Hi there Jade – As this is the first time that I am writing to you I think I should start by telling you something about Sultan Qaboos University campus. Well it’s a beautiful place with lots of facilities, which ,at many a times, make me wonder if I am really in a campus compound or in a small town.
Other than the buildings that house the different faculties there are also, of course, a mosque which stands majestically in the centre square and a clock tower , towering the various faculty buildings, including a university hospital where my wife works. Then there are also various shops that sell groceries, books and periodicals, IT equipment , hand phones , and when hungry there are also many cafes , canteens , and even a restaurant at the clubhouse that serve western as well as local food. There is also a swimming pool at the clubhouse as well as a gymnasium . At the students’ community centre there is also a bowling alley and courts for indoor games. For formal functions like convocation there are two very distinguished structures namely the Great Hall and two open-air amphitheatres spread out in an area luxuriantly overgrown with colourful flowering bougainvillea plants that put to shame our Ipoh town which is nicknamed bougainvillea city.
All the roads of the campus are lined with a beautiful and colourful array of flowering plants and trees , making one wonders if this is really a desert area. All these plants and trees not only enhance the beauty of the surrounding buildings but also add to the splendour to the place – bearing testimony of man’s achievement over the atrocities of nature. On the ground can be spotted thin lengthy rubber hose that spread like arteries delivering constant supply of water to each and every plant at regular intervals to give them sufficient supply to keep them alive ; mind you they do not only survive but also thrive well , an envy to nations that have abundant water supply but are not able to up- keep the plants. I have yet to spot a cactus plant. All of them are those plants that are commonly found in monsoon and tropical countries like Malaysia.
Contrary to what I professed before I came , the people here are very friendly and polite. The place is safe bereft of hoodlums that haunt you with robbery, rape and the likes of them that make the streets dangerous to walk about. There is tight security everywhere . The community here is of varied races ; other than the locals here ( mostly students ) there are expatriates from the Western countries ( holding high professional positions – lecturers , doctors and the paramedics ) the Asian countries of China, Indians, Philipines, Gulf and of course Malaysia . Taking the helm of non-professional positions, are mainly the Indians and the Filipinos
How about our quarters here ? Each block of our quarters is made up of four apartments - four on the ground floor and four on upper floor. Each main door of the apartment opens to an open-air foyer. This is where the residents relax and interact with one another . A common recreation of the residents to unwind after a hard days work is to practise horticulture ; growing flowering plants , vegetables and herbal plants. Those with green-fingers are able to get a constant supply for their pans and vases. Each apartment is equipped with two air-conditioners, one for the living room which is adjacent to the cooking section and the other in the bedroom. Hence one is always comfortable at home be it in winter or in summer . The kitchen is well equipped with oven , fridge, and cabinets. The living room is made cosy with a comfortable lounge set. It’s big enough also to house guests temporarily. It’s a one-bedroom apartment with a double bed , dressing table , and built-in cupboard . Oh yes the bathroom, it has water heater and shower bath system . It’s never short of water and you can take your bath as frequently as you take in Malaysia.. You can even drink the water direct from the tap though some fussy and overly careful ones buy specially prepared water in bottles for cooking and drinking consumption .
Amidst all the comfort, you may wonder what I do to pass each day of the week. For the first few days I tried to adjust myself to the new environment here . A cultural shock to see people all around wrapped up in black attires ( for ladies a modern “arbayah “ minus the part covering the face ) or white gowns with headgears ( “mussars “and “kummahs) for the men. Now I am quite familiar to the surroundings and I even venture out alone for walks around the campus when my wife is working. I won’t say I miss the green green grass of home as the place here is well vegetated with trees and grass ( as it’s winter ) and of course the bright sunlight. I also patronize some of the food outlets to savour some of the western and local spreads. Yes it’s nice and comfortable here – a sort of a home away from home but still it’s not my home with my own loved ones and the Malaysian culture we are so used to. It’s a good place to earn good money in a comfortable environment but definitely there’s no place like home !
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