I have developed a strong love of juice

Juice here is incredible! I have always been quite fond of smoothies and fresh juices, but I had never had juice this good before I came to Oman. Take a look at any restaurant menu, and even inside a cooler in a small convenience store, and you will be greeted by a plethora of options to chose from, from the ordinary apple juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice, to the extraordinary- lime and kiwi juice, which my friends and I joke tastes like liquid Jolly Ranchers, banana juice, avocado juice, which is my new personal favorite, lemon-mint juice, and watermelon juice. One popular juice flavor is called the juice cocktail. Going to a restaurant in Muttrah and seeing a long list of “cocktails” on the menu was a bit surprising; Oman is a Muslim country, after all, and alcohol is haram, or forbidden, in Islam. I came to learn, though, that juice cocktails are actually nonalcoholic; they are mixtures of fresh fruit juices, rather like a smoothie. One of my favorites consists of watermelon juice, banana juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, and mango juice poured into a tall glass in layers. The result is beautiful, colorful, and very delicious. It is the perfect drink to have on a hot Omani afternoon.

As I mentioned earlier, my favorite juice is avocado juice. When I tell my friends and family back in the US how amazing this juice is, many seem disgusted. Honestly, at first I was scared to try it, but then one of my friends ordered it and my curiosity got the better of me.  I had a sip, and was instantly in love with the deliciousness that is avocado juice. Ok, I think you can tell how much I like it. Basically, the key to a good avocado juice is to add milk and honey. It results in a thick smoothie which tastes a bit like a milkshake. If you ever are faced with the chance to try avocado juice, I urge you to take the plunge. You won’t regret it! Or try your hand at making some at home by blending fresh avocados with honey and milk until you are pleased with the taste.

Adhan

The adhan is the call to prayer. In Oman, and throughout the Muslim world, the call to prayer sounds five times a day, beginning at dawn and ending after dark. It is one of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring sounds.

The adhan consists of the following phrases in Arabic:
Allah is the greatest.
I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except for Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Hasten to the prayer.
Hasten to success.
Allah is the greatest.
There is none worthy of worship except Allah.

An Evening at the Opera: My Classiest Night, Ever

On September 14, the YES Abroad girls went to the Royal Opera House. Built by His Majesty the Sultan to share his love of the preforming arts, the Royal Opera House is one of Muscat’s most famous tourist attractions. Fully equipped with a large stage and able to seat hundreds, its main theatre is where we saw the Barber of Seville preformed live. 

Photo by Mae.

 

Davan, Talya, and I all got ready for the opera together. We were told that the ROH strictly enforces a formal dress code, so we wore abayas, which we borrowed from our host mom.

 

 

Davan and I in abayas. (Photo courtesy of Hannah)

 

After a brief dinner at a burger shop, which seemed a bit strange for before a trip to the opera, we all were picked up by Mohammed, our bus driver, and brought to the Royal Opera House.

 

The Royal Opera House, Muscat, Oman. (Photo courtesy of Google)

While I cannot say that I am now a huge fan of opera, I can say that it was an incredible experience to share with almost all of the YES Abroad girls. 

Hannah, Mae, and I on our way to the opera. (Photo courtesy of Hannah)

 

 

My Adventures Into First Grade Arabic

All of the YES Abroad Oman girls are taking Arabic after school on Sundays and Wednesdays with Humaid, an Omani teacher employed through AMIDEAST. In these classes, we learn letters and how to read and write, as well as useful vocabulary. I also signed up for extra help with Arabic every Monday after school through my school. 

I attended the first day of extra Arabic today at Azzan Bin Qais International School (ABQ), the school I will be attending while in Oman. I signed up originally for extra Arabic support for grades 7-12. However, upon reading the slip of paper which told me where to go, I realized that I was placed in Arabic for grades 7-9. “That’s OK,” I thought, figuring that I had been moved down because of my extremely elementary Arabic abilities. Half way through the lesson, a teacher arrived and took me to the first grade class room. Yes, that’s right. First grade. It was a little humorous at the beginning to be in a classroom with kids who reached up to my waist, and no further, but it quickly became evident that my Arabic abilities (at least in regards to reading) are pretty much on a first grade level. So, to everyone who has been wondering how my Arabic is progressing, this is the verdict: I can read Arabic almost as well as a first grader! Inshallah I will continue to improve throughout the year, maybe even reaching a second grade level. Until then, I will keep reading Cinderella in Arabic during my free blocks at school, and practicing at every opportunity I get. Ma’a salaama!

