October 11, 2018 T Weekly

VOL 11 ISSUE 42 / OCTOBER 11, 2018

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Surviving the storm of teen depression “He hardly talks about what is happening in his life.” “Her self esteem is so low that she forever feels she is unworthy, not good enough, and ugly.” “He becomes violent at times and there have been many instances when he has physically harmed his friend or a classmate at school.”

If you are a parent to a teenager, these concerns are not new to you. While we all know that being a teenager is a difficult phase when several changes take place in a child’s life, we often fail to recognise when these ordinary feelings of moodiness turn into something as serious as depression. Surveys have estimated that one in five adolescents suffer from depression at some point during their growing up years but never receive help, as it remains unidentified and is often termed as a “bad mood”.

While the occasional bad mood is normal, if a child shows signs of extreme sadness, despair, emotional outbursts, addiction to mobile phones, eating disorders, difficulty in concentrating, reckless behaviour and more, these can be considered as signs of depression.

Fortunately, teen depression is treatable and with enough love, guidance, and support from parents, counsellors and psychiatrists, they can get their life back on track. As we celebrated World Mental Health Day on October 10, we focus our Cover Story on teenagers and their mental health issues, it being the theme of this year.

According to the World Health Organisation, “Half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated. But parents and teachers can help build life skills of children and adolescents to help them cope with everyday challenges at home and at school. ” While psychiatrists based in Oman raised concerns on the increasing cases of teen depression and anxiety in children, they share many strategies for parents to help their children who are going through emotional turmoil. And before you seek any professional help, one of the best things that parents can do is to start a conversation with them and break the walls that they have built around them.

And there’s more about life skills that everyone needs to know, be it dealing with job front uncertainties or work-life balance.

— Swati Dasgupta

Founder: Essa bin Mohamed Al Zedjali Chairman: Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali CEO: Ahmed Essa Al Zedjali Editor: Charles Lavery Features Editor: Swati Dasgupta Research Editor: Ashish Dubash Copy Editor: Gautam Bhargav Viswanathan Online Editor: Christopher Isaac

Graphics Editor: Antonio Farach Design Editor: Sahir K.M. Lead Designer: Gregory Fernandez Designer: Geri B. Sonny, Jerrard Cedro Production Manager: Shafi Shaik Photography: MMG Photographers On The Cover: Design by Gregory Fernandez

For general enquiries or comments: swati@timesofoman.com

Muscat Media Group AN ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED COMPANY Post Box: 770, Postal Code: 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman EDITORIAL 24726600/24726666 Ext 214 swati@timesofoman.com ADVERTISEMENT 24726600/24726666

CIRCULATION 24726600/24726666 Ext 135/136 circulation@timesofoman.com

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WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK

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FRIDAY Muscat’s Coastline Beckons If you are a sea lover then Muscat’s coastline is a wonderful water world for you. Also the sea around the Daymaniyat Islands and Bandar Khayran are the country’s leading dive spots and worth a visit for snorkelling or swimming.

THURSDAY Beach by Night Muscat is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world and as the weather is getting cooler it’s time to enjoy the cool and gentle evening breezes. Visit one of the nearest beaches in town after a hard day’s work and listen to the soothing sounds of waves as you begin your leisurely weekend.

SATURDAY Hiking in the Snake Gorge The Snake Gorge or the Wadi Bani Awf is a large wadi in Rustaq and is a true attraction especially among hikers. The wadi covers authentic Omani villages among various other attractions including the Snake Canyon.

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The Grand Mosque Library If you want to spend a day reading then visit The Grand Mosque Library.

The library is open from 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 9pm from Saturday to Wednesday.

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MONDAY

On a Food Trail Food & Hospitality Oman is an annual international exhibition that showcases food and beverage, hotel equipment and supplies, kitchen and catering equipment, food packaging products, and food processing technologies, and other related products and services. The exhibition is on till October 17 at Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. From 11am-10pm.

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TUESDAY Visit Muscat Gate Museum It’s middle of the week and going off roads is not a great idea. But if you want to take a short break then visit Muscat Gate Museum. Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum contains special exhibits on Muscat’s water springs, the ancient wells, underground channels, the souqs, houses, mosques, harbours, and forts.

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WEDNESDAY Unwind at Qurum Natural Park Located in the heart of Muscat, the Qurum Natural Park has a huge artificial lake, numerous old trees, shrubs and green lawns, all of which provide the much needed solace away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Marah Land amusement park is located adjacent to this park.

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Ocean’s Eight (Film) Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City’s yearly Met Gala.

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The X-Files (TV Series) Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi Cast: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi Two FBI Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.

