Table of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: Before You Arrive LC Contact Information The Buddy System Airmail and Packages/Shipments Schooling for Expat Children Housing in Oman Shipping Your Belongings Organizing Finances Global Web Services & Telecommunications Arranging Your Air Ticket(s) Provisional Contract and Probation Period Medical Clearance Attestation of Documents and Credentials Part II: First Day Survival Guide Your Flight to Oman Before Leaving the Airport Post Arrival Currency Conversion Housing Matters Part III: Your First Few Weeks in Oman Banking in Oman for Expatriates Paying Bills Telephone Gas Driving Places to Eat and Shop Cultural Do’s and Don’ts Communication Holidays and Leave Arabic Classes Leisure Activities Appendices Appendix A: Map of Sultan Qaboos University Appendix B: Map of Al Khoudh / Al Hail Appendix C: Basic Greetings and Phrases in Arabic 3 4 5 16 25 45 47 48 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Induction and Mentoring Committee would like to thank the Language Centre faculty members who helped in the initial and subsequent preparations of this guide: Language Centre Senior Administration, 2011 Badria Al Aweiny, 2012 Brady Black, 20132014 Celeste Bickley, 20152016 Daniel Stead, 2014 Dr. Browder Swetnam, 20112012 Dr. Paul Sundberg, 2011 Heather Drake, 20122016 Henrick Borger, 20122013 Katherine Prabhukanth, 2013 Louise Greenwood, 20122013 Pradyumna Tewari, 2011 Rebecca Woll, 20152016 Robert Sutton, 2011 Samantha Burns, 20132014 Stephanie Siam, 20132016 Valerian Crasta, 2011 William Rajan, 2011 3 Introduction Welcome to the Sultan Qaboos University Language Centre! We look forward to seeing you in Oman and hope your time here will be fulfilling and productive, both personally and professionally. You will be working with a group of more than 200 ELT professionals representing approximately thirty nationalities from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. You are joining Sultan Qaboos University Language Centre at a time when there are many opportunities for teachers to be involved in curriculum/programme development as well as honing their teaching skills. We hope you will find an outlet for your talents both inside and outside the classroom. The purpose of the Guide for New Teachers is to answer questions along your journey to Oman, to assist you in your first few weeks at the Language Centre, and to ease you into your new working environment in what will be for many of you a new, and enchanting, country. The information the Guide contains has been distilled from the experiences of many teachers in recent years, and we hope it will help you to enjoy a smooth and relatively hasslefree introduction to life in Oman and at Sultan Qaboos University. This Guide is arranged in three main sections: Part I: Before You Arrive Part II: First Day Survival Guide Part III: Your First Few Weeks in Oman Please browse through this guide before you leave your home country for Oman and dip into it again after your arrival. 4 Part I: Before You Arrive LC Contact Information Most of your communication with the Language Centre will be via email until you get here, but faxing or calling may be necessary for more timesensitive issues. Language Centre Contact Information Name Title Dr. Saleh Al Busaidi Contact Information Director Ms. Cynthia Kho Ms. Pooja Sancheti Ms. Carla Van Der Werff Dr. Faisal Al Maamari Mr. Ahmed Al Maharbi Mr. Talal Al Hosni Ms. Alya Al Jahwari Dr. Meena Lochana Inguva Ms. Jenya Pronoza Ms. Heather Drake PO Box 43 Al Khoudh PC 123 Oman Telephone: +968 2414 1640 asad@squ.edu.om Telephone: +968 2414 1640 Coordinator of Director’s Office cynthia.kho@squ.edu.om Deputy Director, Curriculum, Assessment and Student Support pooja@squ.edu.om Deputy Director, Academic Programmes carla@squ.edu.om Deputy Director, Professional Development and Community Service faisalf@squ.edu.om Deputy Director, LC Administration moharby1@squ.edu.om Asst. Director of LC Administration talalh@squ.edu.om LC Recruitment Coordinator alya.ghw@squ.edu.om Head of Curriculum Unit meena@squ.edu.om Head of Assessment Unit jenya@squ.edu.om Telephone: +968 2414 2837 squheather@gmail.com / Head of Induction and Mentoring Committee hdrake@squ.edu.om SQU Personnel Affairs Department Name Title Mr. Ahmed Al Jabri Personnel Clerk, Academic Recruitment Section Language Centre Recruitment Coordinator Ms. UmKulthum Al Said Head of Academic Recruitment Section Mr. Salim Al Hinai Director Contact Information PO Box 50 Al Khoudh, Oman PC 123 Telephone: +968 2414 5232 ahmedsqu8500@gmail.com Telephone: +968 2414 5230 FAX: +968 2441 3255 umi.alsaid@gmail.com kulthum@squ.edu.om 5 The LC Buddy System Before your arrival, you will be contacted via email by a fellow teacher at the Language Centre who will be your Language Centre Buddy. This person will do their best to answer any questions you may have about Oman, Sultan Qaboos University Language Centre in general, or other topics not covered in this Guide . Ask your Buddy about working at SQU and life in Oman, or for pictures of their experiences around the Sultanate. Your LC Buddy is an unofficial contact for you to help with basic information and assist you in becoming independent as quickly as possible. They are not able to guarantee your job offer, and your papers must be cleared by security before an official offer can go ahead. LC Buddies are volunteers , and they are usually assigned a full teaching load at the same time they are assisting you. If you do not hear from your Buddy every few days (or a week or so), don’t despair! However, if you’ve repeatedly tried to communicate with your Buddy and there is consistently no response, please notify a member of the Induction and Mentoring Committee (IMC) so we can check to make sure your Buddy is receiving the messages. Airmail and Packages/Shipments Airmail All mail should be addressed as follows: (Name of Recipient) Language Centre PO Box 43 (all LC personal and business mail comes here) ℅ (Recipient’s LC Box No.) AlKhoudh, PC 123 (PC = postal code, the most vital information inside Oman) Sultanate of Oman It is also a good idea to include your local mobile telephone number and your office extension – especially for packages. That way if the Post Office isn’t sure about the name on the parcel/package, the LC will most likely be able to figure it out. Furthermore, you should also inform anyone who sends you a package to notify you when they’ve sent it with the approximate arrival date. Sometimes the Post Office doesn’t succeed in notifying recipients of mail, but they do charge a “storage fee” for unclaimed items left in the Post Office over ten (10) days. If you know in advance about a package, you can be on the lookout for it and avoid paying the fine. 6 Packages/Shipments National postal services often have the best express mail rates; however, they can be unreliable. Other international shipping companies: ● DHL – One of the biggest local express mail carriers in Oman (a German company that ships worldwide) and offers a special 25% discount on local shipments for Sultan Qaboos University. ● FedEx – Federal Express (an American company that ships overseas) also has offices in Muscat. Schooling for Expat Children If you are the parent of a child, one of your immediate major concerns will be adequate schooling. Fortunately, the Muscat capital area has many Englishmedium schools. There is a wide variety of international schools (British, Indian, US, etc.) following standard international curricula such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) system, US system, British system, Indian Boards, etc. Be aware that good Englishmedium schools for expat children are in demand and often have a waiting list months in advance. It should be your first priority to investigate schools on the Web and, if possible, register your child(ren) online as soon as possible ( if possible , several months before arriving in Oman.) Educational Allowance The University provides an educational allowance of 1500 OMR per child (up to 18 years old) per year for his/her education – up to two children per family. However, this is for education in Oman only. SQU will not fund education expenses for employees’ children overseas. SQU does not pay upfront for school tuition. It is the parents’ responsibility to first pick a school and enroll their child(ren) on their own. With a receipt from the school , parents can then return to the University Finance Department (in the Administration Annex near G block) and request a reimbursement for tuition fees only in writing (other fees for labs, games, transportation, capital levy, etc. are not included). The money will be credited directly to your bank account after several weeks. Be aware that for most Westernbased schools in Oman, the 1500 OMR allowance per child will not cover the total cost of tuition. Additionally, some private international schools require a nonrefundable “Capital Levy” that is charged once per child for the first time they are enrolled in Oman, which adds significantly to the cost. Most schools have all of their fees listed on their websites. However, you can get a confirmation of tuition and fees by contacting the school directly. 7 Starting Dates Most primary and secondary schools have a different calendar than Sultan Qaboos University. While a few begin around the same time or after university classes, most commence a week or more prior to our semesters. Once you know the starting date for your child(ren)’s school, please notify the Head of the Induction and Mentoring Committee, Ms. Heather Drake at squheather@gmail.com . Registration Begin NOW! Don’t wait until you arrive in Muscat. Many desirable schools have a long waiting list, some even more than a year! Online registration is normal at schools such as TAISM and ABA, however, so you can register before you arrive. Extra fees beyond tuition apply so check out the full cost of enrollment for the first year before deciding. For more information about available schools in Muscat, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Oman See also the Oman Residents & Visitors Guide book (click the title to go to the Amazon.com page) for more detailed descriptions of schools in the area including contact information. When you get to the Language Centre, be sure to talk to the many teacherparents with children in various local schools to get ideas and compare costs, quality, etc. Housing in Oman SQU provides housing for almost all expat faculty. Some accommodation is fairly close to the university in the Al Khoudh/Al Hail/Al Mawaleh areas. Others may be housed in an area further away from the university in Athaiba/Ghubrah/Al Khuwair/Bowshar, which is around a 30minute drive to SQU. Please bear in mind that your housing is not finalized until just prior to your arrival date in Oman. Therefore, you will not be able to get much information about specifics before that time. If you have any pressing questions or concerns, you should contact a member of the Induction and Mentoring Committee to assist you. The Induction and Mentoring Committee can not, however, guarantee any aspect of your housing prior to arrival because that information is provided by the Housing Department once you are in Oman. In general, the standard flat includes basic furnishings and supplies to get you started, such as: ● Bed(s), very basic linens including a blanket, and curtains ● Dresser ● Side table ● Wardrobe ● Sofa w/coffee and side tables ● Dining table w/chairs ● Very basic kitchen supplies (a few plates, utensils, coffee/tea pot, 1 cooking pot) ● Refrigerator and oven range ● 1 full canister and 1 empty canister of gas 8 Large appliances and electronics like washing machines, dryers, microwaves or TVs are not provided. For more information about Housing in Oman, refer to the Housing Matters section in Part 2: First Day Survival Guide . Shipping Your Belongings If you’ve moved internationally before, you will be familiar with the moving process and will know which items you wish to bring and which items you will decide to dispose of before moving. If this is your first time living overseas, be advised it is VERY costly to ship the majority of your belongings overseas. Bring things you can’t live without and leave the rest in storage. SQU provides an excess baggage allowance of 90 OMR ( 180 OMR for couples/families). Check with your airline ahead of time about fees for excess luggage . It may be cheaper to bring several boxes with you on your flight to Oman rather than sending them separately via air or sea shipment. This also guarantees that you will have essential items with you in your first few weeks. What to Send in Your Shipment General ruleofthumb: almost any general item will be available locally in Muscat, but specialty or brandname items may not. 1. Books. SQU has a limited library for teaching references. If you have reference materials that you use frequently, it may be a good idea to store them electronically in an ereader or obtain an online version of them. There are some Englishlanguage bookstores in Oman, including a few Borders at various malls. On the plus side, be aware that almost any (recent) title can be ordered online and shipped reasonably from, for example, Amazon.co.uk. 2. Clothing. You won’t be looking for jackets or sweaters until around late December to midJanuary. The weather gets “cool” during the months of NovemberFebruary. However, a light jacket or sweater will suffice. Ship: ● Anything for cooler weather (one or two light sweaters or jackets) ● Special occasion clothing or sentimental items that you rarely wear but might need occasionally (as these can be rather expensive here) 3. Household. There are household item stores located at almost every turn, ranging from cheap to stateoftheart. There is also an IKEA in Dubai, UAE (about a 5hour drive from Muscat – but there’s an office in town where you can “order” items to be shipped to you). 