Independent Study

Photos here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2066991&l=0de0a&id=4807606

Well, it has been a little while since I have written anything, and I guess the main reason for that is my time has been significantly less eventful since returning from our spring break in the UAE and Qatar. We are now in our Independent Study Project (ISP) portion of the time here. That means we no longer have classes, need to go into the school (ever? well, sort of) and basically have all day every day to conduct our research. My project is on how Oman’s education system has adapted to globalization- and involves interviewing teachers, students and people who work at the ministry of Education- plus other things required of research. I actually have never done a project like this, and its kind of like a mini thesis or something that someone with more experience would turn into a whole book that no-one buys and sits in various academic libraries.

Hmm, however there have been some highlights…
Did you know that the Olympic torch came to Muscat- its only stop in the Middle East? Well it did, and Oman was pretty pumped about it. They had a whole procession, just like everywhere else- but I imagine that here the security was tighter than in other places. Where I was there was about 1 soldier for every 2 people. Demonstrations are not allowed here, plus the population basically is happy and doesn’t care too much about Tibet I imagine. Still though, the government changed the route of the torch, leaving me and a bunch of other Omanis sitting and waiting. Still though, it was nice to see people so happy.

There are several private beaches in the Muscat area- and one of them that we went to offers snorkeling too! They take you out on a boat (ours had Germans, English, and I think possibly Austrians, along with us Americans of course) and have a couple nice places that you can choose from. The beach itself was great- it was pretty much the only spot in Muscat where we felt like we weren’t under moral scrutiny. I mean that of course in the nicest way, and I noticed the feeling more once it was absent; and of course I am not saying that we were suddenly inappropriate, not at all- but just that it was more comfortable. Anyway, I would like to go back- they have dolphin watching trips too!

I traveled back to Nizwa and stayed with the same guys I was with before, I nominally went in order to interview teachers in training at the college, along with students just out of high school, and I actually got quite a lot done! We all went together to the Nizwa fort, which definitely had the largest and seemingly the most sophisticated battlements and fortifications. Nizwa is the former home of the Imamate, the religious leader of Oman. A cool part was that day I was dressed in a dishdasha, and traveling with two Omanis- we just seemed like a shebab (group of guys) as I blended right in. (See pictures for the full effect) Later in the day we went to the Al-Hoota cave, which is a huge cave complex that the tour only sees about 10% because you need scuba gear to get to the rest! They unfortunately did not allow cameras inside, I think they said because it may damage the formations (but there were lights everywhere) and more so because then they can sell the beautiful photos in the gift shop. One cool thing is that Omanis discovered this cave when a shepherd’s goat fell in!
Just last weekend I and my two brothers went with their uncle (who interestingly has 3 wives!) to wahiba sands for a night of camping, and dune riding. Several of their cousins were there too, who were very proud of their 4x4’s and ability to drive them quickly through the desert! Oh, and now a highlight- the next day we all went to Wadi Beni Halid. I was expecting an overused spot that wasn’t that nice cause I had heard that much of Muscat clears out to picnic there on weekends- but the reality was that the place was huge and easily accommodated everyone there. Plus I then hiked up into the mountains and had beautiful views all around, got to do some rock climbing, and swam in a surreal pool with some Omanis.