Dan and Jillian's International Teaching Adventures

A Few More Photos From Sri Lanka

2011-11-14T06:24:00.000+04:00

Feel Something Real

2011-11-11T19:02:00.001+04:00

Question: What do you give teenagers who have everything?

Answer: An experience that will stay with them forever.

I've just returned from a 12-day school trip to Sri Lanka, where our team of ten students and five adults volunteered with Habitat For Humanity to build homes for needy families. Ladies and gentlemen, as we begin our ascent into an authentic, character-building two weeks, please ensure all electronic devices are switched off...

We were in Negombo, a small beach town 30km north of the capital, Colombo. Unexpectedly, this is a highly Catholic area; churches and shrines are a common sight. Tucked back a few kilometers from the beach and strip of tourist shops is a village area referred to by the locals as Fisherman 4. As the name suggests, most of the families there earn their living by the sea. And many of their homes are shockingly small and ramshackle.

During our stay, we set about helping a number of families improve their lives. In each case, the family has taken out a small loan to pay for the improvements and they participate in the work (Habitat is not a giveaway program; it's motto: "A hand up, not a hand out."). We did the grunt work. In 96% humidity and an often blazing sun, we dug trenches for foundations, mixed and poured concrete, carried seemingly infinite bricks and roof tiles, and moved giant piles of dirt.

All the while we had some wonderful interactions with the local villagers. The families were heavily involved in the labor and once school let out each day the children were found swirling about, curious about the latest group of volunteers. As best we could and in our own ways we communicated. Learning to count to ten in Singhalese. Playing cricket with the boys. Drinking tea in the shade with the masons.

My students worked their butts off. Near the end of the trip, one of the kids implored the others to keep up the hard work: this wasn't one of those I-was-here-so-that's-good-enough trips; they made a real difference. Along the way I could see the impact that the genuineness of whole experience was having on them. This wasn't an iPhone app or channel 231 on the satellite. This was real life, and they could feel it.

A sincere thank you to all who supported this trip. Without your generous contributions this trip would not have been possible. Not only have you had on impact on the lives of those students who volunteered, but also a profound and lasting impact on the families who benefited from this program. It was a real success.

One of the homes we helped improve

A few of the local children

Long road to hoe

With another teacher and a family we helped out

Finally...Sri Lanka

2011-10-28T09:05:00.000+04:00

Tomorrow morning a group of students, teachers, and parents from our school will set off for Sri Lanka, where we'll be helping to build a house for a needy family. We'll be working with Habitat For Humanity.

I've written about this project before and I'd like to thank all of you in Oman and beyond who gave the donations that made this trip possible. We're all about to get a very rare opportunity to step outside of our comfort zone and learn something about the world and ourselves. I'm especially excited for the students, who are the age when their world view is really beginning to take shape.

Check back again soon to see how the trip went!

On the Fringe

2011-10-14T14:24:00.000+04:00

Recipe for Fringe Party (serves 50):

1 part hippie commune
1 part brave souls
3/4 part school in the desert
1/2 part poetry slam
1/2 part of that Music Appreciation class you meant to take at uni
1/4 part that place you and your friends drank in high school
1/4 part amateur rock climbing
dash of Weimar Republic
dash of Sasquatch (Burning Man substitute ok)

Directions: Gather a convoy of four dozen of your closest friends. Drive 25 minutes into the desert. Unpack tents, coolers, and folding chairs. Mix ingredients in natural amphitheater at base of enormous rock. Enjoy.

We arrived in time to catch a great sunset

A group of children took an entrepreneurial opportunity

One of the organizers had an authentic gramophone...and it works!

The moon rose as the performances began

Puppet theater in the dark

Don't Fear the Beard

2011-10-06T15:50:00.000+04:00

I can remember the last time I pulled a razor across my face. It was September 30, 2006. I awoke that morning giddy in the knowledge that the beard was finally a go. It was my last day in the military.

It’s simply human nature. From our toddling years until the retirement home, when we’re told we can’t have something, that something becomes just what we want. Whether it’s a toy for our collection, a dog in our new apartment, or pork in the Middle East, everything off-limits has a way of becoming awfully alluring. With all deference to Mick Jagger, in today’s society you can pretty much always get what you want. Except there’s always that one thing…

For me, for six years, it was hair, or rather, the freedom to do what I liked with mine. Out of college I joined the Navy, where beards are most definitely out, and short, “smart” haircuts are the style of the day, every day.

From virtually the moment I was sworn in as a young ensign, my facial hair began planning its escape. On weekends and on leave (vacation), it would make brief, euphoric appearances, only to be shaven back into oblivion in time for work again. Once, while out to sea, my captain exercised an old Navy tradition by authorizing a beard growing contest until out next port call. For two weeks we felt like pirates, standing watch over the seas with grizzled faces, imagining life in a bearded Navy.

Normal length. Wife-approved.

Such episodes were short-lived, however, and for the most part I spent the entirety of my Navy stint dreaming of the beard I was going to grow. I would pass men on the street, men about my age, sporting all varieties of facial hair and I would envy them. “Wipe that smug, beard-adorned look off your face!” I wanted to yell.

Then the day came. October 1, 2006. I was discharged from the Navy and the dust officially began to collect on my razor. Like a woman who has just committed to a total hair makeover, I couldn’t stop looking in the mirror. To my own, long-anticipating eyes, the beard seemed to arrive immediately, virtually overnight. After a few weeks of shameless self-admiration, I asked my wife for her opinion.

“You look homeless,” she said.

It wasn’t long before I started catching double-takes from our friends, followed by remarks like, “Whoa, when did you grow this?” and the first of many, “Hey, Grizzly Adams!”

I had also stopped cutting my hair and before long my head began to resemble a blinking, talking Chia Pet. It was around this time that my family got a really good look at me. My mother was noticeably stunned. “You look so different” was about all she could muster. My dad—who in recent years has begun sporting what I can only describe as “reverse sideburns”—remarked, “You look like one of these guys from the Sixties.”

Lumping me in with Crosby, Stills, Nash, et al, was really the best line any family member delivered. By this time my wife and I had been accepted into the Peace Corps, so I imagine my newfound look only confirmed some things in their minds. Most of them just laughed, including my grandmother, before she remarked, “I like you better without the beard.”

For most of these past five years, I've been regularly trimming it, keeping the beard quite short. But somewhere around July I got lazy, in August I got busy, and by September the whole thing was just funny. It's now October and let me skip all pretenses of humility: my beard is freaking awesome.

Current length. Wife-abhorred.

Seriously. It just keeps growing, bushier and thicker every day. More than a couple strangers have commented on its burliness. Besides "imam" remarks, the most common thing I get is, “Isn’t that beard hot?” Well, I’m not really sure, I didn’t grow it over night, so there’s not much to compare it with. I do know that were I to shave this thing off right now, the tan line would be something to behold.

And I get a lot of double takes from Omanis, both men and women. Their looks are curious and incomprehensible. Are they startled? Confused? Amused? Beards are a big part of Muslim culture, but the heat makes them pretty unattractive, I suppose, and most men here just wear short, neat, facial hair. Is the Whitey going native?

And how long will I let it go? Who knows. For now I’m content to just see where it takes me. Ok, so maybe I am a little warmer than normal, maybe shampooing the thing doubles my showering time, maybe I'm beginning to scare small children. I’m fine with these minor details.

Cash or Credit?

2011-09-24T20:51:00.001+04:00

That's Macguyver demonstrating just how useful a debit card can be. In America, no one--well, no one I know at least--leaves the house without a debit card. That's because aside from gumball machines and strippers, everybody takes debit cards. I'm puzzled when I see someone paying with cash. My wallet rarely contains it. It was briefly a pathetic fad to refer to dollars as "dead presidents" (referring to the the faces on the notes). Now it should just be "dead notes."

And don't even get me started about people who still pay with checks.

But here in Oman it's quite the opposite. This is mainly a cash economy and it's a bit of a rarity to see someone paying with plastic. Well, at least up here in Sohar. And, funny enough, it's equally irritating to see someone pull out their card as it is in America to see someone pull out the checkbook. That's because it never seems to work. I've been behind no less than a half dozen people at Carrefour or Home Centre who have had to resort to cash after their Visa wouldn't go through.

Of course, not using a card means huge trips to the ATM. Who doesn't enjoy walking around with $800 dollars in their wallet? A very relaxing experience.

So please, HSBC and Bank Muscat...get in on reliable debit cards and encourage your vendors to do the same. Then I can start leaving my house at night.

The Shape of Things to Come

2011-09-18T19:55:00.002+04:00

(image courtesy of Thinkfinity)

Here's a loose representation of Bloom's Taxonomy, which shows the levels of learning objectives in the classroom. Basic activities address those objectives at the bottom--basic comprehension--while the ultimate goal is to land students at the top of pyramid, where they are synthesizing what they've learned.

I love this particular image (hat tip to @lynhilt) because it incorporates a pantheon of web-based applications.

Forget Learning 2.0. That was computer labs and Microsoft Word and Netscape. This is a generation of students who know the internet like we knew FM radio. This is education on the iPad, not the textbook. This is students interacting with each other and students around the world in real-time, exchanging ideas and resources. This is students building their understanding of important concepts and issues facing the world today through names like Edmodo, Twitter, Little Bird Tales, Wikispaces, flickr, Google Apps. And on and on.

This is one part of a major change in the way we think about school. Out with the old 19th century model, based on farming schedules and factory lines (brilliant description here) and in with educating our kids to live in a world connected like the synapses of a brain.

So if you live in Sohar or you're thinking of moving here...

Coming soon to an international school near you: students learning on the cutting edge.

Twitter Me This, Twitter Me That

2011-09-08T21:55:00.002+04:00

It took me awhile to come around to this one. With email, blogs, Facebook and some creepy thing called LinkedIn already jamming up the world's bandwidth/attention span/time, I struggled to see a big upside for something that appeared to satisfy two unfortunately essential needs:

It's another way for everyone to tell everyone else exactly what they're up to. All the time.
It comes via short bursts, thus not overwhelming our short attention spans.

Then I actually bothered to spend a couple of hours taking a spin around Twitter and checking out the potential upside. Turns out it's huge. In fact, if you're only using Twitter as yet another vehicle for delivering news on your daily routine, you're missing the good stuff.

I've found Twitter to be an intellectually stimulating environment, full of like-minded people (when you use the hashtags correctly) contributing daily with a TON of helpful, informative content.

Anyway, if you're on Twitter, check me out: @dtkearney. You can also follow my Twitter feed on the right sidebar of this blog. If you're not on Twitter, I highly recommend it. Open an account, do a Google search for hashtags in your area of interest (whether it be professional or personal) and go from there.

A burned truck? Must be that time of year.

2011-09-06T18:58:00.000+04:00

Leftovers from the protest at Sallan Roundabout last night:

Traffic is flowing normally and there is no longer a police presence at the traffic circle. With the exception of this carcass, there's little evidence of last night's shenanigans. From the sounds of it, police response to this new outcropping of protest was swift and direct.

Whether or not this is the start of something bigger remains to be seen. I asked an Omani who was there last night if the program called for an encore tonight. He actually seemed doubtful, at least more doubtful than in the spring when he was certain every day that the night would bring more.

From the expat point of view, this incident has caused some heartburn and, in a few cases, visceral reactions from those (especially with small children) who remember those tense few days back in February.

Avoid Sallan (Safeer) Roundabout this morning

2011-09-06T07:52:00.001+04:00

**UPDATE: I spoke with an Omani who attended the protest in Sohar last night. He tells me the protesters arrived at the Sallan Roundabout near 10pm. The demands are the same as in the spring: "Jobs". Around 3am, he tells me, the ROP showed up and things got tense. A truck was burned. By 4am the police had cleared the roundabout.

Quick note here--

Drivers this morning should avoid Sallan Roundabout, as there is a large contingent of law enforcement out. Traffic is slow. Riot police in black are swarming around the traffic circle.

There are also two trucks parked in the roundabout. Not sure if they're left over from an aborted riot or what.

Protests in the Sohar area

2011-09-05T15:09:00.001+04:00

Just coming through this afternoon via @BaderHinai on Twitter (and reported on Muscat Mutterings):

Riot/protest on the highway south of Sohar (picture courtesy of @BaderHinai).

At this point it seems that the highway is being blocked with trucks. A few questions:

With Ramadan and Eid over, are we looking at the possibility of another outbreak of protests and disruption to daily life?
Are the demands of the protesters the same as before (namely, economic in nature)?
Who's leading this protest?
How will the ROP/army react to this protest?

Here we go again...? (gulp)

Renewed for a Second Season

2011-08-30T16:45:00.001+04:00

Welcome back to Oman, us. I guess it got pretty hot in the house while we were gone. Good thing Jillian persuaded me to resist purchasing that life-size wax statue of William Shatner last fall. A truly gruesome sight, that would have made.

We were out of Oman the past ten weeks, visiting friends and family back home in America. I won't bore you with the details, but simply share this tidbit with you: American airline carriers suck. It's absurd, really, how far behind they are their European and Asian counterparts (those we've traveled with, at least). It's the final straw, after a 13-hour flight that was delayed two hours (resulting in missed connection in Dubai) and featured glitchy in-flight entertainment and really piss-poor food, to be overly thanked by the flight attendants AND the pilot AND the co-pilot AND some guy from maintenance AND one of the passengers who mistakenly took me for the person who was fetching her checked carry-on. Thanks for "choosing" United. Actually, folks, Expedia chose you because you had the lowest fare. Won't make that mistake again.

So we're back in Oman, back to work.

Like a show entering its second season, we're guaranteed to see some changes this year. Because unless you're starring in Friends--in which the same thing can happen for 100 straight episodes without a murmur of complaint from the audience--things have to stay fresh. Especially after the twists and turns in Season 1. Let's face it, the basic premise of the show (two Americans voluntarily moving to the Middle East) stretched credibility, but initial reviews were good so viewers were willing to give it a shot. And then, midway through the season when most shows are still trying to find their legs and solidify a base audience... civil unrest in an Arab country? In the first season? What show does that?

And what lies ahead this season? Surely the introduction of a new character or two. There's a new director at our school and that seems like an obvious, meaningful change. But I'm not so sure--after only one season with our previous director it wasn't exactly William Petersen leaving CSI. Sometimes it's a minor character who sneaks up on you, like when Mad Men introduced Jane in the second season. She seemed like a throwaway, another hot, ditzy secretary. She went on to marry Roger Sterling.

And then there's always the mid- or late-season character introduction, which you can never predict.

What about location? We're still teaching at the same school and living in the same house. But with Sohar growing so rapidly, maybe the attention will turn to that. Remember the second season of The Wire? It was all about corruption and intrigue down at the docks. Maybe we'll see some plot points develop around Sohar Port this year.

For the most part, though, a show stays strong by developing its leads. You know, like Bones or Rizzoli and Isles. Ugh.

Besides, there's a certain level of narcissism that goes along with maintaining a blog. So you can expect to hear more about Jillian and I in the coming months. But we're also teachers, so like Friday Night Lights, I'll do my best to turn the spotlight on our awesome kids whenever possible.

Eid Mubarak and see you soon!

Where the Wild Things Are

2011-06-24T18:53:00.000+04:00

I suspect the property value of our house in Sohar recently got a bump. The newly-opened Carrefour is a 120-second drive from our door and we've enjoyed food shopping without having to muddle through a roundabout. It's a perfect encapsulation of life in Sohar that from our house we can see both modern, Western Carrefour and acres of farmland. It's where city meets country.

Between our house and the Carrefour is a wide wadi. Throw some tarmac down and it could easily be an overflow parking lot. Luckily it's not, since in recent weeks it's played host to large, fast, powerful animals and their human handlers. One week it was horse racing and the next it was bull fighting--not Spanish bullfighting, but bull "butting" in which two bulls go head-to-head until one is pushed out of the ring or runs away.

Well-attended and highly organized, these gatherings are a fun reminder that even though Oman has changed a ton in the last few decades, the rural traditions remain. For how many years have men gathered in that wadi to race their horses and set their prized bulls upon each other?

Alcohol and the Sultanate

2011-06-07T15:12:00.006+04:00

A couple we know were at the pool this weekend. Seeing as how the pool feels like a giant bathtub these days, it provides the perfect opportunity to introduce their small baby to the joys of swimming. Well, floating. But on this day no sooner had they got their daughter into a pair of Huggies Swimmers than an obviously shit-faced Omani man approached them, asking to hold the baby. They politely refused, but this jolly fellow was not to be deterred. He followed them across the pool, evermore acting the part of the pathetic, fixating drunk. No, they didn't understand, he really wanted to hold the baby. They eventually managed to run him off, probably by luring him towards the bar.

