MIDDLE EAST NOMAD

Sunset of my Fulbright Year غروب وقتي في منحة فولبريت

2010-04-28T00:54:00.000-07:00

You know, when people hear that I’m living in the Gulf they always say: “Well, that must be hot, but at least it’s a dry heat.” In fact, I was a believer of this conventional wisdom…until I moved to Muscat. The humidity is settling in between our mountains and the shore and that means it’s time for this nomad to pick up her few possessions and move along. Where to, you ask? Coming from one of

Strategic, Not Foolish

2010-04-25T01:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the attempt to maintain friendly relations with all your neighbors and global powers makes you look a little silly. Just ask Oman. While Obama headed a conference to address nuclear issues in DC, Tehran invented her own counter-conference, titled 'Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapon for No One.' And of course, Oman was in attendance. But not only did the Sultanate's Foreign Affairs

The absence of politics = politics غياب السياسة = السياسة

2010-04-16T23:45:00.000-07:00

Many have asked me: "Why did you choose to come to Oman? There are no politics in Oman, and you are a Political Scientist." My response: The absence of politics is an amazing political phenomenon. Omanis are loath to discuss anything that would cause friction between those involved in the conversation. This is not an overstatement. Yes, there are a handful of nationals out there willing to

Make them accept it تُجبرهم إلى القبول

2010-04-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

A friend of a friend has an expression that is eternally useful: “Make them accept it.” Apparently, this individual applies his phrase indiscriminately, toward animate and inanimate objects alike. “You will accept this plug!” he cries to a stubborn outlet that hesitates to accept a laptop charger. Since picking up the phrase, I have found its usefulness to be without limits. The most recent

Innovation's Dramatic Death Scene

2010-04-04T23:46:00.000-07:00

How do we quantify development and intellectual progress? Count up the number of PhDs held by citizens? No. According to an environmental expert I recently interviewed, the real question is: What do we produce? What ideas do we have and what do we do with them? (Am I starting to sound like Thomas Friedman yet?). Example: Omanis developed an innovative technology to filter petrochemical

Farmers are Businessmen.

2010-03-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

My time in Oman is waning, and in an attempt to extend my research on water-policy-making-and-general-investigations-on-the-public-sector-while-taking-into-account-political-leadership-in-an-oil-abundant-state * inhale * I made a trip to the bucolic neighborhoods of Barka, about 45 min. outside the capital of Muscat. Lovely things happen when performing field work in both a tiny and friendly

Muscat Hosts GCC Water Conference

2010-03-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

After throwing a few disgruntled looks at my fellow conference attendees who are holding full conversations while a speaker is at the podium, I settle into my seat in the Intercon Ballroom. Our introductory speaker from Spain unfortunately pursues a line of commentary on the remnants of water works built by Arabs in Andalusia. He undoubtedly hopes to highlight the ancient care for water

Has Oman escaped the resource curse? هل هربت عُمان من "لعنة الموارد؟"

2010-03-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

Question: How has Oman’s oil wealth influenced economic development? Attempted Answer: Oman’s petrodollars have allowed dramatic modernization in the Sultanate, but we cannot say that Oman has wholly avoided the resource curse. Patronage exists, making development less efficient. Explanation: Resource curse literature has blossomed in the last thirty years as scholars seek to understand the ‘

الرقص العُماني Omani Dance

2010-03-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

ذهبت إلى زفتي الاولى في السلطنة. وبالرغم من أنها كانت مختلفة من الزفاف العادية - كان العريس من عائلة بارزة والعروس ايضا - شعرتُ بأنني شاهدتُ اجزاء مهمة من الثقافة العمانية. وأفضل من تجربات اليلة كانت مشاهدة الرقص العماني! توجد رقصات عمانية كثيرة, وفي هذه الزفة, مقارنة بالزفاف التقليدية, رقص الرجال مع النساء. هنا امثلة من يوتوب من الرقص العماني! ولقراءة المزيد عن اسلوب وايقاع الرقص التقليدي, في

It's not a problem, until I SAY it's a problem

2010-03-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

I'm Evel Knievel on the roads here. No, I'm not soaring over stretches of parked cars with my 2009 Yaris. But I am tempting fate every time I get behind the wheel. Likening driving in Oman to Hobbe's state of nature, I see everyone out on the road, in his or her own car, not caring about the community of drivers. You do not mess with the Hummer in the left hand lane who is pushing 140 kph. You

جيل الأبن وجيل الأب Generation of the Son and that of the Father

2010-03-13T00:07:00.000-08:00

اتيحت لي الفرصة أنْ ألتقي مع مجموعة العمانيين ليلة أمس تمثل الاجيال الموجودة الآن في السلطنة. بالقياس إلي بلد مثل امريكا, حيث نرى جيل مختلف ممكن كل عشرين أو ثلاثين سنة, نتيجة عن التطورات السريعة خبرتها عمان منذ النهضة في 1970, شاهدت الدولة تحول متميز كل عشر سنوات في ثقافة وقواعد/معايير الجيل الحالي. فبالرغم من أن الثلاثة الاشخاص الذين حضروا الاجتماع كانوا, على الأكبر, فصلوا ب15 سنة, أفكارهم حيال

The High Committee on City Planning اللجنة العليا لتخطيط المدن

2010-03-12T04:33:00.000-08:00

حسنا, كنت ذاهبة للاتصال باللجنة العليا لتخطيط المدن, بعد مقابلتي الاسبوع الماضي التي اثارت موضوع نمط استخدام الأراضي في عُمان مرة اخرى. لكن, لستُ متأكدة بأن لدى المسؤوين الوقت للالتقاء معي, بالنظر إلى الشكاوى الكثيرة الموجهة للمؤسسة. في بحثي على الانترنت عن مهمة اللجنة, وجدتُ تعليقات كثيرة في المدوّنات والمنتديات عن مشاريع اللجنة وانتهاكاتها الأهتمامات العامة. وفقا لموقع اللجنة, تعتبر "الجهة

