Baby shower, shower.

I am very fond of the idea of having a baby shower. What could be better than to gather with your closest friends and enjoy an afternoon spend together indulging in appetizers, chit-chat and unwrapping gifts!

I would also much rather prefer to catch up with everyone before the baby is born instead of having dozens of people visit me at the hospital literally hours after I give birth- with all due respect, that’s exhausting.

My Cynthia is currently in charge of coordination all the baby shower arrangements which is still a long two months away (but it’s never too early to plan, right?).  So this weekend we ventured into Mothercare hoping to get some information on their registration process. I was counting on a procedure that went something along the lines of: a give them a list of everything I need from the store and they share it with whoever shops for my baby shower. Pretty straight forward, right?

The tragedy conversation went something like this:

Me: Umm, excuse me.

(Both employees behind the counter continue pricing/unwrapping/picking their nose).

Me: Excuse me, hello?

(Employees turn around with totally blank expressions on their faces).

Cynthia: Do you do registrations for baby showers?

(Blank expressions continue…)

Cynthia: Baby showers? You know, like we want to hold a baby shower and we can register gifts so that the guests can chose from a list of items and bring them to the party?

(Here employees’ eyes widen but nevertheless the blank expressions prevail).

UselessEmployee1: We have this. (Hands us a Feedback and Comments Form)

Me: No, no. Well you know, for a baby shower, I can chose some items and people can give them to me during the baby shower.

(A light bulb appears above the head of one of the employees)

UselessEmployee1: Aaaa… (scratches head)

(Exchanges confused glances with UselessEmployee2)

UselessEmployee2: Baby Shower? Shower? Ohh shower? Ok!!!

(Both employees attempt to lead us to the shampoo/sponge/cotton balls/bath lotion section).

Me and Cynthia: Nooooooooo!

Cynthia: Not this shower, a BABY SHOWER!

Me: Cynthia stop saying shower! That’s what’s confusing them!

Cynthia: IS THERE A MANAGER WE CAN TALK TO?

Bow. Applause. Encore! Encore!

I am 170 years old

This could turn out to be a raving/raging post (yet again) about hospitals in Oman but because I currently lack the energy to be angry…I shall refrain from typing in CAPS and cursing after every second word.

A disclaimer: a first-time expectant mother will worry about every little thing that doesn’t “feel right”. She does not necessarily need to be in agonizing pain or in a life threatening situation to be rushed to the hospital. Sometimes a light fever and consecutive dizzy spells are all that’s needed to seek medical attention.

So there I am (at work-that’s where) on Wednesday morning when all of a sudden I begin to feel a little feverish and simply “off”.  I also had a few other symptoms that should solemnly remain between me and doctor so that half the world is not grossed out.  After fighting the sinking feeling that maybe this isn’t simple fatigue I caved and called a fellow doctor- who in turn told me to go to the nearest clinic and get checked out “just to be on the safe side”.

I seriously told my superior I will be back in an hour because I am going for a quick check up. (I should have said Inshallah at this point.) Alex picked me up and we went to the nearest clinic as suggested, the closest one being Al Raffah where I am currently registered. On my way there I kept on calling the operator to make sure there is a gyno there I could see. No one picked up. I called about 8 different times. Yes I had the right number- they just didn’t pick up!

As we stormed the lobby of Al Raffah hospital we soon came to learn that there was no gyno on call and my doctor would not be available until 6pm. Because…you know…doctors work in shifts.  Apparently it is perfectly acceptable not to have a doctor there for 6 hours at a time!!! They only had a GP- which would have helped if I had a bruise or maybe a sore throat…

Suppressing our anger we drove to the closest hospital from Al Raffah- Muscat Private Hospital. Again, I called them on the way there the operator picked up (Hooray??!!) but the line quickly died when she was transferring me to the “correct” department. Ugh.

I quickly felt like I was having the most surreal déjà vu of my life when we learned that they too did not have a gyno on call because “the entire department was attending a lecture and will only be back in a couple of hours”.  Now, please note that both of the above hospitals have DELIVERY WARDS and possibly women going into labor that very instant- but who gives a monkey’s I guess?

I began to feel quite anxious as by that point in time all sorts of nasty scenarios regarding the baby’s health ran through my mind. We did the only thing we could think of. We drove to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.  FIY (if you aren’t local) that hospital is 45 minutes away. Make that 1h and 25 minutes when you are driving there at 2:30pm just as about everybody in Muscat is leaving work and heading home.

Keeping a long story short- we finally found ourselves registering at the Accidents and we Emergencies department of SQUH and they quickly send me to get my blood pressure and temp measured (both were high!). The nurse (an attentive young man) was however very reassuring and told me that he marked my file as urgent so that the Emergency department makes me their priority. An hour and a half later we are still sitting there. Alex is dying for some water. I keep pacing the waiting area (which is divided into male and female sections). I “borrowed” the chair the security guard was using, by the door, and sat on it with Alex standing responsibly by my side. We seriously watched dozens of people come in and leave, leave and come in again…and we were still waiting. They reassured me that this was unusual and the emergency gyno department was having a rather hard day with 3 women coming in with bleedings and what-nots. Now, had I been in any serious pain or god-forbid bleeding, I am fairly certain they would have seen me sooner.  About two hours into our waiting game we began to notice amusing details about the waiting room such as the “Welcome to the Accidents and Emergencies Department” poster- which Alex found hilarious and also the fact that my in-patient bracelet said that I am 170 years old. I thought about telling the doctor that my emergency is “old age” when she asks me what I am in there for.

