henry badenhorst: teaching esl and living in oman (2008-2009)
TRANSCRIPT
Sultanate of Oman
(Sept. 2008 – Aug. 2009)
Teaching ESL for the Council for British
Teachers at the Ibri College of Applied
Sciences.
OmanOman (Arabic: عمان ʻUmān), officially called the Sultanate of Oman is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. In November 2010, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) listed Oman as the most-improved nation over the last 40 years from among 135 countries worldwide. According to international indices, Oman is one of the most developed and stable countries in the region. The Sultan of Oman, who studied in London, aimed to transform his country for the better, based on his experiences in Britain.
Council for British Teachers• CfBT Education Trust, is an international
not-for-profit education resource management organization.
• CfBT (Council for British Teachers) Education Trust has 40 years' experience of delivering education services worldwide and exists solely to provide education for public benefit.
• Teaching & learning are the essence of CfBT and it has more than 2,500 staff around the world designing and delivering services.
• CfBT staff support educational reform, teach, advise, research & train.
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IbriOur apartment block. Ansu
and I lived on the top left. We had many picnics and enjoyed
many sunset views on the roof
The main street of Ibri running through the whole town, with
our apartment block in the background.
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An Omani shop front in Ibri
Standing in a wadi (dry riverbed)
Francisca & Jordi on top of the old fort hill overlooking a wadi & Ibri hill
A typical Omani villa in Ibri
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A typical Omani farm on the outskirts of Ibri
Ansu and I on top of our roof at sunset
Omani Dates in season - July 2009
Palm Dubai restaurant next to Makkah-where we did our shopping
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Our living room
Inside Makkah shopping centre
The local fish market
Steve (Scotland) & Fran climbing Ibri hill for exercise
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20 Riyal honey for sale at the Ibri market
Camel pet
One of the many Indian run schwarma shops
Typical scene in Ibri
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Omani bus stop in Ibri
Spices shop in Ibri-Bakhoor is the spice here
Ansu and I - Old Fort ruins hill
The only time it rained and it caused a flood
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Ibri College of Applied Sciences
In front of the Library @ ICOAS
With Heston Spencer (UK), a colleague whilst teaching at the
summer school, July 2009.
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Ibri College of Applied Sciences
View of the College. Amid this desert town the College
gardens provided a green oasis.
The Teaching office block. Colleagues
returning from lunch.
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Arabic class: Practicing on the PC
Arabic class: My name in Arabic
Arabic class
My colleagues writing on the board
Ibri College of Applied Sciences
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Ibri College of Applied SciencesWith colleagues. Left to Right: Blair (Aus), Baxter (US), Camilla (UK), Farouq (SA), Steve (UK), Collette (Aus) & me (SA).
On an outing with female students. Picnic in a Wadi
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Visiting Misfat al Jibreen in the mountains
Picnicking with students in a wadi
Ansu my wife on our picnic mat in the wadi
Visiting the souq in Nizwa
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With Waleed and Marwan, two of my Omani students. The sexes
were split as far as possible. Even if it was a mixed class, the sexes
would not mingle with each other.
Some of my male Omani students during class at summer
school. Those who did poorly during the semester received
extra lessons in summer.
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I was invited by one of my students to attend a camel
race organised by her father. This took place on their farm
near Ibri and high profile people attended to watch
races in which multi million dollar camels partook.
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The VIP box and the cup
At a camel race – hot camel milk
Oh I did not race but one can pose at least
Some of the camels
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Camel Race
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Ansu sleeping on our only bus trip to Ibri
On the way to Muscat at a fuel stop
Scenery near Ibri
Scenery near Nizwa
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Oman scenery
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Camels galore sometimes in the middle of nowhere
Bus stop near Dhank
I explored many remote areas
Bundu bashing remote areas
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Rural areas around Ibri
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Wall paintings-quite common in Oman
With Ali our gracious host in Dhank
A Colourful Omani gate
On a water reservoir hill-We got engaged here
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A bunch of teachers at the Ibri College of Applied
Sciences decided to go camp out on Al-Sawadi beach. We
also took a boat trip on a nearby island to do some
snorkelling.
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Al Sawadi
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Bedouin girls at Wadi Ghul
Near Jebel Shems
Wadi Ghul below
On Jebel Shems
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Wadi Ghul Hike
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Wadi Ghul & Jebel Shems
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Baxter’s jeep in a wadi
Hike to wadi Dhum
Francisca (SA)
Swimming in the pools-delightful
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Dune bashing near Dubai
Iranian sailors in Dubai
In a Dubai mall…
Souq in Dubai
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Dubai
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Cornice at Mutrah in Muscat
At one of the gates in Muscat
Guest on a radio show - Muscat
In front of Sultan Qaboos’ palace
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Mutrah area from old fort
Mutrah Cornice
One of Muscat’s beaches
Fire works display in Muscat
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Mutrah-Muscat
Muscat-Inside a mall
Mutrah cornice lunch with colleagues
Qaboos palace lawn
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Nizwa fort
Bahla fort
Ice cream break at Nizwa fort
Jibreen castle near Nizwa
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Clockwise: Spices at the Nizwa souq; Dharis hotel in Nizwa where we uusually went for a swim; and with
colleagues at the Nizwa souq (L-R): Baxter (US), Collette (Aus), me and Steve (UK).
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Sohar beach
Camping on Sohar beach-New year 2009
Sohar beach hotel
Ansu and I on Sohar beach
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Al Sawadi Beach resort
Al Sawadi Beach resort-swimming pool
Boat trips to Al Sawadi islands
Al Sawadi beach resort accommodation
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I spent the last 3 days of my time in Oman at the Al Sawadi beach resort. After nearly a year in
Oman I returned to SA in August 2009