نوافذ الفرصة Windows of Opportunity

2010-03-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

أولا, آسفة لقلة كتابتي باللغة العربية. طبعا, التمرين لتطوري باللغة معظم الوقت لأن حصلتُ على تعليق واحد فقط اجابت البنت بالعربي. وبالإضافة إلى ذلك, أنا أمزق بين حبي باللغة الانجليزية وقدرتي أن أستخدمها بشكل أجمل, وأرادتي أن أمارس هذه اللغة اللطيفة. وآخيرا, من الصعب أن أكتب باللغة العربية لأنني أفضل الكتابة بالعربي وبعدين الترجمة إلى الانجليزية في المدوّنة بدلا من العكس, فالنتيجة استغراق الوقت

Behind closed doors, on newspaper pages, and in between

2010-03-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

A recurrent theme from my time spent in the Middle East is, how can we best pursue change? When living under largely authoritarian regimes (even if benevolent! I dig the Sultan, believe me), is it better to try to work within the system, or outside of it? Usually we contemplate this issue in the context of running for public office (can you do better in the parliament that is given no explicit

Geopolitics of Iran & the Gulf

2010-03-08T01:26:00.000-08:00

Lebanese officials are making the regional rounds. President Michel Suleiman traveled to Saudi for a meeting with King Abdullah, emphasizing on his return: “the necessity of coordination between Lebanon and Saudi in their stances, because Lebanon represents the Arab states in the Security Council.” The presidential media office also stated that the Saudi-Lebanese summit reinforced the links

White house, picket fence, and ... how many children!?

2010-03-05T23:00:00.000-08:00

Though still recovering from the devastating loss that keeps Oman's football team from the Asian Cup (a few pics on this blog), and sea turtle withdraw after my trip to Ras al Jinz, I am managing to pull it together and write something for the blog. A comment on my food security post reminded me of the need to bring "population" into the fold when discussing food, water, and development. My

Grow My Food For Me!

2010-03-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

I’ve latched on to the topic of food security v. self-sufficiency and discussed the value of conferences on food security and climate change here in the past. So it is not surprising that following a Sultan Qaboos University Conference on Food Security in the Arab Countries, I’m itching to bring this up again. I only attended a few morning presentations yesterday, but I enjoyed the global and

AgroNationalism

2010-03-02T04:12:00.000-08:00

I’ve walked into Al Ghobra’s LuLu (international hypermarket chain) and seen many things: swine flu announcements and hand sanitizer, a giant Christmas tree, and skiing apparel to name a few lobby centerpieces. But the most recent addition to this space that literally thousands of expats and Omanis pass through daily, is a vibrant display highlighting local produce. Buying local organic fruits

Buzz Word Alert

2010-02-23T03:30:00.000-08:00

I woke up one day and realized that the bulk of my research boils down to a single loaded word: governance. Cue disgust. Good governance. The largest of buzz words. The center of development work. The subject of numerous and comprehensive indicators. Not to mention conferences and complex graphic interpretations of the concept. I came back to the Middle East this year to better understand ‘how

How Much (Dis)credit Can We Give Culture?

2010-02-16T06:50:00.000-08:00

I met with an expat water and soil expert today who blamed many of Oman’s political problems on her culture. Not in a critical or mean-spirited way. More in the I’m-depressed-and-I’ve-lived-here-13-years-and-I-just-don’t-expect-any-changes-soon, kind of way. His beef with culture lies with the political implications of Oman’s famed hospitality and moderate inclination to “do no harm.” The primacy

But Wait...There's More! PDO fuels hopes that oil isn't quite done yet

2010-02-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

One of the questions that I ask everyone in my quest to understand water policy formation in Oman, and decision making in general, is: "Without oil revenues what happens to the economy and water management/ development?" Of course, whenever you ask a question, you already have an answer in mind. And mine is: Well, diversification needs to happen faster; it needs to happen in sectors that are very

US Dips Invade the ME: Does anyone care about the Sultanate?

2010-02-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

As US envoys and diplomatic bigwigs disperse in the Middle East this week, I'm intrigued by (1) how the Arab media reacts to a blatant US campaign to ensure Arab support for sanctions against Tehran, and (2) how Oman's odd foreign policy figures into this. As the NY Times sums it up: "The envoys’ visits to Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were planned separately in

Breaking News! More Vague Declarations on Food Security & Climate Change! أخبار عاجلة! المزيد من البيانات الغامضة عن الأمن الغذائي وتغير المناخ!

2010-02-12T23:15:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness, after an additional conference on the desert environment in the Middle East, food security, and climate change, we have more vague announcements, promises, and commitments. When will we realize that a change in the management of water and the agricultural sector will come with a change in the administration in the Arab states themselves? For some reason, and I don’t know what

Oman's Hidden Cure for Cancer?

2010-02-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

One of my first trips within Oman was down to Salalah where I viewed rolling green mountains, blow holes, and frankincense trees thriving during the wet khareef season. I soon learned miraculous uses for the South's ancient incense: smoking out insects from a house, purifying clothing from foul smells, and the water extracted from the tree was even being sold for its curative properties. People

Let's Throw Rationality to the Wind!

