submit an application, with documentation, of his job and residency in Oman (he is Tunisian) and go through an interview.

So, Hamid submitted his visa application and scheduled an interview.  The timeline was very short because we have 10 days for the semester break, so the New York vacation would have to be a quick one.  Of course, it takes a full day to get to New York from Muscat and another day to get back.

The day before yesterday, at 7:30 in the morning, I got a call from Hamid.  It rained the night before and the highway was flooded on the south end of Muscat.  All the traffic was diverted back to the south of the city.  Hamid had an 8:00 appointment for the visa interview, but he would not be able to make it.  I told Hamid I would call the embassy and schedule another interview for as soon as possible.  I went on line to find the phone number for the embassy; there was only a voice mail system, or a life or death emergency prompt.  No human was available to talk to.   I emailed the consulate, but I knew they would not respond until late afternoon, at least, that is what it said on the web site.  So my only other alternative was to go to the embassy.

To say I was going to the embassy was a pretty tall order for me the day before yesterday.  I had been sick the night before with diarrhea, aches, and general flu like feelings.  I had almost no sleep because I was hauling myself to the bathroom every 20 minutes.  By the morning, I was dehydrated.  I rummaged around my bag of remedies, and found some re-hydration solution salts.  I mixed up the salts with bottled water, drank the mixture, and had a cup of tea and decided I was steady enough drive safely.  I suspected I had some kind of flu, and I should have been a good citizen and stayed at home.

When I got to the Councillor Affairs office of the Embassy, I was told that they would not reschedule another interview today, or tomorrow.  Of course, if I could get someone from the embassy staff (diplomatic staff) to authorize an expedited interview, perhaps that would be possible.  Hmm, this put me in an uncomfortable position: I know exactly three people at the embassy.  I would rather not bother them, but heck, this was Hamid’s dream vacation.

So I went to the Marine at the booth that admits people into the working part of the embassy and asked for the three people I knew.  All were in a meeting and unavailable.  Ok, I gave it my best shot and walked out of the embassy, but a secretary followed me out and asked me what I needed, and I explained.  She told me to wait wait until the meeting was finished and then I could talk to one of the staff members I knew.  So I settled into the library, and visited the restroom a few more times.  (Maybe I am too caught up in all the TSA antics, but I suspected there was a hidden camera in the restroom).  Anyway, eventually, Dan, one of the diplomats came to talk with me, and I told him what I needed.

When I got to the car, I had three messages from Bernard, the dean.  (Cell phones are not allowed in the embassy).  Bernard said that Hamid called and asked for advice; so Bernard called someone he knew at the US consulate and got Hamid an appointment for today (Wednesday).  But today is kind of late, because the visa will take 24 hours and then it takes another 24 hours to get to New York and Hamid will have to be back at work on January 23.  Forget the New York vacation, and anyway, it is cold, really cold in New York right now.

So here it is Wednesday morning (I am feeling much better, thank you), and Hamid called.  He just finished his visa interview.  The woman who interviewed him knew his whole story.  She was sooooo nice.  Hamid was granted a 10 year visitor’s visa and now Hamid is one happy guy.  Now Hamid can visit the US whenever he wants to, or whenever he can afford it.  Well, he can certainly visit me.

I tell this story because it is important for me to appreciate what a person has to do to visit the USA.  Anyone who holds that familier dark blue passport will be able to gain admittence to just about anywhere in the world, without hassles. (There are a few exceptions, like Iran).  I am so used to having my passport glanced at, stamped and waved through any border, while citizens of other contries, especially Middle Eastern countires are scrutinized.

The situation becomes even sadder when I consider all the bright potential students who could be studying in the USA; paying full freight tuition, and bringing back to the Middle East desperately needed expertise.  Colleges and universities in the US are courting international students to fill student seats (and pay full tuition), but in the end, one wonders if it is worth the hassle for them.

Getting a driver’s licence is supposed to be straight forward in Oman. First I need a residency permit, then I can get a driver’s licence based on my US licence. But not for me. I transferred my licence to Wisconsin from West Virginia last year. So my licence was not over 2 years old, which is what is required to get a licence in Oman. I had to get the original renewal papers (with the official raised seal) from West Virginia, bring them back to Oman, and then have these documents authenticated by the American Embassy ($31.00) and then go over the the foreign office to have the documents authenticate by them also (a relative bargain at $13.00). Then I had to get the actual Oman licence ($56.00). So to become a legal drive in Oman cost me $106.00.

The penalty for driving without a legal driver’s licence in Oman is jail. With all the crazy drivers here, it seems inevitable that there will be an accident, and someone will check the licence. Well, at least I am prepared.

For example, in the US, I think I hit the car horn 3 or three times in all the years of my driving.  But here in Oman, I hit the horn 2 or 3 times each trip to and from the college.  It is amazing, but the sad fact is that Oman has one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the world.

The past month has been a scramble to keep up with classes because I am covering new material.  I have to admit I am enjoying the classes I am teaching because I am learning a lot.

I had thought I was forgotten by the Embassy, because I had not heard from them for several months–I do get paid so I am not complaining.  There is a new ambassador and of course a new administration at the State Department which makes it all kind of interesting.

So on Sunday I went to lunch at the new Ambassador’s house.  This was for the State Department’s new Director of Educational and Cultural Programs.  Fulbright is administered by this department.  Anyway, lunch proved to be very interesting, with all the movers and shakers of the arts community in Muscat.  I was the lone Fulbright, and I had the chance to meet the directors of the main museums and art galleries in Muscat.  Lunch was elegant and delicious with familiar foods from the US; so I enjoyed the experience.