9 Ship: ● Specialty kitchen items ● Old, sentimental Christmas items or decorations (generic ones can be found here) Leave at Home: ● Furniture, unless the pieces are smaller and have sentimental value or are designer items that you can’t live without ● Common household items ● Generic kitchen gadgets Organizing Finances Check with your local bank in your home country before leaving to get all necessary telegraphic money wiring instructions. Compare fees. You may decide to change banks depending on how much they charge for accepting wires of your hardearned SQU salary! There are a few international banks in Oman. The main multinational bank here is HSBC. Local banks are dependable at repatriating expat money to their home countries. For detailed information refer to the Banking section in Part 3: Your First Few Weeks in Oman . If at all possible, be sure to have enough funds in financial accounts at home before you arrive in Oman to pay for immediate expenses such as school enrollment, buying new household items, and living comfortably until your first SQU paycheck (normally at the end of September). Sometimes your first paycheck can be delayed even longer than this, so it is a good idea to make sure you have enough to live on for a couple of months. If necessary, the university does offer a onetime partial advance on your first paycheck to tide you over until you get paid. If cash is tight, make sure that you have a major international credit card (e.g. Visa) to charge expenses on for a month or so. It is recommended to contact your international credit card company and let them know of possible charges in Oman or the UAE so they don’t freeze your account, thinking your credit card number has been stolen. Additionally, many international ATM debit cards work here in Oman; however, you should first check with your home bank to learn whether this is the case with your institution and to determine the transaction fees for using your ATM card abroad. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are bringing US Dollars , please note that banks and exchange bureaus will NOT change bills any older than the year 2008 series. Additionally, they must not be torn, damaged, or written on in any way. Global Web Services & Telecommunications Making international calls from a mobile phone or land line in Oman to another country can be very costly. An alternative many teachers use is computer videoconferencing programs. There are many options; however, two popular programs to consider are Skype and Google Hangouts . 1. Skype* An online video/telephone system via computer that is much cheaper than any traditional telephone company. You can make free SkypetoSkype and paid 10 SkypetoPhone calls on it for much cheaper rates than traditional mobile phones or landlines. 2. Google Hangouts If you have a Google account, this is another videoconferencing program that works without a VPN . If you use Google Hangouts to videoconference, the person you are trying to contact must also have a Google account. 3. Magic Jack Call any number in the United States like you’re there. You can download the free or paid version. (NOTE : Since Skype is blocked in Oman, you should purchase, download, and install a VPN (virtual personal network) . Many VPN services are blocked in Oman; however, there are a few that you can get upon arrival. Therefore, you may consider downloading a VPN B EFORE leaving your home country. As long as you have properly and completely installed your VPN before arriving in Oman, you can use ANY VPN provider. One VPN used and recommended by a number of instructors in the Language Centre is Astrill, https://www.astrill.com . Astrill comes with a free, oneweek trial period. However, it is possible to purchase a VPN after arrival, such as Vyper, https://www.goldenfrog.com/vyprvpn . There are also other free VPNs, but connectivity is inconsistent. Once you are in Oman, you can start up your VPN and then Skype should work. Without a VPN, your Skype account won’t work online. Additionally, if you have a BBC iPlayer account, you won’t be able to access it without your VPN turned on. Unfortunately, Netflix has a VPN detector, and it will only allow you to view content approved for your area.) Arranging Your Air Ticket(s) Muscat International Airport is easily accessible by many international airlines. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the main regional hubs. Air tickets are initially arranged by the Personnel Affairs Department. You can send recommended airline itineraries to the clerk to get something to your liking. Please contact Mr. Ahmed AlJabri at ahmedsqu8500@gmail.com . If you are bringing your schoolaged child(ren) with you, please notify the IMC Head prior to contacting Personnel to arrange your tickets. It is sometimes possible to secure an earlier arrival (without additional pay) to enroll students in their schools. Please do not book/pay for your own tickets as your job offer is not firm until the security clearance is received. Security clearance usually takes approximately two (2) months. If it is impossible to use the tickets booked by Personnel because the time gap is too short when you receive them, call Personnel Affairs immediately, explain the situation and try to work out a later departure date. A member of the Public Relations department will meet you at the airport with University transportation. Please do not arrange your own transportation as it is PR’s responsibility to get you to your accommodation. If you know you will have a lot of excess baggage, please notify Personnel when arranging your tickets. 11 Provisional Contract and Probation Period Provisional Contract After the decision has been made to offer a position to an applicant, the Personnel Department in SQU Administration sends a “Provisional Contract” (valid for 30 days for visaissue only) to the applicant via email. The applicant is asked to contact the Personnel office via email or fax immediately (with a copy of all correspondence to the SQU Language Centre, too) with regard to their acceptance or refusal of the contract offer. A form is enclosed that the applicant is asked to scan and email or fax to administration that indicates their acceptance or refusal of the contract. NOTE: For teaching couples, one person will be given an international contract, while the other person a local contract. The salary payment for a person on a local contract starts at a later date that is determined by the date the Royal Oman Police (ROP) transmits a fingerprint clearance letter to the SQU Security Office. This is generally one to two weeks after fingerprints have been taken. Additionally, both contracts receive a transportation allowance, but the housing and utilities allowances are given only for the international contract. Upon arrival at Sultan Qaboos University, you will spend at least a week getting oriented and completing necessary paperwork. Don’t worry – you will be guided through it. (NOTE: If anyone other than a person from the Induction and Mentoring Committee, Personnel, or Public Relations gives you advice about filling in the forms, please check with an IMC member first to ensure the advice is accurate.) During this week, you will: 1. receive your resident card from the Dept. of Civil Service ( NOTE: If, for whatever reason, you end up going to get your resident card on your own, the typing office (trailer) at the DG of Civil Service closes at 8 PM.) 2. obtain your SQU ID card from SQU Administration 3. transfer your driver’s license (from the Royal Oman Police, if applicable) 4. schedule your appointment for the medical examination (most likely even complete it) 5. arrange your username and password for IT 6. finish other miscellaneous tasks. After you have accomplished these tasks and received medical clearance, you will sign your “ qarar ” (official contract) to replace the provisional one sent to you prior to your arrival. It is very important to make sure you finish all parts of the medical here in Oman as quickly as possible. Any delay in this could result in a delay in the qarar and your salary payment. Probation Period Contracts are generally made for three years, counting from the date of your arrival in Oman. During your first four months you will be on probation, and your classroom teaching will be observed on at least one occasion by a member of the LC administration. Please note: The notice period for resigning is six (6) months prior to the end of contract. 12 Medical Clearance Before you come to Oman, you may be required to have a medical examination by your local doctor. This medical examination will include a blood work exam, urinalysis, and a chest Xray (to check for TB). You will be sent a form for your doctor to complete as a part of the medical exam. When you get the results of these exams, you can either fax them or scan them as an Adobe PDF file and email them directly. This first medical exam may be necessary for you to be approved for a work visa. If such an exam is required, you will be notified. Generally, you will not need to get your medical records attested. Unfortunately, you will not be reimbursed by SQU for the medical exam in your own country. NOTE: The Omani driving license requires your blood type on the application, so it is a good idea to find out your blood type before coming to Oman. It is much easier to know it beforehand than to have to go for a test after your arrival. Alternatively, if you do not know your blood type, the local Omani blood bank will type your blood upon donating. There are also a number of local clinics that can do a blood type test for between 5 and 10 OMR. Soon after you arrive in Oman, you will be required to undergo a medical exam at the SQU Hospital. As part of your medical exam at SQU, they will draw blood (to check for a variety of things, including HIV), do a urinalysis, chest Xray, and an initial medical examination by a doctor. The medical exams are generally done at the oncampus clinic (called FAMCO), but the Xray and EKG will be done at the SQU hospital, which is very close to FAMCO (see Appendix A: Maps of SQU). After your medical test results are returned to the doctor at FAMCO, you will have a second appointment where the doctor will decide whether you are “fit” or “unfit” and mark this on your personnel chart. It is rare that someone is found “unfit”, but it does happen on occasion. It is most important that you be truthful on the medical forms you fill out and send to the University in advance. Treatable medical conditions and medical conditions which exist but are under control (hypertension, for example) will not automatically bar you from being found “fit” for employment, but dishonesty on the medical records you send to SQU before your arrival can be grounds for immediate termination of your contract. Attestation or Apostille of Documents Attestation of Academic Credentials Like other countries of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC), Oman also requires academic credentials to be attested before being accepted in the form of the stamp of the Omani Government on the reverse of the photocopy of the document. The charge for attesting documents ranges from 3 OMR to 5 OMR, payable in local currency where the attestation is being done. It can be done at any Omani Embassy or Consulate or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Muscat, but before they do this, they will ask to see the stamp of the country which issued the document/degree. If you are a living outside your home country, it will be necessary to get your degree(s) attested by the Embassy/Consulate of the country that issued the degree, followed by attestation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where you reside, and then by the Omani Embassy/Consulate. For example, if you are living and working in the U.A.E. with a British degree, and intend on coming to Oman, then it would be necessary to get your degree(s) 13 attested by the Embassy/Consulate of Great Britain/UK, followed by the U.A.E. