Leaving Mukhaizna

Oh my goodness there is so much to say about the last 6 months - but let me start a-fresh with today...

I left the field today after only an 11 day stint this time. This is actually the longest time I have done in the field because for the last year I have been working with office types at the head office and now I am "at the coal face", which I must say I enjoy more.

One of the things I most enjoy about being in the field is the many different cultures that are there. Sure in the office there are Indians, Pakistanis, Omanis, Brits, South Americans & the odd splash of Americans and Canadians, but there is so much more in the field. Believe it or not this time I was there, there were 3 people who were brought up in New Plymouth, New Zealand. OMG I hear you say - yes one of them lives there now and the other went to Hawera High School - too wild! Umm the other one was me. I am in the Middle East and in the middle of the Omani desert and I hear an accent I just can not ignore - so I say "You must be from New Zealand, I can not mistake that accent", and it turns out he has lives by the New Plymouth racecourse. The other one has just bought a house in Christchurch - too many coincidences!

It's almost like going home somtimes, I am also working with a 'fulla' from Western Australia, whom when I see I relax as I can speak my own language - at luast a liddle....I said to him the other day - "How's this I have been practicing my Orrrstraaleein" ...so I say, "Airs Gun Cobba? Geez faire suk of the sav mate!". To which his reply was, "umm I don't know anyone that speaks like that mate". Here is a photo of my Aussie mate, Rod, guess which one....

and the other is Yasser, he is Omani but was born in Rwanda. I have learned such a lot about Africa these last couple of weeks. I think that is what I do so enjoy about working here is it is OK to be different and we all learn from each other.