January 1, 2012

1/1/12.

Another year. I wanted to write something here but haven't decided if I want to reflect on the past year or think about what's in store for me this new year.  Since I seem to be very preoccupied with planning for what's happening now, I think I'll share what my thoughts are about 2012.

This is the year I will move to my next post.  Life in the Foreign Service is a challenge...you have to be careful not to accumulate too much "stuff" because you have to pack out every 2-3 years and move to a new 'home.'  During my short 6 year career, I think I'm safe and will never exceed the weight limitations we have for government moving.  But that doesn't mean I won't buy lots of stuff!  During my first tour in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, I bought things like beautiful baskets and some traditional Lenca pottery, made the same way as the Mayans did centuries ago.  There was also some paintings I fell in love with (thank you Julio Mata Sanabria!) and ended up with 3 of his best.  So far, so good.  Fast forward to Muscat, Oman.  It's a good thing I didn't spend too much in Honduras because I discovered the gorgeous carpets of the Middle East here!  Oh boy...did I ever!  The one below is one of my favorites of the silk-on-silk.  It is gorgeous! I have 5 silk (3 4'x6' and 2 3'x5').

This is the first one I bought...a Persian wool and the largest at 10'x13'.  I hope that when I leave this job and return to a normal life that I have a house big enough for it! 

All totaled, between what I have bought here and in Istanbul, I am the proud owner of 11 carpets.  And I still have 3 1/2 months left here.  That number could go higher!

So...back to what all is on my mind for 2012.  I am up to my neck in the paperwork it takes to get me from Oman to Pakistan.  There is so much to do and if you don't think of all the questions and get answers before you get there, for some things, you are out of luck!  For example, my job is for 1 year but I want to extend for the second year.  This would be perfect as it would take me right up to June 2014, which is the month I have to retire.  If my request is granted, I am entitled to a bit more weight in my shipment to Pakistan.  However, if I don't find out until I get there, I have lost out on bringing a few more precious belongings.  Hopefully, I'll get word soon on my request.  This past week a couple things were finalized and I now no longer need to worry about where I will stay in DC during my 2 weeks there.  I also found out I will be able to put my car in storage for the duration of my tour.  These were big ticket items that were causing me to lose sleep...not any more!  I know that with the holidays, emails were slow to be answered and some people in DC were on vacation.  Now that the holidays are over, I feel certain that things will move along faster.  My biggest fear is that I won't think to ask something that I shoul have and will live to regret it. 

I've started gathering up things I will want to sell in a yard sale before I leave here.  I found out last week that a friend has already gotten that ball rolling.  She and her family are departing post about the same time I am and she is going to have a multi-family yard sale.  Yee haw...so now there is one room in my house where I am putting things I don't need to keep any longer.  This is a good thing because I have lots of beaded jewelry that I make and it will be a great opportunity to sell it. I've been making jewelry for a few months now and figure by the time I get out of the Foreign Service, I may have a few pieces to sell to add to the measly income I will have until I find a real job!  I use gemstones, pearls and mostly silver in my designs and make necklaces, earrings, bracelets and  

badge lanyards for those of us who have to wear badges at work.  It's much nicer to have a piece of jewelry to hang your badge on than an old standard issue chain.

Anyway, I'm gradually adding to the pile and hope to rid myself of some added weight and 'stuff' that I really don't need.  Of course, all my 'stuff' is excellent 'stuff' so I'm sure it will fly off the sale table!

I will leave Oman on April 12th, fly to Kauai and spend 2 weeks spoiling my 3 grandsons and then fly on to Fort Worth, Texas.  It will be great to see my father again and spend time with friends for another 2 weeks. Then on to Washington DC where I will take a week's worth of training for a high risk assignment, do a little shopping and then, on June 2, board a flight for Pakistan.  I have no qualms about going to Pakistan.  I will be fine and as they say here, Insha' Allah, or God Willing, nothing will happen to me.  I know He is watching over me.  Every decision I have made has worked out and there is nothing to make me think that will change now. When you make decisions with your heart, they are bound to work out!

Cultural Differences...Embrace Them!

Living in a foreign country is, in itself, an adventure. You encounter such a diverse cross section of people. During my 2 years in Honduras, most everyone I saw looked to be Honduran or at the very least, to be from South or Central America. No one really stood out as being from another country, except us gringos. That's not the case here in Oman. Many people come here from nearby countries for employment opportunities and, from what I can guess, a better standard of living. The quality of life is very good here. Consequently, there are many different nationalities living in Oman. There are only subtle differences in their appearances, so it's hard for me to tell who is from where...if you know what I mean. I am told (but have yet to commit it to memory) that you can differentiate one countryman from another by how they dress. Many Omani men wear the dishdasha, or the long white tunic that goes all the way to the ankle, leather sandals and the hat with beautiful embroidery on it. Some men wear the white or beige pants with the long matching tunic just reaching their knees with no head covering and I believe they would be from Pakistan. I say that because I drive by the Pakistani embassy every day on the way to work and see them standing in line to get in their Consular section.  Some, like the Saudis, wear the colorful ring that holds the cloth, which can be red and white or other color, around their heads with the long white tunic. I need some cultural help to know who is who. There are Omani, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indian, just to name a few, living here and many other countries in this reagion are represented here. I need to make a concerted effort to learn what region they are from by the clothes they wear.

The women also have several styles of dressing from very conservative, covering completely, to regular street clothes. So far, I haven't seen anyone in a full burka. Of the women who choose to wear the abaya, the long black caftan with the head covering, most do not cover their faces completely. I've also seen ladies who wear a sheer black fabric that completely covers their face but they can see out through the material. Other women, who I can only guess are from surrounding countries cover their heads with scarves or other wraps. Some wear regular street clothes and others will wear colorful loose fitting pants with long tunics and scarves, much like you would see in India. All in all, the variety of dress here paints a lovely picture of a very blended culture.

The Omani people are wonderful. This is a Muslim country and faith is very important here. For those who would judge all Muslims by the actions of the radical Muslims, you are judging the wrong people.  There are good and bad in every religion, culture, nationality, color or any other factor you choose.  Saying all Muslims are bad is like saying all blondes are dumb or all husbands cheat on their wives.  You just can't generalize like that. I can remember how uncomfortable it made me feel, years ago, when my ex-husband would use degrading words to describe someone from the Middle East who wore a head covering.  When you think about it, some types of clothing worn in the United States probably seems pretty stupid to people in other parts of the world. What kind of comments do you think are made about our Native American Indians and the feather headdress they wear? What about pointy toed Cowboy boots in Texas?  Or grass skirts on ladies dancing on the beach? My point is this...until you get out and learn about other cultures, it makes no sense at all to criticize.  It's all the many varied cultures and the desire to adhere to tradition that makes this world a beautiful painting.  And instead of criticizing and making fun of someone who just might be a little different from what you're used to, make an effort to learn about their culture. That's one of the beauties of my job...the opportunity to travel around the world and learn about others and more importantly, from others.

Living here in Oman, it is refreshing to see the modest styles of the dishdashas and abayas and the obvious pride in their heritage. No longer do I see pants hovering around some guy's butt-cheeks or tattoos and the tops of thongs peeking out from low slung pants on women. And I also don't have to sit in a restaurant and watch some couple making out.  Living in a country where things are mostly conservative is really a very nice thing.