Yeah, we've all met that guy. Maybe even been that guy. But after nine months here it still surprises me when that guy is an Omani guy. Early in our time here we walked into that bar in the Intercon--filthy rugs, Guinness on tap--and I was shocked to see half the place wearing dishdashas. How naive of me. How naively American of me, assuming something about the absolute piety of a Muslim country in the Middle East. When a guy needs a beer, a guy needs a beer.

[From what I've found, there isn't much research into alcohol consumption in the Middle East. Here's a graphic from the World Health Organization showing Oman's average pure alcohol consumption per capita to be less than 1.5 liters (France, by comparison, is ten times this amount). A study published by the University of Queensland in 2008 found that 82% of Omanis, Emiratis, Indonesians, and Malaysians--four major Muslim countries--are abstainers from alcohol.]

Recently I commented to a Muslim friend (man) that it appears as though the ban on pork is adhered to a lot more strictly than the ban on alcohol. His reply: "Well, yeah. We can see the benefits of drinking alcohol. We can't see any benefit of eating pork."

Obviously not everyone in Oman has that view. Just this week at a social function I was asked by an Omani (woman), "Why is it that Westerners always have to drink with dinner?"

When a gal doesn't need a beer, a gal doesn't need a beer.

Westerners drink with dinner and sometimes lunch and at social gatherings and on holidays and during big and small sporting events and after a tough day at work or for no reason at all because, when it's not abused, alcohol serves a legitimate social function. It has a role in our society that is easily made a caricature by people like the Omani man at the pool and frat boys ad infinitum.

But there's something called moderation. Which reminds me of this exchange I witnessed between a Englishman and an Omani (woman):

He: "It's like Omanis and coffee. You drink a lot of coffee. We drink alcohol. It's just a different drug."
She: "But only one of those drugs makes you crazy."

Crazy...there's that caricature. After a beer or two I might become more talkative and (in my own mind at least) more amusing, but "crazy" isn't a word I'd use. I don't become belligerent or rude or loud. I don't abuse my wife or crash my car. I don't demand to hold someone else's baby.

I'm tempted to say that you shouldn't pass a judgment on something you've never tried, but Jillian's leaning over my shoulder now offering her feminine perspective:

"Well, given the power men have in this society, maybe Omani women don't want their men drinking alcohol. I don't think I would."

So now I'm wondering, do any Omani women drink alcohol, either in public or on the sly? And is there some truth to this idea: Have the gender roles in Oman created a significant aversion to booze on the part of women?

------------

I'll finish with an amusing tale I heard from an Omani man. We were sharing a beer while a group of us watched football and I asked him about supply. Sure, Omanis can go to a Western hotel and order a drink at the bar, but what about an Omani who wants to drink at home or in the desert with his friends? Our school is sort of out in the middle of nowhere and the evidence of clandestine drinking can be seen every Saturday morning: discarded beer cans scattered among the dirt and shrubs.

My assumption was that Omanis, who can't obtain the required alcohol license, simply purchase their booze through non-Omanis, such as Indians. This is true, my drinking companion told me, but it's not how he gets his beer, gin, vodka, rum, and whatever else is available.

It's illegal to transport alcohol across the land border between Oman and the Emirates. I've never tried, so I've never been caught. Apparently the alcohol is seized and the offender goes about his/her business.

And then the ROP dumps all the alcohol out, spits on the wet ground and uses the bottles for target practice, right?

And waste a perfectly good opportunity to sell those bottles out the back door?

Let's Build Something!

2011-05-30T20:37:00.001+04:00

Dear readers,

I'm proud to tell you that in October Jillian and I are leading a team of secondary students to Sri Lanka to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. During our 11-day trip we will help build a house for a family in need of a home. In a country devastated by natural disasters and where the average income is around $40 (15 OMR) per month, many families cannot afford even the most basic accommodation.

Our students will make a real difference.

Here's where you come in: we need to raise money to make this possible. A large portion of the money we raise goes directly into the house in the form of building supplies (concrete, rubble, wood, etc). The rest of the money will simply get our team to Sri Lanka and provide us with minimal lodging and food while we work.

During their IT class the students have created a webpage to provide more information and to collect donations (we collect credit card donations via Paypal, so the transactions are very safe). I encourage you to at least check out the website and watch the video...you'll meet the members of this awesome student team! Click here for the website. If you can, please donate, even if only a small amount.

Our kids are about to get the experience of a lifetime and help someone in need. Be a part of it!

For more information on Habitat for Humanity, click here and here.

The greatest day in Sohar since...the Sultan came to power?

2011-05-23T13:40:00.000+04:00

Now open in Sohar:

Sign of the Day: It's not in Oman, but it should be.

2011-05-21T18:35:00.000+04:00

A frequently-seen sign in Jillian's native California, warning drivers to beware of illegal Mexican immigrants running across the freeway to evade immigration agents. Given the number of Indian and Pakistani men I routinely almost hit on my way to Muscat, I feel this sign should be appropriated by the Sultanate.

UAE's New Mercenary Army

2011-05-20T10:47:00.001+04:00

So many nations across the region have been touched by the Arab Spring uprisings since January that those who haven't are starting to look a bit conspicuous in their absence. Most notable are the oil-and-gas-soaked, low-population states lining the Arabian Gulf: Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. Incredible wealth carried these autocracies through the last five months with little more than a scratch.

Behind the scenes, the powers in Abu Dhabi are moving to ensure that their good times last.

Last week the New York Times reported on a mercenary army being assembled at a military complex outside the Emirates capital with over $500 million. This force would be used for irregular missions or assignments that couldn't be be trusted to the UAE's standard army. And who's in charge of constructing this brigade? None other than Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, the ~~private security firm~~ mercenary force that proved to be a magnet for notoriety in Iraq.

Having been out of the news since those shootings in 2007, Prince has resurfaced in the UAE, putting together this 800-strong force, mostly recruited from South America. Money quotes from the Times reporting:

The force is intended to conduct special operations missions inside and outside the country, defend oil pipelines and skyscrapers from terrorist attacks and put down internal revolts, the documents show. Such troops could be deployed if the Emirates faced unrest in their crowded labor camps or were challenged by pro-democracy protests like those sweeping the Arab world this year.

_______

One document describes “crowd-control operations” where the crowd “is not armed with firearms but does pose a risk using improvised weapons (clubs and stones).”

People involved in the project and American officials said that the Emiratis were interested in deploying the battalion to respond to terrorist attacks and put down uprisings inside the country’s sprawling labor camps, which house the Pakistanis, Filipinos and other foreigners who make up the bulk of the country’s work force.

_______

[F]ormer employees said that in recruiting the Colombians and others from halfway around the world, Mr. Prince’s subordinates were following his strict rule: hire no Muslims.
Muslim soldiers, Mr. Prince warned, could not be counted on to kill fellow Muslims.

While much of the Arab world's autocrats face challenge to their decades-long absolute rule in the harsh spotlight of the Western media, the Emirates are quietly adding another layer to their absolute rule.

The Financial Times reports on America's examination of the legality of this mercenary force. Given the UAE's strategic importance to the U.S. (proximity to Iran, oil wealth), don't expect to hear any condemnation from America if/when this force is deployed.

Sign of the Day: That sounds good. I'll have that.

2011-05-14T14:36:00.000+04:00

A village outside Sohar:

From the Sohar playbook

2011-05-14T13:47:00.004+04:00

The protests in Sohar ended some time ago, but they continued in Salalah until yesterday. The number of protesters has always been much larger in Salalah, but thanks to the early violence here in Sohar, that southern city in the Dhofar region never got much international attention.

It had the full attention of Oman's military yesterday. What had been dubbed the "People's Square" (protesters in Salalah were essentially asking for the same things as those in Sohar--more jobs, better benefits) was inundated with soldiers as night fell, protesters were arrested, the phone/internet networks were suspended.

Perhaps due to Dhofar's historically rocky relationship with the rest of Oman, the protests there were allowed to continue in Salalah well past those in the rest of the Sultanate. Now, it appears, they're over.

For more local coverage, check out Dhofari Gucci.

For international coverage, check here.

How Acute

2011-05-08T12:07:00.002+04:00

In Grade 3 the students are learning about dollars and sense by running their own classroom economy, complete with jobs, taxes, paychecks, and currency. The kids balance their own books and learn firsthand about the benefits and drawbacks of spending and saving money. Opportunity cost, anyone?

Jillian challenged the students to find their inner entrepreneur and start their own business (based on the invented currency, of course). Some sell a product and others a service. One of the students was selling homemade poems, so when it came time for me to shop around in Jillian's classroom I gathered up my Batinah Bucks and walked straight to her table. Here's what I got:

You are kind
like an angle
forever.

Well worth the money, don't you think?

Swimmers Take Your Mark...

2011-05-04T20:11:00.001+04:00

Congratulations to all the students who participated in our Swim Gala this morning. Almost the entire student body, from Kindergarten to grade 10, hopped in the pool for a program of races ranging from the competitive (100 meter IM) to the silly and fun (rope-pull rescue).

I myself am not a strong swimmer--just ask grades 4 and 5 (ha!)--but I could really appreciate the hard work the kids put into their events today and the quality of the program designed by Andy, our P.E. teacher. As I wrote after our annual Sports Day, it's events like this one that make a school really special and make teaching so much fun.

As a member of Blue Team, I must give a shout out to Marieke, a fine swimmer and even finer sportswoman. Go dolphins!

Here's a few of my favorite pictures from the gala:

Sign of the Day -- They're All the Rage

2011-05-02T18:06:00.000+04:00

From Michael:

Death of a Symbol

2011-05-02T14:20:00.008+04:00

From Andrew Sullivan's blog this morning (he took it from the FBI's most wanted site):

Nadia over at Dhofari Gucci reacted with some surprise at the spontaneous celebrations on the part of Americans: "I don't know how any decent human can celebrate the death of another."

My reaction to that is that you can't really think of it as a "celebration" so much as a catharsis or emotional outburst of anger and frustration on the part of citizens who are still very emotional about 9/11. America's "war on terror" has branched in many different directions since that day, but Bin Laden has always been the lightning rod, the main target.

For my part, when I first read the headline this morning a big grin broke across my face and I thought, "Wow, the mother f----r is finally dead." Was I celebrating his death? Not really, since by this point Bin Laden is less of a person than a symbol. I was celebrating the end of a painful chapter for my country. I'm happy today for all Americans still reeling from 9/11, particularly those who lost loved ones.

A Royal Wedding and a Royal Question Mark

2011-04-30T21:39:00.003+04:00

Admit it: you spent yesterday morning/afternoon on the couch watching the greatest three-hour non-film, non-sporting event our modern society could ever conjure up. The Royal Wedding. The marriage of Will and Kate Middleton. Many of you women were undoubtedly, like Jillian, hoping for more shots of David Beckham. Many of you men were undoubtedly, like me, mentally inquiring into Pippa's availability. And everyone watching CNN could have a good laugh at Piers Morgan's running commentary on the arriving royals. On Tara Palmer: "Well, she had a bad cocaine addiction. It ruined her nose, so she has to get a new one."

Hey Pippa, isn't it about time for a
British good-will mission
to ~~Oman~~ ~~Sohar~~ Tareef?

All the while I was thinking about how Brits get to watch this elegant couple mature over the years. They are afforded the opportunity of seeing their future king and queen grow old together. For a nation where over two-thirds of the population approve of the monarchy, this wedding must be an exciting beginning to a long relationship.

And it's not like Britain's a real monarchy. I mean, the royals don't actually wield any power in their parliamentary system.

Oman is a real monarchy, an absolute monarchy. It has been ruled for the past forty years by certainly one of the most enlightened and fair absolutists in history. But the thing about monarchies: you live with the good and you die with the bad. And Omanis don't know who's next. The current leader, Sultan Qaboos, has no heirs and has not publicly identified his successor. In fact, the whole process of succession is a bit confusing. Muscat Confidential summarizes in a must-read post from last October:

Al Busaidy family should unanimously choose a successor within 48 hrs. If they don't, the Army assumes command and opens a safe containing a letter with his Majesty's nominated 2 potential successors. Apparently there are two such safes, one in Muscat and the other in Salalah (just to be sure no switcheroos take place). This was a big improvement on the previous set-up, where by default the army would naturally have taken control immediately.

Talk about a situation ripe for intrigue, power plays, and shadow figures. Not to mention significant foreign interest/meddling.

Given the longevity of the Sultan's rule, I'd forgive Omanis for not giving much thought to Life After Qaboos. But the Sultan's now in his 70s; how much longer will he rule? I'm not in a position to comment on possible successors (again, Muscat Confidential's post is essential reading if you have even a passing interest), but as a student of history I believe that lightning rarely strikes twice--let alone consecutively--in governments where one person holds all the power. Can the next Sultan possibly fill the current's shoes? Does the Renaissance continue?

The Brits had their royal future laid out for them yesterday afternoon and the future looks pretty bright. Omanis? They have to wait and see.

Sign of the Day -- Filipino Expats Beware!

2011-04-28T10:53:00.000+04:00

From Alessandra:

Sign of the Day

2011-04-25T06:19:00.001+04:00

Claudia provides this sign from Barka.

She adds: "Who murdered the chicken? The cat? Or an electronic dictionary?"

Keep them coming to soharteachers@yahoo.com!

Let's Collect Our Favorite Signs

2011-04-21T18:15:00.000+04:00

When you're filling up at Oman Oil stations around the Sultanate, you may be lucky enough to see this sign:

I've seen some pretty egregious false advertisements in my life, but this puts all that to shame. This is something more like Orwell's doublethink--accepting two mutually exclusive ideas as correct. It's the kind of statement that's so brazenly false that it actually gave me pause the first time I read it; I wondered, "Am I missing something?"

And it got me thinking...there must be dozens of awesome signs around Oman.

Dear readers, let's collect 'em. Photograph your favorite signs in Oman and email them to me at soharteachers@yahoo.com. I'll post them in what I hope can be a running series. Really, it's one of the joys of living in a foreign country--spotting accidentally funny translations, awkward wording, or just the sort of plain falsities that wouldn't fly back home.

Here's a couple more from Sohar:

Nooooooooooo!

2011-04-14T11:25:00.000+04:00

It's all quiet. A few thoughts.

2011-04-11T17:56:00.002+04:00

Just when it appeared that Sohar was heading for certain violence following Friday prayer, the culmination of over a month of protracted protests here in Oman's industrial center, the whole affair vanished faster than Pia Toscano on "American Idol". The Omani military effectively voted the protesters off the show (Oman Idle?) with a tremendous presence in the Tareef neighborhood. And I do mean tremendous. Sohar hasn't seen this many people wearing uniforms in one place since the last Lulu's staff party.

Again, Oman is different. While opposition movements in Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and Tunisia mustered the sort of numbers that could challenge security forces in the street, that isn't the case here. For starters, there aren't that many people who are truly pissed off. And while some Omanis agree with the protesters in a general sense--they'd like to see more high paying jobs--they still have faith in the Sultan and his ability to steer the economy.
The French news agency ran a post-mortem on Friday's events in which a Sohar resident is quoted as remarking, "We should also be well-off, like our neighbors [UAE, Qatar, etc]. We have oil, we have gas, we have gold." This sounds like a third-grader explaining his family's finances. "My mom has fifty dollars in her wallet. We should have a house as big as Billy's across the street!"

It's time for the Sultan to pull a Ross Perot and go on national TV with a stack of graphs and charts and explain to his country that, as it turns out, he can't simply spend until the disgruntled are satiated. This isn't Qatar.
Last Thursday I was driving around Sohar checking out the military presence and taking some clandestine photos when I was spotted by two 20-something Omanis in a deeply-tinted luxury car. They followed me for over three kilometers to Safeer Mall, climbed out of their car in dishdashas, and informed me that I was about to have "big problems."

Were they part of the Dragon Gang, whose leader was arrested last week for "instigating riots and violence" in Sohar? Uh-oh, not the Dragon Gang! Weren't they the guys who beat up the Karate Kid?

Wait, that was the Cobra Kai. But these two chaps were even better. They informed me they were with the police ("I am police!") and proceeded to flash badges so fake looking that they'd be turned away from many Halloween parties. For instance, where it should have said "Police ID" or "identification" it instead read, "Warrant." Okay.

Then they demanded my camera. When I pretended I had no idea what they were talking about, they insisted. I insisted I had no idea what they were talking about and they said they'd be back with the police. Wait, you mean you're not the police...? [They never came back.]