2010-02-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

“Your questions are rational ones that one would plan on asking, but you won’t find answers.” Relaxing in my interviewee’s home, soothed by the background vocals of James Blunt, I was hoping that the curtain would suddenly fall, and expose the web of interactions that are policy making in Oman. Well the curtain fell, or at least drooped a bit. I started with a string of questions about special

The Cheetos Bag that Broke the Camel's Back كيس ال"تشيتوس" الذي كسر ظهر الجمل

2010-02-07T02:01:00.000-08:00

A sight from my camping trip this weekend tipped me over the edge in Oman. After a night of food and drink, we knew that others had set up near us on the beach. When the sun rose however, we saw the by-product of their revelry: assorted trash strewn in a 10 ft diameter circle. As I stared at the cups and more, I noticed that a cute little puppy was nibbling at a bone from the heap. When I walked

"مخاوف من السدود بكردستان العراق" Concerns about Dams in Kurdistan

2010-02-01T01:19:00.000-08:00

I wanted to translate an article I saw today on Al Jazeera, regarding water disputes within Iraqi and particularly concerning coordination between the central goverment and the regional Kurdish authority. كنت أريد أن أترجم المقالة التي رأيتها في الجزيرة نت اليوم, بشأن النزاعات حول المياه داخل العراق وخصوصا التنسيق بين الحكومة المركزية والسلطة الإقليمية في كردستان. عبر مختصون عراقيون بالموارد

Oman's Sister to the South, Yemen: الشقيقة الجنوبية لعُمان: اليمن

2010-01-30T05:53:00.000-08:00

I have wallowed in the fact that such a historic and beautiful country as Yemen has become even more insecure this year, influencing lives and livelihoods, and also my ability to travel there from Oman. أنا حزينة جدا لأن البلد التاريخية والجميلة, اليمن, قد شهدت مزيد من انعدام الأمن هذه السنة, تأثير على الحياة وسبل العيش, وبالإضافة إلى ذلك, قدرتي أن أسافر إلى اليمن من سلطنة عمان. On one of my

Omani Conversation Highlights!

2010-01-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

Typical things you might hear in Oman, a few personal anecdotes, and the Omani version of “old wives’ tales.” Not all are unique to Oman or representative of the view of the public generally, but it gives you a snapshot of life here. “We like Americans, but we don’t like your country’s politics.” "Too bad Obama had to inherit all of the problems that Bush got him into." “The Sultan has it

Electricity & Water: Don't Rock the Boat! الكهرباء والماء: لا تسبب مشاكل

2010-01-25T00:36:00.000-08:00

The water and electricity are inextricably linked. For instance, a water-saving policy recommendation suggested by an academic in Oman includes establishing an electricity quota system to indirectly restrict the amount of water that farmers can pump from their well (if you can only turn on your pump so many hours out of the day, this would be a drastic water saving measure). يرتبط الكهرباء

Muscat’s Little India: Ruwi الهند الصغيرة في مسقط

2010-01-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

Ruwi, an area in the capital of Muscat, transports you from the laid back Omani lifestyle to the packed, vibrant streets of India. Not lucky enough to have traveled to India myself, I bask in the pleasures of Oman’s Little India in Ruwi. This has been the setting of my introduction to Bollywood and real Indian cuisine, and who better to be my guide than my half-Omani, half-Indian friend Feisal.

عاشوراء Day of Ashura

2010-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

We were walking through the greater souq the other day when we arrived at a neighborhood with decorations, and I realized that this was a Shi’i neighborhood commemorating the martyrdom of Husayn on the occasion of Ashura. The concise version of events: Mohammad = Prophet of Islam Abu Bakr is the first of the "rightly guided" caliphs, the companions of the Prophet that lead the Muslim

الاكتفاء الذاتي الغذائي والأمن الغذائي Food Self-Sufficiency & Food Security

2010-01-17T02:14:00.000-08:00

في قراءة مقالة عن التقرير الذي صادرته المنظمة العربية للتنمية الزراعية كنت أتساءل… هل أي شخص مفاجئ عن الفجوة بين الصادرات والاستيرادات في الغذاء في العالم العربي؟ وفي الحقيقة, أعتبر التقرير والتغطية الاخبارية عنه سخيفة. In reading an article on the reported published by the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, I was wondering… Is anyone surprising about the gap between exports and

Profile: Faisal Al-Ufi

2010-01-15T22:43:00.000-08:00

Faisal (فيصل = 'decisive' or 'resolute' in Arabic) is a playwright, actor, comedian, dramatist, bollywood film connoisseur, and expert driver (in the Omani sense). In fact, he has many fans in Oman that have followed his star rise in college theater. He shys away from discussing politics but enjoys talking about deep issues like family, love, and his future. He doesn't like it when people bring

اتصال بين الخبراء و المسؤولين Connection between Experts and Officials

2010-01-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

في حضوري جزء من المؤتمر في جامعة السلطان قابوس عن المياه وتدخل الملح, ادركتُ أهمية بحثي في نفس الوقت الذي كنت منزعجة بهذه الأهمية. واقفة خارج قاعة المؤتمر, رأيت بعض الباحثين من مركزي البحثي في الجامعة. وهؤلاء الرجال كانوا مندهشين: لماذا لم تحضرين كل الايام الثلاثة للمؤتمر؟ In attending a part of the conference at Sultan Qaboos University on water and salt intrusion, I realized the importance of

مك قانون الضرائب “Mc” Tax Law

2010-01-11T06:04:00.000-08:00

كنت أقرأ اليوم عن انجاز في السلطنة هذه السنة, صياغة وتطبيق قانون جديد تأثير الضرائب المفروضة على الشركات. يبدو أن كان القانون السابق غامض وميّز ضد الشركات الخارجية, وهذا التعديل سعى إلى تكيّف إلى المعايير الدولية التجارية (مثلا توقيع عمان اتفاق التجارة الحرة مع الولايات الامريكا) وتشجيع وتحفز الاستثمار الخارجي. فالآن, بتوحيد المعدلات المختلفة للشركات العمانية و الخارجية, كل المؤسسات تدفع 12%

السياسة في عمان؟ Politics in Oman?