But other than that when we were finally admitted the doctor was lovely, the nurses were lovely and their approach was absolutely relaxing. Although they did kick daddy out at some point as he was being overly anxious. They did a quick check up, a whole bunch of tests and a quick ultrasound to check the baby’s heartbeat and movements. Everything turned out to be ok at the end.

As we were leaving I received my registration card, neatly typed up to include my admission number, name and get this….”English People” in the nationality field. I laughed at this thinking that now I have a valid document to present to the British Embassy once I apply for my UK passport (because my hospital registration card says I am British- that’s why!). It wasn’t until we paid and received a receipt addressed to an Olga Mubarak (P.S that isn’t my actual last name) that I realized perhaps my dream of obtaining a UK passport might have to be abandoned due to my newly-acquired-obviously-Arab last name.

A little bit of humor can get you a long way.

A stroke of genius!

I’ve had a lot of time to think about how I want the first artwork of the USF store to look like. It was going to be sassy but modest, chique but also relevant and above all…it was going to stand out. Given the opportunity, I expected to have at least a week to plan it out and collaborate with an experienced designer. Instead I faced a deadline of about 24 hours, a complete lack of ideas and extreme pressure.

I love it when magazines feature “behind the scenes” shots. On one side of the page you see Eva Longoria in glamorous high heels and a breathtaking gown, with her hair tossed just-right and a glimmer in her eyes. On the other side of the page the trendy editor would let you sneak a peek into the making of the photo shoot with racks of messy clothes, dozens of busy-bees huffing and puffing over Eva’s hair and make-up and the stressed-out photographer who has already gone red in the face.

When I realized I needed to put together a photo shoot for the store in about 3 hours time I of course called my best friend to the rescue and yet again she saved my ass. Throughout the day I tossed around some ideas with Is This Serious, Yuliya and mom and we decided to recreate an image I found online earlier that day. It was simple, straight to the point and allowed the imagination to run wild. So, after a hard day at work I dragged by pregnant-self to the store and picked out a few outfits for Cynthia to wear during the shoot. Oh and the shoes. And the bags.

You see…I didn’t want a page that simply featured a bag and matching shoes. We have enough of these. But I also didn’t have the time and resources to create an image that would fully convey the uniqueness and the style of the store. I wanted it to portray sexiness without seeming vulgar. Most importantly I wanted the image to be focused on the stylish items sold at the store.

Two hours of trying on clothes, finding the correct shoe sizes, crawling on the floor trying-to-get-the-angle-right and two cans of Redbull later- we were stunned by the results. I shot over 100 pictures. They all turned out exactly how I wanted them. Not bad for a rookie huh?

I will let you judge:

We have received a lot of supportive comments and very positive feedback from friends and families regarding the final product. Personally, I am very happy with how it turned out, given the circumstances.

I will now begin working on a Facebook page for the store where I hope to feature more images from the photoshoot to help spread the word!

During Ramadan the shop is open from 10am to 1pm and then again from 7pm to 11pm! Happy Shopping!

Ladies, new store in town!!!

So Eid is coming up which means this is the perfect opportunity to add a few new items for your ever expanding wardrobe!

And now I have just the place...

The USF store is now OPEN!

Looking for a fancy evening bag? Comfy shoes for the office? A summer dress or maybe a classy party piece? Look no further...

The store is located in Zakher Mall (home to Pan Furniture, Omantel, Body Shop) in Al Khuwair. Venture up to the second floor and the USF store will be just on your right. Opening times are from 10am to 1pm and then from 4pm to 8pm everyday! There is a lovely lady managing the store who will be more than happy to show you around and help you find just what you are looking for! The clothes/bags/shoes were all handpicked in Italy by my mom and I have personally been wearing one of the wedges from the shop for over 2 months now and they are super comfy!

Here are a few shots of what the store has to offer(excuse the quality, I was just very eager to get these to you as soooooon as possible!):

More images to come soon, meanwhile please visit the store as I am certain you will find something you will fall in love with!

Ramadan and me.

Last year I posted a modest explanation of how life changes around here in the holy month of Ramadan, please read it here. I thought it would be a good idea to shine some light on the traditional and cultural aspect of this month- especially for those reading this back home! This year is an altogether different story because I am pregnant, hormonal and hungry all the freaking time. So my routine has not really been effected by the fact that Muscat has succumbed to the sleepy, slow, quite days of fasting.

Luckily no one in my office fasts (well except one guy who is on his annual leave now) so I have not locked up my snack drawer that is filled with Oreos, almonds, waffles and crackers. I munch away the entire day. We haven't even moved the water cooler from the room because my Omani colleague said it does not phase him- even when he is fasting. So, we took his word for it.

I am however cautious not to eat or drink anything whilst I am outside (which actually isn't that often these days). This has proven to be difficult because my pregnant brain is always exploding with one stupid idea or the other, such as "Why don't you eat a tomatoe while driving from home to work?".

And as far as silly situations go, my oven ran out of gas while baking a few pizzas at home and had to resort to asking one of my neighbors if I could perhaps use his oven to finish dinner? Now if this happened in the afternoon I don't think my fasting/Egyptian neighbor would appreciate the smell of two gigantic pizzas bubbling away in his oven...and it would also be virtually impossible to get the gas service to deliver during the day in Ramadan.

Just this Friday me and Is This Serious were getting some much needed shopping therapy in City Center Seeb when we realized that we are frightfully thirsty. I also needed sugar. A chocolate of some kind. We ranted a little in one of the stores and an expat woman overheard us and offered her sympathy.  Except we couldn't eat it anywhere! As a last resort we bought the goods and headed....to the bathroom. I sat on one of the sinks devouring my Bounty and gulping down my Ice Tea. Seriously, it was sad. I felt a little sorry for my pregnant self. That should teach me stay home till 6pm from now on!

