Curbs on travel

In an email sent by the Omani Cultural Division to Omani students, they were informed of the travel limitation, and were also advised about general behaviour. Every Omani citizen should heed such advice while visiting the United States.

Ibrahim Al Sulaimani, a sophomore Omani student studying Mechanical Engineering at the Cleveland State University, expressed his disappointment at the recent political changes. “I understand that the Omani embassy is trying its best to protect all Omani students who are studying in America, but there are students who didn’t get a chance to travel back home during summer or Christmas, and (therefore) this is a difficult time,” he said.

The Cultural Attaché stressed that there will be more stringent rules regarding visa issuance during this period and urged students to behave lawfully.

The embassy’s advice also included not delaying payments in case of any fine or traffic tickets, being diligent regarding any court dates, and only donating to official charities.

“Omani students should also make sure to remove any explicit, violent, or inappropriate content on their phones, even if it is comedic in tone,” the email stated.

The extensive advice for students in the email also included seeking Omani Embassy’s help if any legal situation or conflict should occur.

“We urge students to behave diplomatically, and be cautious when responding to any questions that involve religious or political ideology,” it said. On a more uplifting note, Al Sulaimani expressed a positive change among his campus community in the light of recent events.

“I have not felt any hostility. In fact, most multicultural communities, such as the Hispanic and Muslim organizations, have come together at this time to show solidarity with Muslims. The university has been very supportive as well,” he said.