Bikes

      The recent scoop here from Oman... 

Health is good. George and I have been going to the local hole-in-the-wall gym on a regular basis and we are seeing the results.

Abdullah, our shuttle ride from our hotel to CIL and back, continues to be a safe and reliable driver. Not only are his driving skills above par, but his hospitality in treating us to ginger tea several times a week is also praiseworthy.

      This is certainly a rigorous program, but I am learning the material quickly. In media class, we are learning a lot of court and law terminology, and in my personal facilitator time, we are studying cooking vocabulary. I think I am close to being capable of teaching a class on how to cook French toast and also understanding Judge Judy in Arabic.

What's missing here?

      Last Wednesday night George and I set off on a mission to purchase a couple of bikes. After a few hours of searching, we found a couple of cheap bikes from a nearby Pakistani shop. The owners were at first surprised that we wanted to buy bikes - in Omani culture, the majority of people who ride bikes are young children and ex-patriate workers. We decided to buy the bikes, but within the first 10 minutes of leaving the shop, the bikes began to fall apart. The first component to fall victim happened to be George’s pedal. We walked a mile back to the shop just as they were closing, and the owners tightened the pedal back on and made a few other minor adjustments. The next morning George and I set out on an adventure, heading straight for the beach. Over the course of the next six hours, we explored an oasis, spent an hour with some camel herders, and swam in the ocean. About four miles from home my pedal broke loose. Tired and hungry, we walked our bikes to the nearest gas station. While George concerned himself with satisfying his hunger pains with Snickers ice cream bars, I searched for a solution to our dilemma. Luckily, a Bedouin man came to our rescue. He was humbled that Americans would come all the way to Oman to learn Arabic, and he drove us to a nearby bike repair shop, where both the pedal and the gears were replaced. Since then, we have had other minor issues, but not worthy of mention here. Fortunately, everyone is willing to help us with our bike troubles. One lesson I have learned and will continue to learn as the weeks go on and our bikes sometimes prove unreliable: you pay for quality.