Early this morning my mobile started ringing even before my alarm rang and woke up thinking its my family members calling me to wish me on my birthday... but then no, it was a colleague of mine calling to say that there might be some issues with my next door neighbor Mr. Sharma , a person we know and work in the same site has some problems and they are not able to get any response from within the house.He is over 65 years of age and his wife had just traveled couple of days back to U.K to visit their daughter and she has been trying to call him on his mobile from yesterday night. As she was not getting any reply to her calls she called up a colleague of his and also another person within the building to go to the flat and check.
Door banging and using the calling bell was of no use as there was silence within the flat and it was then decided to break open the door and see if all is well. As per the rule we need to have police around for doing the same and the building manager informed ROP who promptly sent an officer. In the presence of the officer the door lock was broken and on entry my neighbor was found lying in the passage of the flat, unable to talk or get up but conscious. A suspected stroke or a heart attack is the reason.....immediately an ambulance was called and he was taken to the emergency ward of Sultan Qaboos Hospital.
When i think of this incident it just sends jitters down my spine since i am also staying alone here in Oman and i am not growing any younger ...........
I hope and pray that my neighbor gets well soon without any complications.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
This is no way to treat a woman..............
Yeah you heard me right and am pissed by the news i read about the treatment doled out to a woman in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where women are treated as a slaves . I have read innumerable stories of horror Asian expatriate women have undergone in KSA and this news on Tuesdays gulf region news papers shows that they do not even respect their own national women. The news is reproduced as under
"" Court rejects Saudi woman's plea to marry colleague: report
AFP
Published 17:56 18 October 2010
A Medina court has rejected for the second time a Saudi doctor's suit to be allowed to marry a colleague
Jeddah: A Medina court has rejected for the second time a Saudi doctor's suit to be allowed to marry a colleague against the wishes of her father and brother, a Saudi newspaper reported.
The court refused on Sunday to reverse its July decision against the 42-year-old woman despite an appeals court having sent the verdict back for reconsideration, Al-Watan newspaper reported.
The woman originally sought the help of the lower court to marry a doctor in the hospital where she worked, saying her father and brothers had refused to allow the union because the man is from a tribe other than their own.
But the judge in the case again denied her petition. In his original judgment he accused her of being disobedient to her father.
She has been living in a protective women's institute for two years, and says she faces abuse from her father if she goes back to his home.
"I have been prevented from marrying for 10 years now, and my case has been in the Medina court for five years," the woman told Al-Watan.
"I will turn 43 in a few months. I don't have many years left to build a family and have children."
Her lawyer, Ahmad Al Sudairy, said the judge had blinded himself to the woman's plight and wishes while he cited passages from Koranic texts to back his own judgment, the newspaper said. ""
I have highlighted couple of lines of the news which categorically states that men have absolute control over women ....WTF are we in stone ages ???
I know that this is not going to change in Saudi Arabia for some more years to come but other gulf countries have done enough to banish such traditions. Even to this day a woman in Saudi cannot get a driving license and all women while coming out of their homes have to wear burka ( black veil) .
Me for one would never even contemplate to work in this country though have been offered good salary.
"" Court rejects Saudi woman's plea to marry colleague: report
AFP
Published 17:56 18 October 2010
A Medina court has rejected for the second time a Saudi doctor's suit to be allowed to marry a colleague
Jeddah: A Medina court has rejected for the second time a Saudi doctor's suit to be allowed to marry a colleague against the wishes of her father and brother, a Saudi newspaper reported.
The court refused on Sunday to reverse its July decision against the 42-year-old woman despite an appeals court having sent the verdict back for reconsideration, Al-Watan newspaper reported.
The woman originally sought the help of the lower court to marry a doctor in the hospital where she worked, saying her father and brothers had refused to allow the union because the man is from a tribe other than their own.
But the judge in the case again denied her petition. In his original judgment he accused her of being disobedient to her father.
Under Saudi Arabia's strict version of Islamic Sharia law and its deeply conservative tribal traditions, men have absolute control over their daughters until they marry.
The judge in the case also ordered that the woman return to live at her father's house.She has been living in a protective women's institute for two years, and says she faces abuse from her father if she goes back to his home.
"I have been prevented from marrying for 10 years now, and my case has been in the Medina court for five years," the woman told Al-Watan.
"I will turn 43 in a few months. I don't have many years left to build a family and have children."
Her lawyer, Ahmad Al Sudairy, said the judge had blinded himself to the woman's plight and wishes while he cited passages from Koranic texts to back his own judgment, the newspaper said. ""
I have highlighted couple of lines of the news which categorically states that men have absolute control over women ....WTF are we in stone ages ???
I know that this is not going to change in Saudi Arabia for some more years to come but other gulf countries have done enough to banish such traditions. Even to this day a woman in Saudi cannot get a driving license and all women while coming out of their homes have to wear burka ( black veil) .
Me for one would never even contemplate to work in this country though have been offered good salary.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Life is not a bed of roses........... some have only patches of thorns
Every living being has to die at some point of time.... its the nature but then one does not know when the end is coming. Last week called a friend just to say hello and i was informed that she is in hospital discharging her father who is 74 yrs old and had been diagnosed with final stages of thyroid cancer. A man who was hale and healthy for most part of life and has no vices like smoking, drinking etc , never had been admitted in hospital and this confinement in hospital was a mystery to him also. He had complained of pains and was taken for a check up and immediately admitted for further tests and it was during these tests the doctors found out that he has been suffering from cancer.