On a more pleasant note I was thrilled to find out that Oman Dive Center still serves beverages and food (not sure about alcohol!?). Alex decided to try out diving this weekend and I was a little worried about him getting a heat stroke or collapsing from dehydration- you know, because there is no food anywhere!!!! It turned out to be fine.

Oh and after we were done with the shopping I sat in my car and ate a freshly baked baguette with some cheese...luckily no one was around. Either way that sandwich was absolutely worth going to jail for.

Almost famous

Keeping my identity anonymous was never really considered as an option when I began writing this blog. I was then following just one blog that was dedicated to home management/financial savings and frugality and I still follow that blog to this day, find it here. I remain a dedicated reader because I am able to relate to this real family and it always helps to put a face to a blog. Then about a year and a half ago I was introduced to the blogosphere in Oman-where most of the bloggers prefer to remain anon. That is understandable since most of the topics often cover both political and national views of the bloggers- maybe they feel safer not disclosing their true identities. (Muscat Confidential, Linoleum Surfer, Muscat Mutterings, The Omani Brit, Is This Serious, Angry in Oman).

This blog is quite different. Since we have a lot of relatives and friends abroad, keeping a blog for them to follow made a lot of sense for us. It's a family affair really. That is why you will rarely be treated to my opinions on Omanization, the glorious ruling of HM or even to a discussion over religion. Now, keeping that in mind I must say that Alex is also a very private person and he often reminds me not to put anything too revealing on this blog. So, finding the balance is often hard to do.

I need to give this blog huge credit for helping me communicate to (what seemed to be the whole of Oman) the masses that our Honda XR was stolen earlier this year. Up to date we are still approached and asked if we have found the bike yet ( the answer is sadly, no).

Just last week we were attending a house party and were introduced to a crowd of expats we have never met when one of the men said "You are Alex aren't you? The one who's bike was stolen". Turns out he reads the blog and recognized Alex from one of the pictures. And this is not the first time this happens. More than once when being introduced to someone I am baffled to hear "Yes, I know, you are Olga, I read your blog". It's seriously flattering but catches me off guard everytime. The exposure this blog has seriously surprises me at times because even though I know it's out there for the world to read- I am still surprised that people actually do!  

So here is my questions: Dear fellow bloggers who keep us guessing- why did you choose to operate anon?

How can we ignore you today?

28/06/11  *** UPDATE

It happened again today morning. I called them to get a number from a landline, the girl greeted me and said all her rehearsed lines smoothly, then played the number...in Arabic! I took a deep breath and called back, got a  different lady on the line and asked her kindly for the number and to please play it in English, so the machine went "The number you have requested is..." Then the line went dead. Seriously. I give up.

***

I know I promised not to write until a little later, but this reoccurring event is just getting to me and I feel like I need to get the word out.


1318.

The Omantel directory. The most pathetic excuse of helpful experts I have ever come across. They make my blood boil quite literally. A minute on the phone with this silly bunch and I reach the last straw. Uff. I am convinced they are actually monkeys that have been taught to answer the phone and sadly that is the chapter their training ended on. It was not always like that, no. A while back Omantel used actual people to answer the phones- but that must have been costly and/or unreliable so they have decided to hire jungle primates instead.

Every time I call them I get flashbacks of the movie “Planet of the Apes” and that makes me smile- right up until one of them speaks.

Maybe its just me. Maybe they are mocking me. Is it because I am woman? Or is it because I am an expat? I prefer to think that it’s only because they are actually chimpanzees.

My argument is simple- if real people worked at the 1318 phone directory, I would at least get the number I needed on the 4th or 5th attempt. Sounds quite reasonable, doesn’t it?

Their welcome line used to “Omantel Salam Aleikum” but now it pretty much amounts to “Omant…slmakm…”. I then proceed with my request for “City Cinema, Dhofar Insurance, Pizza Hut Delivery” or whatever the hell else. I am usually asked to repeat the name of the company at least 3 times until they find it in the system. This is where things get real interesting…

“Please write down the number and thank you for calling Omantel” they say. Then they play the number in any of the following variations:

-“24 05….line goes dead” (Am I supposed to guess the other digits?)

- Arabic equivalent of the number I requested. Seriously. Arabic.

-or they hang up on me

I often call back frustrated asking for the number of Company X again and begging and pleading for them to say the number back to me and not play it on the machine because I just cannot take the mockery anymore. Funny, yesterday I called them and got the number in Arabic again, so I called back thinking “Hey, maybe I sounded Arab to the nice man who picked up the phone”, but it happened again with a different guy. I called back and snapped. “Give me the number in ENGLISH not ARABIC I don’t speak ARABIC”. They have me close to tears half the time.

I dare you. Call them.

I am upset about…

1. The heat. The mind numbing-brain-melting heat. The other day I thought about skipping lunch because the thought of walking from the office to my parked car was a little unbearable. I am possibly exaggerating a little but I think the fact that I CANT TOUCH THE WHEEL OF MY CAR during the day is a sure indicator of the sun overdoing it. I tried going to the beach. Eating three scoops of Baskin Robins. Yet I have come to conclusion that I would prefer to take a nap until October.