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The Looming Tower (TV MiniSeries) Genre: Drama Cast: Jeff Daniels, Tahar Rahim, Wrenn Schmidt A look at how the rivalry between the CIA and FBI inadvertently set the stage for the tragedy of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan.

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Teenage is the transition phase from being a child to an adult and it is said that many mental illnesses have their onset during this time. This year’s World Mental Health Day focuses on teenagers suffering from depression and anxiety. While parents and psychologists are trying to figure out how to help their children deal with the emotional disturbances of growing up, we try to understand what goes on behind the teenage tumult.

o you remember watching the movie Titanic? Do you recall that moment when the legendary liner smashed into an iceberg in the middle of the ocean? Not much was made of it at the time. Sailors on board began playing a game of improvised football with the chunk of ice that was sliding around the deck. Below decks, however, beneath the passengers dancing away their concerns, the hull began rapidly filling up with water, and by the time help came, it was too little, too late. The concerns surrounding mental health are much like that iceberg. There is far more to the problem at hand than meets the eye.

Cries for help from teenagers who are just coming to grips with the weight of the expectations that they are expected to not just meet, but surpass, after they have just come out of their carefree childhood years are often unfortunately ignored by parents who might think they know better, coldly asking their children to get it over with and pay no attention to the troubles that constantly rumble within them, not knowing that ignoring them might only make things worse.

Psychotherapists in Oman, though, have a single word of advice to those who ignore their children…don’t.

Specialising in psychiatry for the last 15 years, with a specialisation in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr Vijay Ram Naresh, who currently works as a psychiatrist at Aster Medical Centre, spoke to T weekly about why adolescents and young adults today are more prone to suffering from bouts of depression and anxiety.

“When you talk about depression and anxiety, these are two different

disorders, but when you start looking from the perspective of teenagers, then the expectations from the self, from the family, and from the society mean that everyone is expected to be good in every department,” he said. “You want the same boy or girl to be good in sports, good in singing, good in studies, and good in everything. As a family, what we could not do for ourselves, we want our child to do all of that.”

The doctor also pointed out the physical manifestations of psychological concerns that parents needed to look out for in their children. The World Health Organisation has listed a number of symptoms to look out for

when it comes to diagnosing depression, some of which include headaches, restlessness, body aches and increased blood pressure, all of which could have long-term repercussions on people’s mental and physical health.

“The child is struggling to cope with it, and one of the ways you do cope, is a child successfully being able to complete what is expected. If not, either the child will succumb or escape. When you succumb, you normally present certain signs and symptoms such as feeling unwell, feeling tired, losing interest in things around you, and this is more of a depressive kind of presentation, or you become restless, you are always on the

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edge, and this is a manifestation of anxiety,” added Naresh. “The third form is when you try to escape, then you start to develop a stance of ‘I don’t bother about anything my family says’ and then you become a rebel.”

While teenage depression might be hard to spot, when asked about this teenagers raises concerns that one must ponder over. Here are a few thoughts shared by adolescents and young adults on conditions of anonymity.

“Sometimes I feel like my parents are trying to live their lives through me,” said a young girl who wanted to follow her artistic dreams. “I, for example, want to grow up and become an artist, but my father wants me to be an engineer, because his definition of success is different from mine. If I am going to be doing a job, then I want it to give me satisfaction, not just to go into an office and do work for the sake of doing it.”

Another young teen added: “I really wish my parents could stop telling me what to do all the time. I understand that they are looking out for me and they have my best interests at heart, but sometimes I wish they would let me try to do things differently. If I fail, so what?

At least I will learn things the hard way and then I can follow their example, but unless I try things out for myself, I will not learn.”

A young adult who is currently at university added, “My mother and father both used to go to work and I had to take care of my younger brother and myself when I was in school. I really wish I had someone to talk to, because I was just a teenager, and I had to go home, open the door, buy some food from the restaurant below and do everything by myself. It made me more independent, but I think it is really important for a child to have a parent at home.”

But psychiatric disorder is not always easy to identify. WHO stats revealed that globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, and has been identified as the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Dr Naresh says that to differentiate between mind and body is like separating salt from water. “You don’t know whether or not the water is salty unless you actually taste it, and you cannot differentiate between the two. For any diagnosis, if my body is stressed, it will have some bearing on my mind, and if my mind is stressed, then it will take its toll on my body. Panic attacks and palpitations are some of the best examples of symptoms, so if you have these, you will ultimately end up with either a physician or a cardiologist,” added Naresh.