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the Omani Embassy/Consulate in the U.A.E. For many countries, it is also possible to get the attestation completed after arriving in Oman. First, the Embassy/Consulate of the country that issued the credential will attest, and then you will have to take the document to the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Attestation Office near the InterContinental Hotel in Shatti AlQurum. They will do it immediately. The price for attestation at individual embassies is subject to change, so check with the embassy in question to verify the current fee. Once you arrive in Oman, you have three months to complete this attestation process. If you prefer, you can wait until you arrive to get your Omani stamp; however, you must still obtain the stamp of the country that issued the degree. Attestation of Marriage Certificate If you are married and wish your spouse/family to accompany you when you arrive in Oman, you must have your marriage certificate attested and submitted to the Personnel Affairs clerk prior to obtaining visas for your family members . The process requires two attestations: 1. first: have your marriage certificate attested in the country where you where married by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or its equivalent) 2. second: have your marriage certificate attested by a nearby Omani Embassy. The Omani Embassy will not attest your marriage certificate without the first attestation. Once your marriage certificate is completely attested, scan it in and have it ready to send via email when the Personnel Affairs clerk requests it. Apostille of Academic Credentials and Marriage Certificate As of February 2012, Oman is a signatory nation on the Hague Convention Apostille Treaty. Therefore, if the country where you received your academic credentials and mariage certificate is also a party to the treaty, you need only get an apostille stamp on your academic credentials and marriage certficate* from the appropriate government official of that country. Then you can bring your apostilled academic credentials to Oman to be presented to the Personnel Affairs Clerk. A list of treaty nations can be found at https://www.hcch.net/en/states/hcchmembers . If your country is not listed in the aforementioned link, check at https://www.hcch.net/en/states/otherconnectedstates to see if it has signed the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents as well. This is the recommended procedure, if possible. *As mentioned above in the Attestation of Marriage Certificate section, you will need to have your marriage certificate apostilled, scanned in, and ready to send via email to the Personnel Affairs Clerk in advance of your arrival for your spouse/family to accompany you at the time of your arrival in Muscat. Failing to submit attested/apostilled academic degrees within three months after joining SQU may result in your salary being frozen. 14 Names and Locations of Embassies/Consulates in Oman Name Address Telephone American Embassy Jameat A’Duwal Al Arabiya Street Al Khuwair +968 2464 3400 British Embassy Jameat A’Duwal Al Arabiya Street Al Khuwair +968 2468 1000 7th Floor Getco Tower CBD Ruwi +968 2479 4928 +968 2470 2133 Fax: +968 2470 3826 Email: CanadianConsulate@daud.om SunThurs: 8am2pm Honorary Consulate of Canada Embassy of India Jameat A’Duwal Al Arabiya Street Al Khuwair +968 2468 4500 Attestation Charge NOTE: As of April 1, 2015, the U.S. Embassy has ceased to provide attestations for American educational documents. Therefore, you will need to get your documents attested before you arrive. See http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/abr oad/legalmatters/academiccredentials.html for more information. British educational degrees and vocational certificates will only need to be verified by the British Council. Call the British Council call centre on 800 24680 for more information. Attestations are provided; however, please call ahead to confirm price 5 OMR per copy Collecting Documents: 9 am to 12 noon Returning documents: 3 pm to 4.30 pm The Sultanate of Oman requires all certificates to be authenticated by the General Administration Department of the concerned state government from where the document has been issued and the same certificate/document should then be apostilled by Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi or its branch offices in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati and Panaji. Note: All applicants should identify themselves by presenting the original passport. (In case of submission by a company, a request letter on company letter head and duly signed by the authorized signatory of the firm should be attached). Consulate of Ireland 8th Floor Suite 807 OK Centre Ruwi (Near Ruwi Roundabout) Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Bashair St Building No.1702 Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos (near KFC) Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic Sarooj Road Way No. 3026 Villa No. 2826 (near Embassy of Brunei) Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Slovakia House 5748 Way 1580 Madinat AlIlam +968 2470 1282 +968 2479 7083 SatThurs: 8am1pm +968 2460 3439 SunThurs 8:30am12:30pm, 34pm http://www.mofa.gov.pk/oman/ +968 24 697 904 +968 24 694 4391 fax: +968 2460 3895 SatThurs 8:30am2pm http://www.syrianembassy.gov.om/ email: syria@omantel.net.om +968 2460 1505 fax: +968 2460 1518 alharthy@alharthy.com 25 OMR per document* *No appointment necessary. However, processing will take a day to complete, which means documents will need to be dropped off one day and picked up another day when ready Please call ahead to confirm price Please call ahead to confirm price Please call ahead to confirm working hours and price 15 Part 2: First Day Survival Guide First of all – relax! Oman is a rapidly developing country with nearly every basic necessity (and luxury) available in the greater Muscat area. There are rental car agencies and a good road system to the University and into downtown. The University Personnel Department will have an agent to meet you and breeze you through immigration and customs and into University transportation to get you safely into your flat the first day. Your Flight to Oman Important Documents and Your CarryOn 1. Airline ticket(s) When SQU arranges your transportation, they will send you an electronic ticket with the itinerary number by email. You need to print out the email with your flight itinerary and bring that paper, the printed copy of your emailed visa, and your passport to the airport on the day of departure to board the plane. 2. Passport(s) Make sure that your passport is valid for at least 1 calendar year from your departure date. If it is not, begin the renewal process immediately. This includes for any family members accompanying you. 3. Copy of Omani visa(s) The university will send you a photocopy image of this, normally as an email attachment. Print it out and bring it. The actual visa(s) will be waiting for you and stamped into your passport at Muscat International Airport. The visa copy is mainly to help you at the departure end to prove to your airline(s) that you are allowed to deplane in Muscat. 4. SQU contract You will get your official contract once you get to the Personnel Department on campus. However, you should bring the provisional version of your contract with any agreedupon changes documented. 5. Language Centre/SQU contact information (see page 5 ) In case you need to call/email anyone before or after arrival, it’s best to print out the contact information page at the beginning of the Guide AND the Quick Sheet that will be sent to you prior to your departure for Oman. 6. International credit card (Visa, etc.) and/or Bank ATM card ATM machines at the Muscat International Airport and elsewhere in Oman will allow you to get cash debited from a foreign bank. (Carrying foreign currency when traveling is not as vital as it used to be. You could bring, say, Euros with you, but then you have the problem of getting to a currency exchange office or bank because Omani businesses don’t accept foreign currency.) 16 7. “Overnight” survival kit in your hand luggage In case your suitcases don’t arrive with you, carrying the necessities for one night (pajamas and a change of clothes/underwear) never hurt. Make sure to also include any necessary medication you might need for a few days 8. Charged GSMcompatible mobile phone You can “hit the ground running” the day you get to Muscat if your phone is the right type. If you are coming from North America, make sure you have an unlocked GSM cellphone or smartphone that requires a SIM card. If coming from North America with a nonSIM CDMA phone, it will not work in Oman. Most cellphones sold in the USA or Canada are “locked” to a certain service provider. However, often service providers will unlock phones for a fee; but if not, unlocked GSM phones can be purchased in Oman. What to Pack in Your Checked Luggage Pack sensibly. Think “survival for one week.” Prioritize by item type. For example, while many clothes brands are available in Muscat, they are often more expensive here than at home. Furthermore, they are easily packed as luggage and even excess luggage. It’s better to pack something in your suitcase if you think you’ll need it than to wait for it to arrive in your shipment weeks later (what you will wear to orientation, swimming suit, etc.). You should pack the following items in your checked luggage: ● Your favorite brandname clothing (not every international clothing chain is found locally, although Banana Republic, Gap, BHS, Mother Care, Next, Marks & Spencers and H&M are here). Pack enough clean, workappropriate outfits to last your first couple of weeks. Shopping opportunities may be rare in the first few weeks. For information on appropriate clothing, see Clothing in Part 3: Your First Few Weeks in Oman. ● Books, crayons, and toys to keep your kids entertained for a week or so ● Stationery and a few envelopes for business mail your first week ● Several copies of your updated CV/résumé ● Passportsized photos with a blue background, if possible (2 copies to get you started). You can get more printed here quite cheaply and they will be the right size with the correct background. ● Files with any jobrelated certificate you ever received. You never know what someone may ask for. This should also include copies of degrees and transcripts. ● Your driving license, older than one year. If it’s new or has been renewed within one year, you need to bring proof you’ve had a license for several years, such as the previous license (or a color copy) if you can. If you do not have the previous license or a copy of it, you will need to get a printout of your driver’s license record from your local licensing authority. 17 ● Vital financial and personal files (but be sure you leave copies at home in case any get lost). Note: Oman uses only A4 size paper, not US letter size. Do not bring the following items in your checked luggage ( ship them instead ): ● Common toys (unless your children have sentimental favorites they cannot live without!) ● Winter clothing, obviously, but also you won’t need (heavy) woolen suits and formal wear ● Synthetic fabrics. uncomfortable. Cotton is king here. Most other fabrics are hot and ● Umbrellas and rain gear Lost Luggage If all or part of your luggage doesn’t arrive for some reason, report it to the airline in the luggage area immediately before you leave the airport. Lost luggage almost always turns up within a day or two, but meanwhile, you will need to sleep in something, wear something, have a shower and brush your teeth (this would be where that extra set of clothing comes in handy!). If you don’t have enough to tide you over, the Carrefour Hypermarket at Muscat City Centre (the nearest shopping mall) has everything you would need immediately, and a visit there your first day would be a good idea anyway. Before Leaving the Airport NOTE: Personnel will be in a hurry to get you into University transport and off their hands, but don’t leave the airport too soon until you have a few basics. ● Do not make plans to leave the airport with anyone other than the PR officer and/or IMC member. You will need to be checked into your accommodation and confirmed through PR as an arrival before leaving with friends and family, even if they are meeting you at the airport. ● Visit an ATM machine and get some Omani riyals (200 OMR is a good start). You will need to get some smaller bills as not all shops and taxis have change. ● Earlier in the Guide it was strongly recommended that you arrive in Oman with a GSMstyle mobile phone. Try to get a SIM card before you leave the airport at Omantel or Ooredoo. If you aren’t sure how to insert it in your mobile phone, ask the PR officer to show you. You will also receive documentation for the SIM, including the number, which will become your local mobile number. Write it down and keep it with you at all times. Every form will require it. Please be sure to give the IMC your new telephone number for Oman. (If you don’t have a GSM phone, one of your first priorities should be to buy one. Muscat City Centre, among other locations, has many outlets. Refer to Communication in Part 3: Your First Few Weeks in Oman .) 18 ● Buy a Hayyak card (Omantel/Ooredoo topup credit) for 5 or 10 OMR. This is a phone credit card that lets you download call value onto your mobile phone. You can’t do any calling without adding the value first. ● It is possible to get an Ooreedo USB modem stick for use with an Ooreedo SIM at the airport so that you can have Internet access from the beginning. Your university flat (temporary or permanent) will not have Internet access when you first arrive. Before 10pm or on weekends, Internet cafes are available on the high street (main street) in AlKhoudh, the nearest proper “town” to the university. During the work week, LC staff can get you logged onto a computer in the nd Teacher Resource Room during working hours (2 floor between 8am and 4pm). Farther away, Second Cup coffee houses (al Khuwair, Sarooj, Capital Commercial Centre) and Costa Coffee in Muscat/Qurum City Centres also have WiFi available. ● It might be worthwhile, too, to check out a few rental car agencies to compare rates. You can call them later from your flat to rent a car (highly recommended the first week or so). There are a number of car rental agencies; check the list given in the Oman Residents’ and Visitors’ Guide by Explorer Publishing mentioned earlier or see the list below. Name Location Contact Information AlQassabi Car Rent AlKhoudh Office Tel: 2453 3454 Thrifty Car Rent Muscat International Airport & al Khuwair Airport Tel: 2452 1189 http://www.thrifty.com/local/index.aspx?LocationCode=mct Al Maskry Rent a Car Bowshar Office Tel: 2459 5241 Mobile: 99438661 / 99381524 Global Car Rental Al Shatti Tel: 2469 7140 Email: global@alhashargroup.com http://www.globalcarrentaloman.com/fleet.html Budget Car Rental Muscat International Airport & al Khuwair OUA Rent a Car Muscat International Airport Golden Tulip Hotel, Seeb Main office Airport Tel: 2451 0816 http://www.budgetoman.com/budgetonline/omgb/budget.nsf/c/locati ons,muscat_airport Airport Tel: 2452 1970 Seeb Office Mob: 9985 4002 Mr Nayak Mob: 9923 9095 http://www.ouacarrental.co/ Car Rental Advice Visit the various counters at Muscat International Airport. Compare prices and above all ask about insurance! Some LC employees have reported being given vehicles in questionable/unsatisfactory condition. To avoid this, check the vehicle before you agree to rent it. One of the smaller independent rental companies may even allow you to test drive the vehicle. 