Readers may recall my Dec. 7 column about my arrival in the Sultanate of Oman, a small country on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. I had accepted the position of Head of the Agricultural Economics Department of Sultan Qaboos University. One doesn't usually associate the Middle East with agriculture. So why would Sultan Qaboos University have a College of Agriculture and a Department of Agricultural Economics?
Oman is not an OPEC member, but its major source of revenue and major export is oil. However, their oil reserves will not last forever, and the nation is looking ahead. Oman's major agricultural crop is dates, followed by limes. As Oman has a long coastline, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, fishing is a major industry. SQU's College of Agriculture therefore includes marine sciences.
Oman's future beyond oil will depend largely on products of the sea, with emphasis on "value added" through processing and marketing of seafood products. In addition, Oman has tremendous tourism potential. It sports excellent hotels, great restaurants and tasty cuisine, and friendly people. Pork is not consumed in Arab countries. Beef is available, but the best Omani dishes are based on fish, lamb and chicken. Currie and masala dishes are outstanding. Caramel flan was my favorite desert.
Oman's climate is pleasant and mild during the winter months when northern people want to get away from drab winter weather. Unfortunately, the image of the Middle East works against tourism there, even though it is peaceful and tranquil in Oman.
As department head, I had limited teaching responsibilities but did teach a course every semester on world food issues. Except in their College of Arts, instruction at SQU is in English.
Students wear traditional garb, white robes called "dishdashas," for the boys and a black robe-like garment, the "abaya," for the girls. The girls also wear the "hijab," or head covering. The "niqab," or face covering worn by more traditional Muslim women is not allowed for the students. It is not often seen in the more urbanized areas of Oman.
Classes at SQU are co-educational, but the boys and girls have separate entrances and sit in separate sections of the classroom. As in the United State, some of the best students are female. Women in Oman are holding increasingly responsible positions. For example, the Bank of Muscat has a branch at the university, and I could see that women hold responsible positions in the bank.
Lest we be too critical of the Middle East, especially regarding treatment of women, we should recall our own history. Upon declaring American independence in 1776 - and actually making it stick in 1781, as the Brits had other ideas - only white male property owners were permitted to vote. It wasn't until 144 years later, 1920, that three fourths of American states ratified the 19th amendment to the constitutions that permitted women to vote. And that didn't even include all women, namely in the South.
A major shopping center near Al Khod, a few miles from SQU, is anchored by Carrefore, a French food and big box store. The shopping center is complete with food court and international chain stores. Were it not for Omanis in native garb and Arab signage alongside English, it would be indistinguishable from a typical American shopping center.
I recall my first trip to that center and a scene that remains with me. A woman, obviously from the interior of Oman, complete with the "niqab" that covered all but her eyes. She was seated at the McDonald's with a hamburger in one hand and a cell phone in the other. How could one better symbolize the traditional combined with the new?
It seems clear to me that the vast majority of people of the Arab World want generally the same as the rest of us: a peaceful life with expanding opportunities for themselves and their children. For better or worse, they want the accoutrements of modern life: automobiles, cell phones, computers, fashion sneakers and all the rest of it.
I especially enjoyed the Omani custom of serving dates along with cardiman-flavored coffee. On field trips to rural Oman, the host farmer would invariably break out the dates and Omani coffee for guests.
The faculty at SQU was from all over the world - some Muslim, but many of us not. The staff club where I occasionally had dinner would be decorated with Christmas lights during the season. On Christmas Day, Omani administrators would apologize for Christians having to work that day. But we accepted that as part of the deal. Besides, we could still celebrate during our off hours.
In contrast to the image, probably unknowingly portrayed by the mainstream media, the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful and tolerant. But those are not the ones that we read and hear about.
The Middle East and the Arab world in general are in transition. Sometimes transition is peaceful and gradual, as in Oman. Other times it is disruptive or violent with uncertain outcome. This presents challenges for American foreign policy. American diplomats have to be pragmatic and deal with those in power while recognizing and being sympathetic to those seeking change. It is in America's interest to be on the "right side of history."
This is obviously a difficult and tenuous road to walk for our diplomats. Four years living and working in the Middle East does not make me an expert. But in my judgment, our Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, has walked this line as judiciously and intelligent as anyone possibly could.
