Watching Movies in Oman

Going to the cinema in Oman can be an interesting experience. As a single Muslim gal, I never went by myself without one of my shebab (the guys) for keeping things kosher, or a rather large-ish group of banaat (girls). Because, well, go by yourself and you get one thinks-he's-sauve-and-brave Omani fella trying to chat you up or buy you popcorn ect, and it ruins the experience. As a non-muslim expat, I admit I never had this experience, but seems if you wear an abaya and a headscarf you instantly turn into dating material, go figure.

So, then my other option was renting movies.

I would have rented more but most places demand that you buy a membership. Which I did once, but since I always forget to carry my member card, and change my GSM # too often to remember it, I get stuck with puting 20-10 rials deposit down for a single rental. Which, I don't always have the fuloos (money) to do.

Watching movies off the net.

Anyone whose been in Oman for a week knows that the average internet connection suckssssssss, and is painstakingly slow. So downloading movies takes time, and for me, honestly, as a Muslim, I can't do it, cuz in most cases (not all) it is stealing.

And I love the part where I can't hear the film because te bad pirated copy has people in the theatre laughing and I see some asian guy get up and walk across the screen to get more popcorn. Awesome!

So then. I turn to buying movies when I have the cash. I spend a little extra at a store for what I am guaranteed is NOT a pirated copy.

I get home and find that the not-a-fake is a fake and feel kinda bad. And wish a little I HAD bought the cheaper OBVIOUSLY fake one.

But, you know what, there is always one part of watching a pirated film that makes me so giddily happy.

There is that add at the beginning that thanks you for buying the original and not a pirated copy. It says, thank you for not stealing. THAT PART, dear readers, I find absolutely hilarious and timelessly funny to see, on any DVD. That they pirated the "thank you for not pirating" part.

BEST part of the movie!