Obesity in Salalah...Contagious?

Okay, so maybe gaining weight is not contagious, like say, a cold. But it certainly has a way of creeping up on you, and then BAM you look in the mirror and you can't believe how you so subtly moved from the category of 'average' to...'chubby'? Like going from the sniffles to bed rest.

I know taking the excuse of living in Salalah sounds like a cheap shot to some, but let me just say, it absolutely, undoubtedly, plays a major role in weight gain, for women AND men. Sam can attest to this, not to mention all those men with protruding bellies in Dishdash. Once your teenage football days are over, youre in for it too guys!

It hit me last week, when Sam and I were invited to a friends house, he excitedly suggested I wear that one Abaya I got last year with the pretty pink embroidery. I gave him a sharp look. He was confused when I snapped and said "Very funny!" By the look on his face, I could tell he really wasn't being funny. "That one is tight on the arms now" I said, nearly whining. The whole night I kept thinking...oh my god, I can't fit in my Abaya, my ABAYA. I couldn't believe it. It's one thing not to be able to fit in your size 4 skinny jeans, but an Abaya? Geez, that's just crazy! The dress is a tent, or so I thought! I got so pissed at not being able to fit into that Abaya I grabbed a can of Dew, a bag of chips and hot sauce and wondered....where did I go wrong? =)

Besides the fact that a lot of Omanis don't have the best eating habits, one can still make smart choices in the foods they choose even with the VERY limited products available. But what about exercise?  Its no secret that exercise is essential to keeping a healthy, fit, trim body. Its what keeps that extra cookie or a can of Dew in check from making its way to your thighs or Abaya arms.

But in Salalah your options for exercise are very limited, and moreso as a woman. Yes, gyms are somewhat available. If youre okay with using old equipment, no air conditioning and limited hours of operation, then you don't share my gripe. Earlier this week after lamenting on this weight gain, Sam and I took a walk down "airport road". I was determined to get myself moving. I walked as quickly as I could without looking like a freak, while slightly holding my dress up to avoid tripping. When I got home, I had an ugly heat rash around my neck and chest. You can't exercise in all those clothes! Duh. You have to dress appropriate for the occasion, and Abaya is just not appropriate for exercise!

I obviously don't want to work out in spandex and a tank top, of course not. But even if I wanted to work out, covered, in long pants, a long sleeve cotton shirt and sneakers on the "airport road" people would stare at me like I'm c.r.a.z.y. Women just don't move quickly around here, we dwaddle, and certainly don't dress like that. We're bound to get fat, contagious I tell you.  Men can work out, run, do push ups etc, wearing whatever.  I guess the most we can get out is, walking briskly...in the dark...in Abaya of course.

Weekend Wonder

Has anyone noticed how pretty Salalah is looking these days? Indians are working hard planting pretty red flowers on the roundabouts and they are working tireless on putting up the new light posts. The lights in the back of the photo are soon to look like the one in the front. I heard a rumor that His Majesty may be coming for a visit, hence the decor?

I was way too lazy smart to walk in the scorching heat for World Health Day last Wednesday. They should have thought more about our health and made the walk in the winter. Poor girls had to walk in their abayas and burqas, while most guys wore shorts and t-shirts. I was sweating just looking at them as I drove by in my air conditioned car. Then I saw this adorable little kid and thought, if he could do it dressed like that (in a yellow abaya) then I should take my lazy cheeks out the car and at least dwaddle like the rest of the girls. So I walked alittle. Note to the organizers: If you give out free t-shirts, you might want to have more than the "one size fits all". I guess they were thinking most Dhofaris are "big" anyway.

How am I you ask? Busy as usual. I wish I had more time to write, more time to filter out. I have been reading the same novel for over 4 months now.  I can barely get through 4 solid pages at night before I crash into a deep sleep. Once upon a time, I could finish a morbidly obese novel like Anna Karenina over a weekend. I could easily devour a chubby novel in 1 night. But these days, there’s simply no time. You would think living in slow paced world would give you more time, but somehow it seems the days are literaly bleeding into each other.

Good news for me: I will be going "home" for the summer!!! I can't wait! I've decided to do all the "touristy" things here in Salalah so that I can bring back lots of photos and tell great stories. I know my Mama worries about me being so far away in such a "strange" part of the world. It has been too long since I've seen my Mama smile. I miss my brothers and sisters and the rest of my family so much that I'm starting to ache. I have to keep reminding myself why we're here....why are we here again?