I came away from the Middle East with an impression shared by many Americans who have spent considerable time abroad. People around the world may sometimes disagree with American foreign policy, but the vast majority of the world's people like Americans personally and the best of what America stands for. We need to keep this proposition up front in our diplomacy.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net
Oman is not an OPEC member, but its major source of revenue and major export is oil. However, their oil reserves will not last forever, and the nation is looking ahead. Oman's major agricultural crop is dates, followed by limes. As Oman has a long coastline, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, fishing is a major industry. SQU's College of Agriculture therefore includes marine sciences.
Oman's future beyond oil will depend largely on products of the sea, with emphasis on "value added" through processing and marketing of seafood products. In addition, Oman has tremendous tourism potential. It sports excellent hotels, great restaurants and tasty cuisine, and friendly people. Pork is not consumed in Arab countries. Beef is available, but the best Omani dishes are based on fish, lamb and chicken. Currie and masala dishes are outstanding. Caramel flan was my favorite desert.
Oman's climate is pleasant and mild during the winter months when northern people want to get away from drab winter weather. Unfortunately, the image of the Middle East works against tourism there, even though it is peaceful and tranquil in Oman.
As department head, I had limited teaching responsibilities but did teach a course every semester on world food issues. Except in their College of Arts, instruction at SQU is in English.
Students wear traditional garb, white robes called "dishdashas," for the boys and a black robe-like garment, the "abaya," for the girls. The girls also wear the "hijab," or head covering. The "niqab," or face covering worn by more traditional Muslim women is not allowed for the students. It is not often seen in the more urbanized areas of Oman.
Classes at SQU are co-educational, but the boys and girls have separate entrances and sit in separate sections of the classroom. As in the United State, some of the best students are female. Women in Oman are holding increasingly responsible positions. For example, the Bank of Muscat has a branch at the university, and I could see that women hold responsible positions in the bank.
Lest we be too critical of the Middle East, especially regarding treatment of women, we should recall our own history. Upon declaring American independence in 1776 - and actually making it stick in 1781, as the Brits had other ideas - only white male property owners were permitted to vote. It wasn't until 144 years later, 1920, that three fourths of American states ratified the 19th amendment to the constitutions that permitted women to vote. And that didn't even include all women, namely in the South.
A major shopping center near Al Khod, a few miles from SQU, is anchored by Carrefore, a French food and big box store. The shopping center is complete with food court and international chain stores. Were it not for Omanis in native garb and Arab signage alongside English, it would be indistinguishable from a typical American shopping center.
I recall my first trip to that center and a scene that remains with me. A woman, obviously from the interior of Oman, complete with the "niqab" that covered all but her eyes. She was seated at the McDonald's with a hamburger in one hand and a cell phone in the other. How could one better symbolize the traditional combined with the new?
It seems clear to me that the vast majority of people of the Arab World want generally the same as the rest of us: a peaceful life with expanding opportunities for themselves and their children. For better or worse, they want the accoutrements of modern life: automobiles, cell phones, computers, fashion sneakers and all the rest of it.
I especially enjoyed the Omani custom of serving dates along with cardiman-flavored coffee. On field trips to rural Oman, the host farmer would invariably break out the dates and Omani coffee for guests.
The faculty at SQU was from all over the world - some Muslim, but many of us not. The staff club where I occasionally had dinner would be decorated with Christmas lights during the season. On Christmas Day, Omani administrators would apologize for Christians having to work that day. But we accepted that as part of the deal. Besides, we could still celebrate during our off hours.
In contrast to the image, probably unknowingly portrayed by the mainstream media, the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful and tolerant. But those are not the ones that we read and hear about.
The Middle East and the Arab world in general are in transition. Sometimes transition is peaceful and gradual, as in Oman. Other times it is disruptive or violent with uncertain outcome. This presents challenges for American foreign policy. American diplomats have to be pragmatic and deal with those in power while recognizing and being sympathetic to those seeking change. It is in America's interest to be on the "right side of history."
This is obviously a difficult and tenuous road to walk for our diplomats. Four years living and working in the Middle East does not make me an expert. But in my judgment, our Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, has walked this line as judiciously and intelligent as anyone possibly could.
I came away from the Middle East with an impression shared by many Americans who have spent considerable time abroad. People around the world may sometimes disagree with American foreign policy, but the vast majority of the world's people like Americans personally and the best of what America stands for. We need to keep this proposition up front in our diplomacy.
- John Waelti's column appears every Friday in the Times. He can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net