2. Two butt-ugly cats that my building has adopted. These skinny, vicious looking animals are lounging around all day long waiting for one of the neighbors to bring over a saucer of milk or grilled chicken breast for their satisfaction! My neighbors must be out of their minds because they have actually resorted to feeding these invaders! Now, now. I am all for “feeding homeless animals” but these two fiends look like something hell threw up. I have never been a fan of Omani cats. They are not lovable and they are not affectionate. Half the time they are missing an eye or a tail. They freak me out. Every time I walk past them I am under the impression that the tougher looking one will jolt up and sink his huge white fangs into my ankles. They growl. I am pretty sure they growl.

3. The neighbor who bullies us. We lived in the same apartment for about two years now. Since the bike was stolen we resorted to a second vehicle, which is a norm around here. When we moved in the building was half empty, so we took the liberty of spray painting our flat number on the relevant parking space to ensure that we always have a spot under the shade. Ha ha. This gesture was rudely ignored by every Dick (and Harry..or however the saying goes). So I learned to live with that and we only park in the shade on a first-come-first-served basis now. Only when we have both of our cars parked there a grumpy neighbor blocks Alex’s car off with his and then endures being woken up at 6:30am with a pissed off Alex to move his car the fuck awaaaaay. This petty man ensures us that the shaded parking space is for 1 member of the family only. This happened twice so far. We refuse to adhere to any “rules” this man made up, because 1. He is not the landlord and 2. The next time he does that I will call the police on his annoying ass.

4. Dunkin Donuts at the 18th November petrol station. Just this morning the thought of having a doughnut for breakfast helped me get out of bed. En route to work I stopped by the Oman Oil petrol station to pick up a few snacks and breakfast only to be cautioned “don’t buy those doughnuts madam, they are very old”. The salesman must have recently been elected employee of the month. So here is an idea Captain Duh, take them out of the little pink Dunkin Donuts fridge until new ones arrive, coz a strawberry/chocolate donut still looks good no matter how old it is. (Yes I did buy it, but no I didn’t eat it).

5. The fact that we have still not been able to find an Omani employee for my mom’s store. Hence the store remains closed for the public. Of course we have interviewed about a dozen girls who all promised to “Call back tomorrow” or “Start on Saturday at 9am sharp” but they were never heard from again. What is going on? What pisses me off the most if that when the tale is told everyone rolls their eyes and says “Oh well, Omanis! What do you expect?” Damn it that is not an excuse and no that is not an Omani thing to do!!!! That irritates me! Can someone please prove them wrong already? The timing seems to be perfect as everyone is yelling right left and center about a lack of career opportunities and attractive jobs in the market. Well here is one! Grab it!

I am done ranting. At least for today.

Job opportunity!

Over the last few months my mom has been working very hard on establishing her own business. She is now the proud manager of a women’s clothing store located in Zahir Mall, in Khuwair. It is a very spacious, well lit, warm store that offers a range of bags, evening and casual shoes as well as dresses, pants and tops. The merchandise is from Italy, making it of a very high quality and certainly unique in Muscat- something we all welcome! It is a very well known fact that Muscat somewhat suffers when it comes to shopping extravaganza. So resist the urge to go to Mango/Zara/Gap the next time you are clothes hunting and visit the USF store instead! Only one little hic up there…the store is not open yet. Which brings me to my next point:

JOB VACANCY

A boutique is looking to recruit an Omani sales girl. Applicant must be hardworking and social. Previous experience in sales is a plus. Attractive salary and comfortable working hours. Salary on probation is 250OMR and will be increased once probation is successfully completed. CVs can be email to usfoman@yahoo.com

I am reaching out to you dear readers because so far the word of mouth I have spread amongst my peers has not been very successful, so if you happen to know anyone who may fit the profile described above- please encourage them to apply!

More on the opening of the USF store will be posted next week (Insha’lla). I will also be posting a link to the Facebook page of the store soon- featuring dozens of pictures of the merchendise!

Can we be friend?

Apparently I look like someone who is in dire need of some good new friends. Not a week goes by that I don't find strange and somewhat disturbing messages in my Facebook inbox from men who seem to believe that they have what it takes to befriend me. Mind you now, I would understand if my Facebook picture was provocative or even the least bit sexy. Maybe if I was doing the spread eagle in a skimpy bikini "Lonely Wolf" might have reason enough to send across a friend request. Most of the time my Facebook profile picture is either or me and my husband in a warm embrace- but "SexyMan2012" still thinks its ok to seek my everlasting friendship. I do occasionally allow myself to pass judgement on girls who's profile picture is around 80% breasts and 20% face- now they have no right to reject "Lonely Wolf" when he comes calling for them. At the moment I am actually holding a puppy and hugging my brother on my profile picture- that could be my child for all these freaks know! So dear weird stalkers. Quit it. I am not going to have an epiphany when I read your request to be "long time friend" as I have plenty of real, well-intentioned and mentally stable friends. Thank you very much.

Here are some of the most recent proposals I have received and my proposed answers.(Don't kill yourself laughing):

1. Al Yak****
hello Olga
how are u?
we can be friend?
thanx alot dear
Oh dear honey munchik sugar pie Al Yak***. Ofcourse we can be friend. We can even watch Kung Fu Panda this coming weekend. Or better yet, why don't we skip the whole "friendship" charade and rent a room for the weekend? Thanks a lot dear.

2. Ali ***

Hope life treat u good,,
I'm half Omani man :-).. I lived most of my life outside Oman,,,,i'm back now 2 Muscat.. I love everything beautiful in this life, accepting life in all its glory and despair., Live for Love and die for it... I like to enjoy every second of my life and make it the best moment if i could.. i'm single and looking for a place for my heart :-).
I would like to know u and hope if we can be in touch..
Yours
Gentleman
Dear Gentleman, thank you for your heartfelt revelations. I feel like I have known you all my life. It is a wonder that you are single, seeing that you accept life in all its glory in despair- I used to think a lot of women out there do the same. Since you are back 2 Muscat why don't I show you around the city? I could probably take a few days leave off work and we could go on excursions and beautiful coastline cruises...oh how I can't wait to be "in touch" with you! Yours truly, Gentlewoman.