Like I said, Oman Idle.

And then...nothing happened

2011-04-08T17:40:00.000+04:00

Exactly one hour after I posted about the incredible concentration of forces in the Tareef neighborhood, including easily a doubling of soldiers and police, the army suddenly packed up and left. Long convoys of troop transports and support trucks were rolling down the main road through Tareef and heading north along the highway.

One convoy continued on past the Port Roundabout. Another turned left at the Al Ain Roundabout, towards the Crowne Plaza. None of them were driving with any real urgency.

At this moment the Al Tareef (Paradise) Roundabout is deserted. Where this morning there stood an army encampment, with soldiers literally lined up across the road to prevent entry, there is now not a single uniform in sight. All checkpoints in Tareef have been lifted and though there are still security forces at the Bank, Globe, and Sallan Roundabouts, the numbers have been dialed back.

That, folks, is what you call deterrence. In the face of an overwhelming military presence, the protesters had no choice and no chance.

It's a credit to how effectively the military had locked down Tareef that by 2:00pm, only one hour after prayer attendees began exiting mosques, the leadership felt confident to send the troops packing.

I haven't heard any news that the protesters moved elsewhere in Sohar.

Please comment if you have any further knowledge about today's events. It seems the military's strategy has won the day.

Friday at 1:00pm

2011-04-08T13:05:00.001+04:00

The main thoroughfare in the Tareef neighborhood is clogged with soldiers and riot police. The smallest roundabout--the Al Tareef (Paradise) Roundabout--looks like an absolute war zone. There must be at least two hundred soldiers and police occupying the area. Getting any pictures was an absolute no-go.

The same holds true at the Bank Roundabout, where the violence occurred last Friday. Soldiers line the wide street there. The street between these two roundabouts is also heavily monitored. The authorities see this as the main axis of threat.

Prayer is just getting out as I write this. The helicopter has been circling low over the area for the past 45 minutes.

Let's hope the protesters don't attempt to take on this small army. It couldn't possibly end well.

Checkpoints all around Sohar today in advance of tomorrow's planned protest

2011-04-07T19:16:00.002+04:00

Whether or not there is going to be a confrontation between the authorities and protesters in Sohar tomorrow is anybody's guess at the moment. The military's strategy seems pretty clear. There are at least ten checkpoints around the neighborhood of Tareef at all major intersections.

At each checkpoint soldiers are examining IDs (not once did they look at my ID; I suppose "Israeli-looking white guy" doesn't fit any of the suspects). They are checking the names against a list that each group of soldiers appears to have:

The military has the names of who they consider to be the leaders or instigators of the protests and they're determined to keep them out. At least, that's my theory. Checkpoints are set up all around Sohar, including near the Hatta border crossing. A friend tells me that he witnessed fairly aggressive "grilling" of a group of young Omanis at the Sohar gate.

The thinking must be that if key people are kept away from Friday prayer then the planned protest will fizzle out. This isn't a terrible idea if you assume that a large percentage of the protesters are simply followers that need a push to take to the streets versus armed security. Still, I'm not sure this system of checkpoints can keep out those who are determined to get into the neighborhood of the most recent violence.

Now we wait.

What will Friday bring to Sohar?

2011-04-06T09:24:00.001+04:00

[UPDATE: Reuters reports this afternoon that protesters have asked the public prosecutor to "charge members of the security forces responsible for killing two demonstrators in separate clashes." This whole affair has gone off on a tangent--requests for political and economic reform have taken a back seat to demands for justice over what happened when the original demands resulted in violence.]

Two articles of note this morning.

For starters, the demands of the protesters, which seem to now be exclusively focused on the release of other protesters who've been jailed:

Protesters asked the chief prosecutor yesterday to drop charges against as many as 60 people detained on Friday in Sohar after a clashes with Omani securities forces that left one demonstrator dead.

"The Friday's protests were legitimate and no security forces members got hurt. We ask the chief prosecutor to release all the 60 people who were arrested," Salim Al Shizawi, one of the protesters in Sohar, told The National.

This is a sure-fire way for protesters to solidify opinion against them. Most Omanis are already sick of what's dragged on for more than forty days and I doubt they see rock-throwing protests as "legitimate." Demands for the release of those 57 who were arrested last week isn't bound to fall on many sympathetic ears.

Second, the arrest of "a number of people" for making weapons in preparation for Friday's planned protest. This story is still a bit sketchy and there are a few questions I'd like answered, such as how many people were arrested and where? Exactly how many "weapons" were discovered?

Have your ID handy...

2011-04-03T20:57:00.002+04:00

I was driving around Sohar this morning and again this afternoon (with guests...welcome to Sohar, how do you like our military occupation?) and I encountered at least a half dozen check points. This makes some sense in the vicinity of the recent violence, but we came upon check points on the other side of the highway going away from Sohar.

In all cases my ID was requested and our trunk was searched. We also noted that at each check point one of the soldiers was holding a small piece of paper that was frequently consulted. Could this be a list of their main "suspects"?

The city felt peaceful today and traffic was moving along, despite the check points. But will it last?According to a report from Reuters, no:

Omani protesters on Sunday vowed to return to the area they demonstrated for five weeks in the northeast industrial town of Sohar after security forces moved them out last week.

About 400 protesters took to the streets on Friday demanding the release of their colleagues and pressing to be allowed to return to the Globe and Industrial roundabouts from where they were forced out on Tuesday.

"We will be back. We are now regrouping and we will make another attempt to return to the two roundabouts. Most likely this coming Friday after prayers," protester Khalfan Al Mharbi told Reuters.

Stay tuned for what Friday brings. More mobile network outages? Closed roundabouts? Rock throwing? Rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas?

Heavy military presence in three roundabouts tonight

2011-04-02T18:43:00.001+04:00

Check out this satellite image. I've highlighted the three important roundabouts in Sohar this afternoon:

Roundabout #1 is the Globe Roundabout.

The military helicopter has been busy this afternoon, circling at a low altitude over the area for the past few hours.

What I've labeled #3, the Paradise Roundabout (named after an Indian restaurant), right now resembles something like a military encampment. In this tiny roundabout there must be at least fifty soldiers and a dozen vehicles. My friend Andy tells me it was easily double this last night. A few tents are set up in a dusty lot next to the roundabout.

It's very tense at this roundabout. When I drove through earlier today, the soldiers took a good, hard look at me before letting me pass. They visibly tensed up as I approached. After yesterday's action at what I've labeled #2, the Bank Roundabout, in which at least one person was killed by rubber bullets, the military presence is heaviest at the Paradise Roundabout--clearly the military is worried about another domino falling, such as the case is.

Below are some pictures from the three roundabouts this afternoon. This is the heaviest and most concentrated military presence in Sohar yet.

Sohar Erupts Again: 1 Reported Dead

2011-04-01T22:38:00.003+04:00

UPDATE: Sohar expat Sandy responds to the video footage: "yes it's in Sohar. The video was taken from one of the roofs looking toward Oman International bank. Nawras is to the left of them in the video, and the curve of the road goes toward Al Jadeeda and the Friday Market."

Early this afternoon, shortly after Friday prayer ended, the helicopters came in fast and low over Tareef, our neighborhood in Sohar. Something was up. But what?

Then the text messages from our company's security advisor began:

14.30: There are reports of confrontations between security forces and protesters near the Souq Roundabout in Al Tareef. Gunfire is evident in these clashes. Please take caution to stay out of the area and to remain indoors should you live in this area.

18:20: The military have closed the Sohar (Globe) and Bank Muscat [Souq] Roundabouts.

19:09: Both roundabouts open with strong military presence.

AFP picks up the story from here:

Omani police shot dead a protester on Friday in the port of Sohar, north of Muscat when they opened fire to disperse demonstrators demanding the release of prisoners.

Police tried to disperse a crowd of protestors who were hurling stones at them and fired on the crowd when the victim was hit, a witness said.

After four weeks of peaceful demonstrations following the initial violence, Sohar is back in the international news for all the wrong reasons. The roundabout in question--near the souq and Bank Muscat--is a small but busy intersection less than a kilometer from the Globe Roundabout in the direction of the sea. Adjacent to this roundabout is one of Sohar's largest mosques. It's likely that the protesters came out of that mosque following Friday prayer and proceeded directly into the traffic circle.

There were not many soldiers in this roundabout the past few days--none, actually, when I drove through on Tuesday afternoon--but its proximity to the Globe and the police HQ would mean that the response was swift.

A video was posted on Youtube today purporting to show a standoff between protesters and military in Sohar. I don't recognize the location. It certainly isn't the roundabout in question. Can anyone identify this street? Is this even Sohar?

Life Goes On

2011-04-01T08:42:00.002+04:00

If you've been reading the news about Oman from afar these past thirty-three days you'll be forgiven if you think the country has been on the brink of anarchy. The sometimes breathless descriptions of the unrest here--typically used to conflate Oman's protests with the events in neighboring countries-- have been a bit overblown. Just today I was reading an article about the protests that have "raged" around Oman since late February. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to choose that verb.

In fact, much of Oman has been untouched by the protests. The demonstrations have often been on people's tongues, though not in their line of sight. Here in Sohar, most of the city has maintained a peace and quiet, with people going about their lives for the past month. Shops and restaurants have been open for business, children have played football in the dusty lots, devotees have gathered in local mosques for prayer, and schools have been in session. The protesters have been at most a disturbance to daily life with their occupation of major traffic circles.

Please keep this mind when the latest newsflash about Libya or Yemen fills your screen.

--------

Speaking of normalcy in their daily lives: one afternoon this week I was walking along the beach in Sohar. Fishermen were going about their everyday ritual of casting their nets. They use ancient, stripped-down trucks (Land Rover Defenders are popular) to drag their lines in when the tide goes out.
.

A Few More Bits About Today...

2011-03-29T19:31:00.000+04:00

The Financial Times ran an article this afternoon about the Omani military's move on the Globe Roundabout early this morning. Their report included this fascinating line: “They are also breaking into people’s houses and searching for demonstrators,” one protester said.

The UPI backs this statement up, adding that it was "suspected vandals accused of attacking government offices" who were arrested at their homes. It makes me wonder how long the authorities have been sitting on pertinent information, just awaiting the word to move in.

Unfortunately, the FT reporter also writes:

Sohar residents said that on Monday night the army had arrested protesters and cleared obstructions to traffic, indicating that another Gulf state has opted for military force over negotiation.

Ummm...what? Apparently the FT assigned Rip Van Winkle to cover the story and he's been sleeping since February 27, when the violence broke out. Since then, the Sultan has done little else but giveaway concessions to the various protesters around Oman. If anything, he's been too restrained in his response as bitterness grew throughout his country towards demonstrations that were becoming downright ridiculous. Though the reporter does eventually mention HM's reforms, he quickly tries to fit Oman into the same shoe as Bahrain, demonstrating a high degree of laziness.

Lastly, direct from the Omani Public Prosecution on this morning's action:

Based on the complaints and notifications made by adversely affected citizens from the acts of the irresponsible group which banned the existing authorities from carrying out their functions, rioting with intent of violence, disruption of public order, destructing and vandalizing the public and private utilities, prejudicing the public comfort or tranquility, blocking public roads leading to banning traffic movement or causing difficulty in traffic flow and assault on the security personnel. The Public Prosecution has issued orders to the respective departments to chase doers of such acts, arrest and place them under custody for investigation.

For the full text of this statement, visit Muscat Confidential.

Update: All quiet this early evening

2011-03-29T18:24:00.000+04:00

It's been a pretty uneventful day in Sohar after the military and police cleared the Globe Roundabout early this morning, arresting protesters in the process. There are noticeably less check points in operation this afternoon and traffic is moving a bit more fluidly.

The message around Sohar from the authorities today: do not assemble. All day there have been armored personnel carriers and soldiers stationed at many roundabouts and intersections throughout Sohar. Worried that the dispersed protesters might regroup elsewhere, the military isn't taking any chances.

In any event, the situation at present feels very calm.

ROP and military clear the Globe Roundabout in early morning move

2011-03-29T11:31:00.002+04:00

According to a protester I spoke with (and corroborated by reports heard by Muscat Confidential) at approximately four o'clock this morning the military and police cleared the Globe roundabout and dismantled the entire scene: posters, signs, staging, and tents. All cars in the area were towed away. Those who were still at the roundabout at that hour were arrested. [The man I spoke with was not there.]

Also, he tells me the phone networks were shutoff between 3 and 6 this morning. I can't speak for Omantel because I didn't check my phone during these hours, but at 5:30am my internet (Nawras) was not working--no signal. A signal came back around 7am and I could log in again by 7:45am. If true, was this part of the police sweep at the roundabout? It seems rather implausible that it wasn't and it's a chilling move, torn straight out of the Hosni Mubarak playbook in Egypt. And how far did this blackout reach? Were the networks also down in Muscat early this morning?

More rumors: The military checkpoints on the highway are looking for specific persons, ostensibly protest leaders. Also, reports of violence at the Al Ain Roundabout (Crowne Plaza roundabout) early this morning.

Below are a few pictures from the roundabout this morning, those I could snap as discreetly as possible in the presence of dozens of soldiers. It's a bit reminiscent of the day after the violence (February 27) when the military rushed in, restored calm, the roundabout was cleaned up, and the whole thing looked like it was over. That was over a month ago and something tells me this time is different.

Soldiers at a checkpoint along the highway

Riot police in the roundabout

Update: Sohar roundabouts on lockdown

2011-03-29T08:11:00.003+04:00

There is a heavy military presence in all the main roundabouts of Sohar this morning. There have been soldiers in the area for the last few weeks, but this is a huge increase. Cars are allowed to pass, but many are being stopped and the soldiers are asking for IDs. The lines of cars entering the roundabouts on the highway are extensive.

There are at least ten armored personnel carriers in the Globe Roundabout. Workers are painting over the graffiti on the base of the globe. All signs have been removed. All portraits of the Sultan have been taken down, as have all the Omani flags. A small cadre of riot police now occupy the center of the roundabout.

An unconfirmed report (rumor) has several protesters being arrested last night.

I spoke with a protester yesterday and after assuring me that the protests will continue quietly until demands are met, he added, "On Tuesday we hope for an answer from the Sultan. If the answer is good, then we go home."

Is today's stepped-up military presence the "answer"?

More to follow...

Update: Beach Hotel resumes normal business

2011-03-26T18:56:00.000+04:00

It must have been the lightening round of protests. The short-distance event. One and done. Whatever the case, the Beach Hotel's brief flirtation with disruptive demonstration is already over. Management informs me that it was simply "a few hours yesterday."

But did they get any concessions? You know, like a shock-and-awe style protest?

Mum's the word.

I hope you weren't planning a night out in Sohar.

2011-03-25T17:42:00.001+04:00

At least not at the Beach Hotel (which, let's face it, eliminates approximately fifty percent of the (semi) fine dining options in town. Yes, laugh it up Muscat). I've just come from there and--guess what?--the Omani staff is protesting at the entrance. I spoke with management and they confirmed what seemed pretty clear as we departed: the protesters are letting guests leave, but they're not letting anyone enter. Even the beachside entrance has been closed off using caution tape.

Funny thing, it looked to us like it wasn't simply the Omani staff of the hotel. There were about two dozen Omani men sitting at the entrance--those big wooden doors--and most of them didn't look like they work there. We've been members at the hotel since September and I've only seen a handful of Omani staff.

"They want to make themselves heard," explained management. "We hope to have this sorted by tomorrow."

Sorted by tomorrow--that's probably what the ROP was saying after the first day of protests in the Globe Roundabout.

That's why it's called the "private" sector

2011-03-25T17:12:00.000+04:00

Further proof that microeconomics is not part of the curriculum in Omani schools:

Around 200 private sector workers staged a sit-in around government buildings in Oman's capital on Thursday, urging the Gulf Arab state's ruler to ensure a pay rise that matches an increase for state employees.

"What about people like us working for the private sector? The government must provide funding for the private sector to get us a raise, too," said Mohammed Al Tiwani, a protester sitting outside Muscat's ministerial buildings.

Well. And, so, here is the Herculean task that Sultan Qaboos faces: transitioning his nation to an economy of free enterprising capitalists and not a bunch of Qatar-envying protesters who begin sentences with "the government must" in reference to private companies.

Personally, I'm waiting for this quote from an Omani protester: "The government must ensure that Indians and Bangladeshis are paid the same as an Omani for the same work."

