This is my written statement that I gave to the head of the camp about an... incedent, that I had the other night.
15-Mar-07
At about 1AM this morning, I was woken up by a man opening the door to my room and looking at me. I asked him what he was doing and he told me "I see you walking around camp" and "I love you". I told him, I have a boyfriend in the US and I'd like to go to sleep. He just stood there, I don't think he understood me. Then I said "please leave" a few times, and he did. I hadn't locked my door at the beginning of the night, but I locked it then.
I can't remember very clearly what he looked like. What I do remember - he was dressed in white, and wearing a hat, not a turban. He was a pretty average build. He looked pretty young, not a lot of facial hair.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Camp Move in Oman
***** 14 Mar 2007 *****
Hi,
So i experienced a camp move today. We loaded the entire camp onto huge trucks and drove about 20km to a new location. Watching them load the "skids" was impressive. They are at least the size of double wide trailers, maybe bigger. A trucks front wheels would lift a good 5 feet into the air while loading. Then they had to transfer the skid from one truck to another truck. When a skid was finally loaded it stuck out on either side, it was more than three times as wide as the truck, and it would slowly wobble back and forth perpedicular to the truck. And by seeing how just how slow it wobbled you could get a feel for just how frikin heavy it was (physics!), and that made you really hope it didn't fall. Actually, one skid had some trouble when it was being tranfered from a loading truck to the driving truck. A cable on the driving truck broke, and the skid got pulled sideways and almost fell off the truck. Exciting...but then it took almost 2 hours to fix. And that was just one out of 20 some skids. And then we drove to the new campsite and did it all in reverse. So it was a long day with a lot of waiting.
While waiting I learned how to tie a turban properly from an authentic Omani while sitting in a truck waiting. I heard stories about how this Omani's mom got mad when his dad married a second wife...because people do that in Oman sometimes. I took a nap on a pile of reciever cable, and because i was so tired (from waking up at 4am) it was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on. I fed a camel several apples...I got to see its tounge. It was wearing either a jock strap or a bra, depending on whether it was a woman or a man. Some piece of fabric was wrapped around it to protect its underside. AND I got to drive one of the trucks... off road! I never thought i'd get to do it so soon! I only got to because I had to go to the bathroom horribly bad, and there were no bathrooms, so Keith the head mechanic lent me his truck to drive out in the desert and pee. I'm so glad I learned too drive on a stick shift. And then when I peed, the pee landed about 6 feet down wind of me because it was blowing like a @$#%@$!
Finally we are back in the office, with lights and computers and air conditioning. We managed to unpack everything in an hour or two...a lot quicker than it took to pack it all. It's been a pretty exhausting day, but interesting. So i thought I'd share.
Love,
Selah
Hi,
So i experienced a camp move today. We loaded the entire camp onto huge trucks and drove about 20km to a new location. Watching them load the "skids" was impressive. They are at least the size of double wide trailers, maybe bigger. A trucks front wheels would lift a good 5 feet into the air while loading. Then they had to transfer the skid from one truck to another truck. When a skid was finally loaded it stuck out on either side, it was more than three times as wide as the truck, and it would slowly wobble back and forth perpedicular to the truck. And by seeing how just how slow it wobbled you could get a feel for just how frikin heavy it was (physics!), and that made you really hope it didn't fall. Actually, one skid had some trouble when it was being tranfered from a loading truck to the driving truck. A cable on the driving truck broke, and the skid got pulled sideways and almost fell off the truck. Exciting...but then it took almost 2 hours to fix. And that was just one out of 20 some skids. And then we drove to the new campsite and did it all in reverse. So it was a long day with a lot of waiting.
While waiting I learned how to tie a turban properly from an authentic Omani while sitting in a truck waiting. I heard stories about how this Omani's mom got mad when his dad married a second wife...because people do that in Oman sometimes. I took a nap on a pile of reciever cable, and because i was so tired (from waking up at 4am) it was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on. I fed a camel several apples...I got to see its tounge. It was wearing either a jock strap or a bra, depending on whether it was a woman or a man. Some piece of fabric was wrapped around it to protect its underside. AND I got to drive one of the trucks... off road! I never thought i'd get to do it so soon! I only got to because I had to go to the bathroom horribly bad, and there were no bathrooms, so Keith the head mechanic lent me his truck to drive out in the desert and pee. I'm so glad I learned too drive on a stick shift. And then when I peed, the pee landed about 6 feet down wind of me because it was blowing like a @$#%@$!