19 If not sure when you will buy a car, rent for the first couple of months. You can usually negotiate a better deal for a longerterm rental contract. Then simply take the rental back midmonth when you purchase/find a suitable car. Ask around at the LC because some people have extra cars (older than most rental company cars) that they rent out for cheaper than the price of renting from a company. For female new hires, it may be worthwhile taking a male with you when you first visit a rental company. Post Arrival First Night Accommodations If you arrive on Thursday or the weekend, be sure that the university driver does not leave before you have a working GSM mobile phone with emergency telephone numbers and enough food in your refrigerator to last until Sunday, when the work week begins. You should also make sure the AC and hot water are working in your flat before the driver leaves and ask what time they will be picking you up on Sunday to take you to SQU. Transportation The University Public Relations Department will have a PR officer escort you to a University vehicle when you finish entry formalities at the airport. After departing the airport, you will be taken to your accommodation. You will most likely be housed in one of the surrounding neighborhoods near the university such as Al Khoudh, Al Hail, or Al Mawaleh. If so, check out the area map provided in this Guide to orient yourself to your surroundings. Walking in Al Khoudh or on campus is safe, but you could be located a 45minute walk or more from any useful shopping (and still have to carry your bags home); and it will be too hot to walk. If it is in your budget at all, and especially on a weekend, it is worth it to rent a car at the airport your first day to give you the freedom to move, eat, and shop when you most need it. An international driving license or one from a Western nation is normally enough to rent a car in Oman. NOTE: Roundabouts/traffic circles are used in many places instead of intersections, so it’s a good idea to review the driving rules of roundabouts before driving in Muscat. Refer to Driving in Part 3: Your First Few Weeks in Oman . Taxis There are taxis available (orange and white), but these are generally available only at malls or on the main thoroughfares in Al Khoudh. On campus, you might luck into a taxi in front of SQU Hospital. They also pick up and drop off students on the large parking lot behind the LC during regular semester days. Muscat City Centre conveniently has a taxi line to the left of the central main entrance on the ground level, so you can get home with your groceries. Please note that few Omani taxi drivers are fluent in English, and it is a good idea to agree on the price of the ride before you get in. 20 Some reliable taxi drivers recommended by LC staff are: Name Contact Information Time Available Mr. Khamis AlOwaisi 9938 8001 Working days after 3:00 p.m. & weekends Mr. Anwar AlBelushi 9943 2026 Unlimited Mr. Khalfan Khamis 9941 9430 Unlimited Money The best immediate cash solution is to use a debit or credit card at an ATM machine at Muscat International Airport when you arrive, but there are several ATMs on campus: ● Near the little convenience food store in the parking lot across from the Language Centre entrance ● The SQU branch (near the Student Center) of Bank Muscat has an ATM located just to the right of the branch’s main entrance. ● Outside the Staff Club in the oncampus housing area (check map) NOTE: Be aware that your home financial institution will charge fees for you to use foreign ATMs, so get the best use of that fee and take out a large amount only a few times instead of small amounts many times. Post Office 1. Air Mail and Packages Mail times to the West can sometimes take a week or more, so for immediate communication it’s better to email or call. If you need to mail a postcard outside of Oman your first few days, SQU has a small post office located inside the Student Center (across from F Block) on the end closest to Bank Muscat. You can buy stamps and send packages there, and there is also a mailbox on the front of the Student Center where you can drop mail. Be sure to include a return address – the mailing address mentioned earlier in the Guide. Hours of Operation: 8 am to 2 pm (Technically, but it sometimes closes around 1 pm, especially on Thursday!) There are also larger post offices in Al Khoud or Seeb with mail drop boxes (see map). Conveniently, in front of the groundfloor middle entrance to Muscat City Centre mall, there’s a post box just to the right of the door. 2. Express Mail A DHL office across the highway from the airport (in the Shell/Pizza Hut complex) can handle overnight express mail. Show them your SQU ID Card; they give a corporate discount for SQU staff. There is also a small DHL office in The Walk at Al Mouj. 21 Faxes When open, the Language Centre or Personnel Department in the Administration Building can send faxes for you within reason. Ms. Cynthia Kho , the Secretary for Dr. Saleh (Director) on the first floor (Office 1027), will often agree to send a fax for valid reasons. The Golden Tulip Hotel (across from the airport) also will send faxes for a fee. The business office at the Intercontinental Hotel (downtown) is also very efficient and will send faxes for a fee. Useful Guide Books about Oman Oman Residents’ and Visitors’ Guide and the Muscat MiniMap , 2nd ed. by Explorer Publishing. Some new teachers have found the guide contains beneficial information for people new to living/working in Oman and the Gulf. Y ou can purchase both from Amazon.com or Amazona.co.uk. Alternately, you can purchase the book and map in Oman at the WH Smith bookshops either at the airport or at the Jawharat al Shatti shopping complex in al Qurum once you arrive. Explorer Off Road Oman Guide . A great guide for those that want to explore Oman in a 4WD. The guide includes detailed maps and GPS coordinates. This book can usually be found at Carrefour in City Center or Spinney's at the Wave and an updated new edition (2015) is now available. http://askexplorer.com/shop/guides/omanoffroad1806.html The Rough Guide to Oman , 1st ed . For those looking for a handy ‘travel’ guide devoted exclusively to Oman, this may be the book for you. Currently unavailable for purchase in local bookshops, it’s perhaps best to secure a copy online prior to arrival (Amazon has both new & old copies available). It’s also available as an ePub from the publisher. Currency Conversion The Omani Riyal is normally abbreviated RO or OMR. Note that the rial is divided into one thousand units called “baizas” and not just one hundred, as is common in most countries. Paper Bills: RO 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 Baizas 100, 500 NOTE: Remember that the Rial is a larger amount than the Baiza when handling paper bills. Coins: 5 (.005), 10 (.010), 25 (.025), 50 (.050) 90% of all transactions are handled purely with paper bills. Few stores bother with coins and will usually round up to the nearest 100 baiza (sometimes to your advantage, or often to theirs!) NOTE: The Omani Rial is pegged to the US Dollar, so while it will not fluctuate with the US Dollar, it is likely to do so against other foreign currencies. 22 Housing Matters As previously mentioned, a representative of the Public Relations Department will meet you at the airport and help you complete the visa/immigration formalities. He will then hand you over to a driver who will take you in an SQU vehicle to the accommodation allotted to you. You will be given a single key to the apartment. You will find the fridge stocked with basic food for a day or two – water, tea, coffee, sugar, milk, bread, and cheese. There will also be a few pieces of cutlery and crockery. New teachers will be provided with basic bed linens, pillows and blankets. Those living offcampus may be provided with a driver in a university vehicle to take them from home to SQU and back for the first 5 working days only . On the weekend or after working hours, you will need to arrange your own transportation. During your first week or so in Oman, you should begin to arrange your own fulltime transportation. Renting a car immediately after arrival is strongly recommended. The University gives a transport allowance to teachers living offcampus. This allowance is adequate to hire a private taxi/shared taxi and is usually 75/month OMR. The transportation allowance is not enough to rent a car; however, having the freedom to move around as you please and not rely on taxis would probably be worth the extra money. Cooking gas for houses oncampus are centrally supplied through pipes fitted with an individual meter for each house. Offcampus houses are usually provided with two gas cylinders – one filled with gas and the other empty (check this before the driver leaves). You can opt to stay offcampus in a house or flat of your own choice, and in this case SQU gives you a housing allowance. The amount of the allowance depends on your basic salary grade (and is usually NOT enough to cover the cost of monthly rent). However, you should understand that those who take the housing allowance will not get any furniture or appliances from Housing. If you do not want to take the university accommodation, you need to let Mr. Ahmed AlJabri know in writing in advance (well before you arrive). The majority of teachers opt to let the Housing Department provide an apartment for them because the housing allowance on offer is usually below the market rates for decent accommodation. However, a few Language Centre teachers have found their own accommodation to rent. For example, one LC teacher rents a twobedroom apartment with two bathrooms and a small garden in the Al Hail area for 400 OMR per month, making up the difference between the SQU allowance and the rent herself. Shortly after arrival, you will go to the Housing Department and sign the furniture inventory form. Any damage/breakage to the furniture, walls and fixtures need to be brought to the notice of Housing immediately. Be sure you are very thorough in your damage inventory! Taking pictures of the damage is also a good way to keep record. When you eventually leave that residence, Housing will come in with you to do a damage assessment and may charge for damages. On signing the inventory form, you will be given the other keys of the house. After signing, you will be solely responsible for the house and the furniture in it. You may request furniture to be removed from the apartment if you don’t want it there. If so, you must write a letter to Housing telling them precisely what you want removed, and you must also state that you understand that you cannot ask for those items back. When they 23 come to pick up the items for removal, make sure you get a signed copy of their list of the items that were removed. The Maintenance section of Housing will carry out minor repairs caused by normal wear and tear to the furniture, curtains, air conditioners, etc. However, things beyond repair will be replaced with new ones after five years. Problems with housing offcampus may also be addressed to the landlord of that property. Sometimes you might have the landlord’s personal number and can contact him directly. Often you must go to Housing and complete a service request; they will contact the landlord for you and arrange the details. When leaving SQU after completion of a contract, you will have to return to Housing all the furniture (tables, chairs, sofas, beds, mattresses, carpets, gas cylinders, fridge, cooking range, etc.) in “good condition.” Housing is entitled to ask the teacher to pay for the damage to the furniture and the house including the disfiguring of walls. So, you will do well to keep a copy of the furniture inventory form. Important telephone extensions of the Housing Department: Name OnCampus Extension Mr. Nasser Ismaili, Director of Housing 1287 Mr. Ahmed Al Rahbi 2614 Mr. Saif Al Farsi 1298 Mr. Fahmi, Housing Secretary 2620 (Add 2414 at the beginning if you’re calling from offcampus or a mobile.) 