3. Massager
hello how r u ...i am massager from muscat ,,,u want good massage pls send mail .after i will give my number
Dear Massager from muscat, thank you for extending your services. The available 5 star signature spas and beauty salons are just not up to my expectations, you know? Sometimes I seek an edge or a thrill! And next time I do- I will be sure to give you a call and you can gove me a good massage! I look forward to our next close encounter dear massager and I just know your business will prosper in muscat!


Now these are just the crème of the pie (or the pick of the litter) as I could not possibly bother to dig any deeper. I don't actually ever reply to messages like that as I don't want to spend even a second of my day on these weird, desperate, delusional people.
I would be happy write to tell them to Fkcu Off and ignoring them works just as well. Weird. Freaks.

What happened to meeting girls the old fashioned way?

I am hybernating

Once a very cheerful outgoing person I have now succumbed to the limitations of my sitting room and rely entirely on my husband and the internet to entertain me. I probably wouldn't even go outside if you paid me, not even at night. You see...it has become unbearably hot in Muscat over the last few weeks. To give you a better idea imagine yourself in a tight tracking suit, running a mere 5-7km with no water or refreshment and then entering a sauna where hot air blasts into your face chocking you with all its humidity and thickness. See what I mean?

The two minute walk from my apartment to the car leaves me gasping for breath and the fact that the AC in the car takes ages to cool down doesn't help me very much. Luckily I live only about 10 minutes away from my workplace and only have to put up with driving a "steam room on wheels" for a short while. I am contemplating giving up my lunch break all together, just so that I dont have to make the short journey home. Once I do get home, the husband and I pretty much flip a coin to determine who gets to do "outdoor" chores such as throwing the garbage or driving to the nearest store for groceries. Its pathetic.

The weather is pretty much all people talk about these days. "Did you see how hot it is?" No. Duh. I live under a rock and only crawl out in November when the temperature drops down to 25 degrees. Of course I know how hot it is. A well-wisher told me that his car thermometer showed 47 degrees during the day and only 41 in the evening. only.41.degrees.

Moreover I realize that this ridiculous weather pretty much sets my lifestyle for the summer. Probably up until late October. "Go to the beach and cool down" you must be thinking. Ha! The temperature of the water is 28 degrees! 28! I would rather swim in a bowl of soup-I am certain it will be colder than the sea water at this point.

When I was growing up here, it was mandatory to go on vacation for four long months while the weather caused excruciating pain to everyone who remained behind. Now that I am all grown up and must fulfill my work responsibilities I cannot possibly disappear off the map for an entire summer. I have made peace (ha!) with the fact that I must remain under the scorching sun throughout the next few months and hence I will probably resort to writing mind-numbing blog posts as I put my life on stand by and begin my routine summer hibernation.

Stay cool.

Happy Birthday to me!

Last Friday, I turned 23. It was definitely a day I will never forget, for more reasons than I can elaborate on right now. I was feeling the love. The Facebook messages poured in by the dozens, international phone calls completely killed my telephone battery and my family and friends were there to celebrate with me. There was cake and there was champagne as early on as 10am. What touched me the most is how much of an effort everyone made. Have you ever received a gift and thought "wow this person knows me so well"? Everything I received that day was deeply personal. The highlight of the day however was definitely being surrounded by people who took the time to enjoy the day with me. It’s true that the best things in life are not things at all.

Alex wished me a happy birthday as early as 6am, to make it a point that he was indeed the very first one to do so. I asked for my very own hard drive for my birthday and he got me an enormous one (apparently it has the memory capacity of 5 laptops) because I really need to get all my pictures organized as they are all over the shop now. So this week I am really looking forward to spending a few good hours with my laptop to do a much needed spring clean of the 4,000+ pictures that piled up and when I am done with that I will treat myself to one of the fantastic Spa gift vouchers that I received as gifts :) Oh, the good life.

On another note, I must absolutely rant about THE HEAT. It is unbearable. I live and work just a few meters from the beach so every day I am exposed to sticky, thick and hot air that blasts from all directions. I am sure the temperature must have reached 50 degrees one of these days. It doesn’t help that I need to spend an hour a day outside as per my work description- so it’s no surprise at all that I got a massive dizzy spell last week and almost hit the ground. Seriously, it’s hot. Worse still- it will stay like that until September. Due to these treacherous conditions, the hubby now only works till 1pm- that’s right, he is home for the good part of the day. Whilst I am happy for him I cannot help but succumb to outrageous jealousy over his “long hours”.

What career does one pursue if one enjoys the refreshing current of the AC and the occasional cooling cocktail during the day (oh and a dip in the pool would also be an added benefit)?

And the award goes to...

It's been an odd week here in blogland with the bloggers taking their picks at blogs of note and reposting the ranking for others to see. Oman Collective Intelligence set off the rocket with their post on Top 15 most popular blogs in Oman, which was then reposted by Dhofar Gucci (who made it to #4 on the list-Congratulations!!!). The list was also linked on The Oman Brit's post and she went on to put together her own list of blogs she enjoys. I did a little shriek of happiness when I discovered Is This Serious on the 3rd position of The Oman Brit's favorite blogs! C's blog was made headlines! When C launched her blog some three months ago, I posted a link here calling it my anti-blog and recommending for everyone to check it out because it has zest and attitude! I believe Angry in Oman has inspired C to speak out and say it as it is; be it about getting followed, getting sued or even getting your eyebrows done in Oman! So dear C, thank you for the frustration that you have endured and are now willingly sharing with us for our amusement! We LOVE your blog!