Finally we are back in the office, with lights and computers and air conditioning. We managed to unpack everything in an hour or two...a lot quicker than it took to pack it all. It's been a pretty exhausting day, but interesting. So i thought I'd share.
Love,
Selah
famous quote (not yet but someday)
"...and because we cannot make a profit, our company does not drill baby camels for oil" --Selah Lynch(1983 - present)
camel spider
***** Mar 6 2007 *****
There are these things called camel spiders here. They are about a foot from front leg to back leg. They actually have 10 legs, not 8 so they are not technically arachnids I guess, but they are still scary. They aren't poisonous, but they like to chew on flesh. And they will chase after you.
How scary is that?!
I havn't seen one yet, but I've been told that they are quite common and I definitly will see one before I leave here.
I'll bring you one if you want.
Love,
Selah
How scary is that?!
I havn't seen one yet, but I've been told that they are quite common and I definitly will see one before I leave here.
I'll bring you one if you want.
Love,
Selah
barbacue
***** 2 Mar 2007 *****
.......
We're having a barbacue today, and they just lit the fire, it is Texas worthy. It's burning in old rusty barrel halves. You are supposed to wear a loud shirt to this barbacue. I'm going to wear my don't mess with TX shirt, coupled with my TX flag bandana.
There are two older British grass farmers living in the desert somewhere that have showed up for the barbacue. They are friends of Crew 52 that show up from time to time, especially for barbacues. I met them in the bar trailer...they are funny. They have character. I think you have to have character to move to Oman half way through your life and be a grass farmer.
.....
All in all it's been a special day, and I'm enjoying it.
Hope you are having a good day too.
Love,
Selah
PS Carolyn and Beca, yesterday I saw a camel skeleton, and I touched real crude oil. It was shiny and black and the consistency of mollasses, just like you would imagine it.
.......
We're having a barbacue today, and they just lit the fire, it is Texas worthy. It's burning in old rusty barrel halves. You are supposed to wear a loud shirt to this barbacue. I'm going to wear my don't mess with TX shirt, coupled with my TX flag bandana.
There are two older British grass farmers living in the desert somewhere that have showed up for the barbacue. They are friends of Crew 52 that show up from time to time, especially for barbacues. I met them in the bar trailer...they are funny. They have character. I think you have to have character to move to Oman half way through your life and be a grass farmer.
.....
All in all it's been a special day, and I'm enjoying it.
Hope you are having a good day too.
Love,
Selah
PS Carolyn and Beca, yesterday I saw a camel skeleton, and I touched real crude oil. It was shiny and black and the consistency of mollasses, just like you would imagine it.
I JUST PET A CAMEL
***** Mar 1 2007 *****
I pet a camel !!!!
Finally, it didn't run away. It was a big mama standing right outside of the "bar trailer". It let me come right up to it and pet it's side and its neck and it's chin and it's legs. It was wonderful. yay.
Have a fun weekend!
Selah
I pet a camel !!!!
Finally, it didn't run away. It was a big mama standing right outside of the "bar trailer". It let me come right up to it and pet it's side and its neck and it's chin and it's legs. It was wonderful. yay.
Have a fun weekend!
Selah
crude oil and dates
*****Mar 1 2007*****
I got up close and personal with real live crude oil today. It looked like crude oil. Flawlessly black. The consistency of molasses. Wonderful. I jumped in and rubbed it all over my body to reap the healing benefits. Well not really. Anyway...the rest of that was true. I wish you could have been there to appreciate it with me. I like crude the way I like cows...very much, and no one else understands.