24 Part 3: Your First Few Weeks in Oman Banking in Oman for Expatriates Doing bankrelated business in Oman is generally effortless and smooth. As mentioned earlier, the Omani Rial is tied to the US Dollar and the exchangerate between the two currencies remains fixed. Account with a Local Bank In order to facilitate prompt payment of salary, it is necessary to open a bank account at one rd of the local banks. Salaries are usually paid on the 23 of every month. The nearest bank is Bank Muscat, and there is one branch on the SQU campus. Bank Muscat also issues VISA and MasterCard, for which a letter from Administration is required. If you open an account at a bank other than Bank Muscat, you may have to wait for another day or so to receive your salary. Bank Muscat account holders usually receive their salaries rd th on the 23 of every month, whereas other bank customers often have to wait until the 24 or later for their salaries to be deposited. It is not possible to open an account in Oman before arriving. However, representatives from at least one bank will be present during your orientation session the first week you are here. Contact Information for a Few Local Banks Name of Institution Location Contact Information Email/Website Bank Muscat SQU campus +968 2441 4149 various other locations +968 2441 3768 http://www.bankmuscat.com (fax) +968 2441 3171 HSBC Bank Oman Muscat City Centre +968 2442 3486 www.oman.hsbc.com National Bank of Oman and al Khoudh al Khoudh about 3 km from SQU +968 2477 8000 www.nbo.com.om All of these banks offer Internet banking and international money transfers. Opening a Bank Account You will need a copy of your residence card and passport. Cheques are rarely used here. However, it is possible to open a cheque account (also sometimes called a “current account”) as well as the normal salary account (which does not give interest unless you choose to opt out of their periodical prizedraws). You will be asked to fill out two forms. You will be given a complete account number within a few minutes, along with an account card. You may also apply for an ATM Card at this time. Take your complete bank account number to the SQU Finance Office and fill out a Transfer of Salary form, requesting Finance to transfer your monthly salary to your bank account. The first payment of your salary may take six weeks or so to be credited to your account. If you find yourself in need of money before your first pay day arrive, a onetime advance is available from the Finance Department. The permitted advance amount is approximately 250 25 OMR to 300 OMR for visiting faculty; and 500 OMR for permanent faculty. Again, this advance is only allowed once , unless it is a special case and qarar /salary have been delayed for some reason. If this happens, please communicate with the Finance Department to request a subsequent advance. The process to apply for this advance is quite simple. Once you have obtained your SQU ID card, you can go to Finance in the OneStopShop with a copy of your contract and a copy of the ID card and apply for the advance. Bank Loans Loan terms and policies vary from bank to bank, so in general it may be necessary to “shop around” in order to find the right institution for your loan. Local banks in Oman provide loan facilities to individuals. If you would like to take out a loan from your bank, you will be required to obtain an employment letter from Talib AlRahbi, the Head of Department of Client Services in the Admin Annex building, located on the first floor. This letter is then taken to your bank with a copy of your contract. In some cases one or two guarantors may be required in order to secure a loan. Some banks have age restrictions on granting loans; for example, HSBC does not provide a loan to anyone more than 60 years of age. Also, Bank Muscat will not give loans of any kind to new employees (you must be an SQU employee for at least a year to request a loan from BankMuscat). Many brandnew teachers have found it easier to get car loans from HSBC. There are a number of finance agencies, too. They provide financing for car lease purchase agreements, as well as straightforward purchase. The procedure will be basically the same for these as for a bank loan. The car dealer will also be happy to make the arrangements for you. The rates and policies for these loans may be substantially more than loans from a bank, so be sure to read the fine print. Transfer of Funds Funds can be transferred to your home bank account from your Omani bank account and vice versa. It usually takes seven to ten business days before the money appears in your overseas account. Check with your bank for further details. A number of Exchange companies specialize in transferring currencies internationally. Cashier’s checks/bank drafts are not accepted from foreign bank accounts. Please make sure to bring cash from your home country. The best hard currencies to bring to Oman for exchange are US Dollars, Euros, and British Pounds . 26 Paying Bills Most utility bills are through the Oman Investment & Finance Company, or OIFC, http://www.oifcoman.com/ . This will include your electric, water, home telephone, and often your Internet bill as well. Your telephone and Internet bills will typically be mailed to the Language Centre. Water and electricity bills are usually delivered directly to the residence. OIFC bills can be paid in a number of ways: ● You can pay in cash at any OIFC office. The nearest one to SQU is in Al Mawaleh on Mawaleh souk street. The next nearest office is located in Al Hail, on the service road between Markaz al Bahja Mall and Sultan Qaboos Highway, next to the Automatic Restaurant. See Appendix B: Map of Al Khoudh/Al Hail. ● On the SQU campus along the corridor to the right of the Faculty Club close to the elevators, there is an OIFC machine that allows you to make your electricity and water payments using cash or your ATM/debit card. ● Many banks allow you to pay OIFC bills at their branches (including the SQU Bank Muscat branches) or online, if you are set up for Internet banking. HSBC and Bank Muscat allow this, for example. The National Bank of Oman allows payment of OIFC bills via telephone. There is a small surcharge of 500 baiza per bill. Telephone For prepaid mobile telephones, there are two main providers in Oman: Omantel and Ooredoo. With Omantel, you can buy “Top Up” cards called Hayyak cards. These are available in denominations of 1, 3, 5, and 10 OMR, and can be purchased in many stores, including the Student Consumer stores on campus. Both Omantel and Ooredoo frequently have special offers. You can check their websites to see the latest ones: Omantel: http://www.omantel.om Ooredoo: http://ooredoo.om/ Gas There isn’t any direct gas line offcampus – nearly everyone uses LP or “bottled” gas. A full cylinder of gas lasts most people for 69 months depending on how much you cook. It's a good idea to ask your neighbors if they have the mobile number for a gas truck which has delivered to the building in the past. Alternatively, when it does run out, look and listen for one of the orange trucks that slowly cruise through the neighborhood several times a day, repeatedly honking its horn. When you hear them, run out and flag them down, and they will swap your empty tank with a filled one. NOTE: Canisters older than 15 years are considered unsafe and can be replaced free of charge. If you look at the top of your cylinder, you will see the year it was put into service. Check the year before accepting a new, full canister. 27 LP gas is cheap – expect to pay about 3 OMR for another 69 months of cooking! Ask the delivery driver for his GSM number so you can call him in the future for refills. Driving Depending on your driving experience, driving in Oman, at first, may seem easy or a bit challenging. Bear in mind that people from many nationalities and different driving backgrounds are all driving on the same roads, so what may seem logical or legal to you may not be followed by other drivers. After a few weeks, you’ll get the feel for the driving styles here and will feel more comfortable on the road. There are some important points to note: 1. A car is the main form of transportation and public transport is VERY limited (taxis, baisa buses, and the new Mwasalat public bus are the only options). 2. It is highly recommended to book a car rental from your home country before arrival in Muscat . 3. Know your blood type when applying for the driver's license. 4. Large and small roundabouts are a common road feature in Oman. It is best to familiarize yourself with the rules for roundabouts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcK8sjzTlWI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG3ghj_nOwQ&list=PLr7AUXhi77eVi4Vc GIv15tjRcFBbykFt In general: a. When approaching a roundabout, you must yield. b. The cars IN the roundabout have the right of way. c. If turning right or going straight, you should be in the outer/right lane. d. If going straight, turning left or making a Uturn, you should be in the inside/left lane. 5. Always carry your driver's license, mulkiya (car registration), and resident card on your person when driving. If you are stopped by the police and cannot produce these documents, you may receive a fine. 6. Do NOT run a red light! Oman has instituted a strict penalty for running a red light; on your first offense, you will either have to pay a 500 rial fine or spend time in jail up to one year or BOTH! 7. Check the ROP site online ( http://www.rop.gov.om/TOPayment/english/onlineservices_trafficfines.aspx ) and pay all driving/parking/speeding fines a few days before departing the country, whether departing for long or short holidays or permanently. TIP 1 : When first driving in Oman, it might be safest and least stressful for you to stay mostly in the right lane (unless you have to make a left turn) until you are familiar with the different driving styles, the way the roads are, and the speed limits at different points. TIP 2 : Be careful around the blue water trucks, whether on the road or at a roundabout. It is safer (for you) to give way to them whether they legally have the right of way or not. (They’ll most likely take it anyway!) 28 TIP 3: The flashing of headlights at you can mean different things: when driving slow in the left lane, a car behind you flashing you means ‘get out of my way!’ when making a left turn, the oncoming car may yield and flash you, meaning ‘go ahead and turn in front of me’ when driving down the road, a car in the opposite, oncoming lane may flash to let you know ‘obstacle/police ahead’ TIP 4 : A good time to practice driving around town, and learning the roads and where things are is a Friday morning at 7 or 8am. The roads are not very busy then. It’s also a good idea to bring another person with you to be ‘a second pair of eyes.’ Places to Eat and Shop On Campus: 1. The Faculty Club Restaurant – Located behind the Administration block and open Saturday through Thursday, the Faculty Club serves a fairly wide range of food, both continental and Asian, to suit all palates. The breakfast fare includes omelets, sandwiches, and fresh juice, served a la carte but very inexpensive. Lunch is an allyoucaneat buffet (including water, tea and coffee) for 2 OMR. 2. The Staff Club Restaurant – Located in the faculty housing area of campus and open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the Staff Club offers a variety of food similar to the Faculty Club, but is primarily Indian cuisine. Like the Faculty Club, you can get madetoorder omelets and a few different sandwiches, a la carte, at breakfast. Lunch is also allyoucaneat (excluding soft drinks) for 2 OMR. 3. Student Center Snack Bar Located on the Ground Floor of the Student Center near the Ooredoo and Omantel shops. 4. Sultan Qaboos Hospital Cafeteria – Sandwiches, hot food, salads and pastries. 5. Individual College Cafeterias – Most colleges have their own cafeterias where you can buy sandwiches, snacks, tea, coffee and soft drinks for a few baizas. NOTE: There is one behind the Language Centre with a small outdoor seating area. 6. OnCampus Supermarket – You can by most necessities for daily living: groceries, tea, coffee, milk, bakery products, water, fruit, vegetables, frozen meat, fish products, toiletries, etc. You can also purchase sandwiches and snacks. 7. Other Amenities – Next to the Staff Club, you will find a hair cutting salon (male), beauty parlor, copy shop, travel agency, and cell phone agency. Next to the SQU Printing Press, there is an oncampus laundry where you can drop off clothes to be cleaned. 29 Off Campus: The closest town is Al Khoudh , about 6 km from SQU. There are many good places to shop, the most notable ones being Al Fair supermarket and The Wholesale (Sultan) Centre . You will also find many restaurants and fast food joints; some global franchises, some locallybased. Offcampus, however, you’ll find that many local (not chain or mall) businesses and restaurants close between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. so that the staff can have a break. 1. Muscat City Centre – About a 15minute drive from SQU, MCC is the closest major shopping hub. Inside you’ll find lots of international and regional brands, coffee shops, Carrefour Hypermarket, Marks & Spencers Department Store, EMax electronic store, a few restaurants, a food court, banks including HSBC and Bank Muscat, and a Vox Cinemas. There’s even a Toys R Us for those of you with children! 