Culture Shock? nah...

            Perhaps the most shocking thing I have experienced here in Oman is that I have not experienced culture shock. Not yet anyways. Perhaps it’s because of the environment that I’m surrounded by. Everywhere I go I see English. Traffic signs, store names, and menus are not only in Arabic, but in English too. Also, most people here have way more advanced phones than my Verizon LG dumb phone that I have in the States. And there are cars and TVs and Pizza Huts and Subways and a lot of other things here that America has too.

            Even living in this urban setting, however, I have received a fair share of cultural experiences. I have visited Oman’s interior, observed a live animal market, walked around ancient villages, played lots of soccer, talked with countless Omani taxi drivers, explored most of Muscat, and have been hosted inside many Omani homes. My past experiences in other non-American cultures besides Oman have prepared me to live abroad and I accept the differences I see between the American and Omani culture. Granted Omanis live differently, that doesn’t confuse or scare me. Concepts of child-rearing, marriage, and religion are also vastly different, but you accept them the way it is and you move on.

            For the past month and a half, the only frustration that I have been experiencing on a regular basis is the language barrier. You don’t realize how important communication really is until you move to a different culture where they speak a different language. When you want to ask, “Which one of you took my Head and Shoulders shampoo from the bathroom? or “Can you please make me a sandwich without French fries in it?”, you realize how little you know and how stupid you sound. (Five semesters of Arabic before this cultural immersion in Oman gave me a very elementary background of the Arabic language. The teachers at the Academy are fantastic, but of course there is only so much you can teach in three hours per week. Here I have Arabic all day, every day.)

            It’s been a long journey. I remember the first chapter of my Arabic book and learning my first two words… “United Nations.” I didn’t think I’d ever use that word, but yesterday, Bam! I heard it on the news. I’ve been asked before how many words I know in Arabic. I have no clue. How many words do you know in English? I learn so many new words a day, at the Center and at my homestay. The key now is to use them so I don’t lose them. Every time I make a mistake in the language, someone is glad to correct me, and I genuinely appreciate it. I make lots of errors every day, and at times it gets frustrating, but I am getting so much better at the language as well.

            Culture shock perhaps targets people who may not have been exposed to many outside cultures before. I don’t know; maybe I’m wrong and have yet to experience disorientation and surprise and discomfort. Maybe. As for right now, I am fully embracing this new world and enjoying every Omani experience I get. Throughout all my travels in my lifetime, I have realized one thing: there are some beautiful places out there, but there is no place like home. Don’t worry, Mom and Dad, although I like Oman, I love America. And I am definitely coming back to the good ol’ US of A, the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Streaming LIVE

            Every afternoon Brett, who is another Naval Academy student, and I have a 2-hour PF (peer facilitator) session at the Center with a 23-year-old aspiring journalist named Ahmed. Last Monday, Ahmed invited to drive us to visit his college, Kuliat al Bayan, and walk around there. The Arabic topic of the day would be media and journalism in Oman, and Ahmed said he’d introduce us to some of his friends. Little did Brett and I know what was going to come with this simple invitation. 

           Ahmed arrived promptly at the Center at 1230 and we headed off in his silver Lexus to his college, about a 30-minute drive away. On the way there, Ahmed lectured us on famous Arab singers like Rashid el Magid, Umm Kulthum, Ali Bahr, and Omani native Layla Nasib. He then introduced us to the world of media and journalism in the Arab world and how it all works. By the time we arrived to his college, I was thinking of how strange that car ride was. It was almost as if he was trying to get Brett and I to memorize everything right then on the spot. I brushed that thought to the side as we walked through the main college doors.

            As soon as we walked in, a girl in her mid-twenties walked towards us, looked at Ahmed, and said, “Are they ready?”

            “Ready? Ready for what?” I thought.           

