Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Thresholds
On Wednesday April 1st, I woke up to the news that Muttrah had been identified as the epicenter of COVID-19 in Oman and would accordingly be isolated from the rest of the country until further notice. The souq had already been closed, but now all shops and restaurants would be closed except the pharmacy, Muttrah…
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50 Days in Muttrah
Fifty days ago, I woke up to the news that my neighborhood Muttrah had been identified as the epicenter of COVID-19 in Oman and thus would be isolated from the rest of the country until the situation improves. At that time, on April 1st, 172 cases of the novel coronavirus had been reported in Oman,…
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March Updates
Hello Everyone! I apologize (once again) for the long gap between blog posts. First, let me assure you that I am healthy, happy, and safe here in Oman. Like much of the world, we are now living with numerous social distancing practices to delay the spread of COVID-19. For instance, all churches, mosques, gyms, parks,…
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Al Amana Centre Winter Newsletter
This week, Al Amana Centre released our Winter Newsletter. Keep reading for my reflection or click here to view the whole newsletter. Before arriving in Oman, I had only met Aaro and Justin for one hour over Skype. I knew very little about Al Amana Centre or what my role would be, and I was…
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Thanks-Giving Reflection
Last night, I went to the movies with one of my Omani friends to see Frozen 2 (and yes it was amazing!!!!). While we were waiting for the movie to begin, I started telling my friend about Thanksgiving. She asked if I would miss my family, I said yes. And then she asked whether we…
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Sorry it’s been a while…
Hello Everyone! First, my apologies for the long period between blog posts. I have been wonderfully busy with short-term programs. Since my last post, we have hosted a group from Nigeria, a women’s group, and a group of students from Princeton. As you may expect, each group is extremely unique, offering distinct challenges and joys.…
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Weeks 2-4: Faith Friends Pakistan
ood quietly against the wall with my hands folded, waiting for everybody to serve themselves dinner and find a seat. My gaze wandered around the room observing our Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh guests chatting lightly in English and Urdu as they settled in at Al Amana Centre…
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Week 1: Mornings in Muttrah
Last Monday, I left my home in Arlington, Virginia at 5PM EST to start a year of service abroad. Thankfully the trip went smoothly, and on Tuesday around 11PM I arrived to my new home – the Al Amana Centre in Muscat, Oman. Like the good daughter I am, the first thing I did upon…
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5 Days Until Departure
The date is set and on Monday, August 26th I will begin my year of service in Muscat, Oman! All summer I have been obsessively researching my new home. I’ve already found the local choir (Muscat Singers), the local running club (Muscat Road Runners), and of course the local Anglican Church (Protestant Church in Oman).…
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Why YASC? Why Oman?
For those who know me well, the news of my year in Oman probably did not come as a shock. I have a tendency to make countercultural decisions – like pausing college to hike the Appalachian Trail or quitting my job to discern Episcopal priesthood – so I imagine they’re used to it. But for…
Got any book recommendations?
Walk in Love: Sermons and Reflections by Emma Wright 