2010-01-10T09:54:00.000-08:00

من الغريب دراسة العلوم السياسية في عمان. و أشعر بقلق كل مرة عندما أدخل مكتب استاذ في الجامعة, او شركة استشارية, و خصوصا في الوزارة, و يتبع السؤال الطبيعي: و ماذا ركزتِ عليه في الكلية؟ و بالخوف أتمتم: "العلوم السياسية و الشرق الاوسط و اللغة العربية." و ما هو سبب لتوتري؟ في اسباب. اولا, هل توجد أي مقولة أقرب من وصف منصب ال"سي اي ايه"؟ قد يفكر الناس بأنني أعمل للحكومة الامريكية او الاستخبارات, بدون

Paths to Marriage in Oman طرق إلى الزواج في عمان

2010-01-08T03:21:00.000-08:00

The topic of love and marriage has persistently surfaced during my stay in Oman. I’ve been reluctant to write about it so far because the anecdotes that I have collected are obviously deeply personal. But I want to paint a picture of how relationships exist in Oman, or perhaps I should say in Muscat, the path to marriage, and the changing attitudes surrounding the both. موضوع الحب و الزواج قد

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it ... Oh wait, back in Oman

2010-01-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

I was pronouncing my satisfaction upon reaching the half-way point in a thick book on the fall of the Russian tsars for my Fundamentals of Politics class a few years ago when a friend gave me a quick reality check. "You still have half-way to go, and look how much effort it took to make it this far." Wah, wah. Me being the optimist that I am, I saw the book as half completed, not half remaining,

Musings before shipping off to holiday spirit

2009-12-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of random thoughts swimming in my cranium recently so I'm just going to spit them out: In trying to understand the process of "development" in Oman, look to the roads. Main thoroughfares are smoothly paved. Major side streets are constructed and more or less driveable. Parking lots and side-side-streets, particularly outside Muscat, are avenues of stones and strewn glass. First

من المدينة إلى القرية From the City to the Village

2009-12-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

كنت أقرأ هذا الاسبوع عن القبائل في عُمان و تحويل هذا النظام الاجتماعي منذ نفوذ الثروة النفطية و سلطة السلطان قابوس من حوالي 1970. و أصبحت هذه المقارنة بين الحضر و البدو ملموسة عندما ذهبتُ إلى الشرقية خلال العيد و زارتُ بعض الاماكن التي تجرب التغييرات في الوقت الحاضر. I was reading this week about the tribes of Oman and the transformation of this social system since the influence of oil

Evolving Thinking

2009-11-28T22:53:00.000-08:00

Following the news coverage in early October on Ardi, the oldest huminoid specimen to date, I wrote a post sharing my dismay that the theory of evolution and religion have to be put at odds, while the fundamental concepts of that theory are also grossly misunderstood by many in the Middle East. A recent Michael Slackman article highlighted the importance of an event held in Alexandria, Egypt

Copenhagen Looms

2009-11-26T00:20:00.000-08:00

So President Obama is, in fact, making it to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen this December, and will make a speech before peacing out to pick up his Nobel Peace Prize. He has also expressed the US's commitment to a 17% reduction (in terms of 2005 levels) in GHGs by 2020. In the lead up to the Dec. 7-18th event, The Copenhagen Diagnosis was published with the intended audience of

The Big Eid and reflections on ‘reasonable revelation’

2009-11-24T04:12:00.000-08:00

The “Big Eid” approaches! Eid al-Adha (عيد الاضحى) or the Feast of Sacrifice falls on November 27th this year. I mentioned after my Eid al-Fitr experience that Muslim events are pegged to the lunar calendar and that game-time decisions are made when approaching such holidays to determine the exact phase of the moon. It seems that Oman has a streak of deviating from regional “moon-sightings” so

The Symposium on the Omani Woman, Part II: ندوة المرأة العمانية: الجزء الثاني

2009-11-19T01:51:00.000-08:00

طيب, نرجع الآن إلى مناقشة نقاط القوة و الضعف حول ندوة المرأة العمانية و حالة الحركة النسوية في عمان. Okay, we return now to the discussing the strengths and weaknesses concerning the Symposium on the Omani Woman and the feminist/women’s movement in Oman. للناس خارج من عمان او بدون فهم تاريخ حقوق النساء في هذه الدولة, من المهم أن نبدأ بوصف حالة المرأة هنا. أنا ليست متخصصة في هذا الموضوع, لكن

Review: Environment & Politics

2009-11-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Decemeber is planting season in Muscat! Marigolds, petunias, flowering shrubs. --- Israel Ends Drought Tax but Raises Water Prices Israel is known for her smart use of water (still using much more than Palestinians are able to use). However a recent economic fix to conserve is not working for the state. First, the price of water was set to increase, in phases, from January 2010 to 2011. Second

ندوة المرأة العمانية, الجزء الاول: Symposium on the Omani Woman, Part I

2009-11-16T07:12:00.000-08:00

حضرت امسية امس و يوم السبت ندوة المرأة العمانية في مسقط, احدى فعاليات هذه السنة سعى إلى مناقشة دور المرأة في المجتمع و مستقبلها و دورها المرغوب. بالإضافة الى تقديري للفعالية كمناسبة تسليط الضوء على أفكار و آراء و طموحات النساء, استخدمتُ الليلتين لممارسة فهمي الاستماع لأن كان المؤتمر باللغة العربية. هكذا, ليس لدي كل التفاصيل من العروض, بل الصورة العامة بفهم كاف. بعد الليلتين الطويلتين, عندي افكار

IEA World Energy Outlook 2009

2009-11-12T01:07:00.000-08:00

The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently released its World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2009. The presentation to the press slide show puts the development of the report in context: economic crisis, oil price fall and rise, decreased energy investment, upcoming Copenhagen climate change negotiations. Two articles covering the release of the report highlight the WEO's projection of oil demand