2. Markaz al Bahja – About the same distance from SQU as MCC, Bahja Mall has more locallybased businesses. There is a small food court inside a slightly cheaper cinema as well. 3. T he Walk at The Wave Further down the road from Markaz Al Bahja Mall is a retail centre that includes many dining/shopping options as well as services such as Spinney’s Supermarket, BankMuscat, Omantel, AXA insurance company, Kwik Kleen dry cleaners, Beyond Beauty, Grand Optics, and PetCare Veterinary. Dining options include coffee shops, a small food court, and a few upscale eateries, too. 4. Muscat Grand Mall One of Muscat’s newer malls located behind the Lulu store in Bowsher, the mall has anchor stores which include Homes R Us, DG Sharaf electronics store, Carrefour, and R&B. The mall has a variety of shops and services, as well as a Happy Land for children and a City Cinema. 5. Jawharat al Shatti/Bareeq al Shatti – These are located in the Shatti al Qurum district, about a 3035 minute drive from SQU down the Sultan Qaboos Expressway. Jawharat is a collection of restaurants and coffee shops combined with a small indoor strip mall that includes a WH Smith bookstore. It’s in an attractive location overlooking the sea; however, traffic can be a problem and parking can be difficult. Bareeq al Shatti is a small indoor shopping centre that has a few unique eateries, including a sushi restaurant and Omani restaurant. 6. Al Masa Mall – Similar to Markaz al Bahja Mall and almost across from Bareeq al Shatti, Al Masa boasts a goodsized bowling alley and, apparently, an indoor ice skating rink. 7. Royal Opera House Muscat – Muscat is famous for its pride in the arts. Performers from all over the world have graced the Opera House stage. Recent performances include The Nutcracker Ballet, Aida, and Madame Butterfly. Aside from entertainment, the ROHM Galleria also houses a few upscale dining locations and boutiques. 8. Muttrah Souq – Muttrah is the site of the original Sultan’s palace in Oman. In fact, Sultan Qaboos Expressway runs from Muttrah (on the sea) all the way to where the new palace is located in Barka. The souq , or openair market, is full of authentic, 30 traditional knickknacks, regional souvenirs and lots of household items at usually cheaper prices. There are also abaya and dishdasha shops and textile stores with tailors nearby. It’s also a great location to try out your haggling skills – don’t worry, the shopkeepers expect it! Before settling on a price, though, wander around and find the same item at several stores to get a fair footing of how much to offer and agree upon. Remember, you don’t want to insult the seller by lowballing, but don’t let him take advantage of you as a tourist either! If you’re going to the souq , make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a roll of toilet paper with you. While you’ll probably find a bathroom, it’s doubtful that you’ll find TP. 9. Crowne Plaza/InterContinental Hotels – These offer several kinds of restaurants and nightly buffet options. While they can be a bit pricey, they tend to offer nice selections for special occasions such as EidalFitr, EidalAdha, Valentine’s Day and Christmas. Some of the best restaurants in Oman are littleknown and/or out of the way. If you’re looking for a special cuisine or have a particular taste, the best thing to do is just ask someone around the Language Centre. Cultural Do’s and Don’ts Keep in mind: Omanis in the Muscat area and at SQU are pretty sophisticated and have dealt not only with Western expats and tourists, but with Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, and many other nationalities. They have a long familiarity with Western customs and Westerners. It’s hard to make a really unforgivable fauxpas, so you can relax. Still, it’s good to know what the local etiquette is to avoid giving offense and to make the best possible impression. Greetings and Making Acquaintances in the Administration Building Omanis take greetings and small talk very seriously, and their level of cooperation and estimation of you largely depends on how willing you are to show more than a businessonly attitude. Remember this as you go around from office to office in the beginning to do your business. The vast majority of administration staff is Omani. Most speak reasonably good English. DO: Always shake hands (if you are a man) – but not too firmly (watch how others do it) – with every male Omani staff member in a room when you enter, no matter how many times you have met them. If you are a woman, you are not expected to offer your hand to an Omani man. The safe anytime greeting is “Assalaamu alaykum” (“Peace be unto you”), which you should address to everyone in an office when you enter. The response is “Wa alaykum assalaam” (“And on you peace”). Feel free to use it frequently! DO: Learn the basic typical greetings in Arabic, if nothing else. Your efforts will be appreciated and get you far better cooperation – even friendship – in the long run. At least learn “Assalaamu alaykum” and one polite question (e.g. Kayf ilhaal? meaning “How are you?”) 31 DO: Ask for people’s names in the Administration when you meet them the first time and write them down for future reference at least their first name and tribal name (AlX). This not only allows you to get past first base and down to business faster the second time you meet them, but it makes it easier to ask other staff members about them over the telephone and find them. And, of course, it also shows interest and respect. DON’T: Attempt to shake hands with an Omani woman if you are male. However, if you are female and an Omani man (in a professional capacity) offers to shake your hand, this is acceptable. Even with Omani woman staff members, however, it’s always polite to follow the twoline rule: greeting plus at least one polite question. DON’T : Compliment Omani women on their appearance if you are a male. DON’T: Don’t expect to get everything you need/want on the first visit. In Oman, and the Gulf area in general, things take time and often multiple visits. If you accept this from the beginning, you will have less stress and be happier! DON’T: Don’t get down to business too quickly – a few polite questions/comments beforehand will seem friendlier. For example, don’t stop at a quick “Hi!” or “Good morning” when greeting an Omani. One line of greeting is considered short and brusque. Even the most underthegun Omani staff member five minutes late for a meeting will ask a followup question like “How are you?” as he hurries past. On the other hand, don’t beat around the bush, either. The SQU staff is friendly. They know you have business to take care of. If they are really busy, get to your point soon – after two lines of greeting. If they say “no” or “come back tomorrow”, you are within your rights to press it – a bit. But don’t raise your voice or get too visibly upset if they can’t do what you want immediately. Most things will take more than one visit. Plan B: If you aren’t getting satisfaction with one person in the office, try their supervisor or another employee. Sometimes they will intervene for you with the first employee – arguing far more persuasively! But if the word keeps coming back, “Sorry, impossible today,” believe them. Try again another day. DON’T forget to say thank you (and shake hands with a man) when you leave an office. Just walking out after delivering your request or getting what you came for is rude. In Arabic, you could say “Hayak Allah” (“God bless you”) or “Shukran” (“Thanks”). Names Omani names follow a strict convention: (1) Personal Name (2) Father’s Name (3) Grandfather’s Name (4) Tribal Name Take for example Ahmed Saif Khamis AlJabri. This is how Omani forms ask for names. Ahmed’s father is Saif, whose father was Khamis, who all belong to the AlJabri tribe. “Tribal” or clan names usually begin with Al (AlJabri, AlSiyabi, AlLawati, etc.) More informally, Omanis also use a twoname system: X bin Y. For example: Ahmed bin Saif, or Ahmed son of Saif. Omani women use exactly the same two systems except for using bint (daughter) rather than bin (son): Khadijah bint Saif, or Khadijah Saif Khamis AlJabri. 32 For Omani and other Arab professors, use “doktoor(a)” with their first name. Even in English, many Arab faculty members in the Language Centre also go by “Dr.” and their first names if they hold that degree. Dr. Saleh AlBusaidi, for example, is commonly referred to within the LC as “Dr. Saleh”. Students, Male and Female Almost all students at SQU (and the Language Centre) are Omani, with some students coming from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other surrounding Middle Eastern countries. There may also be a few students who are the children of expatriate university faculty. Omani students in your classes will come from all ends of Oman – from little villages high in the mountains to Bedouin tribes to Muscat and its suburbs. Both males and females are admitted and study together in the same facilities and classrooms. There is a very conscious attempt to segregate the sexes, however. In classrooms, girls will naturally gravitate together on one side and boys to the other. Even the campus architecture encourages this, with separate corridors and elevators for women (walkways on the second/first floor, for example, are reserved mainly for women). DO be friendly to your students. There isn’t absolute separation of faculty and students – just be sensible about what is appropriate. What is inappropriate in most Western nations between teacher and student applies here equally. DON’T try to force girls and boys to sit in mixed sections or work in mixed groups for learning tasks. This will make them very uncomfortable and backfire. Also, it is unwise to fraternize (alone) with students of the opposite sex. Several teachers and several students together – i.e. groups – raise fewer eyebrows. Male teachers, especially, should be respectful of Omani female students. Normally, female students will meet in pairs with a male teacher. Meeting with female students in your LC office or in a classroom after a class for official purposes is considered quite acceptable. Taboo Topics in the Classroom These are ruleofthumb guidelines of what to avoid discussing in class: ● Alcohol, alcoholism, drugs or drug use, in Oman or elsewhere (male students may joke about this, but best not to get into it further) ● Politics, especially local ● Religions (other than what comes up in the textbook) ● Sex, dating or intermingling Religion Oman is a proudlyIslamic country and its citizens belong to one or another sect of Islam (Ibadhi is the main one, but you also find Shi’a and Sunni), but His Majesty (like his father) has been very tolerant of other faiths, mainly Christianity and Hinduism. Christian churches and Hindu temples are officially allowed, and many religious activities go on completely legally. Bibles and other Christian literature are available in Oman. Christmas, at least its mainly secular symbols such as trees, cards, and Santa, is becoming more public in Oman, especially in mall shops. That said, nonMuslims are advised to practice their religion discreetly while living as guests in Oman. 33 DON’T talk about other religions in the classroom unless the lesson brings it up or students raise the questions. Even then, use discretion and do not get into a debate with students. Public proselytism of Muslims (whether on street corners or in the classroom) is not tolerated. DON’T be critical of Islam or get into arguments in which Islam is insulted. Omanis are Muslim and even the most nonpracticing ones consider it a source of cultural pride. One can disagree respectfully with aspects of Islam without attacking its core elements. DO greet Omanis with the Muslim greeting “Assalaamu alaykum” (“Peace be upon you”) – it will be seen as friendly and respectful. Locations for Local Religious Organizations Islam Christian Protestant Catholic Greek/Antiochean (Arabic) Orthodox Indian Orthodox Hindu SQU has many prayer areas in various campus buildings and the main campus mosque at the far western end of campus. Surrounding towns also have numerous mosques, including Sunni, Shia and Ibadi. Denominations of many stripes are officially permitted and many have facilities in Ghala (closest to SQU) and Ruwi. For more information, visit http://churchinoman.com/ Services in Ghala and Ruwi Services in Ghala and Ruwi Ruwi Two temple areas in Ruwi and Muscat NOTE: Sunday is a work day, and you are expected to teach on that day; however, many churches have services on Thursdays and Fridays. (Friday and Saturday are the national weekend). Not every religion or denomination is listed in the table. However, this does not mean there is not a community or place of worship in the Sultanate. Upon arrival, it is recommended to ask around to discern if there is a specific group to which you are affiliated. Politics Oman has a benevolent monarch, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who makes most highlevel decisions for the country and is almost singlehandedly responsible for the miraculous development in living standards for his people since 1970. Recently, elections have been introduced for members of the Shura council, which advises His Majesty. It is inappropriate for nonOmanis to criticize the ruler or government structure. The vast majority of Omanis sincerely respect His Majesty and will defend him readily. His picture holds a place of honor in nearly every Omani business and institution. DON’T get into political discussions with students (especially in class) about US foreign policy, the Omani government, or Israel and the Palestinians unless the lesson material raises the issue, which it rarely does. Clothing Oman, like most Islamic Arabian Gulf nations, is conservative in dress. But dress standards differ from nationality to nationality. Being multicultural, Oman allows people to follow the dress traditions of their own countries to a large extent. In addition to Western clothing, Indian and Pakistani dress is very common. 