            We were quickly ushered into a large room with a sound booth and a few cameras off to the side. In the middle and in the spotlights was one long couch and two sofas on either side of it. To be honest, I half expected to see Oprah Winfrey sitting there. Well, after shaking everybody’s hands, they motioned us to sit down. They’re probably just being nice, right? I had never been on a talk show before, but I never really had that desire either… let alone in a different language. After a five minute talk with them about what was going to happen next, I started to sweat. We were going to be on camera. That one day where your hair just isn’t sticking the way it should and you realize you forgot to do the reading for the lecture class that starts at 3.

            Before they started filming, I asked the obvious, “So… are we going to be on national television?”

            Everyone laughed, and the talk show host then explained that we would be on the school’s daily television program that is streamed live during lunch break, so that people eating in the cafeteria can entertain themselves. And I’m sure they did.

            3-2-1! Here we were on TV – yes, I’m basically famous. The biggest highlight of the hour was when the host asked me what my favorite Arab singers were. I then realized why Ahmed had schooled me an hour before on popular Arabic singer names. I remembered all of them, and the people in the studio went wild when I mentioned their favorite Omani singer, Layla Nasib. Towards the end of the program, they asked Brett and I to sing a song for them. We decided that I would sing the first part of “Amazing Grace,” and she would sing the last. They absolutely loved it, well at least, Brett’s portion of it. I’m thinking maybe I should just stick with my shower routine.

            The biggest boost of confidence comes when you realize that you can talk with other Omanis in Arabic under the pressure of the camera and not completely mess up. A change of pace in any routine is always necessary, and this experience certainly helped me realize how much I’ve progressed over this past month and is inspiring me to keep on trudging.

Ahmed al-Hitali

Nice park job there... but I guess he can do that - he's the president of the student body

My vantage point (you can kinda see me on the color tv screen there off to the side)

Pterodactyls or the Boogie Man?

      One of the great things about Oman is the people’s willingness to accept you into their culture. Recently, the Center of International Learning hired a new driver to pick us up in the mornings and drop us off from school in the evenings. Although our driver Abdullah was phenomenal, unfortunately he had to move on, and our new driver Mahfooth has some big shoes to fill. Since day one, Mahfooth has been persistent on inviting us students to his home for a traditional time of tea and dates. After a long day from 8 to 5, most of us are tired and don’t want any kind of more of them "cultural experiences."

      Today after school, however, I decided to accept Mahfooth’s invitation to his home town of Boshar, meet his family, and explore the hot springs that are near his house. Boshar is a little town next to Muscat that was built next to Muscat’s craggy mountain range. When Mahfooth and I arrived, he was very eager to show me the hot springs that are tucked in next to the mountain. Many from his town walk there after work to bathe and afterwards, pray in a one-room building that was considered one of the town mosques. I saw that there was a path from the springs that continued into the mountain, and so I asked Mahfooth if I could scout ahead to see where the path went. He looked at me, alarmed. He then explained that no one who has taken that trail has ever returned. He strictly warned me to never go there because of the many dangers that lurked on the trail. I tried to ask him what these dangers were, but he wouldn’t tell me anything else, except that if I hiked that way, I would never return. What could be back there? Wild boars? Charizard? The boogie man?

      We then returned to his house, which was actually built on some ancient Portuguese ruins. It fascinates me how people can live normal lives with that kind of history in their backyard. Mahfooth opened the door for me, we took our shoes off according to Arabic tradition, and we sat down. Two of Mahfooth’s sons served us Omani coffee and dates, and then we all spent some time talking (or rather, trying our best to understand one another). The time with Mahfooth and his family was not only enjoyable, but also a part of my character development, something that we value so highly at the Academy. Mahfooth and Omani culture, in general, have taught me this, and it may sound cheesy, but it's still a valuable lesson to keep on learning: you have one life to live; therefore give.
    

Portuguese ruins next to Mahfooth's house 

Farm that is adjoined to Mahfooth's house

Lion King scene

     

Mahfooth (in the distance) next to the falaj system that waters the fields from the hot springs

And Laith is back!