I spend about three hours driving all around seeing the field operation. I think I had a misscommunication with someone. Before I thought I was just tagging along for a ride, but now I think they thought I hadn't been out to the field before so they were being nice and giving me a tour. Well it was fun. AND I got to try a new kind of coffee, omani coffee. Its a lot like starbucks, but they put our favorite, saffron, in it along with cloves. And they drink it out of teaglasses the size of double shots. So myself, Ali Al Malki and Nilesh had a nice afternoon snack of coffee and dates in the middle of the desert, not too far from a camel skeleton.
We have two extra people in the office doing computer stuff, so that's livened it up. I started reading a book The God of Small Things. Ever hear of it?
Have a good morning.
Love,
Selah
I got up close and personal with real live crude oil today. It looked like crude oil. Flawlessly black. The consistency of molasses. Wonderful. I jumped in and rubbed it all over my body to reap the healing benefits. Well not really. Anyway...the rest of that was true. I wish you could have been there to appreciate it with me. I like crude the way I like cows...very much, and no one else understands.
I spend about three hours driving all around seeing the field operation. I think I had a misscommunication with someone. Before I thought I was just tagging along for a ride, but now I think they thought I hadn't been out to the field before so they were being nice and giving me a tour. Well it was fun. AND I got to try a new kind of coffee, omani coffee. Its a lot like starbucks, but they put our favorite, saffron, in it along with cloves. And they drink it out of teaglasses the size of double shots. So myself, Ali Al Malki and Nilesh had a nice afternoon snack of coffee and dates in the middle of the desert, not too far from a camel skeleton.
We have two extra people in the office doing computer stuff, so that's livened it up. I started reading a book The God of Small Things. Ever hear of it?
Have a good morning.
Love,
Selah
food related babble
*****Feb 23 2007*****
The food here is pretty funny. A real mix. At breakfast if you ask for pancakes you get crepes. At lunch there is a mix of real indian dishes and attempts at american style foods, like frenchfries. There was somethign that I think was supposed to be lasagnia. Then today I think they made an attempt at american chinese food. He he. I usually stick to the indian food.
I really want to bring my camera and take a picture some time. I wish I had had it the other day. I had a leg of tandori chicken, a chickpea curry on rice, and a pile of frenchfries and a coke.
The food here is pretty funny. A real mix. At breakfast if you ask for pancakes you get crepes. At lunch there is a mix of real indian dishes and attempts at american style foods, like frenchfries. There was somethign that I think was supposed to be lasagnia. Then today I think they made an attempt at american chinese food. He he. I usually stick to the indian food.
I really want to bring my camera and take a picture some time. I wish I had had it the other day. I had a leg of tandori chicken, a chickpea curry on rice, and a pile of frenchfries and a coke.
email i sent to lots of people
***** Feb 23 2007 *****
Hi Everybody, I made it. I'm here at the camp for Crew 52 in southern Oman, near Marmul. I've told different people different bits and pieces about being here, so sorry for the repeats, at least the pictures will be new.
My flight to Muscat was 24 hours total. I flew from Houston to Chicago to London to AbuDhabi to Muscat. The time difference here to CST is 10 hours. I got in at 11pm Muscat time, so about 1in the afternoon my time - I was a little out of it. The Muscat airport was filled with very Omani looking men, all wearing plain white robes, distinctive hats, and beards. Exiting the terminal was like walking the red carpet. There was one small path roped off for people coming out and tons of people packed in waiting eagerly for people to arrive. I wandered down the aisle till I found a guy holding my name on a piece of paper. He was Abdullah and he drove me to the office.
I spent a day in our comany's Muscat office. There are a bunch of rooms to sleep in on the floor above the office. It looked just like my college dorm. Without a car I was confined to the office building all day except for a foray into the city proper for a very comprehensive Medical exam. That was strange. No one spoke much english so I never knew what was happening untill they brought out the needle, or the EKG clamps, or something like that.
The next day I caught another flight to Nimr. The Nimr airport consisted of a landing strip, some trailers, and a bunch of Omani and trucks. I got to the Camp, an hour and a half drive later.
