henry badenhorst: teaching esl and living in oman (2008-2009)

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