My friend was in tears over the phone stating that she does not know as to how to break this news to her father as he has been kept in the dark of his condition and she has to break this new of the impending inevitable end.Some people take this news calmly but then it needs lots of courage and grit to absorb such news. My friend questioned me why not a cardiac arrest or an instantaneous death instead of the slow death which she has to witness for next few weeks and i had no answer to it nor has anyone in this world. No wonder they say that people who just pass on in their sleep or as they are relaxing without warning are blessed to go to the next world without suffering.
It is pretty bad for the near and dear ones around him knowing that it is matter of days or weeks that he would stop being around them. I pray to god to give courage and strength to my friend and her her family to be able to face the coming days bravely and make her father's life as comfortable as possible.
My friend was in tears over the phone stating that she does not know as to how to break this news to her father as he has been kept in the dark of his condition and she has to break this new of the impending inevitable end.Some people take this news calmly but then it needs lots of courage and grit to absorb such news. My friend questioned me why not a cardiac arrest or an instantaneous death instead of the slow death which she has to witness for next few weeks and i had no answer to it nor has anyone in this world. No wonder they say that people who just pass on in their sleep or as they are relaxing without warning are blessed to go to the next world without suffering.
It is pretty bad for the near and dear ones around him knowing that it is matter of days or weeks that he would stop being around them. I pray to god to give courage and strength to my friend and her her family to be able to face the coming days bravely and make her father's life as comfortable as possible.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Value your friends
I was browsing old mails received by me some time back and I found this interesting story about friends and friendship. All our lives we keep searching for good friends and after getting one we suddenly seem to be caught up in daily routine of life that we fail to set aside some time for our friend and take things for granted. The story goes like this and yes an eye opener too !!!!!!!!!
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.
The sand is everything else--the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Khareef (Rainy) Season in Salalah , Southern part of Oman
Each year towards the end of June or Mid July Dhofar province is blessed with monsoon showers and this season lasts for nearly 2 months. Once bleak and brown mountainous ranges around Salalah starts turning green and beautiful. Unlike the normal monsoon rains, there is constant drizzle through out the day reminding you of English weather.
During these two months there is a steady flow of Arab visitors from all over the gulf countries who come here to camp in the mountains and enjoy the unique climate in the Middle East. Expats also visit Salalah during this period as it gives them a few days of respite from the scorching sun at Muscat and other parts of Oman. During these two months it is very difficult to find a cheap accommodation at Salalah and the cheapest possible is at Riyal Omani 35-40 ( Equivalent to approximately $95) . During the off season the accommodation is available for R.O 15.000.
From age old times Salalah is known as the "Perfume capital of Arabia" since extract from the Frankincense trees which are found in abundance was used in making local perfumes which have a very strong smell. Dried extract is also used as incense even to this day in most Arab houses.
Tomb of An Nabi Ayyub (Job's tomb as per christians) lies on the hill abutting Salalah and is one of the destinations for tourists. The saint's foot print is cast just outside the tomb and if that is the size then his foot is huge.
Mughsayl beach is around 40 km away from Salalah on the way to Yemen which has a pristine beach . The tourists flock to see the water coming out of the natural blow holes in the limestone coast when the tide comes inshore.
Coastline along the Mughsayl.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Weekends in the Middle East
Come Thursday evening each week there is a sense of relief in most expats working in Gulf countries since the next 36 hours can be spent in leisure without having to worry about the site or office ( not all of us are lucky even on week ends). Since i stay alone my friends gather at my place for couple of beers / drinks and it has become the only socializing event for most bachelors or forced bachelors as the night life here is not worth mentioning.
The evening winds up after home cooked dinner and off to the land of nods !!!!
No waking up early and dragging yourself off the bed for getting ready to be at the site at 7 am since its the weekly day off .. Friday. I wake up when my body feels sufficiently refreshed and have a relaxed day through out hardly going out anywhere except for the breakfast.
Fridays i call my father and sisters just to tell them that i am fine and all is well here (my wife and kids talk to me 3 times a week).
The day passes off quickly and its back to the normal grind of dragging oneself out of the bed early in the morning on Saturday morning...........yawn !!!
The evening winds up after home cooked dinner and off to the land of nods !!!!
No waking up early and dragging yourself off the bed for getting ready to be at the site at 7 am since its the weekly day off .. Friday. I wake up when my body feels sufficiently refreshed and have a relaxed day through out hardly going out anywhere except for the breakfast.
Fridays i call my father and sisters just to tell them that i am fine and all is well here (my wife and kids talk to me 3 times a week).
The day passes off quickly and its back to the normal grind of dragging oneself out of the bed early in the morning on Saturday morning...........yawn !!!
Women ... even a lifetime is insufficient to understand them
The most difficult thing to a man is to understand women with whom he shares this universe and an entire lifetime spent in this world would not guarantee that you know women fully. Couple of years back i received an email from a woman friend which had this joke about the same topic which i am pasting below for all of you to enjoy. Please do not see me as a Male Chauvinist Pig... i respect and love women and yes it is true that no one on this universe can understand a woman fully ... but then we cannot live without out them. So please sit back and enjoy this small joke ....... cheers
An impossible wish
A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer.
Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want."
The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources.
I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that would honor and glorify me."
The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand my wife. I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what She means when she says nothing's wrong, and how I can make a woman truly Happy."
Lord replied, "You want 2 lanes or 4 lanes on that bridge?"
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