It is really flat empty desert out here. I think it looks how it would look if we colonized Mars. Camp consists of 20 some trailers and 225 people, of which I'm the only woman. I have my own little room, it also reminds me of a college dorm. People in the camp wash and fold my laundry every day and make my bed and serve me food...that part is pretty posh. The work day starts at 6:00am and goes till about 7:30pm. Almost as long as Thomas's used to be :P I woke up at 5:55am the other day and refered to it as having "slept in". Never though I'd say that.
Now instead of running the industrial drainage ditch in Houston I just pick a direction out of the camp and go. The land is really flat, but it's starting to have character for me. I'm getting to know a lot of the bushes. There's the dead one, the big one, the one with different leaves, the one that has an old campfire by it, the one with a plastic bag stuck in it, etc. There is a pipeline that runs just north of camp, and it shows up as a little ridge of rocks that goes on forever in both directions, I usually follow it when I go running. There is a place where a truck dug deep ruts in the sand.
It's nice to go into the desert at night too. You can see a lot of stars. The ground is lit from the camp for miles because the ground is so flat, but aside from that its completely dark. Hard to describe, but its a really strange sight.
Yesterday morning I watched camels fight over trash. The best fight involved 4 camels and a cardboard box. There was no box left when they were done, they ate it. And they payed no attention to the small Omani man trying chase them away, even when he got in a car to chase them. They hung out at the camp for the rest of the day.
I work with one other guy - he's the Senior QC seismologist. He's named Hamish and he's from New Zealand. The people I work near are Brits, Australians, and Indians for the most part. All the guys that work labor in the field are Omani arabs, but I'm not around them very much. A lot of people have been on this crew in Oman for years and years. Since before Digicon even! A guy named Sri who waits on us in the Mess trailer has been teaching me bits and pieces of Hindi. It took me about three days to remember 'Aap kayse hai' and 'mem acha hai' (how are you and I am fine). He also taught me the word for sister. 'behen'. I tried to remember where I had heard it, and then I remembered...'behenchod'. Heh heh a very bad word.
Oh right... my job that I got sent out here to do.... It actually requires very little sitting and staring at data in Expose, and for that I am thankful. We have a daily routine for checking data that is shot each day using perl and expose. We have a weekly routine for processing data that comes in from uphole shooting, where they take much much less data, and only at the near surfact. We have another weekly routine for presenting a week of data to clients. All that, and it doesn't nearly take up all our day. The other time I can spend trying to fix problems on the computer, or make things run smoother with scripts. That's on an inspired day. On an uninspired day, like today, I can sit and read my book (Angela's Ashes) and write emails.
Well that's a pretty long email for now...I don't expect you to read any more. I do, however, expect you to look at my pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/selah
I miss you all!
Selah
Hi Everybody, I made it. I'm here at the camp for Crew 52 in southern Oman, near Marmul. I've told different people different bits and pieces about being here, so sorry for the repeats, at least the pictures will be new.
My flight to Muscat was 24 hours total. I flew from Houston to Chicago to London to AbuDhabi to Muscat. The time difference here to CST is 10 hours. I got in at 11pm Muscat time, so about 1in the afternoon my time - I was a little out of it. The Muscat airport was filled with very Omani looking men, all wearing plain white robes, distinctive hats, and beards. Exiting the terminal was like walking the red carpet. There was one small path roped off for people coming out and tons of people packed in waiting eagerly for people to arrive. I wandered down the aisle till I found a guy holding my name on a piece of paper. He was Abdullah and he drove me to the office.
I spent a day in our comany's Muscat office. There are a bunch of rooms to sleep in on the floor above the office. It looked just like my college dorm. Without a car I was confined to the office building all day except for a foray into the city proper for a very comprehensive Medical exam. That was strange. No one spoke much english so I never knew what was happening untill they brought out the needle, or the EKG clamps, or something like that.
The next day I caught another flight to Nimr. The Nimr airport consisted of a landing strip, some trailers, and a bunch of Omani and trucks. I got to the Camp, an hour and a half drive later.