This social stigma that existed around psychiatry centred on the manner in which mental patients had been previously treated in society, where they were unfortunately forced into straitjackets and locked up in asylums, or sold to circus shows by families who did not know any better. Any affliction of the mind, after all, was previously termed as madness, and people unfortunately thought that mental patients were just that — mental. Families therefore choose to disguise mental illnesses as physical ailments, because those who

THE NEW FIGURES ARE A WAKE-UP CALL FOR ALL COUNTRIES TO RE-THINK THEIR APPROACHES TO MENTAL HEALTH AND TO TREAT IT WITH THE URGENCY THAT IT DESERVES. DR MARGARET CHAN WHO Director-General

FOR SOMEONE LIVING WITH DEPRESSION, TALKING TO A PERSON THEY TRUST IS OFTEN THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS TREATMENT AND RECOVERY. DR SHEKHAR SAXENA Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at WHO

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CASE STUDIES OF TEENAGE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ( BY DR VIJAY RAM NARESH)

300 MILLION PEOPLE

WHO stats reveal that globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, and has been identified as the leading cause of disability worldwide.

sought out counselling to sift through their problems were considered to be stereotypically weak, especially in a society that praises physical prowess.

People were therefore expected to put on a brave face and pay little attention to the workings of the mind.

“But things are changing, so in the future, things could be different from where they are now. People are not comfortable with being labelled as someone who has mental instead of physical weakness,” he added. “We have to communicate with children and we cannot replace our family time with physical gifts. That will not replace my time and my guidance and my life with them.

Secondly, don’t shy away from seeking help. Notice any changes that are happening around you. If a boy who is silent has suddenly become outgoing, look for the change. Be attentive for any sudden changes,” said Dr Vijay.

When it comes to dealing with teenage mental health, most parents feel that the current lifestyles accelerate teenage depression. More and more schoolchildren are increasingly becoming latchkey kids, as they return home to empty houses with both parents away at work.

“We share many things, but we don’t share true feelings,” said a parent, who did not want to be named. “That has its own burden and has its own share in

CASE STUDY 1

CASE STUDY 2

I had a family of high performers with a father and grandfather both being high achievers. The elder brother was also very good in academics and was studying abroad. Then came a child who was not that sharp. When he grew up, he was not respected like his elder brother, he was always compared to his elder brother, his father always talked about what has been achieved and he was expected to achieve the same.

But the family doesn’t understand why he is able to perform. I as a professional understand that he is not capable, but the family does not. Not everyone can run 10 kilometres an hour. We all have our limitations. The boy may not have the same interests, he may be better elsewhere.

Depression may not always be seen in the form of sitting alone or crying, it’s not that. It at times can be irritability. He presented irritability, anger outbursts, difficulty in interacting with his friends, difficulty in interacting with his brother, with whom he was compared regularly, so he is not able to cope with the stress that was presented on him, and he is behaving in a different way.

Their complaint was anger and irritability; he was picking fights with his brother. It was difficult to categorise it, but the family had some exposure to psychology so they were open minded to any treatment.

There was a girl whose personality had taken a hit because she was not cared for and had a lack of confidence. In her teens, there was the urge to get the appreciation of those around her and she then opted for an arranged marriage and that also went bad. She didn’t want to do anything, she didn’t want to sleep, and she had crying episodes. Depending on the severity of symptoms, treatment was decided.

With the boy, a change of environment helped, and with the girl, talking sessions of psychotherapy helped. If this does not help, though, then you go for medication.

Therapy sessions are defined, but the last few sessions usually focus on preventing a relapse, or on stopping the re-emergence of symptoms, otherwise, follow-up sessions are needed.

Usually, what we see as a professional is that there needs to be a good amount of homework as well. It is not a medicine that you just pop into your mouth after which things are fine.

It is very easy to point a finger at someone else, but the expectation was that he was born in the family and he was expected to perform a certain way. I had to explain to the family that it’s okay to not perform like everyone else. In a class, not everyone can get 99% marks, after all. There will be some with 80% or 70% marks, but the problem is that everyone wants their child to get 90% marks.

adding to the problem. If children have a problem, it is definitely accelerated due to the current scenario,” said a parent of a 16-year-old girl currently undergoing counselling sessions for anxiety. On setting limits for children, most parents feel that it’s important to draw a line.

A child asking for an ice cream is not something to which we will ever say no but when the demands get bigger, that is when the impact begins to show. If you always give a child an ice cream when he/she asks for it, then he/she will expect you to say yes to whatever he/ she asks.

“When you say no, children begin to believe they are being denied something and then this affects them negatively. So you must set limits at the start. “If my son wants a video game, he has to earn it. Otherwise, he will think he is entitled to everything without working,” said the father of a 12-year-old boy.

In addition, T weekly also reached out to Dr Gerald D’Costa, a psychologist at Badr Al Sama’a Polyclinic. He said that times were changing, and although change was slow, people were now more accepting of feelings that differed from the traditionally “manly” ones.