Last weekend I went with my friends Joy and KC and their parrot  to some ancient forts and hot springs about 100 miles east of Muscat.  We stayed at a “backpacker” type of place for the night (at US $65).  It was not in any way luxurious, but it was an adventure.  Traveling with the parrot is the real adventure, because she goes everywhere with KC on his shoulder.  She has a special perch in the car that KC designed; it is a swing in the back of the car.  She is really a good humored bird, and very smart so I had fun.

Last week was midterm exams, so now I pay the price.  I have been grading exams all weekend. Eid vacation begins next week.

For a teacher, the year always starts at the fall semester, and I have been scrambling since the semester started last week.  The Business Department is down two professors, so I am teaching an extra course to help out.  I am teaching Human Resource Management, Basic Marketing, and Consumer Behavior.  I taught Human Resource Management before, but not the marketing courses, although I have taught a lot of the material.  So this semester will be a challenge for me, and I plan to learn a great deal.

Next week I will be going to the UAE to visit Chris, Vanessa and the boys.  It has been awhile since I went there because I did not want to intrude on Gloria’s stay with Vanessa.  She had not seen Vanessa for 2 years, so they had a lot of catching up to do.  I figured a mother-in-law would get in the way.

Well, well, well, the big news makes it all the way to Oman.  Yesterday on the local radio newscast, there was a story about Bret Farve making the worst nightmares of the Packer fans come true by leading the Vikings in a win over the Packers.  I hope everyone can recover from this event.

I have not posted for awhile because, well, nothing much is happening.  It is summer here in Oman, and that is a lot like the dead of winter in Wisconsin.  I try to stay inside as much as possible where the air conditioning is going full blast.

I do have a few pieces of news.  The most important is that my grandson Tistan was born on July 29.  I was in the UAE to help welcome him.  Of course he is handsome and health and his mother is doing well also.

I have a new temporary roommate: a cat I call Little One, because I cannot pronounce his Arabic name.  I am taking care of him for my friend Hamid, who is in Tunisia for 6 weeks.  He spent the first week behind my sofa, but now he is all over the place, driving me nuts.  He is about 6 months old and full of energy.

I am teaching in the professional development program for AMIDEAST which receives funding from the State Department for English and cultural instruction.  This is turning out to be interesting because I am teaching a variety of subjects to Omani professionals who work in various governmental positions.  I am really enjoying this teaching, which is a lot like the professional training I do–the students are anxious to learn, and I learn from them.

I am also working on a curriculum for the Oman Medical College for a Safety Management degree program.  I am hoping to go to India this month to do some lectures, perhaps.  So, that is what is happening.

It is hard to believe how fast the weather is heating up.  Only a few weeks ago, it was pleasent enough outside, warm, in the 80s.  Now, all of a sudden, it has become hotter, more like 100 degrees or more.  Someone suggested to me that the heat should be treated like the artic cold in winter: just go from air conditioned building to air conditioned building.  I still have not figured out how to dress: it is swelterning in the car until the AC kicks in, and the buildings are air conditioned, but the few minutes of heat are a problem.

Besides the heat, it has been another busy week.   We graded exams and papers and had presentations this week and then turned in out grades.  I am rather surprised that a significant amount of my students, about 10% have a “grade grubbing” mentality.  They challenged the grading on the exam–and it was multiple choice, and get this, brought gifts and snacks to me during the grading period.  I guess it is common and other teachers just shrug their shoulders.

On Monday night I had dinner with a physician from the Royal Hospital with Bill, the other Fulbright.  We wanted to talk to him about health care in Oman, since he is from Europe and had another perspective.  So, we ended up spending several hours talking about politics, and not health care, but we had a lot of fun.

On Tuesday I went to a reception at the ambassador’s house.  The current ambassador is leaving, to be replaced by someone –we don’t know who yet.  So this was a farewell thing, and it was quite an occasion, it being at the ambassador’s residence and all.  I find that there is an inverse relationship between the importance of the occasion and the amount of fun it is.

The best part of the week was yesterday, because it was Taco Night at the American Club.  Real tacos, real beer, and Bernard and I went rug shopping.  I have my eye on a rug that Bernard says is ivestment quality.

It has been a rather busy week (I am tempted to add, in Lake Wobegon, but I won’t).  I went to a concert and reception for the outgoing ambassador on Tuesday and a party at John, the other Fulbright’s home on Wednesday.  Today I went to the souk in Mutra, which is the main souk in Muscat.  It is quite lovely,  right next to the port, which is where souks were located historically, because goods from far off places could be sold at the souk.

This is inside the souk. Notice the wooden celing.

This is one place I visit every time I go to the souk. This shop is one of the best rug shops in the Gulf, I am told.

This is the Muscat Gate; it actually was a wooden gate until the 1960's.

Really, nothing much is happening.  I spent the past several days trying to master the picture feature on the blog.  It is not as straightforward as it seems, but I may get better at it.

I went to the UAE last weekend and visited Chris, Vanessa and Little Chris.  We went to Dubai in Chris’s new car, and just hung out, which is fine with me.

I am always impressed with how affluent the UAE is compared to Oman when I cross the border.  Oman is a rich country, but the UAE is really wealthy.  The roads are wider, and well lit; the buildings are taller and everything is maintained -at least the public view is maintained.  The malls are filled with all kinds of luxery goods, and you can find anything you want in Dubai.  I mean ANYTHING.  There is lobster here in the Gulf, but Maine lobster is flown in for a grocery store I wondered around in the Dubai Mall.  I cannot imagine here would be a high demand for Maine lobster, but it is available, of course for a price.

The semester ended on Wednesday, and final exams have begun.  I have some final projects and exams to grade, and I am done with the teaching part of the year.  I am now going to do some work with the Ministry of Health on curriculum development of safety programs.

Happy Mother’s Day to my daughters, sisters and cousins and friends.  Rest assured that this mother is still enjoying the Middle East.