Doodling with History

2011-03-24T19:25:00.000+04:00

The last 2+ months of unrest in the Middle East and North Africa have certainly given me a lot to work with in my history classes. This has been especially true in grade 8, where current events play a big part in the learning. [It just so happened that the protests in Egypt broke out the same week that I began discussing the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989 as part of a unit on China.]

We've been following the events across the region and how could we not? They came to our doorstep in the waning days of February when school was canceled for several days due to the unrest in Sohar. [Plus, one of my students is half Tunisian, so it's even a bit more personal for her.] I've been impressed with my students' critical thinking about the protests--as international students, they don't have a traditional relationship with the countries they live in. They move around and rarely live in their home countries. As such, the role of government in our lives is a bit harder to convey to them. They live in the expat bubble and "government" feels like something far removed from that.

That being said, they've done a terrific job identifying and explaining the demands and desires of protest movements around the region and how the last two months represent a sea change. We spent a few days talking about and analyzing political cartoons last week. Then I asked grade 8 to draw their own, expressing their opinion about the unrest. They did super work. I didn't have to make a single suggestion.

This student wonders about the paradox of protesters
demanding more money while destroying property.

I suppose this one could be called, "The Arsenal of Democracy".
Democracy as a weapon, "killing" bad regimes.

The "sinking" of autocratic regimes.

North Korea's Kim Jong-Il (who we studied earlier this year),
watches the protests on a row of televisions. One of his
soldiers is saying, "I think he's getting nervous..."

Fuel Rationing?

2011-03-23T22:15:00.001+04:00

This today from Muscat Mutterings:

It appears that the fuel truck drivers that deliver the fuel to all of the petrol stations here in Oman are on strike. As a result of this, fuel stations have already started rationing drivers to a maximum of RO 5.000 per visit.

He adds that thus far this seems to be a problem at Shell stations only.

Has anyone in Sohar run into this problem?

Giddy Up

2011-03-23T21:59:00.000+04:00

According to Neil Young, it's better to burn out than to fade away. It seems the Globe Roundabout protesters don't agree.

Though the much-rumored end of these demonstrations didn't come to pass this afternoon, the slippage is noticeable. For starters, the protesters told me that the roundabout will now be open every day until 5pm. This is hugely good news for those us traveling to and from work across the highway. It also makes a lot of sense. The official gathering and speeches don't begin until after 6pm anyway and the area was being pointlessly shut down three hours early.

But by far the best indication that this whole movement has jumped the shark: Shetland pony rides for kids.

This comes a few days after one protester tried to sell me an Omani turban from his bag of goods. Ladies and gentlemen, the state fair has come to town.

Now they're just going through the motions. One guy told me, in a completely unverified comment, that representatives of the Sultan have reached out to the protesters in Sohar and there's an agreement in place to end this whole thing during the next week. Presumably this means at least another concession or two from HM. The protesters, then, will accept and go home. I have no idea if this is true, but based on the decreasing intensity of the whole scene (during the night one of the hanging portraits of the Sultan fell down), it certainly seems plausible.

So get your pony rides while you can. The offer might not last long.

Protests Spread to Sohar Higher Ed

2011-03-21T18:57:00.002+04:00

It's anybody's guess as to when the protests at the Globe Roundabout will end and, believe me, everybody's guessing. The most recent consensus/gossip is that on Wednesday the military will clear the protesters and call an end to the nearly month-long demonstration. This rumor does seem to have a little more authority behind it, I have to say, but I'm not putting too much faith in it. If true, it sounds like a mistake to me. Trying to end protests by force leaves the situation open to an unpredictable path.

In the meantime, Sohar University and the College of Applied Sciences are the latest to see protests. I spoke this evening with a professor at the college who recently had an unexpected vacation, courtesy of striking students at both schools. [The schools chose to close because they host a girls' hostel and they wanted to avoid any potential issues between their boarders and the largely-male demonstrators. The protests have been very peaceful.]

Student strikes are a not uncommon thing in many parts of the world [see: France], but the timing of these protests has many people rolling their eyes.

And what are these students striking for? For starters (and most predictably) they want a number of professors and administrators sacked. Apparently many of these are Indian professors in the IT department. They're also upset about the general condition of the technology facilities at the schools--this particular professor tells me that this demand is fairly well justified.

Then the demands go right off the track.

Protesters demanded the reinstatement of 300 students who were thrown out of the college for failing a basic entrance exam...wait for it...three times! The Ministry of Higher Education, the professor tells me, has ordered the college to take these students back.

Students have also demanded that a bridge be built over the highway to directly connect the schools with the other side of Sohar. Oh, and they want it in a week or they'll go on strike again.

On a more serious note ('cause the bridge demand can't actually be serious, can it?), the professor tells me that some students, notably women, are not all that interested in suspending their education to get in on this protest business. But a group of male students has instructed bus drivers not to pick up the women students, thus ensuring no one is there to "break ranks."

This all sounds like more of the same of what's happening around Oman. Reasonable complaints and peaceful means undermined by some truly ludicrous and irresponsible demands. Compounding the problem, the government complies and enables.

Again I ask: who's going to be the one to initiate an end to all this? Any ideas you'd like to share?

It'd be funny if he wasn't homicidally insane.

2011-03-20T21:30:00.002+04:00

After 42 years of ruling his country, Moammar Gaddafi is still only a colonel? This should be the first sign that perhaps Libya's military is not up to the challenge of the western coalition--its commander has apparently been passed over for general many, many times.
When the rebellion against Gaddafi began, an Israeli journalist made a "dance remix" of one of the colonel's more bizarre speeches. It became an instant hit in the Arab world. In the speech, Gaddafi promises to chase down the rebels "inch by inch, house by house, home by home, alleyway by alleyway." But in this truly awesome viral video, he just looks like an enormous clown.
From Gadaffi's letter to President Obama, clearly after he realized he was in deep shit:

To our son, his excellency, Mr Barack Hussein Obama. I have said to you before, that even if Libya and the United States of America enter into a war, god forbid, you will always remain a son. Your picture will not be changed.

Neither will yours, Colonel.

Who decides when this ends?

2011-03-19T22:00:00.001+04:00

When Hollywood decides to dramatize the recent events of the Middle East--starring Omar Sharif as Sultan Qaboos and, inexplicably, Samuel L. Jackson as Moammar Gaddafi ("We'll chase you down every alley, mother f--ckers!")--it's not hard to imagine how Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen will be depicted. It's a simple recipe: 2 parts Black Hawk Down, 1 1/2 parts Syriana, 1 part Die Hard, 1/2 part Lawrence of Arabia, and (in Libya's case) a dash of Saw.

Oman, on the other hand, feels more like a Red Stripe commercial (It's protest. Hooraaaay protest!). Ever since the fleeting violence of February 27, it's been nothing but the chill zone of disgruntled citizens. Muscat Mutterings recently noted that the protests feel more like a "social thing" and that's pretty close to the truth in Sohar, where evening gatherings have a fairly festive feel about them. It's not that they don't believe in what they're saying. It's just that they also believe in complaining from the reclined position.

Trust me, he's VERY upset

But Omanis enjoy this reputation, don't they? As far as I can tell, the most common adjective used in the press to describe the Sultanate is "sleepy" and a recent article in The Economist was aghast that "even" Oman was not immune from protests. The locals we work with haven't failed to remind us that Oman is a peaceful country, different from its neighbors.

So, then, how does this end? Or better yet, who initiates that ending? Aside from the encroaching heat, the protesters themselves don't have much in the way of motivation for quitting. They've received a slow and steady flow of concessions from the Sultan, so why should they think it won't continue? Here in Sohar, they've added the investigation of all former ministers to their list of demands. Give an inch...

As for the Sultan, he's got to be watching what's become of his neighbors' attempts to forcibly end protests. Surely the Yemen and Bahrain model is not for Oman. Not for this sleepy nation. The last thing the Sultan wants is another black eye on his country's rep.

So how does he bring these increasingly annoying parties to an end? Raise the minimum wage to 500 OMR/month? A headline in today's Times of Oman: "Dole and hike in salary set to fuel inflation." More economic give-aways are not going to make the protesters stop and it's not good for the health of Oman.

Perhaps it's simply time for the Sultan to play his trump card: his moral authority. Come out from the palace and appeal directly to the protesters. Tell them, for the sake of their nation, it's time to go home and move on. He has listened and significant changes have been granted, particularly with respect to the political arena. Further complaints can be addressed at a later date. For now, get back to work.

In the movie, Omar Sharif will deliver this speech from atop a camel. It'll be classic.

Hurry Up, America

2011-03-19T12:15:00.002+04:00

The Wall Street Journal reports this morning:

Shooting erupted in central Benghazi Saturday morning, and rebel gunmen said they were fighting an advance by Col. Moammar Gadhafi's forces into the heart of the rebel capital from the university on the southern approaches.

With the international community yet to act on its threat to use force, the Libyan regime appeared to be using its superior firepower to gain as much ground as quickly as possible—maybe even entering Benghazi before Western airstrikes try to stop his columns.

Defeating this madman would have been much easier a week ago, and while the UN dithered over a no-fly zone, Gaddafi and his well-paid, well-armed soldiers and mercenaries battled back. They've retaken much of what the rebels seized. Now they're threatening to crush the rebels in their stronghold.

How will the UN respond if the U.S., Britain, France, etc., don't get there in time? How many resolutions of condemnation will be needed to cover the inevitable bloodbath of reprisal if Gaddafi ultimately wins.

President Obama, you said he must go. Now follow through.

Today's Featured Character: Class Warfare

2011-03-18T21:17:00.000+04:00

A view of the Globe Roundabout tower this afternoon:

The picture of Sultan Qaboos, hung over two weeks ago, looks weathered. It's sagging, dusty and limp.

Is this, perhaps, an apt metaphor for the protests themselves? Is it time to pack up the big top: lower the portraits of His Majesty, roll up the countless flags, stow away the PA system, head on back to Saham and Shinas and celebrate some significant political victories?

Not according to the protesters. Despite the gains--canned ministers, legislative powers bestowed upon the Shura, economic relief--and despite the growing sense of exasperation among Omanis and expats alike over these lingering demonstrations, a group I spoke with today assured me they aren't going anywhere.

"One week, one month, one year. We will stay," one of them remarked when I asked about the prospect of demonstrating in the punishing spring/summer/fall heat.

There was a new populist theme to the remarks of these men (pictured below). Have ministers been squirreling away Oman's oil funds to Swiss accounts, much like Gaddafi's reportedly estimated $60 billion? If so, these men want that money back and, in a new entry to their list of demands, they want all former minsters investigated.

The class warfare continued. About those 50,000 new jobs promised by the Sultan, many of which are panning out to be menial labor, these protesters are not impressed.

"If the sons of the Ministry of Manpower will work these jobs, then okay, we will too." Then he predictably added: "The jobs are shame."

For some great information and insight into Oman's economy, check out Muscat Confidential's latest post.

A Tale of Two Roundabouts

2011-03-15T18:32:00.001+04:00

Thus far I've only been reporting on the activity at the Globe Roundabout in Sohar. This roundabout gained some international notoriety after the violence that ensued on February 27. At least one person died in clashes between police and protesters that also saw buildings burned and looted. Then came a complete shift in the tone of protest at the globe and thereafter it has been calm and orderly.

Further down the highway towards Dubai is the Port Roundabout. This traffic circle is very important to the economy of Sohar because it is the gateway to two big employers, Sohar Aluminum and the port and all associated facilities. Protesters have intermittently blocked this roundabout, most seriously on February 27 and 28. This week has seen another ramping up of demonstrations and blockage as protesters have begun demanding jobs for local Omanis.

I took a drive over to the Port Roundabout yesterday. Signs are hung from a footbridge that runs over the top of the roundabout, most of them in Arabic. One in English reads, "Feed Al Batinah Mouth." [Al Batinah is the region where Sohar is located.] I crossed over into the center of of the traffic circle and found a definitively different crowd than that which meets each afternoon in the shadow of the globe.

These guys were younger and most sported patterned dishdashas rather than the traditional white ones. Baseball hats and beanies were in. I won't go so far as to say I felt hostility from these guys, but I could tell right away I wasn't going to be asked to sit for a Pepsi.

I found someone who spoke English. Mind if I take some pictures? He pointed to an armed military vehicle sitting 200 meters away.

"No pictures. The army says no pictures."

Okay. Can I ask you some questions about your demonstrations?

He shook his head. He was smiling, but it was one of those smiles that means, I have no intention of speaking with you.

Later that evening the program of protest continued at the Globe Roundabout. There hasn't been a noticeable change in the size of the crowd in the past week. It's an older, more contemplative group. And more reasonable: I have not heard any calls at the globe for expats to be replaced by unskilled Omanis. Such are the demands of those at the Port Roundabout.

However, stories coming out of the port area this afternoon indicate that both the port companies and the aluminum company hired substantial numbers of Omanis today in an attempt to quell the protests. If I were advising these businesses, I think I'd just say hold out for a few more weeks. Once the heat returns, how many of these protesters will be left?

From the Globe Roundabout last night:

A Few Thoughts This Morning...

2011-03-14T07:50:00.007+04:00

Oman is the poorest member of the GCC. It's also the most tolerant, Western-friendly, tourist-guide-book-recommended and (from what I can tell) complimented by regional visitors. Coincidence?
The protesters fall into three categories: those seeking political reform (the minority of protesters), those with legitimate economic demands and those who are exploiting the situation for their own foolish reasons.
Beware of inflation. Many protesters I have spoken with have mentioned the rising price of food and goods in Oman. If, in fact, inflation is rising faster than wages, then this is certainly a legitimate concern. But asking for a huge bump in pay (a minimum wage of, say, 500 OMR/month) would have an effect on inflation. An example from Kuwait: "When the emir gave out the 1,000 KD grant to all nationals, stores across the country raised their prices...the price for a half-litre of milk jumped by 25 per cent."
Protesters, please don't look to your neighbors for inspiration. Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Saudi, and Kuwait have far more reserves of oil and natural gas. They are filthy rich. If Qatar wants to buy everyone a house and spend $40 billion to host the World Cup, it certainly can. But don't think that this automatically brings happiness. Please read this article from May of last year (well before the protests began across the region) about discontent in Qatar. The government gives and gives, but it's never enough.
Are protesters directing some of their frustration at expats? There were plenty of stories going around Sohar yesterday afternoon about protesters at the aluminum plant and a mining company demanding jobs or demanding that all current jobs be turned over to Omani nationals.

I don't work in one of the high-tech sectors that have recently come to Sohar. I'm a teacher and as such I can only comment on my expat experience in this domain. I was hired because a company in Sohar saw a benefit in paying me, an American, to do this work. It would be far cheaper to hire an Omani, but the company made the business decision to spend the extra money on a Westerner.
I encourage anyone reading this who hasn't check out Muscat Confidential, Muscat Mutterings, or Dhofari Gucci to do so. These are great blogs with more thoughts and updates on the situation here in Oman.

More Pressure, More Results

2011-03-13T21:42:00.000+04:00

Here's a comment from Dhofari Gucci on what she calls the "domino effect" hitting Oman as protests spread to the private sector and educational institutes:

What do they want? Change. Reform. More change.

Dear Citizens, please don't overwhelm the Sultan.

Don't overwhelm him? But that's how protests work. A key tactic of any major protest movement is to overwhelm the powers-that-be, to flood the authorities with demands until they can no longer be ignored.

NPR recently ran a story comparing the current situation in the Middle East with the revolutions that swept Europe in 1848. As a history teacher (who just taught the events of 1848 to my grade 9 students), I find this parallel to be incredibly insightful. Protesters took to the streets that year against absolute monarchs in the name of liberalism. Faced with overwhelming crowds in the streets of major cities, the monarchs of France, Austria and Prussia all bent to the will of the people and were ousted. [Reactionary forces had retaken these nations by the following year, but the seed was planted for later democratic movements.]

Herein lies the paradox of the Oman protests. These demonstrators seek major reforms within the context of an absolute monarchy. They want big changes, yes, but not a change in leadership. In no way do the protesters seek an end to Sultan Qaboos' reign. Far from it, they go out of their way to praise him and with each "reshuffle" he makes it's almost as if their love for him deepens.

But are they overwhelming the Sultan? Reuters reports tonight that HM "has decided to cede some legislative powers" to the Shura Council and to "double monthly welfare payments and increase pension benefits." This comes after his earlier concessions: 50,000 new jobs for Omanis, the sacking of key ministers, a rise in the minimum wage, and unemployment benefits. Also, another key political appointee, Inspector General of Police and Customs, is out tonight.

