I feel like it's important to have a first impressions post. So here goes. These are my first impressions of Oman from when I stepped off the plane to the Access classes and general Omani etiquette. I will be adding to this list, when we go to Salalah and Nizwa and the host families and Ramadan :D
(09-07-12)Plane Impressions
(09-07-12)Plane Impressions
- HOT HOT HOT HOT HUMID WHYYY
- Ohmygosh it smells like home, all salty.
- Why is it SO HOT. IT'S 11 PM
- Why is everyone staring?
- SO MANY MEN
- Oh wait, the womens line is over there.
- BUT THERE ARE ONLY 2 WOMEN. WHERE DID THEY ALL GO?
- Is everyone ok? How's Julie? I hope she's not too sick.
(09-07-12)Of the people
- So friendly
- Aww, they want to know all about us!
- They must not see foreign girls that often.
- WHY ARE THEY ALL STARING
- Well, they're nice so I guess I can deal with them.
- The girls are reserved, but funny!
- So cute, the Access kids, at least.
(09-07-12)Of the place
- Wow
- Wow
- Wow
- Wait, the borders on the streets have patterns as well? Say what???!!!?
- So white. And stuccoish. And Middle Eastern looking.
- WAIT I'M IN OMAN.
- WAIT
- WAIT
- WAIT
- THIS IS SO COOL
- Ok so everything is in Arabic. And English?
- The licence plates...they look funny
- So many school buses
- Wait, so it's 2 am, and people are walking around....without being afraid?
- So lit. As in, there are many many lights.
- The moon....it's sideways!?
wow. I feel so proud at the moment :D hope you're enjoying. about the architecture, it's exactly what we meant it to look like. the recepie for an indigenous omani feel comes with the oman air motto, 'modern vision, timeless tradition' . so the manucipality tries it's best to make this country as unique BUT sleek as possible :D
ReplyDeleteIts really great, I love it so much :D It's very...I dunno, traditional, I guess, and a nice change from a typical American city architecture.
Deletedid you now that there are a couple of 'endangered languages' over here?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.endangeredlanguages.com/
Yea there are a ton in this part of the world. It's sad because most of them are tribal languages and no one teaches it to their children. Upsetting but a fact of life.
DeleteNearly everyone in Oman is bilingual. some people speak basic English (adequate for conversation or some little formal writing), while others speak it with either an American or a British accent since private schools always bring in natural speakers of English as teachers. i'd also say that two thirds of the people are trilingual. seriously, ask anyone and you'll notice. some schools also teach french and Spanish, so that's four languages right there!
ReplyDeleteOk so everything is in Arabic. And English? <--- YEP! it's essential to know all these languages since we want tourists to feel at home!
I've been speaking alot. well, i wish you enjoy this arabic course. it's quite a tough language, but i had a teacher who learned it entirely in a month by walking around with his small notepad. :D
Everyone says that writing everything down is the best way to learn, which I have been doing avidly. Also, they speak their own language, be it Urdu or Swahili, which they speak in the house.
DeleteArabic is hard, but I've been getting more of the hang of it. It's very beautiful.
okay, i might be nosy here, but I'm curious, are the host families fluent in English? and how exactly do they chose to host people?
ReplyDeleteOh my there are SO many of you. Watch it be one person commenting again and again and again.
DeleteI'm not too sure, but I know they speak some english. All of the students (the exchange students) will be under the Language Pledge anyways, which is a pledge that we sign after our first week, so on Saturday, promising we will not speak any English, only Arabic. I will keep you posted!
Oh and I didn't the second question, my bad. They go through an intense screening process with Amideast, the center in Muscat. I'm not too sure about how they choose them specifically, sorry :(
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