Here a few of my favorite quotes from Is This Serious:

“As I was walking back home, grown ass men started barking at the dog, so I shouted MORE so everybody shuts up. Now I am known in the neighborhood as the crazy dog lady who screams at people.”

“Even if I told someone fuck fuck fuckidy fuck, why would they actually bother making that into an issue instead of catching REAL criminals, sex offenders, and thieves! It’s not like we don’t have enough issues to address!!”

“Groomer: Yes madam, no problem. Only hair, no head.

Me: YESSS head!!!!! NO BALLS. JUST DON’T SHAVE HIS BALLS. OK????”

So dear readers please pay Is This Serious a visit to find out what all the fuss is about.

Photography Competition “The Omani City”

In March Muscat Mutterings posted about a competition held by Muriya Tourism in partnership with the Oman Photography Club. I must admit that I participated because photography has become somewhat of a hobby and I am always looking for new challenges. The subject of the competition was the Jabel Sifa project, located some 45 minz away from Muscat on the Sifa Beach. Participants were requested to provide 5 of their best images featuring the natural beauty of Sifa and the villas that Muriya is currently building there. The winners will be announced this Saturday, 14 May at The Oman Society of Fine Arts at 7:30pm.

Competition Awards:

Theme 1:
First prize: 1,000 OMR
Second prize: 750 OMR
Third prize: 500 OMR
Two appreciation prizes value of each prize is 100 OMR

Theme 2:
First prize: 1,000 OMR
Second prize: 750 OMR
Third prize: 500 OMR
Two appreciation prizes value of each prize is 100 OMR

So please keep your fingers crossed for me! Although I didn’t participate to win I cannot deny that the prizes look very tempting! I will in turn let you know how it goes on Saturday and will repost the images I submitted.

And Oman Photography Club must be on a roll this year because they have recently announced yet another competition:

The Sixth Contest of Photography on the occasion of Renaissance Day.

This year’s competition theme is “The Omani City”, which was chosen to focus on the aesthetics of the modern Omani cities, including the content of buildings, roads, gardens, illuminations, and the role of human life and movement in the city and other topics that highlight the city of Oman.
The General Conditions of the Competition:

1. The competition is open to all photographers residing in the Sultanate.
2. Submitted images must be printed in a size between (8 inches) minimum for the shortest side in the picture and size (16 inches) maximum for the longest side in the picture.
3. Photographs submitted to the competition must be new and never participated in competitions and exhibitions.
4. Each participant can submit a maximum of four photos for the contest accompanied with a CD that contains the photos and a personal photograph for the purposes of official use.
5. Each participant should complete the participation form and write his name and full address and telephone number on a paper behind each image.
6. Copyrights of the winning photos will revert to the Omani Society of Fine Arts.
7. Results of the competition will be announced during the opening ceremony of the exhibition that will be held during the month of July 2011.
8. Photographs should be submitted according to the conditions mentioned to the supervisor of the Photography Club in Azaiba or branches of the Omani Society for Fine Arts in the Governorate of Dhofar and Governorate of Al Buraimi not later than Wednesday, 1st June 2011 and will not accept any submissions after this date.

Competition Awards:
First Place: R.O 700
Second Place: R.O 500
Third Place R.O 300
5 Honorable Mention Awards of R.O 100 for the award each

For more information call one of the following:
Photography Club: (968) 24497662
The Omani Society for Fine Arts in the Governorate of Dhofar: (968) 23299691
The Omani Society for Fine Arts in the Governorate of Al Buraimi: (968) 25641444

Best of luck if you decide to participate!

How to lose an employee in ten days…

We are all familiar with Conan Doyle’s masterpiece “How to make friends and influence people” and the spin offs that followed. The modern-day business sections of book stores are boasting with books promising to motivate, educate and retain the most effective employees.  No one seems to write books titled “The jerk’s guide to business ethics” or “101 ways to insult your staff”. Well businessmen out there- do not fear! I have put together a rough guide that can be used to piss off and ultimately lose your most productive and valued employees.

(Disclaimer: All quotes and incidents presented below are non-fictional and have actually been used by an employer to drive away hard working and talented staff. )

The following phases must be said in an intimidating and inferior manner:

Late in the evening after hours of overtime:
• “Why are your eyes so blood shot, are you on drugs?”
• “If you leave work right now, you can never come back”
• “Your legs look good in this skirt”

In an official meeting where minutes are taken:
• “That color of nail polish doesn’t match your clothes”
• “Please send me a rough draft of your menstrual cycle”
• “That rash on your face looks like an STD, you should have it checked”
• “I am like a tree, my branches can bend anyway they want”
• “The women in the company can get a day off for PMS every month”
• “Please bring up my cookies and a glass of milk”
• “Make my meetings and travel dates flexible, my mother might pass away next week”

During a moment of truth:
• “If you don’t lose weight your boyfriend will not want to have sex with you”
• “But what are you going to do if your husband dies tomorrow?”
• “Do you know any Russian women I could meet?”
• “If your husband is travelling for business he is probably cheating on you”
• “Why do you look so tired, did you have a lot of fun with your boyfriend last night?”
• “In a company we are one family, sometimes we will need to go to my house to finish work”
• “Do you have any single friends who can come to the concert with me?”
• “You forget everything! It’s probably because you have young children”
• “Your butterfly tattoo is a symbol of prostitution, clearly”