These are real changes. Many Omanis are now getting their first taste of political victory. No doubt they continue to frame these changes in terms of the Sultan's benevolence, but it should be noted that none of these changes could have been possible without continued pressure from protesters across the Sultanate. This situation is very fluid. How much further will the protesters carry this? And for how much longer can they continue to thread the needle: love for the Sultan and a constant, grinding pressure on him to make further concessions?

That Time I Tear Gassed Myself

2011-03-12T21:47:00.000+04:00

I was at the Globe Roundabout late this afternoon and the proceedings were off to a slow start. A few guys were only just beginning to set up the sound system and the crowd was in the dozens. I took the opportunity to sit with some Omanis outside their tent and discuss the current status of the protests. Most of their opinions sounded like they were recorded last week and have been on play-back ever since. They expect more reforms from the Sultan, who, by the way, they love. One man pointedly told me he expects eight more ministers to be fired.

In all this downtime one of the men showed me his collection of tear gas canisters. These were thrown by the police, he told me, at protesters on February 27, when the violence crescendoed and nervous expats began fleeing Sohar. I examined and photographed the canisters, a few of them still unspent. Formally, they're called Anti-Riot Irritants. I picked up a couple for closer inspection.

Big mistake. At first I thought one of the canisters must be leaking, but I noticed that none of the Omanis appeared to be feeling any ill effects. Perhaps I inadvertently touched my nose. Whatever the case, I felt a sudden and intense burning in my nose, eyes, and the skin on my face. My eyes and nose were running furiously. I was having a hard time concentrating on what the men were saying to me, which ultimately turned out to be, "Don't rub or touch your face."

They gave me some water to drink and after a few minutes the pain wore off. And this must be the least of it. Someone told me that those exposed to the gas during the riots nearly always vomited immediately. Once my head cleared I read the fine print: "Outdoor use only. To be used only by those trained in anti-riot tactics. Made in the USA."

Sound check before tonight's speeches

A Previously Unknown Side Effect of Tequila

2011-03-11T21:41:00.001+04:00

Best song from last night's Canadian Stampede, narrowly edging out "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy"...

Yeah Hoo!

2011-03-11T18:23:00.002+04:00

Jillian and I often remark to each other that it can be quite difficult explaining what constitutes "American culture" to a foreigner. Since even before America was a nation its culture has been an amalgam of the traditions and customs brought to its shores by various waves of immigrant groups. Outside of a few obvious gems--baseball comes to mind--it's hard to think of many truly organic elements of American culture. Hell, our favorite foods are Mexican, Italian and Chinese.

We were reminded yesterday of another seminal part of America: country and western. The music, the dress, the style, the language; it's all part of "wide open" America. Recently I posted about the idea of "no fences", of big horizons and wilderness not protracted by man-made barriers. C&W exemplifies this in the same way that hip-hop represents the ethos of urban black America.

So it should be no surprise that C&W is also a major part of culture in Canada, where a minuscule population in the world's third-largest country means there's still plenty of wide-open land and unconquered frontiers. This is celebrated every year at the Calgary Stampede, which attracts an annual crowd of over a million people to see the world's largest rodeo, plus parades, a midway, and concerts.

In homage to this famous festival the Canadian expats in Muscat throw what they call the Canadian Stampede, which drew nearly one thousand people to one hell of a fun outdoor party last night. It was the eighteenth year in a row the Stampede's been held. The dress code was strictly ranch and the food that of ranch hands: chili, baked beans, pulled pork. No Molson or Moosehead, however.

There was plenty of line dancing for the enthusiastic crowd. This was my first time trying it--I never did make it over to Babe's in Brewer back home--and I must admit it's addictive and very fun. Jillian's a natural and by the time the instructor on stage had arrived at the final, complicated steps, many people around us were simply watching Jillian nail it.

What a great night! Thanks Canada!

Jillian shows off her electric slide

Well attended

Law enforcement was in attendance

Zed died of dysentery

NAFTA

Growth or Just Dissipation?

2011-03-10T12:18:00.003+04:00

The protests continue quietly in Sohar and, according to blogger Nadia, also in Salalah. The demonstrators have found their rhythm, their routine. Recent concessions by the Sultan have convinced them (for now) that they're on the right path. Like any good American politician, these men and women are staying on message: Love for His Majesty. Desire for reform. Kick out the sclerotic ministers. Financial relief in education, housing, and wages.

The last couple of days, though, have seen a whole series of separate, smaller protests sprout up. The Associated Press reports on three of these developments:

Workers at two major state-owned companies have joined protests in Oman, at the tip of the Persian Gulf. They are calling for pay hikes and greater benefits.
Work came to a stop at Oman Telecommunications Co. and Petroleum Development Oman as several hundred employees joined sit-ins Wednesday.
Protesters also staged a second day of rallies in front of the Ministry of Information to demand more media freedom.

This comes days after workers at Oman Air, the national carrier, staged a protest for better pay. I suppose this protest, along with the aforementioned at PDO and Omantel, are natural outcroppings from the the more general demonstrations around the country. Employees at these companies are picking up with thread begun in Sohar, Muscat, and Salalah and applying it to their specific situation.

But the point about media freedom is an interesting one. I haven't been able to find any more information about this particular rally. Who are the protesters and what exactly are they asking for when they ask for "media freedom"? Freedom of the press--that is, the media's ability to report truthfully and without government interference--is one of the pillars of a democratic society because it encourages transparency. While Omanis are not exactly blanketed in propaganda by their newspapers (like citizens in, say, China), there is a certain passive and self censorship that goes on.

Press laws in this sleepy sultanate on the Arabian peninsula generally do not prohibit coverage of the government, although people are not allowed to write about or insult the royal family. Still Oman's newspapers typically do not cover stories that might offend the government. In fact, journalists in this country of 2.8 million often express frustration over their inability to break real news and provide accountable reporting of the monarchy.

Local reporter Jackie Spinner also notes in this same article that recent protests have begun to slowly crack open the window on "real news" reporting by local press.

If this is true and if rallies continue in the name of greater press freedoms, then this is surely a positive. Let's call it a stepping-stone towards one of the Sohar demands: a new legislative body to replace the powerless Shura. Creating a new parliament means holding fair, free, and informed elections, which simply is not possible without a free press.

Protests have also spread to some of the colleges and universities. In a move that reminds me all too much of our time in Macedonia, nursing students took to the streets in what sounds to me like a preposterous demand: "the abolition of Order 167, which mandates a minimum passing percentage of 65 per cent." The students want the passing grade restored to fifty percent.

Fifty-one percent may be enough to get elected president, but does anyone want the person responsible for their healthcare to have passed their medical exams with a slight majority?

Better question: Is the protest movement in Oman growing larger or simply becoming compartmentalized?

Oh No You Didn't

2011-03-09T22:34:00.000+04:00

Dear Certain Unnamed "Protesters",

You finally got your chance, huh? I'll bet you'd been dying to set that alcohol shop ablaze for ages. You probably spent countless hours cruising around Sohar on your moped dreaming of the day when you could take a match to the place. Suddenly, with police occupied with the demonstrators at the Globe and port roundabouts, you had your chance. Light 'er up!

Nevermind that the alcohol shop is miles away from, well, anything. It's nearest neighbor is a pack of wadi dogs. It's operated by Indians and patronized by Whiteys. What exactly was your beef?

Maybe it was the prices. One rial did seem a bit steep for a liter of Kremlin Vodka. Perhaps the selection? But you can't argue with a shop that sells both Cody's and Cody's Super Strong. Maybe you just never quite figured out how to operate those damned boxes of wine. Talk about jobs in the high tech sector...

Or maybe you're just thugs and embarrassments to the demonstrators with legitimate demands.

Shit, as if it wasn't hard enough to get alcohol in this country, what with the Bureaucratic Decathalon involved in getting the license and then the speakeasy feel of the shops that don't actually advertise what they're selling (though their slogan--"bringing more to life"--is both accurate and awesomely awful). Now you had to go and burn exactly 50% of the liquor distributors in Sohar?

Before I let you you go, one more question: exactly how many weeks of allowance from mom was needed to buy the materials for this job?

Day 12 in Sohar

2011-03-08T22:19:00.009+04:00

I expected a seriously jubilant atmosphere at the Globe Roundabout this afternoon after the Sultan's Royal Decrees yesterday. Surely the dismissal of the Economy Minister--who Omani blogger Nadia describes today as a "douchebag"--would bring to a boil the simmering exuberance of the past week.

Actually, what I found was business as usual.

One young man put it best: "We are happy with the Sultan and what he has done. But we want more. And we will stay until we get it."

I interviewed the group of protesting women and asked them why they were dedicating their entire days to standing on the roadside with signs. In sometimes halting English, they made it clear that, at least for them, it's about the economy, stupid.

There's a lot that could be said about the economic relief that's being demanded by the protesters--what sort of inflation would such pay-outs and financial assistance create? Are there even 50,000 positions possible for Omanis?

But let's turn to a more general question: should the protests even continue? Muscat Mutterings asks this very question today:

Well done – they have achieved some momentous changes within the country. But I’m scratching my head…. Why are they still protesting? To me it seems more of a social thing now. Sohar has a satellite tv projector going, Salalah has food stands and tents, and the only real gathering that I continue to understand is the people at the Majils A Shura who are having a speakers corner (and presumably a few people attempting to present themselves as possible runners for the next election). Just perhaps, maybe, it’s time to call it a day and go home?

Well, that depends. According to a banner hung below the globe here in Sohar, the demonstrators are also asking for the formation of a new legislative body to replace the Shura, which has no real power over the governance of Oman. If the demonstrators truly want such a parliament, this is a giant leap from the sacking of a few key ministers. This is the beginning of true democracy, where we the people are responsible for making informed votes for the men and women who run our country.

The funny thing about democracy, when the shit goes bad there always comes a time when the people have to look themselves in the mirror and say, "I voted for this fool. Am I partly to blame?"

I really admire this demand of the protesters, but I can't say I've heard any vocalization of it. It's written on the sign, yes, but when I've spoken with the men and women gathered at the globe, it's about jobs, jobs, jobs. It's about women with master's degrees who can't find work and men with five children to feed and a very low income.

I leave you with some video and pictures of today's action at the globe roundabout. Like I said, business as usual. No sign yet that the end is coming soon.

Gathering Momentum

2011-03-07T21:49:00.007+04:00

[UPDATE: Sultan Qaboos has continued the cabinet reshuffling which began on Saturday. Perhaps the biggest move of the day was the sacking of the Economy minister and then the elimination of the position altogether. Given the frustration I've heard from the demonstrators at the Globe Roundabout regarding gainful employment, this move has to go over well and feels like a direct appeal to the movement. Check out the excellent blog Muscat Mutterings for more information and analysis.]

The optimism was palpable this afternoon at the Globe Roundabout. After yesterday's dismissal of two ministers by Sultan Qaboos, the demonstrators were clearly riding a high and anticipating more gains. What appeared to be a small gathering when I arrived just after 5pm was soon one of the largest crowds that I've seen in the traffic circle. One after another, impassioned speakers roused the crowds to cheers and clapping. Everyone ended with a salutation to the Sultan and "Allah akbar" (God is great).

Don't for a second think that this praise for the Sultan is contrived or put-on for the occasion. The Omanis I've spoken with at the protest, including one gentleman this evening, speak of the Sultan as a transcendental figure. "He is in our heart," this particular man told me. As well he should be: as my friend and colleague Mohamed points out in his blog (you'll need Google Translate if, like me, you don't read French), Oman as we know it today simply wouldn't exist without Sultan Qaboos. There's a word for what Oman would be today without the progressive approach of their ruler: Yemen.

As an American, coming from a country with a healthy respect for three branches of government in which everyone shares responsibility, the protesters' complaints are fascinating. Their love for the country's supreme ruler stands in stark contrast to their disdain for those who execute the duties of the government, i.e. the ministers. These men, I was told today, "do not understand" average Omanis and are in it only for themselves. The hope--and belief--is that the Sultan will wipe the slate clean and start afresh.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to see something for the first time: a women's protest. Just outside the traffic circle (remember, men and women are segregated in public settings here) a cluster of a dozen women stood together behind a sign calling for better jobs. One of the women, who appeared to be the leader of this small group, explained their act to me.

"We want the world to know the truth. We want better jobs. Many of us have a masters's education and we cannot find jobs."

Stunted potential. This is a recurring theme in Middle Eastern countries where a rising tide of youth are bumping against ceilings built by short-sighted rulers. Now, Omanis want their ministers to be held accountable.

Demonstrators are calling for a general strike tomorrow: all Omanis in Sohar are being asked to take the day off from work and to come support the demonstrations at the roundabout. The ultimate success of this plan, I believe, is secondary to the obvious confidence swelling from the crowds at the globe. They believe in the Sultan. They believe in their god. And they believe they're on to something.

Signs of support at the Globe

Protesters passing out fliers to passing cars

Protesters directing traffic at the choked traffic circle

The crowd gathers to hear the evening's speakers

Beyond Sohar

2011-03-06T21:47:00.001+04:00

We live in Sohar and if you've been following this blog you might get the impression that protests and demonstrations in Oman have been confined solely to Sohar. The protests here certainly got the most attention thanks to a spike in violence that resulted in a burning supermarket and the arrival of the military. But there has been unrest in other cities, including the capital Muscat. Near the border with Yemen, in the monsoon-drenched (and thus green) region of Dhofar, the city of Salalah has seen its fair share of protests, currently sitting on Day 10. A blogger there is providing excellent updates and discussion; her reports indicate that the protests there are quite similar to the current situation in Sohar. Organization is improving, a stage and sound is system present, there's zero violence, and demonstrators vow to remain until all demands are met.

The Associated Press reports on a new development:

Government officials say protests demanding economic reforms by Oman's ruler reached a key oil region in the Arabian Peninsula country.
The officials say workers stage a sit-in at a main oil field in Haima, about 300 miles (500 kilometres) southwest of the capital, Muscat, demanding more state investments in the area. The officials speak on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Uh-oh. An oil field? Toto, we're not in Lulu's anymore. It's one thing to make a grocery store the target of your frustration (though the rioters left the Dairy Queen untouched...I guess they love Blizzards as much as I do), but when events shift to the real money it's time to reconsider. There's no indication that the sit-ins have resulted in any violence whatsoever, but you better believe this got the government's attention.

And Muscat's not the only one looking on with a worried eye. The Gulf Cooperation Council, which consists of reps from Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, have been meeting to discuss the situation:

GCC finance ministers had met a day earlier in the Saudi Arabian capital and expectations were that they would announce what officials, ahead of that gathering, had described as a Gulf "Marshall Plan" to help Manama and Muscat. The plan called for a hefty financial contribution by the four wealthier GCC member states that would target key economic issues such as a housing shortage and unemployment.

The article goes on to describe the tension surrounding these recent events, given that they've occurred on the "doorstep" to Saudi Arabia, the nation with the world's largest proven oil reserves. Amplifying these concerns is a "day of rage" scheduled by protesters in Riyadh, the capital. How's the Saudi royal family responding to this unrest, by the way?

Riyadh issued a statement outlawing all forms of demonstrations as contrary to Islamic laws and Saudi values. It warned that security forces were authorized to take action against violators.

It's no wonder that Robert Kaplan, esteemed international writer, recently praised Sultan Qaboos as "one of a kind" among regional monarchs. Say what you will about personal freedoms or political representation in Oman, but as I write this the Sultan is allowing protesters to freely express their demands, frustrations and aspirations.

Progress?

2011-03-05T19:50:00.000+04:00

I wrote yesterday that the protesters are telling anyone who will listen that they are determined to remain at the Globe Roundabout until their three demands are met. These demands are not exactly incremental (all new ministers, a new legislature and financial relief) but perhaps they will be met incrementally. News outlets are reporting that the Sultan sacked two ministers today, from ministries of the royal court and the Sultan's office.

Two down, thirty to go.

At the Globe Roundabout there was celebration at these dismissals. Everyone was eager to share the news and to share their halwa as well. Halwa is a traditional Middle Eastern sweet and apparently the official food of political victory. I dipped my finger and pulled blobs of the stuff as I listened to demonstrators express their gratitude to the Sultan for today's move. Later, one of the group's leaders gave an impassioned speech to the crowd amid intermittent cheers. Flush with a minor victory, the demonstrators looked emboldened.

Then there came a strange episode. A few men lead me out of the traffic circle to where an old woman stood waving an Omani flag. She was only the second female I've seen during the past week. Someone explained to me that even in demonstrations the sexes must be separated.

