The initial hassles of relocating and adjusting to a new culture and climate are starting to fade into the distance. There is a strong group of ex-pats here, controllers and their families, who have all been through the stresses of moving and setting up new homes, and are therefor very supportive of new arrivals. This was especially useful when it came to alcohol, as you have to apply for a liquor licence before you can buy booze, except for in hotel and restaurant bars. The main problem I had was that we had started our training course in the ATC college which was 0730-1400 Sat to Wed, (the Omani working week, with Friday being 'Pray Day'), and the licencing department at the police station being open 0700-1300 Sat to Wed. You apply for a monthly allowance of up to 10% of your monthly salary, and once that is gone bad luck! Thankfully a couple of weeks ago we finished early and I raced into Ruwi, the CBD, and got my licence in the form of a passport type book where all the purchases are recorded.
I got an allowance of 100 Rials per month, about $300....better to be safe than sorry!Here's a picture of me enjoying my new licence while watching the India v England third test on my pay t.v.
Note the look of dissapointment on England captain Michael Vaughn's face as he watches his wicketkeeper Matt Prior drop Sachin Tendulkar on the 1st day of the 3rd test. Note my look of pleasure!
It took a while to set up house as the cyclone also affected furniture sales, availabilty and delivery times. A lot of people lost everything therefor there were 2 week delays on most furniture deliveries, which meant 2 weeks of a leaking air mattress, Dale's little camp fridge, no couch and no stove. The rentals over here are not furnished with a 'cooker' so you have to buy your own including gas hoses, connect it, then buy a gas bottle. After take-away food for 2 weeks it was a relief to be able to do some home cooking! (Although the take-away here is cheap, good and there is a huge variety)
My housemate Franklin is taking a while to get used to. He is 51, from Panama, and only plans to stay for a year or two at most. I offered him a room until we get 'validated', approximately in 3 months all going well, and then he would find a place of his own. His family misses him, especially his 12 year old daughter who is often crying on the phone at nights, therefore he is very homesick. He is not used to cooking for himself, or washing clothes etc, and is not used to living away from home. It has been a big move for him and he is struggling to adapt and therefore has been putting a lot of added pressure on me. I know I am not the easiest person to live with either so that is also a factor (I tend to be a touch on the pedantic side, and work on the theory of 'Do as I say, not as I do').
The rent here is 350 OR (Omani Rials) per month, meaning Franklins first month covered the cost of my 175 OR couch.
By the time he gets validated in 3 months my whitegoods should be all accounted for!
I must add though that Franklin, although 'god-fearing' to an extent, is a really nice guy. He reminds me a bit of my Dad with his kindness to people, lack of cooking skills and his non-listening abilities......ever tried to live with your Dad?
Once our apartment was furnished we felt a lot more comfortable, except for the occasional blocked toilet, tiles falling off the outside of the building and the noise echoing through a concrete brick apartment building, however with 'real' air traffic control starting soon we settled down with a beer or two and hit the books to study our new airspace....(Note maps behind Frank)...
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