Friends and Lovers At The Back of Beyond

Life as an expat. I had no idea what that meant before I actually BECAME an expat. I pictured healthy, tanned people living the good life in exotic faraway places. These people made bookoo bucks, had really centered, focused children who read books instead of watching television and played with dolphins as an enrichment activity. Really. I kinda thought that.

I haven't seen any children playing with dolphins. The truth is many of us are a little nuts. A few people are actually totally mental. We bring our values and belief systems to Dhofar, a place we cannot hope to ever truly understand, and try to fit our square bodies into this round hole. Some of us find a niche, friends to help us get through, and make a rich life for ourselves here at the back of beyond. Some people go barking mad and fly home. It ain't for everyone is it?

I find expat friendships can be a melancholy thing, if I think about it too much. Almost every friendship you make will be temporary, no matter how close you may get. I've already said goodbye to several people I know I will never see again. Ever. And I really liked those people. I am not a "you never know" kind of girl. They're gone.

My gal pals (did I just say freakin gal pal like in a Nancy Drew novel?) and I get together regularly for ladies only lunches, dancing, movies...we hang. I had a moment a few weeks ago watching them all bellydancing with scarves around their hips, laughing and taking breaks for snacks and soda, and my vision misted. They are all so precious to me now. But...someday we all go home. Only Omanis are allowed to be Omanis and live here forever. Oh, some of us will live here for many years. Inshallah (God willing) I will be one of them, but the life of an expat in Salalah is a tenuous one.

So treasure the time you have here with your friends. Find things to do in the community. Disregard whatever you think you knew before about what you think people are like, and bellydance with new people from all over the world. Find a dolphin and throw your kid in the water. Heck, eat some cake. I'll bring you one.

From a visit with a Gibali family. He may have ended up in some kibsa later (explains the desperado look). 

Old-Fashioned Jam Cake

1 1/2 cup(s) sifted cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup(s) sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

1/2 cup(s) whole milk

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8-inch cake pan with butter and dust with all-purpose flour. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl.

Beat in the butter one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer set on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles fine damp sand. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and milk, and beat on medium-high, just until blended. Do not overbeat.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean — 30 to 35 minutes. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cool completely and slice into two layers with serrated knife. 

Fill with:

1 cup(s) peach preserves

Dust with:

2 pinch(s) confectioners' sugar

Their cake. How they got this much loft out of this recipe I do not know. I think they cheated. Matter of fact, this HAS to be a double recipe. I hate them!

My cake. Oh the photographic artistry. But yeah...see that is a normal one layer. It's a little overdone. I think 400 degrees F is too high. 

This is a sturdy, toothsome cake that would be good with coffee. I don't know how it tastes because I sold it. I better give him a discount though, cause it's a little overdone. Not burned mind you. Just....really done. I want to keep this guy as one of my friends at the Back of Beyond.

Love,

Felicia El Aid