This particular woman is 85 years old. That means she was already 45 when the Sultan came to power. It's difficult to fathom the changes she's seen in her life and what life was like in Oman in her first four decades of life. It was all a bit odd, though. With a group of men standing around her, the old woman looked a bit like a prop. She gushingly praised the Sultan and complained about the rising prices of water and electricity, but as the only woman and given her advanced age, the whole scene just didn't look right.

But back in the traffic circle everything looked right as the demonstrators rode the high from today's concession. Is there more to come from Muscat?

These demonstrators invited me into the tent for a chat and some halwa

Can I interest you in some halwa?

The Show Goes On

2011-03-04T18:12:00.004+04:00

The protests that have transformed Sohar from a sleepy port town into one of the latest battle grounds for the future of the Middle East continue. What began peacefully, escalated rapidly and dangerously into violence and then settled back into calm has now completed a full week. With the retreat of the violence also came, naturally, the retreat of the spotlight. But don't let that fool you; the protesters aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

This afternoon the Globe Roundabout looked and felt like it did 24 hours ago. An all-male cast of characters are sprinkled around the grass, their numbers increasing in the slanting sun. There is a slightly more organized feel to what could be mistaken by an ignorant passerby for a company barbecue. A new sign has been posted along the globe tower:

It lists the three demands of the protesters. 1) The dismissal of all government ministers; 2) The creation of a new legislative body (ostensibly one with some teeth); and 3) An economic aid package of some sort. I asked one of the protest's organizers--he heads the Financial Committee, one of three committees in charge of the demonstrations--if the government has made any contact with them. He shook his head.

"They only sent one of the ministers out to talk. But he is one of the ministers he want to go."

When I brought up the Sultan, he was quick to steer the conversation back to the ministers.

"Some of these ministers have been there for thirty years. They need to leave."

Even more images of the Sultan now adorn the traffic circle, along with a countless number of Omani flags. Another new addition, hanging along the base of the globe's tower, is a workman's uniform. I was told it belonged to one of the victims of the violence last week. It is caked in what appears to be dried blood and it has two holes. Bullet holes, I was told.

Still, the atmosphere at the Globe Roundabout feels like one of optimism. There are many smiles and cheers. But if the government has yet to send another representative from Muscat to meet with the protesters, how serious are these events being taken? And how much longer will the demonstrators bide their time with gathering and speeches?

Expect tonight to mirror last night. And tomorrow night? I suspect more of the same.

Another example of increased organization and determination: a large
tent (right) has been brought in for shade and for serving lunch

The bloodied workman's uniform

Burning the Midnight Oil

2011-03-03T23:47:00.000+04:00

The peaceful protest has continued late into the night. The gathering that currently occupies the Globe Roundabout is larger than that which I saw earlier in the day. Most people are seated in a semi-circle listening to a series of speakers. I asked one man about the subject of the current speech and he replied simply, "Jobs".

I realized that my best vantage point was high above the demonstrators, so I asked and received permission to climb atop the globe again (see previous post). A bit spookier in the dark, but it offered me a fine view of a movement that doesn't show any obvious signs of ending soon.

On Top of the World

2011-03-03T22:11:00.002+04:00

It was 2 o'clock and I'd driven to the Globe Roundabout to see what the afternoon might have in store for Sohar. My timing proved to be serendipitous, for there was a team from the BBC--two men and a woman--approaching the traffic circle with their Omani liaison at precisely the same moment. I fell into conversation with them as we marched across the tarmac towards the group of Omanis assembled on the grass. Though I didn't realize it then, as far as the protesters were concerned, I was with the BBC.

Suddenly I found myself with unfettered access to the demonstrators and their agenda. Truth be told, I think they would have granted me this privilege without the BBC connection (and I never told anyone that I was from a news organization), so eager were they to express their main point: they love Sultan Qaboos and this isn't about him. On at least a half dozen occasions I fell into a conversation with an Omani who told me, "we love the Sultan" and the violence "was not the work of people from Sohar." I listened in as one of the leaders of the demonstrations spoke with the BBC: "We love the Sultan. We respect him and all he has accomplished. But we are asking for more."

I mingled among the protesters, listening to their concerns. At one point I was dragged, almost literally, into a large circle of men. They pleaded with me to photograph a man who had supposedly been beaten by police. He looked bad. While my camera clicked away, an Omani decried the actions of the police and the politicians into a megaphone while one of the BBC reporters recorded.

Then this: I noticed there were young men atop the Globe in the center of the roundabout. They were preparing to hoist giant portraits of the Sultan. They had accessed the roof of this monolith from a hidden spiral staircase and I thought, why not? I asked one the protesters if I could go up there as well and he said, Sure!

Five minutes later I was looking out over Sohar from the globe. The serenity of the whole scene was striking when compared to previous days. These protesters are making a concerted effort to show the peaceful side of Sohar and the affection they feel for the Sultan. It is clear they want real change, such as legislative power for the Shura Council, Oman's parliament. But it is equally clear that they want changes made under the guidance of the Sultan.

Below are some photos from today, both from the ground and atop the globe.

Day Six

2011-03-03T11:06:00.002+04:00

Well, Tahrir Square in Cairo it ain't, but the Globe Roundabout in Sohar is beginning to look increasingly like a long-term locale for demonstration. This morning I saw three make-shift tents on the grass area adjacent to the giant globe. They appeared to be simple blue tarps supported by some kind of stakes. So it seems that someone spent the night in the roundabout. As far as I know there hasn't been any sort of curfew put in place by authorities, so any kind of all-night vigil by protesters would be merely symbolic.

Another change is the addition of hundreds of miniature Omani flags on parade tape--the roundabout is encompassed by them. If this is the work of the demonstrators, then it is surely a signal to other Omanis (those who were so angry at the violence and looting of three days ago) that the underlying message of these protests is pro-Omani, pro-Sultan.

This would be a very wise move. I asked an Omani we work with about the protesters. Does she sympathize with them? "With their message, yes, but not with how they are protesting," she replied. I believe this is a common sentiment among locals. This is a positive: Omanis see the value in the freedom of assembly and the right to peacefully protest and petition the government. But like most everyone else in nations across the world, they only wish for the absence of violence and chaos.

Traffic was moving through the roundabout and the military was not in the picture this morning. It will be interesting to see if the protests begin again this afternoon, if a rhythm has set in to these proceedings.

Praise for the Sultan

2011-03-02T22:40:00.006+04:00

One of my favorite authors is Robert Kaplan. He wrote the unforgettable Balkan Ghosts, a genius blend of travelogue and history lesson about the region where Jillian and I lived for two years during our Peace Corps service. Few writers are so worldly and write so lucidly as Kaplan.

Yesterday Kaplan published an article on the website of Foreign Policy magazine about Sultan Qaboos. Kaplan spent some time in Oman a few years back and he has great respect for the man: "I have never encountered a place in the Arab world so well-governed as Oman, and in such a quiet and understated way."

He continues:

Qaboos is one of a kind in the Arab world. He is unmarried, lives alone, plays the organ and lute, and composes music. A graduate of Britain's Sandhurst military academy, he may arguably be the most worldly and best-informed leader in the Arab world, who understands in depth both the Israeli and Palestinian points of view even as he balances Americans off against Iranians and provides U.S. forces with access agreements. Infrastructure projects, women's rights, and the environment are mainstays of his rule, and he has avoided creating the sort of personality cult that plagues the region.

Sultan Qaboos is beloved here in Oman. As I mentioned a few posts ago, the protesters are in no way asking for him to step down. Rather, they are asking for him to hear their pleas about jobs, inequality, education and political reform. As Kaplan points out in his article, the Sultan has always been extremely deft at reading the needs of his country and then making the right move. How will he read these agitated, 21st century youth?

No End in Sight?

2011-03-02T17:11:00.000+04:00

Today we had a total of 27 students at school. Over one hundred did not show up. Impressive pupil-to-teacher ratio, sure, but not a whole lot of learning got done. With many families still in Muscat the number was bound to be a bit low...but 27?

On the upside, I did invent a killer game using dodge balls, hula hoops, and plastic balls. Voila, grade 8 P.E.

Later in the afternoon I took a drive around the area near the Globe Roundabout. The protests continue and today's protest was clearly getting ready to start. Droves of young men were making their way across the closed-off tarmac and congregating on the grass at the base of the giant globe. The base has once again been spray painted.

But in a new wrinkle that doesn't bode well for the prospects of this whole affair being over soon, groups of demonstrators were showing increased organization by directing traffic at all major entry points to the roundabout. Vehicles were prevented from coming within, say, 500 meters of the center and were instead diverted on side roads. The only exception I saw was when a small convoy of heavy military vehicles were permitted entry.

This got me wondering if there hasn't been some kind of informal treaty negotiated between the protesters and government: for the right to continue the protests, the leaders of the groups have promised to keep the proceedings peaceful. The military hangs back and watches.

So the protests aren't over. CNN reports today on the protesters' failure to be moved by the Sultan's concessions. And the BBC goes even further, reporting on the increasing nervousness of western observers:

The big question is whether this previously stable Gulf state with a large and youthful population could turn into the next Egypt or Tunisia, and whether the unrest could spread to neighbouring giant Saudi Arabia...

Because Oman has long been one of the most stable Gulf states, analysts are keenly watching its neighbour Saudi Arabia for any signs of "contagion" - if unrest can hit the Sultanate, what will happen to the Saudi kingdom which suffers from more serious issues?

Protesters making their way in

Protesters directing traffic...

But they did make way for the military trucks

Wednesday Morning

2011-03-02T06:30:00.000+04:00

If the protests continue today, it will be the fifth day that Sohar has been witness to demonstrations. Yesterday morning it really looked like the whole thing was winding down, but by afternoon the protests had begun again.

An Omani friend texted the following last night: "tomorrow there is going to be a huge protest against those destroying properties."A counter-protest, that sounds like. Another text last night (from an expat): "4000 people in muscat for pro peace rally." Yesterday or today? Unknown.

I was just up on my roof and in the pitch darkness a glow can be seen in the vicinity of the Globe Roundabout. I'm not sure who's lighting the area up--authorities or protesters--but if indeed the lights are on than it suggests that the traffic circle remained active throughout the night.

School is open today. I think this was a very difficult choice for our school board and, ultimately, an attempt to return something like normalcy to the lives of our families. We'll see what attendance looks like.

Finally, a reporter's experience at the Globe Roundabout. As he calls it, "one interview too many." This jibes with a conversation I had with an Indian expat at the roundabout last night. Watching the protests is one thing, he explained, but if we (foreigners) start sticking our noses too far into Omani business, the demonstrators might not take it well. He was cautioning me to stand among the Indians when taking pictures and to not wander out alone.

Not Just Yet...

2011-03-01T18:54:00.000+04:00

I've just returned from the Globe Roundabout after receiving a message from a friend telling me that the protests are back on. This didn't really sound credible given how many soldiers were present this morning in the traffic circle. But it's true, the protesters have recommenced and are now occupying the center square of the roundabout.

Reuters reports that the soldiers fired into the air in an attempt to disperse the protesters, injuring one in the process. At this moment the soldiers are nowhere to be seen. I asked someone at the protest where the army had retreated to and he replied, "Oh they are here." I looked where he was pointing but I didn't see anything. In any event, the protesters have the roundabout to themselves. Compared with yesterday, when looting and arson were the story, this protest is peaceful. A crowd of approximately 300 people (all men, from what I could see) are gathered around a man with a megaphone. Every few minutes a cheer erupts from the group.

This Morning in Sohar

2011-03-01T10:38:00.001+04:00

It seems the worst is over. I just rode down to the Globe Roundabout to see what today might bring and I found a degree of normalcy has returned to the traffic circle. This picture best sums up the current situation:

A heavy military presence. Indian laborers cleaning up the mess. Omani men standing around, managing the cleanup. The traffic circle is full of armored personnel carriers with mounted weapons and soldiers keeping a close watch. Cars are once again moving through the roundabout and the highway appears to be completely open.

There is a lot of destruction in the area. The biggest grocery store in town, Lulu's, has sustained a substantial amount of fire damage, as has the Walli House, the office of the regional governor. Signs and streets lamps have been torn down or spray painted.

I received a message from a friend this morning informing us that the other affected roundabout (port and aluminum plant) is now under the control of the military. So is the border with the United Arab Emirates. There has been a lot of talk about exactly where the more violent protesters came from. Much of the blame has fallen on foreign (i.e. UAE) youths coming across the border to stir up trouble. Of course Oman has a stake in placing the blame elsewhere, but that doesn't necessarily make it untrue.

Here are some more photos from the Globe Roundabout this morning. What seemed dangerously close to spiraling into something bigger yesterday now seems to have come to a quick finish. Let's hope this peace continues.

Discontent with the Discontent

2011-02-28T19:06:00.001+04:00

Many Omanis, including those we work with, are not happy with the actions of this protesting minority. They view it as an embarrassment, a black eye on Oman's international reputation for tranquility. Here are some comments from a Facebook group called "Omanis against the protests in Sohar":

lulu on fire
these protesters have no agenda, they say they want jobs and they burn down one of the biggest employers in sohar, and they have plans to burn down port sohar today
may god protect oman from these people who in my opinion have committed treason

-----

If these guys have learnt anything from what's happening around them in the world then it must be to be civilised and peaceful, guess even that they couldn't do. It's a shame to be honest. Vandalising the country and burning a shopping centre? Your voices have been heard and everything is ring done to address grievances only after a day of violent protest and thuggery. May God Bless His Majesty!

-----

let them burn the whole city down.. then they themselves will come begging for the government to pay for all the damages and reconstruct everything...idiots!

-----

What more do they want? all these things were achieved by having a peaceful protest and not acting like mindless savages

-----

Very disappointing, I expected much better behavior and thank towards the leader of this country.

Contrasting Reactions

2011-02-28T13:46:00.002+04:00

Exact quotes from two friends here in Sohar:

Friend #1, calling me from the road to Muscat: "I've just exited Sohar on the beach road. It's still clear. Get out now."

Friend #2, in his kitchen 30 minutes later: "Let's take this opportunity to have a party! We're all here. Let's barbecue."

Driving around our neighborhood just now we saw no signs of any problems. The local food shop is open, as is the gas station. Everyone is calm. I don't think we're going anywhere.

Escalation

2011-02-28T12:28:00.000+04:00

Today, the third day of protests in Sohar, has witnessed a growth in the demonstrations. Protesters are currently blocking a second major roundabout in Sohar. This roundabout is approximately fifteen kilometers down the highway from the Globe Roundabout (in the direction of Dubai) and it's the main access point to the two largest employers in town, Sohar Aluminum and the Port of Sohar.

Video was posted this morning on Youtube purporting to show a fire at the main grocery store in town, Lulu's, which lies on the Globe Roundabout.

School will be closed again tomorrow. I'd be surprised if it reopened on Wednesday. Employees from the port are being told to evacuate to Muscat, as are the spouses of Sohar Aluminum employees.

As of now we don't feel a particularly strong urge to leave Sohar, since the action seems entirely confined to the roundabouts. Our neighborhood feels quiet and safe. The protesters are clearly demonstrating in locations where they will cause the most inconvenience and garner the most attention to their demands. On the other hand, it might be foolish to tempt fate when we have a friend in Muscat who has generously offered us a room until the demonstration dies down.

For now we'll consult with friends and make the decision to leave if/when the situation demands it.

Why Oman is Different

2011-02-28T09:43:00.004+04:00

The changes that have taken place in the Arab world since early January have been dizzying. Beginning in obscure Tunisia and eventually spreading to even-more-obscure Bahrain and points in between, these days of rage and demonstration have surely sent many--including those in the news industry--scurrying to atlases, globes and the CIA World Factbook. So long has the region been mired in political stagnation and suppression that following news from nations like Libya seemed pointless and depressing.

In less than two months, however, the Middle East and North Africa have transformed into 1989 Redux. The fall of the communist countries that year, unleashed in a three-month explosion of popular uprising against static, authoritarian governments, was a watershed moment. The fall of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt indicated that the Arab world might be bracing for something similar. Egypt has great strategic significance to the world economy and Middle East peace.

Then there's Libya. Ruled for 42 years by a deranged megalomaniac, Libya occupies a certain place in the American imagination, best summarized by this scene in Back to the Future:

The Generic Arab Terrorist. Even in the pre-9/11world (this scene is from 1984), Libya could be counted on to scare Americans. Now Colonel Gaddafi--the self-proclaimed King of Kings and Imam of All Muslims--has seen his power erode. The opposition is at his door and another dictator appears ready to fall.