Water in the News: Review

2009-11-09T01:29:00.000-08:00

Two stories have stuck out to me this past week on the danger of drought and overconsumption of water, and what this means for the potential for conflict and social disorder in the Middle East. Specifically, the articles highlight the need for decision makers to swiftly reevaluate agricultural policy: Environmental Impact of a Syrian Drought "A severe water shortage in Syria is forcing farmers

Feel-Good Guru

2009-11-04T23:26:00.000-08:00

I’ve met my Omani guru. He’s 76 with wisps of hoary hair and a goatee, and he reminds me that I am an optimist. In a country that has witnessed dramatic reform since 1970, there can be nothing more exciting than meeting someone who came of age in Oman before regime change and oil. I was sitting in his study, three flights up a townhouse that overlooked the ocean. Books! I’ve missed them in a

Slow Progress, التقدم البطيء

2009-11-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

واجبي الهائل الآن هو التعلم بقدر الإمكان عن مناخ العملية التشريعية المائية في عُمان, هذا بالهدف لاقتراح حل لضخ زائد الموارد المائية الجوفية على يد المزارعون. لكن قبل هذه المرحلة الثانية, عندما أريد أن أدرّس الموظفون في الوزارات عن الأزمة المائية و الحال المقترح من الضروري أن أبحث السياق الذي تُجعل التشريعات فيه. My immense task now is learning as much as possible about the climate of the water

Water in the News: Weekly Review

2009-10-30T02:02:00.000-07:00

Three diverse articles relating to water crises and conservation strategies this week: 1) “Sufis are Islam’s Eco Guardians” Shireen Qudosi explains that the mystic focus of Sufism and its emphasis on the natural world result in an “eco-spirituality” experienced by Sufis. She cites an example of a Sufi youth in Morocco that comes together to discuss a variety of political and social issues,

Finding identity in Dubai... no really, I'm being serious!

2009-10-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

"A terrorist that can jump like a kangaroo...that's dangerous!" It was 8 pm in Dubai. Hopping on a bus 14 hours earlier, I was pleased to travel in what felt like first class after recollections of buses and trains in Egypt. After crossing the border between Oman and the United Arab Emirates on a foothill plain that looked like another planet, we were chugging towards our endpoint.

Of pigs and automobiles

2009-10-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

As I stepped off of the plane in Muscat, Oman nearly two months ago, I was greeted by friendly—masked—faces. Filling out a questionnaire on the plane (“no I have not experienced flu-like symptoms this week”) I had assumed that the Sultanate was worried about the spread of swine flu, but I had no idea that it would affect life here to the degree that it has. The campaign to educate the

Shura as a Political Concept الشورى

2009-10-16T03:55:00.000-07:00

Shura ("consultation") is a word that makes me smile and cry at the same time. Let me tell you why- it holds so much potential, and yet it has a way of sometimes stifling political progress in the Middle East. I recently began helping a member of Oman's Majlis a'Shura with some odds and ends. One job I've taken on in this capacity is Google-ing His Excellency's name and saving all of his media

A Day in the Life of an (A)typical Fulbrighter

2009-10-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked me "what exactly are you doing again?" as an ambigious "Fulbright Researcher" in Oman. Still others, I'm sure, politely nod when I say that I am on a Fulbright Fellowship to do an independent research project in the Middle East, not bothering to go through the complications of: What the heck is a Fulbright? or What does that entail exactly? When I got my Omani residency

An active opposition in Egypt and the possibility of success? معارضة نشيطة في مصر و امكانية النجاح؟

2009-10-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

قرأتُ هذة المقالة اليوم بسرور, و موضوعها الانتخابات الرئاسية في مصر, التي ستجرى في 2011 و الانشطة من جانب المعارضة في محولة لانهاء توريث السلطة في مصر. I read this article today with pleasure, it's subject is the presidential elections in Egypt that will take place in 2011 and the actions taken by the opposition to try to end the inheritance of power in Egypt. ترشيح البرادعي لرئاسة مصر

Science, politics, religion: AKA the hard but necessary stuff to talk about

2009-10-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

I thoroughly enjoy a good scientific discovery (except when we found out that Pluto wasn't a planet.. wahh wahhh). So naturally I was jazzed when I read about the long-awaited publication on the latest fossil find from Africa: Ardi, a 4.4 million year old hominid that was discovered in 1992. As researchers finally reveal their analysis, we're learning that Ardi is providing a more complete

مقارنة غير المرجح... An unlikely comparison...

2009-09-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

لاحظتُ مقارنة غريبة بين شيئين مختلفين تماما مؤخرا: "ماد مين" و الشرق الأوسط أنا مشاهدة جديدة لهذا البرنامج المشهورة من امريكا و كنت مسرورة جداً عندما أبلغَتني صديقتي مارا أنّها مالكة هذا المسلسل ب"اي-تونز." الحمد الله! بعد الاستيقاظ في ساعة ستة و نصف صباحا, و قتال طريقي خلال ساعتين الصف باللغة العربية (ممكن أبالغ :) و الوقت في البحث في المكتب, و كل هذا في البلد الأجنبي, ربما لا يوجد أي نوع من

Days 2 & 3: Buried Meat, Boat Building, and Dance Parties

2009-09-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

Waking up early on Day Two of Eid, Mara, Dena, her brother, sister and I head out to Sur, a coastal city about 1.5 hours from Ibra. Known for its boat-building culture, we were happy to wander into a yard and see the construction of ships and canoe shaped boats alike. Other highlights of the trip included walking a fort once occupied by an Omani Sheik long ago, driving by teal-green inlets

"You really feel the Eid" Day One

2009-09-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

In the morning, after scrubbing the cakes of henna off my hands and feet, we began the Eid preparations. The Omani dresses were aired out with frankincense and then we slid on the سروال pants, دشداشة tunic, and donned the لحاف headscarf. With a multi-colored, metallic tunic and green pants and scarf, I was really feeling the Eid, as Dena would say. The first day of Eid, everyone eats a breakfast

