Comments for Andy in Oman

Comment on O.M.A.N. by REV SAMUEL KAHENE

REV SAMUEL KAHENE — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:59:15 +0000

this is to encourage Andy, God can do if we submit our lives to him, life without Jesus is nothing.

Comment on The Great Kabab Factory, Muscat, Oman – Where the Kabab is King! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:28:05 +0000

Dear Karan,
Thanks for visiting. Keep up the great work!

Comment on Celebrating Mother’s Day at the Protestant Church of Oman by andydbrown

andydbrown — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:10:34 +0000

Glad you enjoyed the post about mothers day, Samuel! God bless!

Comment on The Great Kabab Factory, Muscat, Oman – Where the Kabab is King! by Karan Singh

Karan Singh — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:39:50 +0000

Dear Andy!

Greetings from RHW!

We are delighted to know that we were able to exceed your expectations during your recent visit to The Great Kabab Factory, Muscat.

The Great Kabab Factory is a brand marketed and franchised by RHW Hotel Managmenet Services Ltd. Feedbacks like these not only boosts our morale at the same time, strives us to deliver even better . You can join us on Facebook at- http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=211150949198

Look forward to your continued patronage.

Thanks & regards,

Karan

Comment on As Evening Approaches at Qurum National Park by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:48:04 +0000

Good to hear from you, Robin! I’ll email you back soon. God bless!

Comment on Celebrating Mother’s Day at the Protestant Church of Oman by REV SAMUEL KAHENE

REV SAMUEL KAHENE — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:33:26 +0000

I THANK THE HEAVENLY FATHER FOR THE MOTHERS DAY YOU HAD IN YOUR CHURCH, IT SEEMS THAT GOD BLESSED THAT DAY MIGHTILY, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE DOING EVEN THE FATHERS DAY TO BE WONDERFUL DAY SUCH THAT OTHERS THEY CAN LEARN, AND ENJOY IN JESUS NAME
MAY THE GOOD GOD BLESS YOU .

Comment on Prayer Room Toilets? by andydbrown

andydbrown — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:10:55 +0000

Thanks, Tawfiq
I kind of guessed that, but I also think the sign (in English) is misworded giving the impression that they are one and the same.

Comment on Prayer Room Toilets? by Tawfiq Al-Lawati

Tawfiq Al-Lawati — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:54:20 +0000

toilets are never in prayer rooms, they are provided separately for ablution (washing) before prayers.

Comment on Scenes from Muttrah Souq / Al Dhalam Souq (“Market of Shades/Darkness”) by andydbrown

andydbrown — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:06:22 +0000

Hi Terri,

You might want to contact Raj Relics and inquire/enquire about the price. (24490620/99329842) Email: enquiries@rajrelics.com http://www.rajrelics.com
Another great place to ask is the Omani Heritage Gallery which is a non-profit organization in between O Sole Mio Italian restaurant and D’Arcy’s in Shatti al Qurum. (Tel: 24696974, http://www.omaniheritage.com)

Sounds like an impressive Khanjar. I’d like to see that one! (Feel free to email me a pic…:-))
I’d check out the prices for curiosities sake but that sounds like something you might want to hold on to!

Comment on Scenes from Muttrah Souq / Al Dhalam Souq (“Market of Shades/Darkness”) by Terri Nichols

Terri Nichols — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:57:03 +0000

Hello,
I happened to find what I think is an antique Khanjar, that has been in my husbands family for a long time. It is made of all silver, very ornate, showing different drawings of people and animals on the sheath as well as the handle. It also has 3 stars and the word Syria on the blade.
Does anyone know what it may be worth?
Sincerely, Terri Nichols

Comment on As Evening Approaches at Qurum National Park by Robin Sam

Robin Sam — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:12:30 +0000

Andy,
I came to your blog by chance; loved it. I have something in mind that I’d like to share with you.
Can you email me back so I can write to your personal id?
Blessings,

Robin Sam
Founding Editor
The Christian Messenger
http://www.christianmessenger.in

Comment on Dinosaurs Spotted in Oman!!! by mike young

mike young — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:22:59 +0000

i have a feeling that dinosaur bones are just man made fabrication. i’ve never seen any actual proof. justlooking at the design of a dinosaur skeleton is the most simplest of bone structures i’ve ever seen. i’d like to be proven wrong. but i’ve come to believe it’s jsut a bunch of stuf that’s wacked to gether to make it look like a dinosaur. considering fossilisation can happen in months i highly doubt they’re millions of years old either.

