EcoEgg Review: An Alternative to Laundry Detergent

Since meeting Bea Johnson last year, our family has revisited many of our lifestyle choices to reduce our plastic waste.  One of the many changes has been to stop buying liquid detergent and opt for powdered detergent in a cardboard box.  The box packaging was great, but the powdered detergent wasn’t dissolving well in our …

What to Do When Your Best Friend Visits Oman

I retired the term “best friend” many years ago.  It seemed like after a certain age, the people I gave the title to couldn’t handle it with care.  My elementary school best friend was great; but thereafter, the best friends I chose didn't treat me so well.  And the fact that my expectations were so high, …

My Five Favorite Services in Muscat

More than a month ago, I was contacted to freelance as a researcher for a sustainable tourism project.  I have since completed the project and in doing so had a chance to really reflect on Oman’s continual growth and evolution and fall in love with her all over again.  I’ve been enchanted by Oman for …

RAWmadan in Review

Belated Blessed Eid, dear friends!  The month of fasting has passed, along with the subsequent celebration of breaking the fast.  We scooted up to Abu Dhabi for our five-day weekend and delightfully ended our last day of Ramadan with very dear friends we know from the U.S. but didn’t fully bond with until sharing the …

Muscat’s First Vegan Iftar (Fast-Breaking Meal)

I might be going on a limb saying this, but I’m pretty sure we just made history.  On Thursday evening at Lokanta Restaurant, a table of 17 (including Z and Moulay) sat for an entirely vegan iftar meal.  Omani and expat, female and male, young and not-so-young had a totally plant-based, four-course, Turkish dinner.  Our …

Raw Suhoor (Pre-Fasting) Meals

Back when we lived in Turkey, I had a writing assignment at The LifeCo Antalya-- an amazing detox retreat center on the southern coast.  After three days of my own cleansing, one of the workers bade me farewell and said to me, "Ramadan is our detox, isn't it?  Fasting cleanses our bodies and the daily …

Can a Zero Waste Life Work in Oman?

Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home, is on a 16-city tour that started in Dubai and ends in Nancy. Can you believe that one of those 16 stops was Muscat?!? Hosted by ub-cool, a locally-based adventure and tour group, we met last week at UFC Gym in Seeb for an hour-long lecture by Ms. …

If Only School Were Like Camp…

  Winter is already here. No snow in these parts, but there is lovely outdoor weather, plenty of sunshine, and winter camp. Recreational centers are promoting their programs during the school break, and I personally think camp is a great experience for homeschooled and unschooled children to tap into. Z had her first camp experience …

Unschooling with the 4 R’s

While I love the philosophy of self-directed education, there’s a part of me that can’t totally comply. I categorize our family as unschooling because we have no interest in recreating school at home or complying with a standard curriculum. However, now that Z is seven, we’re ready to introduce more structure and order to her …

Children’s Public Library: Muscat’s Homeschool Hub

After three years of waiting, the Children's Public Library is finally open here in Muscat.  It's located in Qurm, just across the street from the Children's Museum, another great family resource.  Some moms have been complaining about the soft opening hours of weekdays from 10am to 3pm but guess what? The hours are perfect for us homeschoolers.  So …