Website: www.omancenter.org Email: [email protected] CLOTHING AND PACKING INFORMATION CLOTHING When you arrive in Oman, you will notice right away that the people around you will be dressed in countless ways reflecting a myriad of cultures. Omani nationals usually wear traditional national dress in distinctive black and white. Most Omani men wear long white dishdasha and embroidered cap called a kuma or, for more formal occasions, a massar (turban). Most Omani women and many ex-patriates wear a long black abaya, with a head scarf, called a hijab (or shayla). Mixed in with Omanis in national dress you’ll also find people wearing traditional dress from Southeast Asia such as salwar kameez and people wearing modest Western clothing of all types. In the United States and many parts of the world, we are accustomed to dressing to express our individuality, and you may feel that everyone in Oman looks the same when you first arrive. However, once you get used to the “sea” of black and white, you’ll start to notice that there is plenty of individuality in dress here! Appropriate Dress and Standards of Modesty – VERY IMPORTANT Be prepared to dress very conservatively in Oman! You cannot go wrong with modest, opaque, loosefitting clothing with long sleeves and ankle-length pants or skirts. Continue reading for more details! Basic Information For men: For classes or lectures, men should wear buttoned shirts or polos with neat long trousers or nice jeans (no t-shirts, please). Men in meetings with professionals should wear button down shirts and a tie. For women: Plan to wear a lot of ankle- or floor-length dresses and skirts paired with long- or below-the-elbowlength sleeves. Some female students choose to cover their hair, while many do not. Some homestay families will request that you wear a hijab while in the presence of male family members in the home. You will need a scarf to completely cover your hair when visiting the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. Lightweight scarves are available and affordable in Muscat. Slacks and jeans are acceptable for girls as long as they are not tight. In Oman, leggings and skinny jeans are not pants! Skinny jeans and leggings can go with dress-length tunics, but not shirts. Phone/fax: +968 245 510 41 Mailing address: Box 2644, PC 111 Muscat Sultanate of Oman CR No. 1136249 ۱۱۱٦۲٤۹: ‫ت‬.‫س‬ ۹ ٦ ۸ ۲٤ ٥ ٥ ۱ ۰٤۱ :‫فاكس‬/‫هاتف‬ ۱۱۱ :‫الرمز البريدي‬,۲ ٦ ٤٤ : ‫ب‬.‫ ص‬:‫العنوان البريدي‬ ‫مسقط‬ ‫سلطنة عمان‬ Long skirts are not only very fashionable this season but also practical. However, please check to make sure your skirts are not transparent. If you are in doubt about a skirt, buy a slip. Another good option to make long skirts more comfortable in hot Arabian weather is to use those leggings (the ones that are NOT pants) as a layer underneath your skirt. Midriffs should never show, no matter the occasion. Necklines of shirts and dresses should come to the collarbone. Even though this looks like a big difference from how high school and college students normally dress, don’t feel like you need to buy a new wardrobe to come to Oman. Short dresses can be great “shirts” in Oman. A high-neck sleeveless shirt isn’t okay on its own, but with a cardigan it may be perfect. Specific questions about dress can be addressed to Judi Garfinkel at [email protected]. Dressing Appropriately for the Situation You’ll find yourself in a number of environments while in Oman and you might dress slightly differently in each. 1. Very conservative: visits with traditional Omanis. This includes our visits to the interior of Oman, visits to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, visits with a host family, or any formal situation that will put you in company with Omanis. This environment demands your most conservative clothing: long, opaque ankle-length skirts or long, loose pants for girls along with non-revealing long-sleeved shirts. Dressing this way is a courtesy to your hosts and is for your ease and comfort when engaging with people in Oman. You are encouraged to read this great blog post from an Omani blogger about dressing for the interior: http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-to-wear-in-in-interior-andmuscat.html 2. Conservative: school days at CIL. The clothes most westerners wear to school are not appropriate in Oman. For CIL school days and events, shirt sleeves for girls should be elbowlength or longer and pants/skirts should be calf-length or longer. No skinny jeans except with dresses or tunic tops and nothing revealing or overly tight. Necklines of shirts and dresses should be above the collarbone (or cover up with a scarf). Boys do not need to dress formally but should dress neatly. Another great blog post about dressing for regular days in Muscat: http://howtolivelikeanomaniprincess.blogspot.com/2012/12/dress-guide-for-expats-interestedin.html 3. Modest Casual: In the center of town where more foreigners work and live and foreign businesses operate (i.e., Qurum and Madinat Sultan Qaboos), as well as at western-style pools and beaches, you are free to dress in a slightly more “familiar” way. This can mean modest bathing suits and board shorts with t-shirts for swimming and capri pants with sneakers for hiking. The hiking is great in Oman and we want you to come prepared to enjoy it—but be mindful that the same expectations of modesty apply even when the situation allows you to dress more practically. A great trick for navigating different environments is to carry loose-fitting button-down shirts and scarves so that you can adjust your outfit based on your surroundings. Sloppy, tight, revealing, or very informal clothing, such as tank tops or shorts, are never acceptable either at CIL or in Oman. Omanis take pride in their clothing, which is always clean, neat and pressed, and they expect that visitors to their country will follow suit. It is easy to find local laundry shops that will wash and/or iron your clothing very inexpensively. Enough About Modesty; What About Climate? You will be happiest with light, loose fitting clothing with minimal skin exposure for daytime activity and a light sweater or jacket for air conditioning that may be too cool for your personal comfort. The coolest winter temperatures in Oman range from 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit) during the day down to 15 (59 Fahrenheit) at night, in December through February. Nighttime temperatures in the desert can be even lower. Summer temperatures are quite hot, ranging from about 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) to 45 degrees Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) or more. March temperatures are fairly hot in the daytime (close to 30 degrees Celsius) and cooler in the evenings (in the 20s Celsius), but air conditioning is present (and dependable!) virtually everywhere. Footwear: sandals are the national shoe, and a good pair of sneakers will also come in handy for hikes in the wadis! Swimming: In addition to your swimsuit, you should bring clothing that you can swim in to wear on top of your suit for sun protection and to cover your body. This means long shorts, capris, loose t-shirts, etc. Not all the tourists and ex-pats around you will be following this advice. We recommend that you dress modestly even in western-style beaches and pools for your own comfort and as a sign of respect for local standards. In summary, you are expected to be culturally-aware of the appropriateness of your clothing in different venues in Oman. For example, conservative dress for boys and girls (as described above) is expected when you are at CIL, and in traditional neighborhoods of Muscat and beyond. However, should you visit parts of Muscat that are enclaves for tourists, it can be appropriate to dress a bit less conservatively (i.e., short sleeves and capris for women), but we ask that you dress appropriately while in transit. PACKING We recommend that you try to pack lightly. If you have any questions about what items can be found in Oman, please contact Judi Garfinkel at [email protected]. Travel documents  Passport: You passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your departure from Oman. We suggest that you carry a copy of the photo page of your passport, and keep your passport in a safe place during your stay in Oman. Health and Toiletries  Oman’s hypermarkets (supermarkets) sell virtually any and all toiletries you might need, although the brands may be different in some cases.  The sun in Oman is harsh: high SPR sunscreen and lip balm are recommended.  Extra pair of glasses or contacts, if needed. Contact solution is available in Muscat though it may be more expensive than in the US.  Obtain a full supply of any medications you normally take, enough to last the length of your program. For prescription medication, it is advised that you bring a copy of the prescription just in case. Other Important Items  Camera  Travel alarm clock if you use one  Flashlight or headlamp (for camping)  Sturdy sneakers or walking shoes (for hiking)  Laptop/iPad/smartphone, if desired. (wifi is available at CIL)  Universal plug adapter (3-rectangular blades arranged in triangle) to charge your laptop, cellphone, etc. Don’t buy an expensive kit, as single plug adapters can be purchased for under $3 in Muscat.  Bring your copy of Al Kitaab fi Ta’allum al-‘Arabiyya. What NOT to pack!  Sheets, towels, pillows (these are provided in student accommodations)  Pornography (and even normal magazines with men or women in provocative poses!)  Incendiary political tracts  Weapons  Illegal drugs Revised 10 May 2014