Comment on More of the Beauty of Wadi Shab! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:26:45 +0000

Thanks for dropping by, Chris! Take care!

Comment on More of the Beauty of Wadi Shab! by Chris

Chris — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:32:02 +0000

Wadi Shab looks fantastic! Love dropping by to see your beautiful pics from Oman. Happy trails and stay safe.

Comment on Wadi Shab – Not too “shabby”! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:49:31 +0000

Annyung Haseyo, Min-Yeong!
It’s always great to hear from you. About the camera-yes, it’s a new camera. (12.1 megapixels!)
Che is doing well and the baby as well, thank God! And thanks for asking.
Glad to know my pics made you smile!
I pray that all is well with you. Keep me updated with you latest news. I hope that we’ll be able to meet again someday…It would be nice to have a “Shin-Ae Won reunion” someday!

Comment on Wadi Shab – Not too “shabby”! by minyeong,kim

minyeong,kim — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:03:32 +0000

wow!!
so great! you bought your camera?
your technic is nice also^^

hows ur baby n wife? u know what?
when i come here that make me smile.

i wish take care in God^^
from min yeong, kim.

Comment on Beautiful Coast near Hwaiyat Najm Park by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:59:51 +0000

Thanks for the comment and compliment, snakegaer! You have quite a beautiful country and I enjoy sharing it with others! I still have lots to do, see and learn…

Comment on Beautiful Coast near Hwaiyat Najm Park by snakegaer

snakegaer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:45 +0000

I really liked your site…
I’m Omani but after viewing and reading some pages it seems that you know about Oman more than i do :>

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:16:24 +0000

Hey Azhar,
Well from your own lips, you mention that it’s more than what you would expect to earn in India, so why not, right?! Why not get some overseas experience that looks good on the resume while enjoying life in this beautiful country.
Ultimately, it’s your choice and one you have to live with so may God bless you as you make this important choice regarding your future. Blessings!

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by Azhar Suharwardi

Azhar Suharwardi — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:54:34 +0000

Hi again,
Thanx for the interest. The employer, in addition to 300OMR is also offering free accomodation, a vehicle and medical facilities but no food expenses. 300OMR equals 36000 INR, which is more than what I expect to earn in India, as I do not have a job experience. So do you think I should accept the offer?

Comment on The Golden Horses of Wadi Al Kabir by Andy

Andy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:49:17 +0000

Hey Charlene!

It was great to finally meet you al Al Nahda! Sounds like you guys had an incredible retreat! Many blessings from me and Che!

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:03:20 +0000

Hi there Azhar
I think you better ask your potential employer what benefits come with the job. That will help you make a more informed choice of course. It really depends on how it compares with what you were making in India. God bless as you try to make such an important career choice.

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by Azhar Suharwardi

Azhar Suharwardi — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:38:32 +0000

Hi Andy,
I am an MBA fresher living in India and I am being offered a job with a salary of 300 OMR.Whether this is with or without food/accomodation I do not know yet. Going through the above posts made me realize that this is probably not a very good offer. Do you think that one could survrive on that under a simple but decent life style.

I would really apprertiate the help.

Comment on Preparing for Halloween in Oman by bahman2000

bahman2000 — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:13:45 +0000

come to our halloween party http://www.bmboman.com/2009/vice

Comment on Oman Dive Center by Andy Brown

Andy Brown — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:56:35 +0000

Dear Laura,
I’m glad that you could be encouraged/uplifted by this simple blog. Glad to be of service! Blessings!

Reinier,
I’m sure you’ll have a blast while you’re here in the sultanate. Enjoy and thanks for the comment!

Comment on Oman Dive Center by reinier

reinier — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:03:36 +0000

Hello,

Thank you for the good information about the oman diving center.
I will arrive in oman october 16 for a week of diving at the odc and with your store even more looking forward

Reinier, the netherlands

Comment on Oman Dive Center by Laura

Laura — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:50:42 +0000

I came across your site while looking for something else. Was feeling a little low today, and the more I read and enjoyed your photos, the bigger the smile on my face. When I got to where you were praising God, I realized what a blessing your site must be for other stangers too. Thank you for sharing.
Yours in Christ
Laura

Comment on Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D. by andydbrown

andydbrown — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:38:18 +0000

Hi, Taneen!
Interesting thoughts you wrote there. Thanks! (for the comment and for visiting! ) Loving it here in Oman!

