A business of trust and a touch of human element
By Saleh al Shaibany — My friend, the bank manager, invited me for a chat in his office during official hours. I obliged and was welcomed by a loud greeting that made customers turn their heads to...
Academic sacrifice... for the sake of our children
By Saleh al Shaibany — I was walking along the corridor of knowledge passing teenagers as they hurry to their classrooms. It was the beginning of a new semester. I could see the excitement as...
The feeling of guilt...
By Saleh al Shaibany — As I was happily chatting away with my family while driving, I caught a glimpse of a dark little figure crossing the road. Then there was a sickening bump as the wheels of my...
The messages on the streets...
By Saleh al Shaibany — As I was waiting to cross a road, I saw a three-year-old girl snatch her little hand free from her mother’s grip and ran away. My heart raced a bit. For a moment I...
Beyond school days... catching up with an old friend
By Saleh al Shaibany — I decided to touch base with an old schoolmate when I heard he came over to Oman. We were just in our mid-teens when we last saw each other. I was both amused and shocked...
The tenacity of Omani crafts
Saleh Al Shaibany - Despite fierce competition from machine-made imports, the ancient business of traditional weaving, pottery and metal work is still thriving in the inner towns of the...
Trading on soft lines, blame the parents
By Saleh al Shaibany — We, all, like our children to behave like angels. We know that is impossible and that is perhaps why they get away with almost murder. While most children have the same...
The ‘intrusion of privacy’ of night creatures
By Saleh al Shaibany — The rustle of dry leaves as the wind swept them made me walk to the window to look down at the dark garden. The branches of the tree swayed side by side and they cast long...
‘Out of bounds’ in your personal sanctuary
By Saleh al Shaibany — We all need to run somewhere when the pressure is on. It is usually a place where we feel safe. I remember as a child, a spot under a tall casuarina tree near the beach was my...
Should teachers assume the parental role?
By Saleh al Shaibany — I have this question I normally ask myself in my role as a teacher whenever I have walked into the classroom. Should I extend my role as a father to the young people under my...
Aren’t we sheltering our children too much?
By Saleh al Shaibany — My memories of school holidays are about the sound of the sea and that of bare feet running on the soft sand of the beach stretching forever. Yes, there were other sounds,...
A craftsman who knows how to stretch his longevity
By Saleh al Shaibany — The workshop had a mixed smell of rotting wood and fresh timber. The old carpenter was busy making intricate carvings on a door ordered by a government ministry. He is one of...
Slowdown to leave thousands out of job in 2017
By Saleh al Shaibany — The government will struggle to create jobs for thousands of Omani graduates this year with the growing perception that it may not be equal to the task. About 24,000 students...
Mother’s love, parental concerns are eternal
By Saleh al Shaibany — My heart went out for the mother of the groom as she was reaching out for her husband’s hand. Sickness would not stop her from celebrating her only son’s wedding. She had...