Oman, which the Washington Post describes this morning as "a sleepy, palm-fringed beach nation", has not been immune to protests. The past two days here in Sohar have proven that (read my posts below for more information). But there is a key difference between the demands of the protesters here and those in other nations. The Guardian makes mention of it when quoting one disgruntled Omani:

"We want new faces in the government and we have a long list of social reforms," said Habiba al-Hanay, a 45-year-old civil servant. Omanis are not seeking to oust the country's ruler, al-Hanay said. "We just hope he will hear us and make changes," she added, noting that unemployment is high and education is poor in the country, which only has one university.

Like demonstrators in Saudi Arabia, who are not calling for the ouster of the monarch, Omanis are not asking for radical change. Rather, they are asking to be heard by a sultan who is probably the most beloved ruler in the region.

With events transpiring so rapidly, it is natural that commentators would lump all the civil unrest together. In Tunisia and Egypt the presidents fell. Libya is poised for the same and the president of Yemen is looking increasingly wobbly. But further east the tenor changes. Saudis and Omanis are asking for more representation, not outright revolution. Even in Bahrain, where the tension is high, protesters are not calling for the king to step down. Instead they seek constitutional reforms.

This is a vital difference to keep in mind when viewing the regional unrest.

School Closed Tomorrow

2011-02-27T22:03:00.000+04:00

School will not be in session tomorrow at ABIS. This feels like the right choice because at this point it's less about reality than perception. Yes, Sohar made international news today with the violence that erupted at the Globe Roundabout, but that mayhem was completely confined within the bounds of the traffic circle. As I wrote earlier, our drive home from school was smooth. There were few signs of unrest. Most of Sohar hasn't been touched by the protests.

But is that really comforting if you're the parent of a child getting on the bus every morning? My prediction is that if school were to open tomorrow morning there would be less than 25% of the student body present. That's not school; that's babysitting.

So we're home tomorrow, wondering what the morning brings.

Smoke on the Horizon

2011-02-27T17:34:00.003+04:00

If it is indeed an armored personnel carrier (APC) that is burning at the roundabout, it is giving off some serious smoke. A black haze hangs over eastern side of town. It can be clearly seen rising from the traffic circle. From our roof:

I just took a quick pedal down towards the roundabout and I could see a thick curtain of smoke rising from the ground near a gas station. Groups of young Omani men stood in the area and to be perfectly honest, I didn't feel comfortable getting any closer.

CNN reports on today's events:

There were about 1,000 protesters in Sohar, calling for more jobs. The demonstration started peacefully before a couple of groups split off and started attacking a supermarket and a police station, and members from the Shura Council.

And Gulf News (UAE) reports some very interesting Twitter posts from a witness to the violence in Sohar. His tweets also indicate that the smoke might actually be coming from a burning gas truck:

A medical personal from Sohar confirmed that one person had died after security agencies had to use force, including teargas shells, to quell violent mob that has completely blocked the Globe Roundabout.

He tweeted: "CONFIRMED: 12 injured and 1 died in Sohar hospital most of them from gunshot wounds, 2 r in surgery."

He also tweeted that protesters surrounded the police station in Sohar demanding the release of protesters. Referring to protesters, he wrote "They burned a gas truck in protest near the police station! That's when the shooting started."

Al Jazeera Reports Deaths

2011-02-27T15:37:00.001+04:00

Al Jazeera has just reported that police used tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters at the Sohar Roundabout. The network also reports that there were two deaths. There was no indication whether these deaths were a result of the non-lethal measures or whether someone was using live ammunition.

Al Jazeera also reports that the Omani military has been asked to secure the area around the traffic circle.

[UPDATE: Here's the link to the written story.]

Concessions

2011-02-27T15:25:00.000+04:00

Yesterday's protests in Sohar coincided with a move by the country's ruler, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, to placate demands for political reform. Whether or not the Sohar events played any role in this decision is unknown, but certainly the Sultan was reacting in part to last week's protest in Muscat in which 400 or so demonstrators gathered and demanded an end to cronyism.

Their problem, it seems, is with the selection of government ministers based primarily on connections and relationships and not experience and merit. In fact, a sign at that protest read "Cronyism kills competence." Furthering this frustration is the toothlessness of the Shura Council, a sort of Omani parliament with 84 members. The council has no real power; it merely advises the sultan.

Yesterday the Sultan announced a "reshuffling" of his cabinet, shaking up the leadership of six ministries. Much like his recent increase in the minimum wage from $350/month to $500/month, this sort of move feels more cosmetic than anything else. Much of this "reshuffling" was simply ministers moving to other positions. This doesn't sound like the sort of action that will soothe frustration for long.

Today's Protests in Sohar

2011-02-27T14:56:00.001+04:00

School closed early today. About two hours ago there were unconfirmed reports of an escalation between protesters and police at the same roundabout (the Sohar Roundabout or Lulu's Roundabout, as it's more commonly known) as yesterday. A parent came in just before noon and reported seeing an armored personnel carrier (APC) on fire near the traffic circle. We saw an APC parked at another roundabout on our way to school.

The children were dismissed on the buses or with parents. The teachers stayed and we began to have a short meeting. About thirty minutes later (sometime around 1:45) there were two reports--one from the husband of a teacher and another to our security officer--that one or two people had been killed as a result of the violence. It was time to get home.

I must emphasize here that we have no official confirmation of this. Reuters just posted a story about the events and it makes no mention of any deaths. But it is precisely this sort of report that is setting our school community on edge.

As we drove home via another traffic circle we could spot black smoke rising from the vicinity of the Sohar Roundabout. Not sure if this was related to the supposedly burning APC.

On the streets there was very little indication that anything was amiss in Sohar. There was a police presence at the Sallan roundabout, but this seemed more about keeping traffic flowing than anything else. At this point the protest, even if escalating, seems totally localized at that central roundabout.

As I mentioned yesterday, protesters were spray painting their demands on the base of the roundabout's giant globe and knocking over street lights and breaking glass. The police stood aside. Perhaps they were giving these protesters one day to release their frustrations and now they have orders to stop the protests.

Yesterday's Protests in Sohar

2011-02-27T11:53:00.001+04:00

More from Saturday: Here is a video (with some rather strange musical accompaniment) of the protests that took place in the central traffic circle.

http://vodpod.com/watch/5655451-sohar-oman-video-demonstrations-february-26-2011

The First of Many?

2011-02-26T19:50:00.000+04:00

Two weeks after the first protests in Oman, which saw approximately 400 people take to the streets of Muscat in a peaceful contrast to the hell that has descended on Libya, our small city of Sohar has witnessed its first protest. A small group of men mustered in Sohar's central roundabout, shutting down traffic on the main thoroughfare. Police were present, but they stood around looking bored.

I hopped on my bike and pedaled down to the scene with my camera and zoom lens, wondering how close I'd be able to get. Turns out I could simply walk right up and mill about. It seemed the protesters were vastly outnumbered by observers--there were a lot of men just standing around and watching the protesters chant as they circled the roundabout. I was told this protest was about money and the low minimum wage. The government just announced a raise to $500/month. I'm not sure if these fellows knew that or not.

Protesters spray-painted slogans in the roundabout

Protesters marching around the traffic circle

Protesters were smashing lights and knocking over poles

Most of the looks I received from the protesters and observers were innocuous, though a few of them seemed concerned that I was from "television." I was finally convinced it was time to leave when a couple of men dressed in workers' jumpsuits spoke to me roughly, demanding that I "cancel" my photographs and then escorting me to the edge of the traffic circle. They were enjoying feeling important.

Obviously this is but a trickle compared with the fire hose force of events in other parts of the region. But there can be no doubt that these protesters were emboldened by events elsewhere. Coming after months of celebration for the Sultan's 40th anniversary, this was a striking contrast. Whether this leads to anything more substantial is left to be seen. My guess is that a small group took this opportunity to blow off some steam (the pointless vandalism suggests this).

If Sohar, where else?

Explore

2011-02-24T12:01:00.000+04:00

It was midnight and I was lying in my tent, alternating between sleeping and keeping a watchful eye on the students sleeping outside their tents ten meters away. A three-quarters moon bathed the beach in bright light; flashlights were unnecessary. A gentle tide lapped the sand and a cool breeze swept down off the surrounding hills.

Suddenly there could be heard the thumping of a bass beat, followed by the perfunctory snake-charmer instrument--whatever the hell it really is--heard in Arabic pop songs. Then some shouting, splashing, and me cursing (hopefully) under my breath. A party boat, anchored directly off the beach where grades 8, 9, and 10 were camping as part of a school trip, would spend the next two hours making sure that no one got any sleep. After awhile I got up with a few of the boys and we spent an hour poking the embers from the night's fire, watching these ridiculously oblivious merry makers.

This was all part of something called Explore Oman Week. This annual event at our school encourages the students and staff to get to know our host country a bit more. Earlier in the week there was a nice presentation from four Omani schools demonstrating traditional Omani dance, dress and ceremony. The week ends with a trip to "explore" some part of Oman. One class went to the souk (market) in Muscat and another went on a dolphin-watching cruise.

Along with the English teacher, Lucy, I traveled with the oldest students on a more extensive journey. Our campsite on the beach was only the ending to a very fun day of snorkeling, kayaking, wakeboarding and swimming in an area called Banda Karan. It's a fjord that provides perfect shelter for water sports. After sunset we barbecued and sat around a campfire, playing games and telling stories.

The following morning we packed up and headed for the mountains in a caravan of 4x4s. Driving two of the trucks were tour guides from a local trekking company. Our destination was Jebel Shams, the tallest mountain in Oman (3,075 meters or 10,089 feet). We camped that night at around 1,500 meters--it was far too cold to camp any higher--and then proceeded the next day up to the "balcony walk" which provides fantastic views into a gorge below. At times the sheer drop is over a kilometer down.

This was a very fun trip and a great opportunity to get to know the kids outside of school. Everyone was enthusiastic and engaged. There were lots of laughs and smiles. Below are some of my favorite photos from the three days.

Игри без граници (Games without Frontiers)

2011-02-20T18:19:00.003+04:00

A popular sentiment of the American West, one which grew out of the seemingly limitless amount of wild lands during our Manifest Destiny era, is "no fences." The idealized picture of America beyond the Mississippi River was untamed fields, streams, mesas, mountains and passes, valleys and lakes, stretching as far as the eye could see and unbroken by man-made barriers. Even today "no fences" has a particular ring in the West; it's not something that Yankees would understand, what with our European-style plots of soil, neatly delineated by stone walls and paved roads.

I'm starting to get it. I beginning to see the appeal of this philosophy, if I may call it that. It first dawned on me in Macedonia, when Jillian and I would hike around the hills overlooking our town. We could literally walk anywhere. Pick a direction and hike. Pick a point in the distance and move towards it. If you happened to cross someone's yard during your travel, not only would they not reprimand you, they'd probably invite you in for coffee and cake. Rarely was a fence seen.

Such games without frontiers continue here in Oman. Last weekend we went camping on a white beach on the outskirts of Muscat. [Quickly, something about Muscat: what a peculiar city. It feels less like a coherent municipality than a series of communities interrupted by beautiful coves and jagged mountains. It's really something.] Oman has long stretches of nice beaches and those beaches are almost entirely open to everyone. Picnicking or camping? Free and unrestricted. Put down wherever you'd like. This is true in the interior, as well. We've camped in wadis (dry river beds) by simply driving along over the the sand and rocks until we found the spot we liked.

In America and Europe we are used to the idea that all land belongs to someone. A private citizen or a company. The government. A trust. And each of those groups will strictly regulate the land and make sure you know exactly who's jurisdiction you're on. There's a system to it all that falls in line with our tendency towards efficiency and order. But much of the world--perhaps most of it--doesn't work that way. There's still plenty of places where "no fences" is definitely the norm. And I, for one, am really enjoying it.

I Stand Corrected

2011-02-19T19:21:00.001+04:00

The problem with writing things like "utter lack of" and other essentialist words is that it so easily comes back to prove you wrong. So just the other day I was commenting (for the third or fourth time) that there's zero protesting in Oman and there isn't bound to be anytime soon. Well, Friday proved me wrong with the first protest in Muscat, this one focusing on corruption and transparency. Only 350 people turned up for the peaceful procession through one of the city's neighborhoods and the crowd shied away from calling anyone out by name, but this action does make one wonder what's next in this seemingly docile nation.

Slate Magazine brought up a good point. After explaining that the Sultan is widely loved here, the writer explains that this feeling is not universal.

Still, there is a growing disconnect between the nation's youth and their parents, who remember what Oman was like 40 years ago, before Sultan Qaboos came to power, building schools, encouraging trade, and developing the economy.

This country's transformation since the day the Sultan came to power in 1970 cannot be overstated. But in the wake of the region's other protests and in the era of instant, worldwide communication, events are proving that perhaps further transformation is needed.

Preemptive Strike

2011-02-17T09:03:00.002+04:00

The Omani government isn't taking any chances with the protests spreading across the region. Despite the utter lack of protest activity in the Sultanate, authorities here must be seeing some signs, real or imagined, and they've taken action in the form of raising the minimum wage for Omanis by 43 percent.

Economists say a bigger priority for governments than pay increases should be improvements in education. "Concern over whether the education system is arming students with relevant technical skills for the workforce is paramount," John Sfakianakis, the chief economist of Banque Saudi Fransi, wrote in a report published yesterday.

Improvements in education are part of what President Obama just called "getting out in front" of the protests and making substantive changes. Oman still has room to make these changes and continue the reforms of the past decade that have made it one of more liberal societies in the Middle East. Instead, it looks like the government is taking the knee-jerk, quick-fix maneuver from the playbook of the Bahraini and Jordanian royal families: cash-as-anesthesia. Sedate the population with modest improvements to their standard of living. But how long can that tactic work?

Photos Worth Sharing

2011-02-16T19:01:00.003+04:00

Our friend Bethany, a fellow American and former Peace Corps Volunteer who is married to the P.E. teacher at our school, is just fantastic with her camera. She started taking photos in earnest while living in Uganda and most of those pictures look like something from the pages of National Geographic. Her photos from Oman are equally impressive.

She's just launched a website to showcase her work. Check it out...

http://www.bethanyduffield.com/index.html

What Above All?

2011-02-15T14:35:00.019+04:00

The German national anthem has a well-known first line (though it's not part of the version that is sung today): "Deutschland uber alles." Germany above all. Beyond that it's a fairly standard anthem praising the people and culture (also the women and wine) of the nation.

During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey, plus its imperialist appendages) sided with Germany and the Central Powers. The Ottoman military was hapless, antiquated and inefficient. Its leadership had problems delivering even basic provisions to the troops. As an ally of the Turks in the war, Germany sent advisors to the Ottoman ranks. These officers quickly gained a sterling reputation for fixing everything they touched.

So Ottomans began saying, "Deutschland uber Allah."

Now this sort of comment is clearly tongue-in-cheek--doubtful that many of the Ottomans put their Western ally above their god. But it does tell us something about the era and the mindset of the Muslim Turks. After generations of corruption, cultural stagnation, and moral hypocrisy emanating from the Sultan's palace in Istanbul, the population was craving something different. Something modern. Something Western. They weren't prepared to throw out centuries of tradition simply for the sake of modernity, but the young masses wanted to right to choose where to make their changes. The modern Turkish state is a reflection of this desire.

Can we see any parallels between this mindset of one hundred years ago and today's Middle East? There's certainly more than a whiff of Ottoman decadence (for the royals) and neglect (of everyone else) in places that are now experiencing tumult. But while it's not hard to compare the lack of basic rights in places as far apart as Algeria and Iran, it becomes much harder to compare the government's response in countries with oil wealth versus those without. A nation like Bahrain at first simply tried to buy off its citizens to end the protests. Egypt couldn't afford to, even if it was possible.

But the larger question pulled from the experience of the Ottomans: How much of the West does the Middle East want? Here in Oman, where the population is small, unagitated and well-off, protest isn't in the cards. Omanis will not soon be in the streets of Muscat clamoring for freedom of the press and other Western ideals. But there are a lot of Western expats here working in everything from schools to law firms to port operations. Western professionals bring experience and expertise. They come for a well-paid, tax-free job and a chance to live in a new part of the world.

The bald truth is that many expats in Oman see themselves as the backbone of an economy fronted by lazy, unappreciative locals. A blogger in Muscat recently captured this sentiment. I don't know; the Omanis we work with at the school are very positive. They're great members of the school community.

But for reasons I already mentioned, Oman might not be a quality example when speaking about the region's relationship with the West. Egyptian protesters pointedly remarked that they resented America's support of their now-deposed autocrat, Hosni Mubarak. Clearly they want the chance to choose their own leaders, not have an un-chosen one be propped up by over a billion bucks in aid from the West.