Comment on Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D. by Taneen

Taneen — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:14:44 +0000

Hi Andy,

Omani women never wore the black abaya until maybe mid to late 70s, and probably later than that in the interior of Oman. I think it could have started as a case of somebody started it and then as fashion has it.. everybody does it. It also could be that as Oman opened up more in the early 70s it was seen that others in the Gulf were covering up in abayas. Now, sadly we have lost the vibrant colours of Omani dress as they have been ”told” to cover up for their modesty sake. What was immodest about the lovely colours of the omani costumes I have no idea. Also more women in the capital areas have stopped wearing the traditional dishdasha/surwal (tunic and trousers) in place of long dresses with matching lahaf, or long skirs and tops. So much for progress. Enjoyed looking at your site and the pics, you have been out and about! Happy trails in Oman to you.

Comment on Oman “Rocks”! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:02:28 +0000

Thanks, Shahrazad! I really have been blessed during my stay here but I try not to confuse the blessings of God with “good luck”! That is a very important distinction. I should not have written “Oman has been good to me…” but rather, “GOD has chosen (in His grace) to pour out His blessings upon me since coming to Oman.” Thanks for making me rethink that!

Comment on Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D. by Andy

Andy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:33:30 +0000

Salam, Shahrazad!
Thanks for your comments! I, too, can be nagging at times but for the most part I try to follow Philippians 4:4 which commands, “Rejoice in the LORD always: and again I say, Rejoice.”
I found your explanation, from a cultural perspective, to be very well-described. It reminded me of often seeing village ladies in the BRIGHTEST of colours on my trips to and from Ibri. I would always see a flash of bright colours as they seemed to rush from the roadside (to avoid being seen?!) as they went to or returned from getting water from one of the wells on a nearby hill.
So thanks again for the comment and blessings to you and your family!

Comment on Surely Surreal Sea Scenes Surrounding Sur by Andy

Andy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:20:43 +0000

Thanks, Min-Yeong!
Keep me posted through email from time to time! God bless!

Comment on Oman “Rocks”! by Shahrazad

Shahrazad — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:28:16 +0000

Glad you like your stay here.

Oman brings good luck to people

Comment on Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D. by Shahrazad

Shahrazad — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:26:50 +0000

Hello,

Glad to have stumbled upon your blog.
Quite a refreshing outlook on Oman from an expat, something different than the usual nagging

I’m Omani, I will try to answer your questions.
From a cultural perspective, Omani women were never known for their black robes or (abayas). In fact, the further you go towards the interior, the more colourful the clothes are! I come from AlSharqiya region, but have lived in Muscat all my life. When we go to Sharqiya we actually wear colourful (very colourful, to that extent that it’s a no-no to match the colours of the dress to the pants, they have to be different), we only wear Abaya in Muscat because it’s more culturally accepted here.

As for the history of the black robes, Islam has nothing to do with it. As far as I know, there were times when black wasn’t a popular colour in the Gulf region, a trader in clothes losing business wanted to promote his items of black clothings to the women, so he wrote a magnificent poetry visualising black as a majestic royal colour. He was very successfully, from then on, the concept changed to black being majestic and royal!

Comment on Surely Surreal Sea Scenes Surrounding Sur by minyeong,kim

minyeong,kim — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:19:06 +0000

you are always looks so good^^ how are you? Thanks for your writing. take care and your wife.^^

Comment on A Few Things in Oman that Make Me Go “Hmm….” (AKA “Signs and Wonders”) by andydbrown

andydbrown — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:33:24 +0000

Ha!ha! YES, I knew that was “Reduce Speed”, Bonnie! That’s just my odd sense of humor in action!

Comment on A Few Things in Oman that Make Me Go “Hmm….” (AKA “Signs and Wonders”) by Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:21:25 +0000

I believe that is supposed to say “reduce speed” but then you probably already knew that…haha

Comment on The Haunted House of Muscat?! by Mohammed "Eddie" Al Rahbi

Mohammed "Eddie" Al Rahbi — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:57:35 +0000

I’ve been following on Ghost, Spirits, Psychic and Medium World for some times in Oman and England where I lived for sometime, right now while im reading this I’m about to watch Most haunted live ( if you are from the UK or lived there you must know it ), Any body interesting in checking some Haunted Houses in Oman. email me. let unlock some secrets and maybe try to speak to the Spirits..

Comment on Hello world! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:17:01 +0000

Another bunch of comments that I never seemed to respond to…Thanks Julie, Tatek and Eskedar! How lovely to hear from friends from Korea and Ethiopia!