34 The vast majority of Omani men wear traditional clothing which involves an anklelength dishdasha with a tassel on the collar (the mark of Omani dress in the Gulf) and always some kind of head covering. The most typical everyday one is the kummah, or flattopped cap. Men in authority and in business situations usually wear a maser , or turban, tied in various styles. Some Omani youth prefer a baseball cap (though not at university). Nearly all men wear sandals in all situations. Urban Omani women dress mostly in black. A black abaya (removed only at home) covers regular clothes – a long dress or even jeans/Tshirt. Almost all Omani women cover their heads (hijab) but rarely their faces. (Some, from very conservative families, will also cover the face, but while at SQU, female students are not permitted to cover their face, only their hair.) The hijab is typically black, but more and more variations are coming out in different colors and with embroidery. Footwear varies greatly. Men and Women: DO dress as you would in your professional mode back home when working at SQU. Omanis do not expect other nationalities to dress as they do. SQU faculty wear a gamut of very informaltoformal styles for work, and you should check on what your peers do once you arrive. Jeans are not considered “professional” teaching gear. For female teachers, it is expected that skirts or dresses are just below the knee or longer, clothing is not tight, and the neckline is high enough not to be revealing of cleavage. Short sleeves are permissible, but should be a longer sleeve that at least comes to the middle of the upper arm. ‘Longer’ short sleeves that come to the elbow, or threequarter sleeves are more appropriate given the conservative nature of Omani society. Tank tops and spaghetti straps should be covered by a sweater or worn over another layer of clothing only; they should never be worn alone in public. Women: DON’T wear clothing in public that exposes the shoulders or legs above the knee (especially around Omanis offcampus and in villages). Tight, formfitting fashions are frowned upon and will most likely garner unwanted attention. Also refrain from wearing loose openneck blouses and transparent blouses or skirts. However, Omanis don’t expect nonMuslim women to cover their heads, and nonMuslim women who wear the hijab will likely be taken for Muslim converts – as it is a religious symbol. Many South Asian female faculty prefer to wear their national dress. Men: DON’T wear shorts except in specific acceptable situations. Wearing shorts at the Language Centre, even on weekends or before/after working hours is not acceptable. Omani men rarely wear shorts or expose their legs (above the knee) except in sporting settings or at the beach. Shorts are considered for little boys or athletes. You will see Western men in Muscat malls wearing shorts, which is tolerated, but barearm muscle shirts and bodyhugging clothing are also frowned upon outside on city streets and in interior villages. Shorts and bathing gear are normally suitable only at the beach, pool or sports complex (or where only Westerners will be present – e.g. a camping trip). These rules are becoming more relaxed in the Muscat area, however. Alcohol Alcohol is not forbidden in Oman. Beer, wine and stronger substances are available – officially for nonMuslim expatriates and tourists only – in all the large hotels. Some restaurants may also offer it. That said, alcohol (khamr) is forbidden in Islam, and Omanis face strong social pressure not to indulge. 35 If you are not a Muslim and you want to buy your own alcohol, a liquor license is available for a fee once you are a resident here. To obtain one, contact the Head of Induction and Mentoring who will send you the information you need to take to the Royal Oman Police (ROP) office in Ruwi. You may then legally purchase alcoholic beverages in a limited number of legal outlets. This process may take a few weeks. Meanwhile, the occasional trip to any large hotel restaurant or bar can tide you over till the license comes. Food The main hospitality basics in Oman are dates and Omani (bitter) coffee served in tiny demitasse glasses. Some university offices you visit (e.g. Housing) may well offer you some. Being a multicultural city, Muscat offers nearly every conceivable fruit, vegetable and processed food from around the world. Muslim sensibilities draw the line at pork products, however. Don’t offer alcohol, pork products or foods containing them to Muslims, either Omani or other nationalities. Still, even these are available in the Al Fair supermarket in Madinat al Sultan Qaboos, and many hotels and several restaurants include pork products on their menus. Ramadan th th Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, is from approximately June 7 to July 6 (2016). Every year it begins 10 days earlier. While it will be finished by the time you arrive this year, the following information is good to know for subsequent years, especially if you’ll be teaching summer school. Muslims, including your students, are expected to neither eat nor drink from sunrise to sunset. Even nonMuslims are expected to avoid public eating or drinking during daylight hours. The university cooperates by shutting all public food services during the month as well; especially the Language Centre snack bar and the Faculty Club dining hall. The Language Centre, however, offers nonMuslims use of the Common Room during the month so that they can bring a bag lunch and eat it during working hours. The best advice for nonMuslim faculty during Ramadan is: only eat at home, in the Common Room, and large Western hotels (many offer a partitioned area where nonMuslims may eat before al Maghrib prayer call, around 7:00 p.m. or so). DON’T eat or drink publicly during the holy month of Ramadan. Communication Telephone Land line (Omantel) If you live offcampus, Public Relations will give you a letter in Arabic at Orientation to take to the telephone company (Omantel) giving you permission to get a land line. Do not throw it away even if you decide just to use a mobile phone. File it away for future reference. Mobile Phones As mentioned in Important Documents and Your CarryOn in Part 2: First Day Survival Guide , you should arrive in Muscat with a charged, unlocked, GSMstyle mobile phone that 36 requires a SIM card so you can purchase a local SIM card from Omantel or Ooredoo at the airport upon arrival. Your local mobile number will be 8 digits long beginning with a 9. If you don’t arrive in Muscat with an unlocked, GSM style mobile phone, you can purchase one shortly after arrival. In Oman, mobile phones in all price ranges are easy to find. Even Carrefour, Sultan Centre, and Markaz al Bahja (Bahja Mall) have small telephone kiosks inside the store. Prices range from 12 OMR for a very basic phone to over 500 OMR for one with “all the bells and whistles”. Making Calls in Oman If calling locally, just dial the 8digit number. No other prefix (city, country) is necessary. Mobile Phones: Ask for a “Hayak card” (Omantel) or a “Ooredoo card” (Ooredoo) when you buy your local mobile phone to add credit so you can make calls/send text messages. How Callers Reach Your Phone: From abroad, people should first dial their nation’s international access number, then 968 (Oman country code), then your local 8digit phone number. (The international access number is often indicated with a plus sign: e.g. +968.) Calling Internationally by Mobile Phone: You will need some cash credit (e.g. 5 OMR or 10 OMR) on your mobile phone first before Omantel or Ooredoo will service your call. If you have enough credit, just dial the nation’s international access number, then the country code (such as 1 for the US), then the full telephone number of the person. Calling Internationally by Land line: You must pay a deposit of 200 OMR for an “international call facility” on your home telephone before you can make international calls. Omantel will send you monthly bills for your calling activity. Important Numbers General Emergencies 9999 Fire Department 4444 Sultan Qaboos University Switchboard 2414 1111 SQU Hospital Switchboard 2414 7777 2414 4605 SQU Hospital Emergency Department 2414 4614 2414 4615 2414 1716 2414 7222 FAMCO 2414 7223 2414 7228 SQU Dental Clinic 2414 7272 Campus Maintenance (Normal Hours) 2414 3333 2414 1003 SQU Security Department 2414 3358 2414 1278 SQU Front Gate 2441 3339 Qalhat Cleaning & Pest Control 2414 3344 37 Arabian Automobile Alliance (for car issues) Omantel National Directory Information Omantel International Directory Information Omantel GSM Help Desk/SelfServe Top Up Omantel Dialup “Log and Surf” (25 bz/min.) 2460 5555 1318 (from your mobile phone keypad) 1319 1234 1312 Internet Service at Home DialUp Both Omantel and Ooredoo provide home telephone and Internet service. If you already have a land line connection in your apartment but haven’t yet signed up for Internet service, Omantel offers a “ Dial and Surf ” option. Just set your dialup settings to dial 1312, username omantel and password omantel , and away you go! NOTE: The Omantel dialup option from a landline costs 25 baizas/minute so don’t linger a long time on the connection or you could wind up with a large telephone bill! ADSL ADSL is available in most locations. Check with the Omantel or Ooredoo offices. Omantel and Ooredoo both offer highspeed Internet connections using your home telephone cable. You may want to check with both companies to see who currently has the best deals, and with your neighbors to see which company has the best connection in your building/area. How to Pay You can get monthly prepaid or postpaid service packages from the two main providers. Holidays and Leave Short Holidays Travel opportunities are one of the prime attractions with jobs in the Gulf, and there are plenty of possibilities both for local tourism within Oman and tourism abroad. With Oman being an Islamic country and SQU being a government institution, most university holidays are related to the Islamic lunar calendar and, therefore, the dates change from year to year ten days earlier each year in comparison with the Western calendar that remains the same. Locally, people often refer to holidays in general – even in English – by the Arabic word “Eid” (pronounced / eed /). Christmas, Easter and other nonMuslim holidays are not observed by the university. All holidays are officially announced. Academic nonteaching days or holidays are known in advance. However, Islamic holidays are officially announced by the government, and they are not always given far in advance. 38 Primary/Potential University Holidays in Chronological Order Gregorian Calendar Date Approximately July 6 (2016) Holiday EidalFitr (Feast of Breaking the Fast) EidalAdha (Feast of the Sacrifice) National Day Approximately September 11 (2016) th November 18 every year Interterm (However, the actual holiday may not be announced until more that a week later – wait for official notification.) January, between terms Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Summer Holidays (Not technically a holiday, but since students are away for much of the month, many faculty members choose to take this time for short leaves.) MidDecember 2016 (The holiday will be announced, so wait for official notification.) JuneAugust (Official dates will be given by the University, depending on final exams) NOTE: The Language Centre offers Summer School during July and August. For teachers that want to commit to teaching those months, it pays an additional 1200 to 1600 OMR (depending on your pay grade) on top of your regular salary if you teach the full 8week term. Planning Air Travel for Short Holidays Flying anywhere during a Muslim holiday always carries a risk: you don’t know when exactly it begins and ends or even how many days off the University will give you. Many people, therefore, doublebook plane reservations (one set assuming one day, another set assuming the next day). Be sure that your ticket is refundable , however, and the penalty for cancellation or change is not too much. The only truly dependable dates for planning air travel are University Interterm and Summer Holiday: January and JuneAugust. You must always submit a leave application form to the University, however, before leaving the country on any holiday and also when you return. Fares vary widely. Don’t only check the web, but see a local travel agent to see where the best deals are. Surprisingly, live travel agents can sometimes offer better prices than the web. Annual Leave Your contract offers sixty (60) calendar days (including weekends) of paid leave annually. But you must earn (“accrue”) them the first year. Each month successfully completed gives you five (5) days of paid leave. By the end of May and your first 99.5 months of teaching, you will have only 45 days accrued. However, you will still be accruing leave days each month during the summer – an extra ten (10) days in June and July. By midAugust, you have five (5) more days. TIP: You can always check on how many days you have accrued – your Leave Balance – on the University Portal: https://portal.squ.edu.om/ 39 Once you are logged in on the site, look for the “Personal” tab, then “Leave Balance.” The site also allows you to input various trial travel dates to see how many