To an Omani employee:
• “I forbid you to wear a black headscarf- its depressing, the orange one is just more cheerful…you know?”
• “You are fined for not showing up to work the day it rained and all the roads in Mawaleh flooded making it impossible to come to Muscat, it doesn’t matter that you actually live in Mawaleh”
• “You are not allowed to lock the door when you are praying in the kitchen, what if I need a glass of water?”
• “You should shape your eyebrows or no one will marry you”

Should the above phrases not provide immediate results, try the following:
• Ask your employees to pick up your lunch during their lunch break
• Ask for apples/cookies/sandwiches to be given to you at a very specific time everyday
• Sneak up on female employees and make animal sounds
• Call your female employees after 10pm and scold them for not picking up the phone fast enough
• Refer to employees in the company as “the black one, the ugly one or the fat one”
• Freak your employees out by googling things like “Single European women travelling alone”
• Rub your enormous stomach and ask in a sexy voice if you have lost weight this week.
• Insist that employees cannot have two days off because you get bored during the weekends
• Lock your female employee out on purpose while she is on her smocking break (out of good intentions of course! Maybe she will quit!)
• Go into the toilet as soon as your employee is done to make sure they put the toilet seat down

Voila. Do you think these are bizarre? They may be but you have my word for it…they actually work!

Now you are ready to verbally assault and consequently drive away even the most resilient team! Go figure!

Dear Citizens of Pleasantville

Today after work I suggest you abandon plans to head home and flop in front of the entertainment box and hurry instead to an art exhibition that showcases young local talants:

And whilst you are feeling uppity and inspirited also check out this funky photography exhibition...

The world today doesn't make sense, so why should I paint pictures that do? ~Pablo Picasso

2nd of April- World Autism Awareness Day

To tell you the truth, I don't know much about autism and I am a little ashamed of my own ignorance. That's why when I saw an advertisement for a walk to raise awareness of autism, I jumped at the opportunity to participate. Since the advertisement offered a limited amount of information I contacted the organizers and a few days later they were kind enough to get back to me with more details.

The walk will begin at Bareeq AlShatti at 4pm and will continue to  Al Qurum Park. At the park the organizers plan to host a concert complete with activities for children, food will also be sold at the venue.

On the 2nd of April and exhibition will take place at City Center Qurum where paintings will be sold and fun activities conducted. The money we raise from selling the shirts, food, paintings..etc will go to the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disability which is in AL-Athaibah, as the organizers are trying to contribute in anyway to help them build a new centre.

Najla Al-Futaisi is one of the organizers of the event and she is looking to help many families with children with this disorder who are not aware of its existence.

We can all make-do with contributing to a worthy cause such as this one. Hope to see you join the walk on the 1st of April.

Solving life's mysteries one Snake Gorge at a time

Rocks so hot they burn your hands
Water so cold it makes your teeth chatter
Scenery so epic it takes your breath away

The Snake Gorge in Wadi Bani Awf - ideal for professional rock climbers, tough men and life-long tomboys, adventure seekers and adrenaline junkies. That doesn't sound like you? It doesn't sound like me either. Yet, I spent the entire Friday climbing/walking/crawling over the rocks at The Snake Gorge wondering if it was named so after the giant anacondas that dwelled in the caves. (Ok, so there are no anacondas and there are no caves).

The extravagant trip began at Tourist Village in Rustaq, a jewel we have discovered during one of our previous road trips. The campsite is located about 2 hours away from Muscat, en route to Rustaq and is impossible to miss thanks to a very worn-looking signboard alongside the main road. This lush, green resort comprises of a few huts, a swimming pool and a dining area that’s fantastic for a barbeque dinner. The rates are accessible at 25OMR per hut which is based on double occupancy. The owner of “the second home” Mr. Mohammed is a jolly old man who is pleased with his property and is very welcoming of visitors. The stay was very civilized; we had a table to eat at, a pool to swim in and comfortable beds to rest. Best not to forget that we were in the middle absolutely nowhere so yes there were mosquitoes, frogs, bugs and the whole whoo-ha. I was constantly picking leafs out of my wine and hair and ducking from wasps.

I made sure everyone came well prepared (you know how I love lists!) and for the rest of the evening I was referred to as “The Mom” because I just seemed to have the answers to everyone’s problems: nail files, salt, band aids, Strepsils, nasal spray…well you get the drift. The dinner the guys grilled up was delicious complete with snacks and a ridiculous amount of alcohol. We then spend the rest of the afternoon eating, swimming and chatting until the early hours of the morning.

If you consider a weekend getaway into the interiors, I strongly advise you to check this place out. It even comes with its own guard dog- Max :)

Do: bring your own music, mosquito repellent, food and drinks

Don’t: assume you are in a hotel, pick up your own litter and make your own bed!

The next morning we rose early to the annoying tweeting, no not of a bird- of my best friend’s boyfriend. You see…he is a morning person. But don’t worry he already regrets it. By 8 am he had already cleaned up the campsite, packed all our gear and would have even made the beds if we weren’t sleeping in them. Fighting epic hangovers, we scattered around organizing breakfast, hunted for coffee and finally left for Wadi Bani Awf.

To reach Snake Gorge all you have to do is turn right when leaving the Tourist Camp and keep going straight until you pretty much come to holt because there are two gigantic mountains in front of you. Ok, so I will try to get better directions…but for now, this is all I have :)

Luckily no one told me that the Snake Gorge Trek is about 2 hours long- one way!!! Knowing me, I would have probably not embarked on this treacherous journey if I knew that I had to climb over rocks as big as a Pathfinder. I am glad that we went though, because I have not seen scenery this beautiful anywhere else in Oman. The entire time we made our way in between two steep mountains, amidst fallen rocks and mossy creeks. We would occasionally stop for everyone to catch up, wash our faces in the running rivers as other trekkers walked past us.