It is really flat empty desert out here. I think it looks how it would look if we colonized Mars. Camp consists of 20 some trailers and 225 people, of which I'm the only woman. I have my own little room, it also reminds me of a college dorm. People in the camp wash and fold my laundry every day and make my bed and serve me food...that part is pretty posh. The work day starts at 6:00am and goes till about 7:30pm. Almost as long as Thomas's used to be :P I woke up at 5:55am the other day and refered to it as having "slept in". Never though I'd say that.
Now instead of running the industrial drainage ditch in Houston I just pick a direction out of the camp and go. The land is really flat, but it's starting to have character for me. I'm getting to know a lot of the bushes. There's the dead one, the big one, the one with different leaves, the one that has an old campfire by it, the one with a plastic bag stuck in it, etc. There is a pipeline that runs just north of camp, and it shows up as a little ridge of rocks that goes on forever in both directions, I usually follow it when I go running. There is a place where a truck dug deep ruts in the sand.
It's nice to go into the desert at night too. You can see a lot of stars. The ground is lit from the camp for miles because the ground is so flat, but aside from that its completely dark. Hard to describe, but its a really strange sight.
Yesterday morning I watched camels fight over trash. The best fight involved 4 camels and a cardboard box. There was no box left when they were done, they ate it. And they payed no attention to the small Omani man trying chase them away, even when he got in a car to chase them. They hung out at the camp for the rest of the day.
I work with one other guy - he's the Senior QC seismologist. He's named Hamish and he's from New Zealand. The people I work near are Brits, Australians, and Indians for the most part. All the guys that work labor in the field are Omani arabs, but I'm not around them very much. A lot of people have been on this crew in Oman for years and years. Since before Digicon even! A guy named Sri who waits on us in the Mess trailer has been teaching me bits and pieces of Hindi. It took me about three days to remember 'Aap kayse hai' and 'mem acha hai' (how are you and I am fine). He also taught me the word for sister. 'behen'. I tried to remember where I had heard it, and then I remembered...'behenchod'. Heh heh a very bad word.
Oh right... my job that I got sent out here to do.... It actually requires very little sitting and staring at data in Expose, and for that I am thankful. We have a daily routine for checking data that is shot each day using perl and expose. We have a weekly routine for processing data that comes in from uphole shooting, where they take much much less data, and only at the near surfact. We have another weekly routine for presenting a week of data to clients. All that, and it doesn't nearly take up all our day. The other time I can spend trying to fix problems on the computer, or make things run smoother with scripts. That's on an inspired day. On an uninspired day, like today, I can sit and read my book (Angela's Ashes) and write emails.
Well that's a pretty long email for now...I don't expect you to read any more. I do, however, expect you to look at my pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/selah
I miss you all!
Selah
another email
**************Feb 19 2007**********************
Hi,
I am home. Sorry, I'm pretty busy. We work 6am to about 7:30pm and everything in new and a struggle for me so if I don't write a lot, that is why, but I'll try to write quick notes and I guess I'll make a habit of sending them to you and Matt for efficiencies sake.
This morning I woke up at 4:30am. It's really misty outside, but it's still completely dark and the mist in the camp lights looks real erie. It looks like this camp is the only place in the world.
I'm going to check some data this morning. Every day around 7pm we get field tapes from the day's shooting, we run jobs over night to pull data from them in nice pieces or swaths. This morning I'll check last nights swaths, we have a check list, to make sure everything is okay. They we'll burn them to tape, and then we'll check the data on the tape. The guy from the crew just came to pick up yesterday's tapes and take them out. All the muslims pray around 5:30. The chanting is a wierd thing to wake up to in the morning. The camp is pretty separated between the labor people who are all Omani muslims, and between the "expats". I keep myself pretty distant from all the muslims, because I never know which one's don't like to have anything to do with women. There is one other guy in my office, he is named Hamish and he's a real laid back guy from New Zealand. Usually you're working with two people here, maybe three once in a while. There is actually a camp bar. I told Matt how they had willie nelson on the night before last and I felt like I was in college station. It's got that rugged old texas bar look. Exept every one has british/australian accents. But they are mostly old and tatood so that makes up for it.
Well there is some random information for you. Yes I'm still alive.