accrued days you might have in various scenarios. You will notice that the days accrue gradually, not exactly on the first of the month. NOTE: You can only apply for your official paid annual leave after six months from the day you arrive in Oman (which is not before midFebruary for most people). Therefore, if you decide to take a short leave during Interterm in your first January here, you can request leave, but it would be unpaid. Additionally, you aren’t required to use the full sixty (60) days at one time. You can always use fewer days than you are entitled to and save up the other paid leave days to use during other official holidays. January Interterm Students have a midyear break in January, and many (nonfirst year) LC teachers choose to use some of their annual holiday leave then. However, your first year, you will only have accumulated 20 days of paid leave by January, so even though some teachers in the Language Centre will be flying off to Britain or India or the US, you can’t really take your “holiday” yet. Some new faculty members do take a couple of weeks leave at their own travel expense and give up those weeks out of their summer. This is especially attractive if “home” is a quick hop to Europe or India and the tickets are reasonable. Unpaid Leave Another option is to take part of your holiday days as “unpaid leave” (January and Summer only). Your salary will be deducted for these days and you may also lose your housing allowance if you take unpaid leave, but you can still be legitimately away from Oman. Forms The three annual leave forms you need to pick up (in the hallway next to the mailboxes) and give to the appropriate admin are: ● Leave Application Ahmed al Maharbi in LC office #1037 ● Ticket Requisition Ticketing Section, Procurement (Admin Annex ground floor) ● Return from Leave Application Nashya or Ahlam in LC office #1029 Leave Application : Be sure to list only the days you will have accrued by the “Date Leave Begins”, which automatically gives you your “Date Leave Expires”. (Friday and Saturday are not included in the return date, so if you schedule your 45 days to end on a Thursday , Friday and Saturday are free!) 40 Ticket Requisition No matter how you use your vacation days during the year, SQU will pay for only ONE roundtrip air ticket to your “point of origin” per year, and you won’t qualify for that until after your first SIX MONTHS (midFebruary). Thus, if you decide to take some leave days outside Oman during your first January Interterm, you will have to fund your entire ticket yourself. Secondly, your travel must be out of the country for at least fifteen (15) days for SQU to fund your air ticket. This rule is bent, however, for those leaving in June and planning to be back in time for Summer School in July. Starting in the 20162017 academic year, the university will only provide a ticketing option, not a cash option. The ticket provided will be a refundable, roundtrip ticket between Muscat and your home destination. Once you’ve received the ticket, you may apply to the issuing airline to refund the ticket and use the cash to purchase tickets according to your actual travel plans. Return from Leave Application Turn in your Return from Leave form to Nashya or Ahlam (in room #1029). You must also show proof that you actually left the country by giving a photocopy of your passport page showing the returnentry stamp. NOTE : If you use the cardandfingerprint reading machine at Muscat International Airport when you reenter the country, then submit your airplane boarding passes as proof of exit and reentry to Oman. Arabic Classes It is quite possible to live for decades in Muscat with almost no knowledge of Arabic. English is by far the most common second language, and usable all over Oman. Even most LC teachers find they get along without it, although a number are enthusiastic learners. Many teachers, however, find it interesting and useful to study some basic conversational Arabic for travel to smaller villages within Oman or for gaining a better understanding of their students’ issues with English. Unfortunately, there are no widely available written materials for the Muscat dialect of Arabic. The closest an armchair learner could come would be books on “Gulf Arabic”, especially the UAE dialects. There are a number of resources for that dialect. It is widely understood by Omanis and prestigious here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it would help you understand Omanis (who use several dialects themselves) . These books are mainly available here, so there is little need to weigh yourself down with them ahead of time. On campus, Dr. Ahmed Radhi (ahradi@squ.edu.om), an Egyptian LC teacher with long exposure to Oman, offers weekly lessons for SQU faculty and staff. Institutional lessons are available also at various institutes around Muscat. None, unfortunately, are in the local dialect. 41 Before arriving, however, it wouldn’t hurt to have at least learned the basic Arabic alphabet and pronunciation. The Alif Baa’ beginners’ book + CD (Georgetown University Press) has a very good intro to the alphabet and Arabic sound system. We’ve also included a few useful Arabic greetings and phrases in Appendix C . Leisure Activities Oman is full of many exciting activities to partake of once you get settled in your routine. From desert camping to live performances at the Royal Opera House, you can always find plenty to do in your free time, no matter where you live. OnCampus Activities Even if you don’t live oncampus, there are some activities and amenities available for you to use. The Language Centre offers several extracurricular activities through its ECA Team that teachers can voluntarily participate in, including speaking and movie clubs, and the LC’s own radio podcast station “Our Voices”. The University also has its own Staff Club that offers an outdoor pool, gym equipment, and various sports courts. STAFF CLUB YEARLY MEMBERSHIP FEES Single: RO 36 Couple: RO 52 Single w/Kids: RO 42 Family: RO 60 Junior Only (Ages 1317): RO 9.600 Specialty Classes – See Instructors for Details OffCampus Activities Oman Extra DiversQantab Activities: Snorkeling, SCUBA diving, sailing, swimming, boating with restaurant facilities Phone Number: 24776042 Website: http://www.extradiversworldwide.com/en/divecenter/country/oman/divecenterextradivers qantab_439.html Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/OmanDiveCenter/107323319378106 Royal Opera House Muscat Activities: Operas, musicals and traditional performances from around the world Phone Number: 244 033 00 Website: http://www.rohmuscat.org.om/ Capital Area Yacht Center Activities: Family beach and boating area with restaurant Phone Number: 247 377 12 Website: http://www.eurodivers.com/diving/divingoman/caycmuscat/ 42 Jawharat al Shatti Beach and Corniche Activities: Coffee shops, restaurants and public beach access Located in al Shatti/Qurum area The Wave Muscat Activities: Marina and public beach access with restaurants and coffee shops Website: http://www.thewavemuscat.com/en Muscat Grand Mall Activities: Shopping, restaurants, coffee shops and cinema Located in Al Khuwair behind the Lulu Website: http://www.muscatgrandmall.com/ Muscat City Centre Activities: Shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, and a new Vox cinema Website: http://www.muscatcitycentre.com Intercontinental Hotel Activities: Gym, restaurants Website: http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/muscat/mscha/hoteldetail Crowne Plaza Hotel Activities: Restaurants Website: http://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/muscat/mschc/hoteldetail Grand Hyatt Hotel Activities: Restaurants Website: http://muscat.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html Muttrah Souq Activities: Restaurants, traditional Middle Eastern market, cycling Overview: http://www.squ.edu.om/About/CampusLife/LifeinMuscat Once you arrive, you will see there are many places for residents and tourists to enjoy. No matter if you prefer the indoors and watching movies or hiking through natural scenery for hours or days at a time, you’re sure to find an exciting activity to fill your free time. 43 Appendices 1. 2. 3. Appendix A: Maps of Sultan Qaboos University Appendix B: Map of al Khoudh/al Hail Appendix C: Basic Greetings and Phrases in Arabic 44 Appendix A: Maps of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU spine) 45 (SQU south) 46 Appendix B: Map of al Khoudh/al Hail 47 Appendix C: Basic Greetings and Phrases in Arabic Word Meaning Pronunciation Assalaamu alaykum Peace be with you (Formal greeting with anybody) The vowels are short with emphasis on the third syllable in “assaLAAmu” and the second syllable in “alAYkum” Wa alaykum as’salaam And peace be with you, too (Formal reply) The same as “assalaamu alaykum” , with the first word “wa” being pronounced like the “wha” in “what” Kayf haluk? How are you? (Masculine) The “ay” in “kayf” sounds like the “ay” in “pay” . The “a” in “haluk” is short, and the “u” is almost long , with a mix between the “u” sound in “put” and the “u” sound in “luck” Kayf halish/halik? How are you? (Feminine) The difference between masculine and feminine forms is the “u” sound with masculine words and the “i” as in “lick” sound with feminine words. Alhamdulillah, bekhair. I’m good, thanks be to God. The stress is on the second syllable in both “alHAMdulillah” and “bekhair” . The “u” in “alhamdulillah”i s long like the “oo” sound of “boot” . The “kh” is a sound in Arabic that’s made in the back of the throat, kind of like you’re clearing your throat. If you can’t pronounce it, just say “h” as in “hair” . You will still be understood. Zain/Tammam/Tayyib Good/okay, as in, “That’s good to hear.” Alright/fine, as in, “I agree.” Okay, as in, “It works for me.” “Zain” is a onesyllable word with the “ai” sounding like “ay” in “pay” . “Tammam” is two syllables, with the emphasis on the second syllable. “Tayyib” is a twosyllable word with the emphasis on the first syllable, making it kind of sound like a harsh “type” (replacing the “p” with a “b” sound). Sabah al khair Good morning “Sabah” is stressed on the second syllable, and the “kh” in “khair” can be pronounced like the “h” in “hair” . Good morning (response) The “oo” in “noor” is a cross between the “ew” sound in “new” and the “u” sound in “put”. Sabah an noor 48 Masal khair Good afternoon/good evening The “a” in “masal” is short like the “u” in “must” . The inflection is on the “khair” ( “good” ). Masan noor Good afternoon/good evening (response) The inflection is on the “noor” , as with “masal khair” . Ahlan wa sahlan Welcome The stress is on the first syllables of both “ahlan” and “sahlan” , which are rhyming words using the short “a” as in “fat” . Marhaba Hello The stress is on the first syllable, with the “a” sounds being short like “guava” Ma’salaama Goodbye (literally “with peace”) The stress is on the third syllable “ma’saLAAma” . Some people shorten it to “saLAAM ”. Min fadlik/fadluk Please (Feminine/Masculine) The “i” in “min” is short as in “pin” . The “a” in “fadlik” is more of a “u” sound, like “bud” . Like “kayf haluk/halik” , “min fadlik” can also be said “min fadluk” for men. Shukran Thank you The “u” has a “oo” sound, as in “poof” . The “a” is short, as in the “o” sound in “pond” . Afwan You’re welcome The second “a” is short, as in the word “one” . Na’am/Aiwa Yes The “a” is a short, harsh sound, like “Vietnam” . “Aiwa” is pronounced like “eye” with the “wah” sound at the end. La No Short “a” sound as in “’la’, a note to follow ‘so’” . Insha’Allah Godwilling or when God desires The inflection is on “Allah” , but it is sometimes split into two words. In this case, the stress would be on the second syllable of “Insha’” and the first syllable of “Allah” . Ma fi mooshkela No problem (literally “don’t have problem) The “a” in “ma” sounds like the “aa” in “baa” (the sound a sheep makes). The “fi” is pronounced “fee” . The stress in “mooshkela” is on the first syllable, with the “e” and “a” being short sounds. Wen Where is….? This is pronounced like “when” in English. In fact, it’s common to ask an Arabic speaker “When 49 did….” suchandsuch take place, and they’ll respond by telling you where it happened. Al/Wa The/And The prefix “al” comes before many Arabic words, and it usually means “the” . To say “and” in Arabic, simply say “wa” , pronounced “wha” as in “what” , before the word. Hammam Bathroom or toilet The stress is on the second syllable. Funduq Hotel The second “u” has the sound “oo” as in “book” . Teksi Taxi You can just say “taxi” and still be understood. Mustashfa Hospital The “u” has the “oo” sound as in “poof” . The stress is on the second syllable “muSTASHfa” . Souq Market The “ou” sound like the “oo” in “poof” . Bikem? How much….? The “i” sounds like the “e” in “be” , and the “e” sounds like the “i” in “kim” . Yallah! Come on! /Let’s go! /Hurry up! Said with fervor, usually to get people moving, it sounds like “fella” . Arabic Numerals Unless you are reading a date or phone number, numbers are READ from righttoleft in Arabic, but WRITTEN from lefttoright like English. ( For example: 35 would be written the same, but it would be read “khamsa’a wa thalatheen”) 0 ZEPHyr 1 WAhed 2 IthNAIN 3 ThaLAth a 4 ARba’a 5 KHAMsa ’a 6 SITa’a 7 SABa’a 8 ThaMAN ya 9 TISa’a 10 ASHara’ a 20 AshREE N 30 ThalaTH EEN 40 Arba’aE EN 50 KhamSE EN 60 SiTEEN 70 Saba’EE N 80 ThamaN EEN 90 TiSEEN 100/1000 MI a/ALef 50

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