I was very eager to find out what mysteries the end of the route held and I was also determined to push myself just a little more each time. Alex kept on telling me that he is very proud of me for walking all the way up, something I have always chickened out of previously! This trek is virtually impossible to do on your own, the entire time I was relying on helping hands to support me up a steep rock or secure me when I was jumping over a cavern. I must admit I was looking out for snakes the entire time but all I found was beetles, frogs, tadpoles and dragonflies (thankfully!).

As pictures are worth a thousand words, I will let you enjoy the rest of the Snake Gorge through these:

Lo and behold at the end of the Snake Gorge there is a pool of freezing cold water that is both murky and inviting. It is a deep pool, one you can even dive into so don’t assume you can walk through.

If you want to embark on this route:

Do: wear comfortable sandals/sneakers, bring your swim suite and sun screen, bring a camera and plenty of drinking water.

Don’t: bring a heavy bag, leave litter behind

Happy trekking!!!

A date for your calendar

1st of April

For those who: care about the community and enjoy walking for a cause

What: Autism Awareness Walk

Where: Bareeq Al Shatti to Qurum Park

When: 1st of April, 4pm

Why: To support a worthy cause and raise awareness

Did you know ...

Autism now affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys
Autism prevalence figures are growing
More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
There is no medical detection or cure for autism

I strongly urge everyone to participate, bring your friends and families along and make a difference!

You say there is nothing to do in Muscat? I say boo-yaaa

I am sick, sick, sick of people whining about the lack of entertainment in Muscat. And when I am not sick I am tired. I am sick and tired of the moans, groans, sights, blank expressions and of the whimpering. I would like to argue that the problem does not lie in the lack of activities but rather in the poor coverage and communication of these events to the general public. Look around you, open a newspaper, and check the Events section on Facebook or even call a friend! Every week there are concerts, shows, exhibitions, workshops, garage sales, classes and even educational wine evenings taking place!

I’ve had a culturally diverse couple of weeks. Let me rephrase that, I have been surviving on sugar sticks and red bull the entire month. I have been trotting around town, adoring paintings worth a fortune and even broadening my understanding of Baroque music.

It all started with my eagerness to visit the International Book Fair which was held in the Exhibition Center at the end of February. Rumor has it, we even got on National Television which showed myself, Alex and Cynthia scouting through volumes of Arabic literature in search for transcripts that looked familiar. Since the title of the fair raised my expectations to finding “International” books I was somewhat disappointed at the limited availability of English merchandise. I have nevertheless purchased a very cool book about dinosaurs (for my brother of course), a few Math/French Grade 2 workbooks (also for the little pest) and even treated myself to yet another Paulo Coelho masterpiece which I am enjoying very much. I found their merchandizing to be questionable after I located a “Cocktails 101” guide next to “Nursery Rhymes for Toddles”. But hey maybe that’s just me…

In the first week of March, the Russian Embassy in Oman organized a reception dedicated to International Women’s Day and invited members of the Russian community for a celebration. On this occasion Mrs. Edemskaya (wife to Ambassodor) has addressed her audience with best wishes of prosperity, peace and health. Coincidently this week also saw the commencement of “Maslenitsa” a traditional Russian holiday throughout which bliny (Russian pancakes) are made and offered to family and guests. Keeping in line with tradition the Embassy served Russian pancakes in abundance with a side of sour cream, jam and honey. Mrs. Pavlovna has stressed the importance of keeping native traditions and holidays alive far from home within the fast growing Russian community in Oman.

Just a few days later I found myself in a 45 minute queue to witness the wonder that is Jared Leto. Being the fidgety hyperactive ball of restlessness  anxious person that I am, I managed to lose our tickets while waiting in line- thank god they were later returned to us by a very kind woman. Overall, I was generally impressed by magnitude of the event and the quality of the music and it turned out to be a good night (3 buckets of beer later). What was missing nevertheless, is the vibe and the drive you are notoriously supposed to experience at a rock concert- and for that I blame the crowd of 14 year olds who were yelling “Get off the stage, bring Snoop Dog instead”. I mean seriously, bedtime anyone?

On the 12th of March I had the honor of attending the inauguration of “‘Drip, Spill, Spray, and a Touch of Nostalgia’” by Anna Dudchenko. Held at The Hyatt, it was a beautiful event that saw the turnout of a very dedicated crowd. Anna rightfully mentioned that some of the guests have been turning up to every single one of her exhibitions since she first began showcasing her work over 7 years ago. The paintings were breathtaking, vibrant and hypnotizing, my personal favorites were the painting of the winter landscapes- I am guessing nostalgia kicked in.

And then… yesterday evening Mom invited me to join her at the Al Bustan for an Austrian concert. I called up my loyal partner in crime Cynt (her blog is here) and we dressed up in evening dresses and the whole deal. Now, I am not usually a fan of classical/orchestra/flute but I like to venture into the unknown every now and again. The troop was very impressive and the music- well unlike anything I have ever heard before! Ok, and maybe we did run down to the café for a glass (or 5) of wine at the interval- but we profoundly appreciated the opportunity to enrich our cultural spectrum during the concert. Classy event of the year? Tick.

I guess the point I am trying to make here is that there really is a lot going on in the capital. You just have to pick your battles. Do not fret, I will help you along the way and hopefully my next post will highlight upcoming events instead of bringing to your attention those that have already passed.