Not Quite Eid Yet

2009-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

A few things remain constant throughout my travels thus far in Oman: the beeping of the speedometer alerting me that the Omani in the driver's seat is exceeding 120 km/hr; the smell of frankincense wafting through my temporary abode; and a consistent worry that I will violate cultural norms. Naturally, the three accompanied me to Ibra and Sur as I celebrated the Eid holiday with my friend Dena

كل عام و أنت بخير! Eid ul Fitr

2009-09-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

After fasting for the duration of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims are preparing for Eid ul Fitr, the holiday marking the first day of the tenth month, and therefore the end of Ramadan. If you are the observant follower of my blog (I'm sure you are reader!) you may see the contection between words that I've used throughout Ramadan--iftar or fatoor--which are used for the meal that

الكتابة باللغة الثانية

2009-09-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

كان من أهدافي, عندما أسست هذه المدونة, أن أكتب المقالات باللغة العربية باضافة إلى تسجيل أقكاري باللغة الانجليزية فقط. ففي البداية لا بد أن أقول أنني طالبة هذه اللغة و من المحتمل أن الأخطاء ستكون موجودة في كتابتي. هكذا سأقدّر التعليقات عن تركيبي و أسلوبي و كلماتي و قادرتي في استخدام الاوزان. أن شاء الله هذة المدونة ستكون ساحة جيدة لممارستي باللغة العربية و أشجّع على اي قارئ أن يجاب باللغة العربية.

My Omani-East African Family

2009-09-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Mara and I were walking home from the beach last weekend, soaked with humidity and caked with sand relishing our latest beach find (a dead blowfish), when the athan was heard alerting Muslims that it was time to break their fast. A middle aged-Omani gentlemen, holding two stems of fresh dates in his hands, started talking to us: "That old man over there told me to talk to you, because I speak

(2) The Cons

2009-09-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

By "The Cons" of Ramadhan, I do not mean "I can't drink or eat in public and I'm a non-Muslim!" But rather, the substantial, and seemingly negative, ways in which Ramadhan affects life inside Muslim countries. Business. Most every business (besides the Borders apparently :) changes its hours during Ramadhan. Some split hours (morning 11-3, night 8-11 pm for instance), others just follow a

(1) The Pros

2009-09-10T00:45:00.000-07:00

My first experience living abroad, leaving the borders of the US was my semester study abroad experience in Cairo, Egypt in the fall of 2007. After settling into a pattern to quell my culture shock, Ramadhan began and life changed yet again. Because this was my first time in the Middle East, and because study abroad students were segregated from "real Cairenes," I do not think that I got a true

Ramadhan Kareem: The Pros and Cons of Ramadan Openly Debated

2009-09-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to write a post for a while now on Ramadhan, the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar throughout which Muslims fast during daylight hours (both eating and drinking). Though Ramadhan has certainly entered other blog posts on Middle East Nomad, it needs a few all to itself. As Mara and I planned on arriving in Muscat just a few days before the start of Ramadhan, we were

Lost in Translation, and Bureaucracy

2009-09-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

"Sir," I pressed on, now quite annoyed, feeling as if the Nawras phone company customer service representative was patronizing me as I explained my recent internet woes, "hetha lessa imtihan li هذا ليس امتحان لي (this is not a test for me)." I had been talking with this Omani for a bit of time now, trying to explain the convoluted series of actions I had taken to recharge my wireless modem

Water and Human Dignity in Palestine

2009-09-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

I was impressed when the topic of "water" appeared in my BBC Middle East news alert today. Soon my satisfaction upon seeing this important aspect of Israeli-Palestinian peace (or conflict) discussed in the news turned to disgust. The article Gaza sewage ‘a threat to Israel’ describes the dire water scarcity and sanitation situation facing the Strip, juxtaposed with rampant water usage in Israel

Another al-Banna

2009-09-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Reading the words “al-Banna” and “Egypt” in the same sentence, a torrent of ideas come to mind: the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamism, struggle with the government, etc. But Hassan al-Banna—founder of the Society of Muslim Brothers—has an 88 year old brother spreading a new idea in modern Egypt. In the newspaper al Masry al Youm Gamal al-Banna published a provocative thought. As Michael Slackman of

Khareef Relief

2009-08-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

Wilayat Dhofar ولاية ظفار & Salalah صلالة Dhofar is the southernmost region of Oman, comprising 1/3 of the country’s physical area Salalah is the capital of Dhofar <

Summer Reminds of the Need to Conserve

2009-08-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

Some recent and inspiring news stories about water conservation awareness campaigns in the Middle East: “Green Ramadan” Reporting on the establishment of the NGO “Green Ramadan” that seeks to “‘bring people from all over the world together, regardless of their faith. nationality or color, for one month every year, to care about our environment, the earth, animals and our health, practice

On the Road to Nizwa نزوى

2009-08-24T09:43:00.001-07:00

Nizar was dropping off a friend in Nizwa and asked if we wanted to come along. We readily accepted. THE TERRAINWe leave around 1:30 pm, Nizar, Mahmoud, Mara and I. First driving all the way through Muscat, past Sultan Qaboos University,

Stephen Baldwin in Oman, and other first weekend experiences

2009-08-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

Humidity. Seashells. Frankincense, Stephen Baldwin. These are my first experiences in Muscat, in no particular order. DAY ONE:People have long told me that “It’s all about who you know.” I never put a lot of value in this adage; I’m now a

Stephen Baldwin in Oman, and other first weekend experiences

2009-08-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

Blogspot is not allowing me to copy the blog I wrote into this framework! A few pictures must suffice until I can fix this issue:

Unsustainable water use in Asia

2009-08-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

This month the BBC has covered two stories reporting on the unsustainable use of water in Asia generally and particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Scientists have voiced growing concern over the exploitation of groundwater reserves across Asia to fuel agriculture and particularly rice cultivation. In addition to harvesting too much water to begin with, an amount that makes it impossible for

No more Iraqi dates?