Omani Recipe of the Day

Just as Omanis always have time for friends, they also always have time for food. Omani food is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine, yet is generally less heavily spiced. Though the staples of an Omani diet are dates, rice, and chicken, one of my favorite dishes so far doesn’t include any of these ingredients. Beda wu Tomatum, or eggs and tomatoes, originates from the Indian dish of egg curry. Usually served with chapatti bread for breakfast, beda wu tomatum is extremely easy to cook, as Talya and I learned last night. Here is the recipe of beda wu tomatum! Writing this recipe was challenging, as Omanis frequently do not use measuring cups or spoons, so getting it right is more a matter of trial-and-error than following the recipe exactly.

 

Ingredients:

 7 small eggs

7 tomatoes

olive oil

1 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon churriputta (curry leaves)

salt and pepper

 

Instructions:

1.     Chop the tomatoes and put them in a pot. Cook over light heat until the tomatoes become soft.

2.     Turn off the stove and remove the pot. Pour in a few tablespoons of olive oil and mash the tomatoes until there are at a stew-like consistency.

3.     Whisk the eggs until mixed. Put the pot back on the stove and pour in the eggs. Add the spices and cook over light heat mixing constantly until the eggs have reached the consistency of scrambled eggs.

4.     Serve warm with toast or warm chapatti.

 

 

Expectations

Right now, so much is going through my head that at times the best way to explain it is by a quote from one of my favorite books, The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green: “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” However, one of the latest clear realizations I have had expectations about Oman. We all have them, in regards to every facet of life. Sometimes they serve us well and help us prepare for different experiences, yet sometimes they hinder us and cause us to be either overwhelmed or disappointed by the reality of the situation once it arrives. When I was preparing to leave for Oman, I honestly didn’t think I had any real expectations for my time abroad. After all, I had been told time and time again by YES Abroad to arrive without preconceptions or expectations – I was convinced that I had succeeded in that respect, but I have since realized that I in fact brought with me many expectations, which have already been proven false. However, I have over nine months ahead of me to correct my own preconceptions and expectations, and to experience a more authentic view of Omani life. 

 

I have already seen how my expectations may not have been entirely accurate. When I was still eagerly and anxiously awaiting my departure date’s impending arrival, I was subconsciously and irrationally convinced that every single second of my time in Oman would be jam-packed full of fun and interesting experiences. Obviously, this simply isn’t possible, but at the moment I was completely and totally positive this would prove to be the case.  Since then, so much has happened, and with that I have had both good and bad days. At times everything is as I expected – unbelievably exciting and interesting – and at others, I am miserable and feel frustrated and lonely, removed from everything and everyone I know. Fortunately, or alHamdullilah, as it would be said in Arabic, the good days have thus far outnumbered the bad.

 

I also expected Omani life to be astronomically different from American life. I don’t know why exactly I thought this, but I somehow was under the impression that every facet of life would be completely and totally different. Nevertheless, I have realized something I hope others can gain from my experience – we are all more similar than different. Despite differences in language, religion, and cultural context, everyone has similar core values: spending time with family and friends, good deeds, fun, and sharing knowledge. In Oman as well as in America, I have found that, though different people express it in different ways, we all hold in esteem similar values. 

 

I am sure that in the coming months I will discover many other expectations I had before coming to Oman, and look foreword to seeing what insights the future has to offer.

Preparing for Oman

This summer has been one of the best I can remember. Full of good friends, good weather, and lots of time at the beach, I honestly can say that I can’t imagine a better summer. My family and I have recieved more information from YES Abroad since my last post, including flight information and… A HOST FAMILY!!! The Oman group received their host families last week, and I can’t wait to meet the people who have generously agreed to take me in and teach me about Omani life and culture.

 

At the beginning of the year, all of the YES Abroad finalists went to Washington, D.C. for the Pre-Departure Orientation, or PDO. Finalists going to India and Thailand left directly following the PDO, and have now been in their countries for almost two months! The PDO was a busy four days, jam-packed with workshops and activities. As any YES Abroad-er can attest, we returned to our rooms each night exhausted yet fully educated on virtually everything we needed to know in preparation to live in our respective countries. One of the most helpful aspects of the entire PDO was having an alumni of the program who had gone to our country being there to answer questions and share insight. The Oman group’s alum was Emma, who’s blog is the reason I applied to this program. Emma was invaluable to the Oman group as a whole, and still is available to answer any questions we may have.

 

The Oman group, and Emma, our group leader, at the PDO! Photo by Shino Yoshen.

Saying goodbye at the end of the PDO was difficult, as we may never see some of our fellow YES Abroad-ers again. However, I am excited to keep up with their experiences via Facebook and their blogs.