Love Selah
Hi,
I am home. Sorry, I'm pretty busy. We work 6am to about 7:30pm and everything in new and a struggle for me so if I don't write a lot, that is why, but I'll try to write quick notes and I guess I'll make a habit of sending them to you and Matt for efficiencies sake.
This morning I woke up at 4:30am. It's really misty outside, but it's still completely dark and the mist in the camp lights looks real erie. It looks like this camp is the only place in the world.
I'm going to check some data this morning. Every day around 7pm we get field tapes from the day's shooting, we run jobs over night to pull data from them in nice pieces or swaths. This morning I'll check last nights swaths, we have a check list, to make sure everything is okay. They we'll burn them to tape, and then we'll check the data on the tape. The guy from the crew just came to pick up yesterday's tapes and take them out. All the muslims pray around 5:30. The chanting is a wierd thing to wake up to in the morning. The camp is pretty separated between the labor people who are all Omani muslims, and between the "expats". I keep myself pretty distant from all the muslims, because I never know which one's don't like to have anything to do with women. There is one other guy in my office, he is named Hamish and he's a real laid back guy from New Zealand. Usually you're working with two people here, maybe three once in a while. There is actually a camp bar. I told Matt how they had willie nelson on the night before last and I felt like I was in college station. It's got that rugged old texas bar look. Exept every one has british/australian accents. But they are mostly old and tatood so that makes up for it.
Well there is some random information for you. Yes I'm still alive.
Love Selah
My first two emails
I sent these Feb 14th and 15th when i was scared and tired and buzzing right after arrived....
********************************
Feb 14 2007
Well I made it - I'm typing this to you on a keyboard with arabic letters in my strikingly college dorm like accomodations on top of our company's office in Muscat Oman.
And now I'm going to sleep.
Love,
Selah
*********************************
Feb 15 2007
I'm flying to Nimr at 0720 Oman time (that is 9 tonight for you) on oman air #60 if you want to track my flight, mom and dad. It turns out I will be in the deep south after all. I finally got my luggage an hour ago, my two stuffed fish, Bassy and Channely made it. I passed my 3 hr medical exam today - I'm getting a Omani drivers licence soon. I met some friendly indian people who offered me indian food and *gasp* beer. I saw a woman covered entirely in black. not even an opening for her eyes.
And I should get to sleep again.
Happy valentines day : )
********************************
Feb 14 2007
Well I made it - I'm typing this to you on a keyboard with arabic letters in my strikingly college dorm like accomodations on top of our company's office in Muscat Oman.
And now I'm going to sleep.
Love,
Selah
*********************************
Feb 15 2007
I'm flying to Nimr at 0720 Oman time (that is 9 tonight for you) on oman air #60 if you want to track my flight, mom and dad. It turns out I will be in the deep south after all. I finally got my luggage an hour ago, my two stuffed fish, Bassy and Channely made it. I passed my 3 hr medical exam today - I'm getting a Omani drivers licence soon. I met some friendly indian people who offered me indian food and *gasp* beer. I saw a woman covered entirely in black. not even an opening for her eyes.
And I should get to sleep again.
Happy valentines day : )
Hello
Hi,
This is my blog.
You probably know. I just started working in Oman a month ago. I work on a Seismic field crew. We gather data that will be used to image underground geology.
I'm hoping I'll have some good stories to share about being in a very different place. Also I work 6 weeks and then have 3 weeks off, so perhaps perhaps I will have some good stories to share from my time off. I'd like to take trips, or at least do interesting things.
I imagine the blog will mostly be copies of emails that I've sent to people.
Welcome, friends, family, complete strangers, and myself (I'll probably read and reread this the most). I hope you enjoy!
This is my blog.
You probably know. I just started working in Oman a month ago. I work on a Seismic field crew. We gather data that will be used to image underground geology.
I'm hoping I'll have some good stories to share about being in a very different place. Also I work 6 weeks and then have 3 weeks off, so perhaps perhaps I will have some good stories to share from my time off. I'd like to take trips, or at least do interesting things.
I imagine the blog will mostly be copies of emails that I've sent to people.
Welcome, friends, family, complete strangers, and myself (I'll probably read and reread this the most). I hope you enjoy!
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