2009-08-15T02:09:00.000-07:00

I sat in my Arabic literature class, hanging on every word uttered by my teacher - partly because I need to concentrate to understand the flow of her Arabic, but also entranced by the story she is telling. We are reading the story حفنة التمر "a handful of dates" by الطيب صالح Tayeb Salih, which recounts a memory from his childhood in Sudan, taking place on his neighbor's date orchard. The

نظرة عامة المحافظة على المياه في الأردن

2009-08-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

This summer I was tasked with writing a research paper in Arabic on the topic of my choice. Considering my proposed research in Oman, and the fact that I am studying Arabic in Jordan, I decided to try to write an "Overview of water conservation in Jordan." An ambitious topic to say the least, but at least now I know how to say desalinization (تحلية المياه), water demand management (ادارة الطلب

Appropriating the Past & Nation Branding

2009-08-03T07:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the question I pose to you: How can a leader support a version of a territory’s history that will encompass the self-perceived identity of each of its citizens?Let me be more concrete. I am fascinated by the competing historical narratives witnessed, for instance, in Egypt and Iran. The similarities between

Boko Haram: "Western education is forbidden"

2009-07-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Problems layered upon problems. Examining the state of affairs in Africa's most populous country makes one's stomach turn. In addition to relying almost completely on oil revenues (90% + of Nigeria’s export earnings are derived from oil according to the Financial Times), the everyday life of a Nigerian has not substantially improved in the past ten years as one in five children dies before the

Ecological Anthropology: Connecting communities and their environments

2009-07-25T00:52:00.000-07:00

As my Fulbright project slowly reveals itself—before I have even set foot on Omani soil, or sand I should perhaps say—I’ve come across an entirely new field that my research concept seems to fall into: ecological anthropology, or cultural ecology studies. I came across these terms when I wrote an earlier post on the disastrous consequences of climate change and therefore water shortages in Iraq

Islamist Chaos in Africa

2009-07-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was reading a few weeks ago that the resurgence of violent, non-moderate Islamist activity witnessed recently in North Africa is most likely directly linked to their dispersal from Iraq over the past year. Hmm, just as we feel like we closing one door, another is opened.Of course, on the other side of Africa, Somalia has been a contast headline in the past year and news agencies reported today

"I feel obliged to respond to the call of companions on the path to protecting rights to a noble and free life"

2009-07-17T21:56:00.000-07:00

In the run up to Iran's June presidential elections, did anyone imagine that the reaction to President Ahmadinejad's re-election would last weeks verging on months?This Friday former President Rafsanjani delivered a sermon at Tehran University in which he called for the release of protestors from prison and stressed the necessity of allowing a public, open debate on the radio and TV, concerning

Am I Even Qualified To Do This?!

2009-07-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

So, I was starting to get a little worried about my Fulbright project, a project that will promptly begin in little more than a month: “Water Conservation Awareness in the Sultanate of Oman.”It all seemed so simple, important, and interesting last summer when I started piecing together my statement of proposed research: “I propose to study water conservation education in Muscat, Oman. By

Who's Next in Egypt?

2009-07-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

In 2007 when I was studying abroad in Cairo, there was a lot of popular talk concerning President Mubarak's failing health and the conviction that when he does die his son Gamal will fill his shoes. Questions of succession in the Middle East are huge because usually it means the difference between a benevolent dictator or, well, the opposite of a benevolent ruler... New York Times: Egyptians

Extending the Muslim World

2009-07-09T22:11:00.000-07:00

It's sometimes forgotten that Muslims don't just live in the Middle East, but around the world. Violence erupted last Sunday between Uighur Muslims and Han Chinese, as the former was protesting a fight that had occurred weeks before between the two groups in a toy factory. The BBC reports that 156 (mostly Han) were killed on Sunday alone and now the Chinese government is banning mosque worship

The Burqa and Secularism, Mutually Exclusive?

2009-07-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Female veiling may be all the non-Islamic world needs to justify its faulty perception of a clash of civilizations between “East” and “West.” Indeed, Nicolas Sarkozy has done nothing to help the situation. His comments calling the burqa (a garment which covers almost all of the body excepting the eyes, also referred to as the niqab) a prison for women, have ignited reaction across Europe and the

Freedom of Speech in Jordan

2009-07-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

I love taking classes that accomplish multiple tasks; my Media Arabic class is great because not only am I learning a foreign language, but on a daily basis I am able to read local news! Our latest article covered a peaceful protest or sit-in turned violent mess in Amman. After learning that nearly 18% of the agricultural goods Jordan imports were grown in Israeli settlements, leaders and members

Being American Outside of America

2009-07-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

I’ve always been a very loyal person. And following my loyalty to my family my most primal sense of allegiance has been to the land onto which I was born: the United States.Being patriotic hasn’t been in vogue of late; during the Bush presidency many claimed they were ready to move out of the United States and others were ashamed of being American while there was a war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Music at the Citadel

2009-06-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

A Muslim Brotherhood Primer

2009-06-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

As a senior at Boston College I wrote my thesis on the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and its political fronts in Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait, as I investigated whether this Islamist group was transforming into a moderate political organization and how this would in turn influence U.S. foreign policy. I was satisfied with the final product of my thesis, and believed that I tied together events, histories,

“Egyptian people are survivors”

2009-06-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Excellent snapshot of Egypt: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/world/middleeast/18egypt.html?em

Food & Culture (two of my favorite things :)

