“The Omanis are incredibly hospitable and helpful.”
As part of my dual Bachelor’s degree at the FHDW, I completed an internship abroad in Oman from October to December 2017. As I don’t have a fixed partner company, I was able to organize this internship abroad freely and plan it according to my wishes. Oman is a Muslim country on the Arabian Peninsula. I completed my internship in the capital Muscat at a company in the construction industry.
First of all: the visa
Before my trip, I applied for a visa online. This can be done on the Royal Oman Police website within a few days by providing some personal information. Due to my short stay, I opted for a tourist visa, which is valid for 30 days. It can also be applied for directly at the airport for around 50 euros. After the 30 days, I was able to extend the visa for another 30 days at the airport without any problems. You can count on the help of the locals, who are always on hand with advice and assistance. All other important things for a stay, such as an apartment and car, were organized by my partner company.
Safe and hospitable
I certainly started my trip to the Middle East with a healthy dose of respect. However, these thoughts completely evaporated on the first day and it was confirmed why Oman is one of the safest countries in the world to travel to. Oman is also known as the Switzerland of the Middle East because it stays out of all political affairs and gets on well with everyone. The people of Oman are incredibly hospitable and helpful. Everyone speaks English, so communication is easy. In addition to the locals, many Indians also live in Oman, but like the Omanis, they are also very friendly.
In addition to work, I was able to visit many natural places, some of which are several hundred kilometers outside of Muscat, which is why it is advisable to use a rental car. The cost of living is high – with a few exceptions, such as gasoline, which is much cheaper in this oil region than in Germany. The weather was perfect at the time of my trip. However, you should refrain from visiting Oman in summer, as temperatures above 45 degrees are not uncommon at this time.
In the finance and accounting department of a construction company
My partner company, the Services & Trade Company LLCis mainly active in the construction industry and currently has around 6,000 employees. Many hotels and other construction projects, especially in the Middle East, have been built by STC. The STC Group has also completed the interior fit-out of various European hotels. I worked in Finance & Accounting there and was able to combine experience from my previous practical and theoretical phases with my work there.
Conclusion
All in all, it was a very exciting stay in Oman, because I was able to experience many things both in the company and in my free time that I will always remember. I can only recommend everyone to visit Oman, whether as part of an internship or as a vacation trip.