Thursday, August 27, 2009

First week in Rustaq

Well after a week in Rustaq I have finally shaken the feeling that I am living on the moon. All of the mountains around the city are bare rock. The heat is so overpowering that it feels like a physical force pressing on you from all sides, but even in this heat you are strongly advised to wear trousers and T-shirts at a minimum (although women are not obliged to cover their hair and many western teachers don't). The locals either pretend not to see you or stare at you openly.

The first few days here were in the only hotel in town, called Al-Shimookh Guesthouse. It was a reasonable place to stay for someone who is used to backpackers, but at around US$50 a night it wasn't cheap (the college only pays for the first three nights). There was free Arabic coffee and dates in the lobby and a receptionist whose grasp of English was quite shaky, but could usually get the message across. Mostly her fillers were “in the” and “with you”. While thinking of the next word to say, she would use one of those phrases to give herself time to think. Example: “Your friend, in the he in the go in the hybermarket. You with you stay in the room, in the hotel, in the he with you coming in the here.” Hand gestures make it easier also.

At this point I should introduce the other new teachers who arrived with me: David, also from New Zealand, now 60 years old, with a great deal of teaching experience in five or six countries; Angela, also around a generation older than myself, from Australia (though she grew up in London and has a very correct English accent), and; Senthil (pronounced Sindal) from Bangalore in India, around my age, who is, from what we can tell, the entire new IT teaching department. We met each other in the hotel and have struggled through the first few days together.

Things acheieved so far:
1. Finding an apartment;
2. Buying air-conditioning (the most important);
3. Partly furnishing the apartments;
4. Getting an Omani residency card and;
5. Learning how much taxi fares cost ao the driver don't rip me off too much.

Next things to sort out:
- More furniture (I'm writing this from the 5cm squab that I sleep on);
- An Omani drivers licence;
- A car
- Finding out what we will be teaching next week (would be nice).
- Sanity trip back to Muscat.

By the way, friends of mine who are following this blog from NZ, Brazil, Mexico, France or elsewhere in the world: I have rented a three bedroom apartment, soon to be fully equipped with furniture: you are welcome to visit whenever you like. You will have a place to stay. I would recommend coming after September so that you avoid Ramadhan (First day of Ramadhan today - topic of the next blog I think) and also the worst of the heat has passed by then apparently.

PS This blog is also around a week old. Now back on track and ready to update regularly.

5 comments:

  1. you managed to get a flat so quickly; when you get your residents card you can have the pleasure to getting to the Muscat highway and thinking - 'right to Muscat - left to Dubai'

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  3. you have a lot of guts going to Rustaq, things are very slow in Muscat there it must be non moving. One thing you will learn in Oman is patients and the most useful word of all 'inshallah' which I am sure you learned by now.

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  4. how did you find my blog? what took you there?

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  5. to ColOman: I think there was a site that had lots of blogs from people in Oman. I had a look at lots of them and yours was one I liked.

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