Professor Ferrari in Oman

Recently Professor Ferrari returned from a trip to Oman where she evaluated a study abroad program for the university. She also returned with some great pictures and stories. I've posted some below with Professor Ferrari's informative captions; you can find more of her pecitures on our Flickr site here.

This is a view of the Grand Mosque in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Oman is an authoritarian society, ruled by the (relatively benign) decree of the Sultan. In the 1990s, the Sultan had this mosque built, using his personal funds, as a gift to the people. It is the largest mosque in Oman, and can hold something like 15,000 worshippers. Every element, from the shoe cubbies to the five minarets to the magnificent gardens is lovingly and exquisitely detailed. This is a working mosque, with daily prayers, and is open to tourists only three mornings a week (between prayer times). This is important, since most Omani mosques, unlike those in some other countries, generally are closed to non-Muslims at all times. The Grand Mosque complex also houses a good-sized public library.

This is a view of the Men’s Prayer Hall at the Grand Mosque. The chandelier is the largest in the world. The carpet is the largest in the world to be woven in a single piece. As I took this photo, I was facing Mecca; so this is the view a worshipper might have of the room during prayer time.

This is the Men’s Reading Room in the library at Sultan Qaboos University, the premier national university in Oman. Men and women take classes together, but generally sit in different sections of the classroom. Dormitories are single-sex, and I believe women are required to live on campus. The library stacks are open, and both genders share them. However, reading rooms, carrels, and even circulation desks are segregated by gender. So here are the guys reading.

Women’s Reading Room in the library at Sultan Qaboos University. I had to get special permission from the librarian (a man) to photograph the women. He obviously was uncomfortable having me do so, but was reluctant to say no to a guest. Because I am female he relented, but on the condition that I take a wide enough shot that no one’s face would be clearly visible. I also asked whether students are required to wear traditional attire on campus, and was told that it is a norm rather than a rule.

Floating in the harbor you can see a juxtaposition of old and new Oman. The old-style dhow sailboat floats in front of a modern 21st Century port. Just to the left of this dhow was a huge cruise liner bringing European tourists into town.

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