For you archaeologists...

      Once you start to feel like you have a grasp of a certain region and what it has to offer, you realize how much you don’t know. Tuesday and Wednesday evening in our lecture seminar class, Dr. Charlotte and Dr. Marta informed us on the vast field of Oman archaeology, reminding me of some of the reasons I find it interesting to study ancient Middle East. The main reason is because it helps me understand the culture today and the story of how it has developed over time. For example, I learned that in Mesopotamia and in Harappa, seals have been found on pots, bowls, and other objects of trade. Seals are carved-out stamps that can act as signatures or a seal that closes something (like a bottle of wine). They were used to show what object was produced and traded by whom. They were useful in preventing fraud and promoting fair trade.

      In Oman, however, these seals have not been discovered. If great cultures such as Mesopotamia and Harappa used seals and stamps in trade, then why not Oman? Theories claim that there was such a tight relationship within the family and strong ties with friends of the family that trust was easily established. If you were caught cheating, word would spread very quickly. Your reputation would be permanently tarnished, and you couldn’t be trusted again. Also, your friends and family connections would know where you live and where you work if they would ever seek vengeance. This served as such a major deterrent that theft and fraud are believed to be almost non-existent during that time.

      The same trust can be said to exist today. Theft and fraud are rare occurrences in Oman. People leave their cars running, go inside a store and do their weekly shopping, and come out with their car still running. Families are large and the ties between family members are strong. A tight bond of trust exists, that if broken, will result in being expelled from the family. As an Arabic major, I am fascinated by ancient Arabia mainly because it shows how one culture has progressed over time and helps explain this region in the 21^st century. I am continually amazed about all this area has to offer and am learning even more how little I know about this country of Oman.

Culture Within a Culture

     Even in Oman, one can experience many different cultures. Last Wednesday night, I went down to the hotel front desk to practice my Arabic with the male receptionist, Ahmad, and one of the Filipino workers, Aaron. We were having a good conversation, when Aaron asked me about my Christian faith. After talking for a bit and then going out to dinner the next night, we discovered we held similar beliefs. Aaron then asked me if I would be interested in joining him in attending his church Friday morning. So that Friday morning, we headed out to his church in the town of Ruwi, about a half-hour taxi drive. The fifty-member congregation meets every Friday morning and Sunday night in a modest building in the middle of Ruwi, and their hospitality and friendliness was overwhelming. All of them speak Tagalo, one of the main Filipino languages, but most speak good English also. During the church greeting time, all of them were passing by me shaking my hand, smiling. 
     After a three-hour long church service, they set up a complete spread of Filipino food. During my meal, I thought that if someone wanted to learn a language based on a culture’s cuisine, I would certainly recommend Tagalo, because the food they served was terrific and I got my fill of rice, meat, and kuchinta, a dessert made out of rice that you can eat with coconut. What struck me most about this experience, however, was that several of them mentioned their uttermost gratitude to me for being an American, serving in the armed forces. One of them, named George, recounted part of his family’s history in World War II, how they were invaded and then rescued by American soldiers. According to George, these Americans had left their families and friends for their country’s salvation. And for that, he told me he “was at my service.” His words humbled me and served as a reminder of how proud I am to be a part of a military that protects the interests of those in need. It reminded me of those who had gone before me and what kind of leader I want to become. Spending time with this Filipino church family opened my eyes to a new culture, created new friendships, and reminded me of the future responsibility I will have as a leader in the US military.

Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera with me that Friday, but I thought I'd add some pictures to show you what I've been up to lately.

Sometimes you need to spend a couple bucks and get a taste of home.

This frankincense-burning UFO that I saw while I was hiking in some mountains last weekend

One of the main buildings in Sultan Qaboos University. (I had to climb into a 4-story Portuguese fort to get this photo.)

Laith, age 4. Since I've moved in with my Omani family, this little tyke likes to hang out in my room and take my things. :)