Journey North Mystery Class Spring 2006

Introducing Mystery Class #7--Muscat, Oman
( 23.617 N, 58.600 E)

'Salaam alaikum' from 8th grade at
The American International School of Muscat (TAISM)!

Our school has an American curriculum, but is made up of students from over 40 different countries. In 8th grade we are from Puerto Rico, United States, Russia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Turkey, Philippines, Norway, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Italy, Great Britain, Egypt, Germany, and of course Oman.

We are the Eighth Grade students at TAISM

The Country--Oman
Oman is one of two Sultanates in the world. A Sultanate is a form of government where the Sultan (kind of like a King) governs the country. The ruler of Oman is His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Sultan Qaboos is very loved and admired here in Oman. He came to power in the early 1970’s and has modernized the country.


Map of Oman	His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said

Islam is the main religion in Oman. Oman was also one of the first areas that converted to Islam. Muslims pray five times a day and you can hear the call to prayer from the mosques around the city. Muslims also fast during the lunar month of Ramadan to remember and practice the teachings of the Koran. A month after the end of Ramadan, many Omanis make the pilgrimage to Mecca. This is called the Hajj. Ibadism is a particular sect (some others being Sunni or Shia) of Islam that is unique to this area.

Several years ago, the Sultan built a large mosque called the Grand Mosque. It contains the largest chandelier and Persian Rug in the world.

The Grand Mosque

The main export in Oman is oil. Oman has less oil than most of the other countries in the area, but it is still very important here. Oman produces 5.5 billion barrels of the 96.7 billion barrels in the Asian/Pacific region.

Fishing is a traditional way of life in Oman. People used to fish with wooden boats called Dhows. Now they use fiberglass boats with outboard engines. However, large Tuna are still caught traditionally with handheld fishing lines. Omanis eat a wide variety of fish and shellfish. Baby sharks are a delicacy!


A traditional Dhow boat	Fish Souk

Tourism is a growing industry in Oman. Most tourists come from Europe. There are not too many wild animals here, but there are lots of goats and camels. People come to Oman to see the sand dunes in the desert, the fjords along the Musandam Peninsula, the rugged mountains, and the pristine coastline. Oman is a very important nesting spot for sea turtles. There is a particular area called Ras al Hadd where hundreds of Green Sea Turtles lay their eggs each night. In the desert, an increasingly popular activity is called dune bashing. This involves driving out into the dunes in a 4x4 truck or quad bike and thrashing up and down the slopes. We have lots of family members from our home countries that come to visit nature and experience the unique culture.


Sand Dunes	A pristine coastline

For an eighth grader at TAISM, you take 10 classes. The core subjects are science, math, U.S. History, and English. We also have band, choir, advisory, art, physical education, and a foreign language (French, Spanish, or Arabic).

The main entrance to TAISM

Our school offers many different after school activities to choose from. You can learn Arabic Dancing and even how to Salsa and Meringue. You can work in the Art Studio or join one of the clubs (Computer, French, Literature, or Chemistry to name a few). There is also something called MUN (Model UN) which gives students an opportunity to debate real world issues with other international schools from around the world. The last conference was in Dublin, Ireland.

The TAISM Soccer Team

At TAISM, you can also join a sports team. The school offers volleyball, soccer, basketball, swimming, and track and field. Our middle school swim team traveled to Warsaw, Poland for a swim meet. It was an amazing experience because we met kids from a lot of different international schools and there was so much snow. The TAISM track team went to an international meet in Cairo, Egypt. We had many hard practices after school, but when we competed we did really well!