 

After the PDO, I returned to Nantucket, and decided I would have the best summer possible. As the end of summer nears, I can say that I was successful. My family has grown closer knowing that we will not see each other for more than nine months. Many beach days, bike rides, walks, and ice creams later, we have cried, laughed, been excited and apprehensive and felt almost all the emotions in between. Now that I only have three days before I fly to Washington, D.C., then to Zurich, and finally to Muscat, Oman, the excitement is returning. Nevertheless, it is difficult to think of saying goodbye to my family and friends for an entire nine months. As my father astutely noted, the key is to not think of this journey in its entirety; rather, focus on smaller amounts of time. First, I will arrive. Then I will meet my host family. Then I will begin school. Thinking about it this way helps to relieve some of the stress that comes with beginning what will surely be a challenging yet ultimately rewarding journey. As my departure date nears, I am getting more and more excited to see the great group of girls I am traveling with and to finally, after more than 24 hours of traveling, arrive in Oman. Right now, Oman seems a world away yet also so close I could reach out my hand and touch it. Fully packed, and as prepared as I could be, I am ready and excited to embark on the journey of a lifetime!

Wait… I’m Going to Oman?!?!

As the PDO approaches, and my departure day, which is not set in stone yet, draws nearer, the fact that I will be leaving my sheltered existence in Nantucket and traveling halfway across the world to live in a place I have never been, and with people I have never met, has become more real to me. The thought of a year abroad to Oman has seemed like a daydream for so long; something that would be amazing yet still not real. The reality that I will, in the end of August, be getting on a plane and hugging my parents goodbye in order to go to Oman, really only hit me a couple weeks ago.

 

With the realization that, yes, I am going to Oman in about three months, comes a bit of aprehension. I am not afraid that anything bad will come of this experience; on the contrary, I know that my year abroad will be a time of amazing growth and exploration. However, this doesn’t mean I can’t be a little nervous! I found out which school I will be attending next year, the Azzan bin Qais International School (http://bawshar.azzanbinqais.com/) and am so excited. My excitement is now mixed with a little bit of nervousness.

 

About a week ago, I was very overwhelmed, unsure, and stressed. Am I ready to leave all that I know and live in Oman? I honestly don’t know. I don’t think that I could ever be ready without having already gone; I have never experienced anything like this and have little to no idea what to expect. However, my dad advised me to just “take it as it comes”, and go with the flow. This advice has helped me a lot; I have realized that, while I should prepare as much as possible, there are some things I cannot prepare for, and that stressing over these would only waste my time and energy. There is really no reason to worry; this experience will help me in innumerable ways, and be an incredible journey for me to undertake.

 

This week is my last full week of school, and next Wednesday, June 19th, is my last day of school at Nantucket High School. The next time I attend school I will be half a world away, in a country I have never visited. This thought is more than a little daunting. However, I chose to see this as an adventure; no matter how difficult I foresee next year being, I have a tendency to worry about things way too much. They are never as scary as I foresee them being! Keeping this in mind, I will make the most of my last few months on Nantucket, and look foreword to all Oman has to offer me.

Thoughts on Friendship

The entire process of applying to and being accepted into YES Abroad Oman has really opened my eyes to how much I truly value my friends. I do not usually go up to them out of the blue and say, “Hey, thanks for being my friend, and I really appreciate you.” That would be a strange conversation. However, thinking about living an entire nine months or more without the people I have spent much of my past two years with is daunting, and brings to light how important my friends are in my life.

 

I have only recently gotten over my initial over-the-moon excitement and began to experience the bittersweet feeling that comes with such a fantastic yet different opportunity as studying abroad. Though I have began to see the sad side of my newest accomplishment, this does not make my acceptance into YES Abroad any less exciting. In other words, the bitter doesn’t make the sweet any less so; it is merely another feeling that has developed over the past few weeks.

 

I have noticed that my interactions with my friends have changed. Now that we know we have a limited amount of time with each other before I travel halfway across the world to a country few of my peers know much about for an entire school year, I feel that we have all become closer. For instance, I was at a friend’s house two days after I found out about my acceptance into the YES Abroad program. My friend congratulated me, then said, “Don’t you forget about me.” Normally this is not something friends say to each other. However, the knowledge that I will away from my peers for nine months has, I believe, brought us all closer. I know that personally I have realized how much I will miss the friends I will be leaving behind on Nantucket. I will make sure to keep in touch with them and not drift away from them, but I am sure that our relationships will have changed by the time I return. I will have made new friends in Oman and undoubtably changed immensely, and surely my friends will have changed as well.

 

This new perspective on my friends does not make me apprehensive or afraid for my time abroad; rather it makes me appreciate my friends while I am still with them. No matter what, whether I consciously recognize it or not, my friends are some of the most important people in my life. My time abroad will test my friendships and, inshallah, strengthen them.

 

 

 

Oman Short Documentary

Here is a very interesting and informative documentary about Oman: