From exploring new places
to playing soccer at sunset
to meeting new people and making new friends
to hiking in dry river beds
to camping on the beach
to singing our hearts out…
the past two weeks have been filled with adventures, laughs, new friends and a better understanding of a country and people not so different from the place we call home.
*Update: AE Group is all safely on the plane and headed home.
Yesterday we spent the entire day in Nizwa, the largest of the traditional Omani villages of the interior. The culture there is much more conservative Islam and so there is almost no trace of western clothing or practice. We took the day to tour Nizwa Fort, a recently restored fortress that is centuries old. We took a trip to Bahla and walked through ‘Old Bahla.’ It was an area of nothing but narrow narrow walkways, old mud buildings, and few residents. The Bahla Souk featured a master copper-smith who was very kind in demonstrating his artistry. With each stroke of his hammer he crafted beautiful copper pans, dishes and bracelets. His work is of such traditional origin that it has been displayed in the Smithsonian museum. We returned to Nizwa at sundown to walk the Nizwa Souk. The market was full of handcrafted silver, wood, and pottery. It was difficult to find anyone who spoke much English and trading with the locals was an adventure. “The heart of Oman is in Nizwa” was a phrase used to describe this ancient and culturally rich city. The only thing more impressive than the splendor of the city is the people who are now a reality to us rather than a distant thought or idea.
-Traveler
We never knew what it meant to truly serve someone and show them real hospitality until we were welcomed into our first Omani home. These families go to great lengths to treat their guests with kindness and respect. To them, this is how a host should always honor their guests.
When you first arrive, it is customary to remove your shoes before entering the home. Once you are inside, the men go into one room and the women into another. It is refreshing to be able to spend our time alone with women. It makes it very easy to have relaxed and open conversation. At about 8 o’clock we gathered around the table for a traditional Omani dinner. Following the dinner was more conversation until late hours of the night. To them, there is no limit on a guest’s stay. Even though we came from different cultures and did not know each other very well, by the end of the night we felt as if we were part of the family. We will never forget that night full of hospitality spent with such a beautiful family.
Yliana and Caitlyn
For someone from the west the middle east at first glance can be intimidating. Everyone dresses different, the food is different, the bathrooms are different, and the language is different. So many differences it seems like another world some times.
We have been spending many of our nights down by the beach with a group of guys some of us met the second night in Muscat. When one of our friends walked up to them they told us that they had been the first westerners to ever stop and talk to them, most just walk by without ever acknowledging them. Many of them are in college all with plans to get a job, maybe travel, get married and start a family. The more time we spend with them topics like family, funny stories of things that they probably shouldn’t have done with their friends when they were younger, nicknames and inside jokes all eventually come up. They told us about the best place in the city to get schwermas, their favorite things to do, and the places that we have to visit before we leave. Most nights though they end up at the same spot along the beach just sitting around and enjoying each others’ company.
The more time spent at that spot makes us realize that most of the differences between us seem to disappear the longer that we spend with them. The more we talk the more we realize we’re more alike than we ever were different. I wish everyone in the world could come and spend a week in the beautiful friendly country of Oman, I think it will change their outlook on life forever!
Josh and Keith
Last night the girls went to hang out with some Omani girls and got henna, but us guys had an adventure. We met with our friend Abdullah and his friend Jack at our favorite Turkish restaurant where they marked our map up with places to visit. After some hummus and schwerma they decided they would take us up a mountain road our group had been trying to find. At the top we had an amazing view of Muscat that offered some beautiful pictures. Hector, Keith, and I went with Abdullah and Jack to the area known as Old Muscat while the other guys went to go pick up the girls. Old Muscat looked like the archetype for a pirate era Arab port, but with modern buildings overshadowing the old. We passed the palace and several forts on our way to a cove surrounded by hills. At night it was amazing, so I cannot wait to see it during the day. Abdullah and Jack are two amazing guys and we are thankful for their friendship.
Brian
After passing through a ‘round-about,’ which keeps driving in Oman interesting to say the least, our group diligently searched for a special Omani food item called a ‘Schwerma’ for lunch. Thus far, this food item has managed to evade us. After speaking with several Indian, Turkish, and Omani people we found that Schwermas are made only after five in the evening. However, we had a delicious sandwich called a Zinker, consisting of crunchy chicken with melted cheese. The adventure of finding interesting food to eat in Oman will not be a forgotten story.
Hector and Zacj
One of the greatest experiences when you get to come to a country like Oman is the food. Not only the types of dishes you try, but the manner in which you eat them. In this culture, we all eat on the floor and with our hands from community plates of food. These dishes usually include yellow rice, chicken or lamb, and vegetable plates. Even though it may get difficult and messy, it is a fun experience to share food with one another in such an intimate way. I am so excited to eat soon with the local Omanis we’ve made friends with these last few days.
Yliana and Caitlyn
It’s not every day that you find yourself in the country of Oman. That reality set in even more today as we visited the world’s second biggest mosque. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, has a hand woven carpet that took six years to make. The mosque is big enough to hold 6500 people in the main room, and 8000 outside. It was an incredible experience to witness the amount of care it took and still takes to create and maintain such a beautiful place. As a part of touring the mosque, we had the privileged opportunity to sit down with a Muslim scholar. During our time together we learned about the main points of the religion of Islam and gained a better understanding of Islam’s place in Omani Culture. Overall it was a great day full of good culture and friendship.
Keith and Josh
Today while wondering around the Grand Mosque, I stumbled into a small gift shop. On the bottom shelf – all alone was a book called “Halimah and the Snake and other Omani Folktales” by Grace Todino-Gonguet. I picked it up figuring it would be an interesting read and a fun way to learn more about the culture. On the way home I read the first story – “Halimah and the Snake” . A fantastic Omani version story similar in ways to Cinderella and The Princess and the Frog. Only instead of a fairy godmother there was a mermaid. And instead of the frog there was a snake. The story was illustrated with beautiful cultural pictures. I’m excited to read the rest over the next week and get a different perspective of a people and culture I have grown to appreciate and love.
arabiaexperience 