Oman

Oman was very interesting because we were really able to learn more about the middle eastern culture. Ali, my dad's business partner showed us around and we got to spend a lot of time with his family. It was also interesting to see a lesser known middle eastern place, and a place that doesn't have as many Americans. People have asked me since I got back if I ever felt threatened or out of place, and I guess sometimes people looked at us, but it was never malicious. I never felt scared or anything. I think more it was that we had bare arms and legs. It was actually more Indian men that looked than anything; there are a lot of Indians in Dubai and Oman.  It is crazy how much people like the Sultan, he has his picture everywhere and every home has a picture of him, not to mention the cheesy billboards of him all over the highways.  We went and saw his old palace which looks 1980's middle eastern if that is even a style, but don't worry he has a new palace being built that is gorgeous.

The landscape in Muscat, Oman is very rugged rock mixed with white middle eastern houses, it is really unique. Then on almost every mountain there is a little fort or watchtower.  The highways are immaculate and you often saw people sweeping the streets by hand and painting the curbs yellow and black, yep, they are mostly all painted. They also have amazing flowers all along the roads and highways.  It is very pretty.  We went and saw some of the expensive hotels in the area and they are amazing. It is crazy to think they have enough travelers to support them, and one of them looks like a church is was so elaborate. My dad says that one of the hotels we visited is where are the sultans from other countries stay when they visit Oman. They have very pretty beaches and sunny weather and the temperature was perfect.

One of the most interesting nights we had was when Ali invited us to have dinner with his family and his brother's family. We were all invited to the front room and chatted with the men for a while, then the women were taken to another room to eat with Ali's wife, his brother's wife and his nephew's wife. They had a big rug on the floor and then big pillows against the walls for us to lean on. Then the feast began. They brought out juice that I have no idea what it was, but it was dark purple, and then we had meat kabobs three different kinds of pita-like bread and then they had a quesadilla-like meat in a pita thing, but without the cheese. Then they had all kinds of dips and yogurt and hummus-like sauces.

The best part though was taking with the women. Although my dad has told Ali about his religion, we explained Mormonism to them and it was interesting how many similarities their are between us and Islam, specifically in moral conduct. They were very surprised that we had dress guidelines and that we didn't have sex before marriage and that we don't drink or smoke. They were very nice and had a lot of questions about where we lived and the culture there. It was interesting because they asked us if people think of us as oppressed, and we answered yes and told them that some Americans feel religion is stifling or somehow makes us not have free agency, but as we explained it they agreed and although they didn't really say it, I'm sure they explain their religion and wearing a burka and dress the same way we explain our beliefs. They don't feel it is oppressive, it is something they want to do.

Another thing that was interesting was the interaction between the men and women. Ali and his brother came in the room where the women were eating every once and a while and their were a few kids running around and the men were so nice to their wives and Ali spoke very highly of his wife and their one-year-old.  The men would come in and play with the kids and Ali's brother brought the dessert in. The men don't have a subservient attitude. 

After dessert Ali asked us if we wanted to go to an Omani wedding with the women and we said sure. So my family and I and Ali's wife and Waffa, which is Ali's nephew's wife, drove us to the wedding. One the way there they told us that this wasn't a really traditional wedding and that only women go to the wedding receptions. The men gather at the mosque to celebrate the wedding, and the women were gathered in a usual reception hall. We asked about the actual marriage ceremony and they said there isn't one. I was a little confused, but from what we understood the men gather in the mosque and either call the bride or have a signed document for her giving her permission to be married. Then the groom comes at the very end of the reception for the women. As we were driving there the women touched up lipstick and sprayed purfume which I thought was interesting because it was a party of women, but I really think that for their culture it is more about competing with each other rather than for other men's attention.

The room was decorated in bright colors, pink and teal and had round tables set up like any wedding reception. Then there was a stage where there was like a little thone/gazebo type thing with a sparkly bright pink backdrop. Then the bride came in and she walked down the center of the tables while the photographer was taking pictures of her, but she wasn't smiling, I'm not sure why. Then she went and danced with all the women and let me tell you the music was so loud and thumping, it was like a dance club and some of the women were going a little crazy. We went and danced for a while, but we weren't wearing skirts so they tied scarfs around our hips. Some women who even had dresses did that I think to accentuate their buts as they shook it? Besides the women who were really dancing, most of the women kind of walked around in a circle while shaking their hips and moving their arms a little. It was really funny. Then the bride went up on the stage and proceeded to have her photo shoot with her family and then her with a parasol, and other props. It was kind of funny to have her up on the stage having a photo shoot in front of everyone. The other thing that was interesting was that some of the women were in strapless dresses, but some still in headdresses and the black robe-like dresses that they wear. We asked about it and they said those women in public and around men would wear a headdress and be covered up, but I guess at a wedding with women they flaunt it. Also, I don't think I have ever seen such big hair-doos. Big poofy up-dos with very Jasmine like eye make-up. And every dress was sparkles and bright colors and sequins. It was a very interesting night.

The trip and that night kind of got me thinking about modesty. During most of the trip we were in shorts and tee-shirts and most people didn't look at us weird, but it was just funny to be on the other-side when someone did look at us a little weird. I have definitely had that look when a girl walks by me scantily clad and it was weird that they were thinking about me like that, when I am thinking I am dressed modestly.  Isn't it weird that their are so many levels of modesty?

After Muscat we went down to Salalah which is the southern part of Oman. They have beautiful beaches, but we mainly went down there to see the Wadi's (valley) that Lehi might have traveled down where they built the ship to sail to America. There are two places that are probable according to BYU scholars are Kori Rori and Wadi Sayq. The area has a lot of iron ore and wood that could have been used and is filled with caves where bees make honey. In the monsoon season the area is very green and lush compared to the stark desert around it, which makes it very probable that it would be the land called Bountiful.  It was really cool to think about Lehi and his family being in the same place I was standing. We basically four wheeled all over the place and through farm land to see it and get a good look.  Then we went down to the beach area and ran into about 30 camels on the beach, it was pretty cool.