2009-06-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

One of the best ways to learn about a new culture is through the stomach. A little window is opened into a different set of traditions and cuisine, from the process of ordering, tasting, relaxing, and paying for one’s meal or snack. In fact, I can think of nothing that more appropriately encapsulates the “Middle East” to me than the typical meals I’ve eaten here because they symbolize the

"Jordan First"

2009-06-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

While getting oriented in my neighbor today I ran across a poster I had heard of many times in my research on Jordanian politics: “ألاردن أولاً” or “Jordan First,” picturing many hands hoisting and holding firm Jordan’s flag. The national campaign, Jordan First, aims to propose a clear Jordanian identity for the citizens within the country’s borders, in a sense proposing a solution to the “

Jumbled Jordanian Identity

2009-06-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Getting settled into Amman is not too difficult. The weather is hot but evenings are pleasant, the streets are crowded but not bursting with people as they were in Cairo, and I even live next to a garden with a bird zoo (I can’t decide if this is actually a plus or minus yet, but let’s be optimistic). The past few days have been spent buying lots of water and other necessities (oatmeal, peanut

'Switch to Save'

2009-06-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

The Omani government has moved again to curb the use of water and electricity in the Sultanate, launching a 'Switch to Save' campaign through the Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) and Electricity Holding Company (EHC).As citizens become wealthier, the demand for both water and power increases; while I was in Kuwait last summer, I was surprised by the volume of water wasted in that

A Year on the Move

2009-06-08T12:05:00.001-07:00

Those who know me were not suprised when I told them I was going to spend the next year overseas. For someone who did not leave the United States until she was 20, I am trying to make up for lost time. After spending a semester studying at the American University in Cairo, and a summer studying and working in Kuwait, my nomadic existence is again uprooting me from the cities of Boston and

MIDDLE EAST NOMAD

Sunset of my Fulbright Year غروب وقتي في منحة فولبريت

Strategic, Not Foolish

The absence of politics = politics غياب السياسة = السياسة

Make them accept it تُجبرهم إلى القبول

Innovation's Dramatic Death Scene

Farmers are Businessmen.

Muscat Hosts GCC Water Conference

Has Oman escaped the resource curse? هل هربت عُمان من "لعنة الموارد؟"

الرقص العُماني Omani Dance

It's not a problem, until I SAY it's a problem

جيل الأبن وجيل الأب Generation of the Son and that of the Father

The High Committee on City Planning اللجنة العليا لتخطيط المدن

نوافذ الفرصة Windows of Opportunity

Behind closed doors, on newspaper pages, and in between

Geopolitics of Iran & the Gulf

White house, picket fence, and ... how many children!?

Grow My Food For Me!

AgroNationalism

Buzz Word Alert

المزيد عن الثقافة More on Culture

How Much (Dis)credit Can We Give Culture?

But Wait...There's More! PDO fuels hopes that oil isn't quite done yet

US Dips Invade the ME: Does anyone care about the Sultanate?

Breaking News! More Vague Declarations on Food Security & Climate Change! أخبار عاجلة! المزيد من البيانات الغامضة عن الأمن الغذائي وتغير المناخ!

Oman's Hidden Cure for Cancer?

Let's Throw Rationality to the Wind!

The Cheetos Bag that Broke the Camel's Back كيس ال"تشيتوس" الذي كسر ظهر الجمل

"مخاوف من السدود بكردستان العراق" Concerns about Dams in Kurdistan

Oman's Sister to the South, Yemen: الشقيقة الجنوبية لعُمان: اليمن

Omani Conversation Highlights!

Electricity & Water: Don't Rock the Boat! الكهرباء والماء: لا تسبب مشاكل

Muscat’s Little India: Ruwi الهند الصغيرة في مسقط

عاشوراء Day of Ashura

الاكتفاء الذاتي الغذائي والأمن الغذائي Food Self-Sufficiency & Food Security

Profile: Faisal Al-Ufi

اتصال بين الخبراء و المسؤولين Connection between Experts and Officials

مك قانون الضرائب “Mc” Tax Law

السياسة في عمان؟ Politics in Oman?

Paths to Marriage in Oman طرق إلى الزواج في عمان

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it ... Oh wait, back in Oman

Musings before shipping off to holiday spirit

من المدينة إلى القرية From the City to the Village

Evolving Thinking

Copenhagen Looms

The Big Eid and reflections on ‘reasonable revelation’

The Symposium on the Omani Woman, Part II: ندوة المرأة العمانية: الجزء الثاني

Review: Environment & Politics

ندوة المرأة العمانية, الجزء الاول: Symposium on the Omani Woman, Part I

IEA World Energy Outlook 2009

Water in the News: Review

Feel-Good Guru

Slow Progress, التقدم البطيء

Water in the News: Weekly Review

Finding identity in Dubai... no really, I'm being serious!

Of pigs and automobiles

Shura as a Political Concept الشورى

A Day in the Life of an (A)typical Fulbrighter

An active opposition in Egypt and the possibility of success? معارضة نشيطة في مصر و امكانية النجاح؟

Science, politics, religion: AKA the hard but necessary stuff to talk about

مقارنة غير المرجح... An unlikely comparison...

Days 2 & 3: Buried Meat, Boat Building, and Dance Parties

"You really feel the Eid" Day One

Not Quite Eid Yet

كل عام و أنت بخير! Eid ul Fitr

الكتابة باللغة الثانية

My Omani-East African Family

(2) The Cons

(1) The Pros

Ramadhan Kareem: The Pros and Cons of Ramadan Openly Debated

Lost in Translation, and Bureaucracy

Water and Human Dignity in Palestine

Another al-Banna

Khareef Relief

Summer Reminds of the Need to Conserve

On the Road to Nizwa نزوى

Stephen Baldwin in Oman, and other first weekend experiences

Stephen Baldwin in Oman, and other first weekend experiences

Unsustainable water use in Asia

No more Iraqi dates?