Vol 18 Dating

I thought I would tell you all a bit about how dating in Oman has been going. I have never in my life been this popular. Talk about an ego boost. If you are a woman and you are white, you are hot. It’s that simple.

Most of the Omani men are married but that doesn’t stop them from asking me out. They are allowed to have 4 wives here, though the wives ought to be Muslim. I think it is this 4 wife thing that makes men so unabashed about asking me out. Or perhaps their beliefs about American women has been mis-shaped by images of promiscuity seen in movies and in the TV shows that are becoming popular here. “I would like to take you to coffee” is the standard invite. I had a car salesman calling me every few days for weeks asking me to coffee. Finally I told him I just didn’t think I would ever have the time to go with him. He asked if I was seeing someone else and seeing a way out, I said “yes, I am”. “But I want you!” was his disgruntled reply. At least he stopped calling.

When I walk down a street or even when I am driving in my car with the windows down, young men will shout out “Hey, Lovely, how are you?” The thing about it is, it’s totally innocent. If I say hi back to them they get shy and giggle. Even little boys do a version of it. “Hello” they say and wave and then scurry away giggling.

I inadvertently went on a date with the Egyptian manager of the mall that our office is in when I first got here. He offered to show me around and everyone in the office said he’s nice so I said sure. Next thing I know he’s buying my dinner and telling me he’s been waiting for me to arrive. He saw the picture I sent with my application. He’s short, balding, 63 and MARRIED! He gave me a rose on Valentine’s day and sent me an internet card that was extremely mushy. Eman told me the way to dissuade him was to tell him “don’t waste your time thinking about me”. So blunt, but that is how the women handle the men here. He has stopped pestering me for more dates finally.

I was also pursued by a Lebanese restaurant manager last week. He got my cell number from someone and kept calling and text messaging me such gems as: “Suzan, what I want from you is something bigger than sex coz I had enough I want a good and real relation with you and its up to you suzan and hope that u answer my call” He called me 6 times that day. I answered him on the 6^th call and gave him the “I’m seeing someone” line. Seems to have worked.

I have gone out on the weekends to listen to the excellent bands the better hotels book in. The crowd is 90% male and 90% of those are western expats. Firas calls it a “sauseega factory”. He comes with me sometimes to keep the men off. When I go by myself a lot of the men take a stab at chatting with me. I just keep moving around in the bar and listen to the band.

I did met one seemingly nice man. A Brit named Chris. We went out a few of times and I quite liked him. But on our 4^th date he revealed some things about himself that had me beating a hasty retreat. You never can tell about people. Appearing normal and being normal are two different things.

Let me assure you all, at no time have I felt unsafe here. I could walk down a street in town by myself at 2 in the morning and feel safe here. There just isn’t much crime to speak of here. Say what you like about Muslims, I like these ones. They’re doing something right. (They all think Americans are crazy because George W got reelected).

Anyway, that’s how the dating thing is going. A bunch of you have asked so I’d thought I’d satisfy everyone’s curiosity.