Yet these Egyptians--many of them young and internet savvy--pursue Western ideals of freedom: speech, media, protest, elections. They encourage individualism and liberty. Furthermore, they consume Western products and use Western technology and innovation (i.e. Facebook and Twitter) to communicate their message across the region and the world.

But do they look at America and want to be that? Where do their conservative values, rooted in Islamic traditions, draw the line? How did an Ottoman soldier, feeling the benefits of German efficiency in 1914, feel about Europe and its liberal attitudes?

Events in Egypt over the next few months and those in Bahrain, Iran, Yemen and Algeria during the next week might offer a clue. For now, the words of the day might simply be "Freiheit uber alles."

The Other White Meat

2011-02-13T21:15:00.013+04:00

I have such fond memories of the day Jillian and I went looking for firewood in Kriva Palanka, our hometown in Macedonia. We needed the wood because the room where we hosted our adult English classes--the rec room at the town fire station--was becoming unbearably cold. So we spent a Saturday walking around town, talking to friends, before we finally had the bright idea to ask Wood Cutting Guy, a neighbor who, as his nickname implies, knew a little something about where to find felled trees. Anyway, the day ended at a home in the hills above town, where a father and son were busy stirring a vat of boiling oil and pig parts. As we negotiated the sale of their firewood, I was plied with a consistent flow of rakia and fried pork and pork fat.

In Macedonia it was all pork, all the time. Even the burgers were at least 50% pig. In the Balkans the pig holds a special place in the hearts and stomach of the people. The annual fall pig slaughter is a centuries-old tradition: the crossing over from fall to winter, from certainty to uncertainty. The pig's meat, fat and organs (including the brain) are consumed through the frigid season along with pickled salad, stretched to the last ounce until the grip of winter releases.

The pig is a vile creature to Muslims. Pigs are not to be seen or talked about in Oman. "The Three Little Pigs" will not be found in the stacks of our school's library. And, of course, pork is never to be eaten. Even an Omani who may take in a beer or two (also against the teachings of Islam) at the local Western hotel would never touch a plate of sausage.

For expats, there's actually a separate room at certain food stores where pork can be purchased. The sign above the entrance says, "Non-Muslims only". There you'll find Oscar Mayer bacon and English breakfast sausage. The prices are laughably high: ten strips of bacon comes in at around $12.

But for special occasions, why not? Like, for instance, Super Bowl Sunday. Make that Monday. The game came on here at 3:30am and I was up in time to see Christina Aguilera do her best impression of Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun. By halftime Jillian and our friends Andy and Bethany (we were at their house, since our satellite package didn't get the game) were also up and a rather unorthodox Super Bowl party was underway. Eggs, bacon, sausage, homefries, toast.

We ate like pigs.

History in Real Time

2011-02-04T22:02:00.008+04:00

For the past ten days I've been locked into Al Jazeera, the satellite news channel based in Qatar. Just the words "Al Jazeera" have a particularly negative connotation with many in the U.S. My friend and colleague, Mohamed, the school's French teacher, tells me that this rep is not misplaced; Al Jazeera Arabic is decidedly anti-American, he reports. But I watch Al Jazeera International and I attest that it's a great news channel.

[Just a couple of weeks ago, there was a segment about protests in Albania against the corrupt government. The host spoke with two experts about the situation for fifteen minutes. Like a real conversation. There isn't a news channel in America that would give this story two minutes. No, much better to talk about the latest political "intrigue" in Washington.]

It's no surprise that Al Jazeera has been all over the protests in Egypt since day one. As the dominant news channel in the region (and champion of open, American-free elections), this is the moment they've been waiting for. Their correspondents are in the thick of things, slightly beating out CNN's correspondents (the other channel I've been clicking over to) for the "near violence against our reporter" mantle.

And the whole time I've been thinking one thing: I have one chance to get this right with my students. This is happening right now and whatever it triggers or doesn't trigger in the Arab world, Egypt is the center of something hugely important right now. I find myself wondering if this is what history teachers felt like in October, 1989, as the whole communist show began to unravel in Eastern Europe.

Except these days we live in the instant information age, where I can use Youtube and a host of other sites to help my kids see what's going on not yesterday or last week, but right now. If I have class during period 4, for instance, I can go to Al Jazeera's live feed of the most current protest. History, in real time.

But most of these students have never heard of Tiananmen Square and they barely recognize the significance of the Berlin Wall. The events of 1989 don't mean much to them. I feel an impetus to make this moment count, to ensure that if the events of these days turn into a "where were you when", these kids not only remember, they remember discussing how the world changed those days.

Take Your Mark...

2011-02-03T15:55:00.000+04:00

The second-most common phrase overheard in our teachers' staff room, narrowly edged out by "Who made the coffee so damn strong?", is "At my last school..." Given the nature of international teaching, where people bounce around, country to country and continent to continent, every few years, this isn't terribly surprising. On our small staff we still manage a pretty impressive list of "last" school destinations: China, Uganda, Australia, Yemen, Qatar. It's natural that people compare how things are at ABIS with how things were done at other international schools.

Then there's our last school(s). Kriva Palanka, Macedonia. The public schools of Gorce Petrov Gymnasium and Joakim Krchovski Primary. Broken windows, crumbling walls, backed-up toilets, photocopied textbooks, trash in the hallways. These places were indicative of the public school system's hangover from the communist era. Infrastructure and resources were deplorable and the teachers only knew how to act like watered-down tyrants. But honestly, I enjoyed volunteering at that high school. I loved the kids and the teachers were a riot, even if they really didn't give a shit about the education of the kids.

But what truly annoyed us about the schools in Macedonia: extra curricular activities are virtually nonexistent. The only "clubs" in the lives of those kids are the sort that serve beer to 14-year olds.

One of the best parts of being a teacher is taking part in after school activities. Teachers and students alike get to step outside the norm of the school day and classroom and engage each other on another level.

In Kriva Palanka, there were two days a year when all the students participated in an out-of-school activity: Day of the Tree, which consisted of a hike carried out with all the urgency of refugees leaving their homeland and ending with a tree planting in a questionably fertile location, usually by the kids wearing the least stylish jeans. On the other day the students went to the town's monastery, drank some coffee and then walked home. Lessons learned: zero. Enthusiasm expelled: negligible.

Oh, the joy of being at a school with a Sports Day! Last week ended with the school's annual event on a nearby soccer field. All students, divided into houses (yes, like Harry Potter) of four different colors, participated in a host of races. There were long distance runs, relays, sprints and field games. But even more importantly, there was tons of school spirit, smiles, cheers and fun.

I'm in the Blue House and we did a nice job decorating our tent and encouraging everyone on, as did the Red and Green Houses. But no one was a match for the inevitable Category 5 storm of planning perfection that was Jillian's Yellow House. (As I type this she's planning Bethany's baby shower with the same zeal.) Yes, this was certainly a job for Jillian. Yellow House was fantastic.

Everyone was, really. And it felt good to take part in that kind of school event, to really roll up our sleeves (along with Andy, the P.E. teacher, who really made this happen) and be busy making something that we and the kids could be proud of. Below are a few of Bethany's pictures from Sports Day, and they say a lot more than I ever could about a great day.

Turning Off the Web

2011-01-28T10:17:00.010+04:00

For the past couple of weeks Grade 8 has been studying modern China: the explosion of economic growth in the country over the past two decades and what that means for its citizens. The students have an easy time understanding the material progress (in 1975 there was 1 television per 1,000 people; today the number is 355, etc.), but helping them see the effects on the country's social fabric is a bit tougher. Throw in China's one-party state and the control it exerts and the task becomes even harder.

On Wednesday I turned to the topic of internet censorship. What is it? What benefits would a government see in blocking certain websites? For kids who have grown up on the internet, the idea that Facebook or Youtube could be seen as something dangerous by the powers-that-be is surprising, though I was thoroughly impressed with how quickly they recognized the internet's potential to circumvent a government's control of information. "Maybe people could learn things about their country that the government didn't tell them," said one student.

And then, right on cue, this morning's headlines from Egypt: Facing the largest protests in three decades of authoritarian rule, the Egyptian government effectively shut off the internet all across the country. By ordering its four major providers to stop all international traffic, the government basically flipped a "kill switch" on the internet and the e-communication taking place between protesters.

Following the events in Tunisia, in which an uprising of citizens fed up with 23-years of being treated like dogs pushed out the country's dictator, Egypt's situation is quite serious. Egyptians are a prideful people who may have finally reached their breaking point with Hosni Mubarak's long-running regime of intimidation, control and corruption. This is a country that the U.S. supplies over one billion dollars to annually. America is also a strong backer of a couple of other regimes facing pressure this week, Yemen and Jordan. I read a comment in the press yesterday that seemed quite accurate: the American government sees only two options in the Middle East, authoritarian regimes that will support America's interests or Islamic governments that won't.

Don't expect the fervor of protest to spread to Oman. The situation here is completely different. A small population and oil wealth help to gloss over any sticky situations regarding freedom. I did find it interesting, however, that this morning there was no mention of the crisis in Egypt on the websites of Oman's two largest English-language newspapers. No headlines, no links, nothing. Omanis are free to follow the events on other news sites and on satellite television, but the Omani press/government clearly doesn't want any part of the conversation.

This Side of Paradise

2011-01-15T16:22:00.023+04:00

Every Thursday morning (which is our Saturday morning) an Indian man comes to clean our house. He spends five hours every week going over our home from top to bottom with rags, brooms and mops. Should we so desire it (we don't) he'll wash the dishes and launder and iron our clothes. For this convenient service, we pay an incredibly low rate. I looked it up: the same service in the San Diego area (where Jillian is from) costs as much per week as we pay for the month.

This is one small part of what could be called "the expat life", also known as How to Live Like You Could Never Afford to Back Home. Large, well-furnished home? Check. Paid for by the company? Check? Expensive car, washed every week by a man who comes to your house? Cooker/cleaner? Nanny? Large amounts of disposable income? Check. Check. Check. Check.

So yes, being an expat--especially in the Middle East where companies are willing to pay handsomely for Western professionals--certainly has it perks. But there's a key word in that last sentence, Western, for the vast majority of imported workers in Oman are not from America, Holland, France or anywhere else left of Istanbul. They're from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and they're almost entirely men and they're here to do the manual labor and menial services.

Oman is a country being carried on the backs of low-wage, imported work. By and large, Omanis don't do the sort of work that produces sweat, but it's sweat that lays asphalt, bags groceries, landscapes road sides, cleans kitchens, washes SUVs and pumps gas.

The name of the game here is remittance. All three of the custodians at our school hail from the Indian subcontinent. They go months and months without seeing their families and send every penny possible home. Surging populations in India and an apocalyptic economy in Bangladesh mean there's little hope for a job. So many of the men come to countries like Oman and Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The wages are low, but the work is always needed and it's far better than being paid even less or being unemployed back home.

One of our favorite restaurants is an Indian place down the road called Paradise. The decor is forgettable, but the food is really quite good and it's not hard for Jillian and I to eat a large dinner for less than ten bucks. We like to call it "disturbingly cheap"--these prices can only be possible if either a) the chicken in my Tikka Masala is really dog; or b) the employees are being paid peanuts, perhaps literally.

If my brother-in-law Markus is reading this, right about now he's thinking This better not be heading towards a huge outpouring of guilt, because this is how the world economy works. And I mostly agree with that. I don't think many of the South Asians who come to Oman and fly home every two years to see their families would complain. Our custodians, for instance, see Oman as a great opportunity to provide for their families.

My only hope is that the Indians don't fade into the background and that the Pakistanis aren't taken for granted. After six months in Sohar, I have to admit this is a life I could get used to. Nice school, great kids, enviable pay and perks, and an inexpensive service industry. But isn't it also a recipe for arrogance and an expectation of privilege?

Petra

2011-01-02T22:36:00.009+04:00

A recent article in The Economist called Jordan "the Canada of the Middle East" thanks to its (relative) tranquility and prosperity. Perhaps it should be called the Utah of the region: its landscape features desert to the north and east, a large and famous salt lake to the west and stunningly beautiful mountainous terrain to the south. The population is conservative and though most people don't drink alcohol, it is available in certain spots.

Okay, so maybe the comparison ends there. The idea first popped into our heads while we hiked around Petra. If Greece were suddenly about to slide into the sea (many in the eurozone no doubt wish this so) and UNESCO organized an effort to move all of the country's ancient temples and monuments to Zion National Park in Utah, we'd have ourselves a second Petra: Miles and miles of fabulous hiking amongst strange and colorful rock formations and, oh yeah, 2,000+ years old sandstone tombs and temples.

Like so much of what we saw in Egypt, Petra was built during the heady years of a powerful civilization (the Nabataeans, who controlled crucial trade routes), fell under Roman control until the fall of that empire and was then virtually forgotten by Europeans until the Orient-mania of the early 1800s. Still, it has only recently become a major tourist attraction; Lonely Planet points out that in 1992 there were only four hotels in the neighboring town. Now there are over 70. (It should be noted that in 1990 Petra was featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I can't believe the following burst of tourism is coincidence.)

You've got to hand it to those Nabataeans, they sure picked one hell of a place to settle down. The entrance to Petra is the Siq, a 2km-long, winding walk through a passage cut from a single stone by natural forces. At certain points the Siq narrows to only a few meters and rises as high as 30 meters. The rock has a red hue and there are many sharp turns in the path. Just when you think the Siq couldn't get any better, it ends, dropping its passengers off directly in front of the Treasury.

Rather than build free-standing structures of soft sandstone that would be susceptible to earthquakes, the Nabataeans carved into the sandstone rock faces all around them. The results are nothing short of astonishing. The much-photographed Treasury embodies the Nabataean design, which was heavily influenced by the Syrians and Romans.

The Treasury

In the Siq

After an already long day of hiking around tombs, Jillian and I climbed the 850 steps to the Monastery. This structure was built in the same style as the Treasury, only it is nearly twice as large. Historians believe it was built as a funery temple, but it's called the Monastery because the Byzantines carved crosses into the walls on the interior. Basked in the late afternoon sunlight, this was truly a grand sight and a perfect end to the day.

Post script: The following evening we were in Amman, the capital of Jordan. While taking a shortcut through an alley we found a liquor store--apparently this is where they're relegated to in Jordan. It was beautiful: four smoking men in a dingy room with dusty bottles and cans. We selected a bottle of Mt. Nebo wine, "from the Holy Land." Since we didn't have a bottle opener, I asked the men if they could open it for us. A few minutes later I turned around from inspecting the ancient cans of Amstel to see two of the men pulling as hard as they could on the bottle opener, which had been screwed all the way down into the cork. Brute force. I stopped them and demonstrated how to operate the opener. "Whoooooooa!" they shouted in unison. A revelation. Until that moment they had no idea how that thing worked.

Probably like a few people in Utah.

Want to see more pictures? Click on Our Photos on the right.

Hiking in Petra

At the Monastery

Thai, Thai Again

2010-12-31T09:07:00.000+04:00

Boy, did Moses really blow it. If you're going to spend forty days and nights anywhere on the Sinai Peninsula, the rocky, jagged terrain of the mountains wouldn't be my first choice. It's quite windy and the only food and drink around are the overpriced tea and Snickers bars being peddled by a guy named Nasser.

On the other hand there are a lot of quality candidates for tablets up there.

If he had wandered southeast a mere 70km he could have spent that long month on the beaches of Dahab. Laid back and idyllic in the hippie sort of way that had Jillian and I asking, "Are we back in Thailand?", Dahab is famous for its diving and snorkeling and for attracting visitors for long stays at any one of the dozens of beach front digs. Soaking up sun on the rooftop deck, we felt a million miles away from the temples along the Nile.

And seriously, Moses, the hostels in Dahab organize day trips to Mount Sinai!

We took one of those trips, a windy drive in an uncomfortably packed van to Saint Catherine's Monastery. Built on the orders of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century on the alleged site of the "burning bush", it's everything we've come to expect in a Greek monastery: highly secluded and built in a seemingly impossible location. Saint Catherine's sits at the bottom of Mount Sinai and less than two hours of steady hiking put us at the peak overlooking the forbidding landscape.

We brought a lot of layers on this trip, anticipating a cold day in Petra, but it turned out we really needed them on Mount Sinai. After a quick survey at the top, we did what Moses should have strongly considered so many centuries ago: hustled back down the mount, caught our ride back to Dahab and enjoyed the beach front hospitality.

Saint Catherine's Monastery at the base of Mount Sinai

Near the spot where those tablets turned up

A view in Dahab