Comment on How’s your vision? by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:24:46 +0000

Hi, Hope! I failed to respond to this comment so long ago! Thanks for visiting and leaving a short message. It was SUCH a blessing meeting you and your family in the Philippines in January. God bless you as you study hard in school. You are truly becoming a dedicated, God-fearing young man by the grace of God! Love and blessings from me and Che!

Comment on A Date Merchant from Bediah, Oman by Charlene Brown

Charlene Brown — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:36:23 +0000

If you want date and bran muffins for sure because it is the only thing I know of to put dates in! But they are yummy

Comment on A Date Merchant from Bediah, Oman by andydbrown

andydbrown — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:11:55 +0000

Now we know what to bring you the next time we make it to Canada-10 kgs of dates, ha!ha!

Comment on A Date Merchant from Bediah, Oman by Charlene Brown

Charlene Brown — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:23:25 +0000

Dates are really yummy cut up in fresh bran muffins.

Comment on Overwhelmed by the Blessings of God! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:36:25 +0000

Thanks so much, June! It’s appreciated!
And great to hear from you, MinYeong! Congratulations on buying a laptop. I hope we’ll be in touch more!

Comment on Overwhelmed by the Blessings of God! by minyeong,kim

minyeong,kim — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:43:38 +0000

andy!!! wow!! congraturations!!!
u will be dad? wow!
how are u?for a long time , i didnt visite ur site..but i make a notebook now. so, i would like to see u throught ur website.
see u!! and God bless u and ur wife!

Comment on Arab Female Dress in 1780 A.D. by Anwar

Anwar — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:35:08 +0000

Hey Andy,

So I thought I would share what I know of this phenomenon. When the ‘Ansari’, or people at the time of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), responded to god’s command that believing women should cover their heads they looked as if they has adorned black crows.

I think that the black garment is an expression found here in the gulf, and perhaps an illustration of Gulfy Muslims working hard to mimic those people close to the time of the Prophet. Having said that you can see many variant interpretations that include almost every color in the rainbow in other muslim societies including malaysia, egypt, those of west africa, syria, iraq etc. Similarly Omani men tend to adorn white dish-dasher, white being a favorite color of the prophet Mohammed, and was advised to be of the best color for believing men to adorn, however even he was known to wear many different colors and kinds of clothes.

Anyhow, for a much more reliable source than I see this original quote at http://islamqa.com/en/ref/898

Wiki also has an interesting discussion on Hijab:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijab

As for women being in the shadow of men, I think that it is just the propagation of a VERY bad misconception about Arabian women (not from you personally but in general). They are far from being shadows in our society, and I think especially in a country such as Oman that tries to recognize a woman’s ‘god given rights’. A short research into the empowerment of women by Islam would help dispel any misinformation.

Peace, and hope you enjoy the serenity in Ramadan.

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:02:36 +0000

Hi, Ronnie!
It really depends on your previous experience, education and previous salary.
700RO would be considered too little for some and quite a bit for others. It is definitely enough to “survive” over here.
Hope it all works out for you. Blessings!

Comment on Overwhelmed by the Blessings of God! by June

June — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:17:58 +0000

Belated happy birthday Andy and all His blessings on you three as you follow the progress of Junior Brown over the next months of waiting! June

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by Ronnie

Ronnie — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:07:52 +0000

I am a Chemical Engineer with 3 years experience. What is the minimum salary at musct of a Chemical Project Engineer with 3 years of experience?I am a bachelor. I will be relocating to Muscat. I am offered a salary of 700 R.O. with free Air Conditioned Accomodation & free flight home once every year. Is it a good salary to survive over there?

Comment on Haircuts, Barbers, the Cost of Living in Oman and the Ever Worsening Economic Crisis to Grip the World! by andydbrown

andydbrown — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:56:36 +0000

Hi, Sheila!
Good to hear that you decided to take the job! Congratulations! If you let me and Che know when you are flying in, we’d like to be there to greet you (also in case your transportation doesn’t make it). Tell us this info through email if you’d like at andydbrown@hotmail.com Not to worry you, but there was one Filipino girl who showed up at the airport recently and was picked up by someone claiming to be her sponsor. They took her somewhere and she was raped. She went to the embassy of the Philippines but there was nothing they could do to help her. Asian ladies REALLY have to be careful in this part of the world-this type of thing is never reported in the newspapers for the sake of “image”.
Yes, our church is near the Muscat airport. That is the one in Ghala with church service on Friday mornings. There is also one in Ruwi with service on Sunday evenings.
PLEASE don’t think you are bothering us with your questions. We totally understand the nervousness/excitement/curiosity of coming to a completely new land and we only hope that we can help you as much as we can.