[americanInEurope]

The money is great and I have the oppurtunity to really stack there (6+ year contract). I also hear that it's safe, even in the western part where I'll be at. I'm 30 now and I figure if I do 5 years there I'll be close to a million. I hope 35 isn't too old to still be a world traveling international player lol.

But my 5 years there doesn't have to be hell does it? Are there any places local in western Oman to hit up? I know I can fly to Muscat or Dubai and act a fool, but honestly if I'm gonna be on a plane I might as well go all out and fly out to Thailand or Romania or something like that for the weekend. 2 hour flight versus 5 hour flight. I hear I have to get a license there just to buy alcohol. I'm reading that I can't even look at local girls, let alone "game" them. That just leaves local foreigners, which are all probably there with their BF's. Or are afraid because of all the gauking local guys with no game.

Anybody out there been to this part of the world? Is it pretty much gonna be me holed up in my house with internet, video games and booze for the next 3 - 5 years or is there some hope?

[Aliblahba]

I'm not familiar with Oman, so do your homework. But all other ME countries I've been to were rife with pinays, Indians, Paki's, Sri Lankans, ect. Getting laid in Kuwait was easy, so I imagine Oman couldn't be worse. What kind of vacation schedule are you looking at? It's important. Also, PM me for any questions. BTW, I'm waiting for a response for a job in the U.A.E.

[sucio44]

(02-01-2013 09:53 AM)americanInEurope Wrote:  

The money is great and I have the oppurtunity to really stack there (6+ year contract). I also hear that it's safe, even in the western part where I'll be at. I'm 30 now and I figure if I do 5 years there I'll be close to a million. I hope 35 isn't too old to still be a world traveling international player lol.

But my 5 years there doesn't have to be hell does it? Are there any places local in western Oman to hit up? I know I can fly to Muscat or Dubai and act a fool, but honestly if I'm gonna be on a plane I might as well go all out and fly out to Thailand or Romania or something like that for the weekend. 2 hour flight versus 5 hour flight. I hear I have to get a license there just to buy alcohol. I'm reading that I can't even look at local girls, let alone "game" them. That just leaves local foreigners, which are all probably there with their BF's. Or are afraid because of all the gauking local guys with no game.

Anybody out there been to this part of the world? Is it pretty much gonna be me holed up in my house with internet, video games and booze for the next 3 - 5 years or is there some hope?

I hope you don't mind me asking, what kind of work do you do?

[UrbanNerd]

Hmmm.,..5 to 6 years and gross almost $1 million?

...and safe?

Yep, I would do it.....if I didn't have my current family obligations.

[Matt3B]

I used to live in Dubai and went to Oman to get all my visa shit sorted, stayed there overnight and didn't really do much.

You can't hit on the Emiratis, that's right. You'd be fucking stupid to even try. However, there are a lot of expats in that part of the world. It's not necessarily couples that have gone out there to earn loads of money together. Dubai is a 2-3 hour drive or so away (depending on where in Oman you are) and you can stay there for the weekend and have plenty of fun.

Check out some of the expat forums around the internet before making a decision.

[coolion]

(02-01-2013 10:18 AM)sucio44 Wrote:  

I hope you don't mind me asking, what kind of work do you do?

I'd wager a guess that he's a (petroleum) engineer ... Neighboring Yemen just experienced a revolution. :x

[americanInEurope]

Yeah everywhere overseas is tax free for Americans, up to 93k. You have to pay fed taxes for whatever you make beyond that point. Even with that, I'll be cleaning up pretty good. It's not Afghanistan or Iraq money (250k a year and up) but it's super safe and I may even enjoy myself. And most importantly it'll be around for a while as it's not tied up to that OEF/OIF money that's about to dry up shortly.

@UrbanNerd A lot of family guys were telling me the same thing. They'd go back to the desert in a hearbeat if they didn't have the obligations. They money is just so good there. Honestly I'm just cruising along here in Europe. Yeah I'm fucking but nothing seriously hot. I'm too wrapped up in work and studying for certifications to go to Poland or take the time to commit to game full time after work. I'm just basically doing the 9 to 5 thing but in Germany. I figure if I'm gonna be a working stiff I might as well get the most I can out of it, for 5 years or so, then stop working. Or at least stop working in jobs that I hate just for the money.

[lurker]

***NOT LEGAL ADVICE - DO NOT CHEAT ON YOUR TAXES***

How exactly does the IRS know you're making more than the 93K threshold if you don't wire money back into US accounts? It's not like your Omani employer is going to file a W2. I would wager a fair chunk of expats see a lot of money "disappear" from their stated AGI into foreign banks.

***NOT LEGAL ADVICE - DO NOT CHEAT ON YOUR TAXES***

[Aliblahba]

The jobs in Afghan and Iraq are on the outs. What was paying 200K are down to 90K. Keep that in mind. I called it quits. The latter pay scale won't even get me on a plane to put up with all that bullshit. It's better now to look into other industries. Oil and gas is still hot.

[Matt3B]

(02-01-2013 11:22 AM)lurker Wrote:  

***NOT LEGAL ADVICE - DO NOT CHEAT ON YOUR TAXES***

How exactly does the IRS know you're making more than the 93K threshold if you don't wire money back into US accounts? It's not like your Omani employer is going to file a W2. I would wager a fair chunk of expats see a lot of money "disappear" from their stated AGI into foreign banks.

***NOT LEGAL ADVICE - DO NOT CHEAT ON YOUR TAXES***

I imagine he'll be working for an American/European company.

[RichieP]

I just searched DateInAsia.com for philipinas in Oman. UAE and Kuwait have pages of results, Oman had... 5 girls. So that might be an indication of their presence there. Definitely do your research... five years is along time.

[BigTony]

There are literally thousands of women from the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia in this region. In every other shop you enter, you will be greeted by their smiling faces. If you are into smoking shisha, there are plenty of lounges where you will meet women looking for a foreign bf.

If you want female companionship, you will not have a problem finding it here.

[edmunddantes]

I lived in Oman 2000-2003, If you're in Muscat, you'll like it. Expat community is pretty strong. When I was living there the social circle in Muscat revolved around the Hotel Pool memberships. The PDO Petroleum Development Oman (could be called something else now) kind of had their own social clique that was difficult at first to break into. I haven't been back to Oman since leaving in '03, but on my way out there was significant construction and development. There are (maybe was) limited places to drink, basically limited to the hotels/resorts (the Sheraton in Ruwi was popular for expats; bar is located in the basement also has a bowling alley). Another great place for expats to socialize was the Dive clubs.

I was also there for 9/11 and being American you'd think that it might be a little hairy at times, but honestly it felt like nothing changed. Super Safe, tourism from europeans etc.. was still pretty good even after 9/11.

[Alpha_Romeo]

This thread is fairly old. I wonder if the OP went for it.