“The new generation of teenagers is more accepting to counselling. Since schools have counsellors, they tend to use their services more often. However,

their first area of support is their friends and they usually try to solve all problems there. Social media and phones allow them to communicate with each other quickly and daily. They are more active on social media platforms and tend to seek advice from these platforms.”

But these platforms on their own were not the long-term solution to problems, which if left unchecked, could lead to far worse. Across the globe, more than 800,000 people die due to suicides every year, and WHO research shows that investment in mental health has a four-fold return. Dr D’Costa emphasised the need for parents to take an active interest in their young ones’ lives, even if what lay within was not the easiest of situations to deal with.

“The world is changing and we change along with it. Parents and teachers have to adapt to new platforms and if possible schools need to provide counselling services through telephone and social media platforms. Parents have to view the online life of teenagers as necessary in this modern world but will need to keep an eye on it. Peer pressure and teenagers’ trends to experiment and accept modern values as the right way of life have to be countered with better education and communication from parents and teachers.”

–gautam@timesofoman.com

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STORY CAROLANN PHILIPS

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A question that comes up at least once in a person’s’s professional life time is, “Is it time to change my job?” The reasons vary. Some want to do more.

Earn more. Learn more. Others, are at a deadend in their current job, and want to hit re-set and start over. And for some others, the question may just pop in their head when they’re piqued over an unpleasant incident in their workplace. Whatever the reason, making a decision to change jobs needs to be a well thought out move. Here are three questions to ask yourself, and help you think through this dilemma...

WHAT WILL I LOSE? The intention behind this question is to help you fish out the negative consequences to changing your job. There is a popular saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side”. Maybe. Maybe not. While you may have drawn up a list of potential benefits — better pay, better position, new skills, fresh perspective; it’s important to make a list of all that you will lose in the process.

Strong work relationships, accumulation of service benefits, your working comfort zone, institutional knowledge which has made you invaluable, seniority privileges.

The deeper you dive into the cons of changing jobs, the clearer you will be about the decision you must make.

So if you are thinking of a career move, think hard about these questions. Or else, what you think is a fabulous job offer today, may be your reason for wanting to change jobs again tomorrow.

WHAT IS MY PROFESSIONAL WORTH? For many of us, money is the key influencer behind this decision. Indeed, income is fundamental to work. Before considering a job change in the hope of earning extra money, research the average salary of someone with your competencies, experience, and background.

If you find you are being under paid in your current job, is the difference significant enough to provide you the impetus to navigate through the transition of starting over and re-establishing your value in your new job, regardless of the experience and accomplishments behind you? If you find you are being compensated fairly, or generously, do your other motivators (reasons to change your job) outshine this benefit?

WHAT WILL IT FEEL LIKE? A desire to change jobs is often fuelled by feelings. Feeling bored. Feeling under valued. Feeling under-utilised. Feeling stiffled. You may want to feel more empowered. Craving for professional freedom perhaps? Research the corporate culture in the market place. Find out about “how work gets done” in other organisations.

Ask around at networking events. Meet with people who work in organisations you’d like to be a part of. Better yet, connect with those who have moved out of these organisations. Ask meaningful questions. Which positions and which organisations provide the opportunities to fulfil your hopes and expectations? If you can’t be sure, is it a risk worth taking?

And yes, don’t forget to ask yourself if you have done enough in your present job to change how you feel about it.

Carolann Philips is an award winning, certified management coach and organisational development coach based in Oman. She is also a talent developer, etiquette and protocol consultant.

She specialises in behavioural skill development and professional performance enhancement.

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PROOF IS IN THE

PUDDING A generous serving of pudding is the perfect way to finish a meal, but it doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen in making it. Here are some pudding recipes that you can whip up using some common pantry ingredients.

BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL SAUCE Crispy from outside and soft from inside, this simple bread pudding has the surprise punch of caramel sauce.

Ingredients • 15 slices white bread, crust removed (cut in small pieces) • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg • 3/4 cup raisins • 6 large eggs • 3/4 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 2 1/2 cups milk, warmed For the caramel sauce • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 cup unsalted butter • 1/4 cup heavy cream Preparation • Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly brush a square baking dish with melted butter and keep aside.

• In a large bowl, combine bread pieces with melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. Mix gently until well blended. Pour into baking dish.

• Using the same bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until frothy. Add warm milk and stir until blended. Pour over bread mixture.

• Bake for 30-35 minutes until edges turn lightly brown and the centre has a custard texture. Remove from oven.

• While bread pudding slightly cools and sets, prepare the caramel sauce.

In a saucepan over medium high heat,

RECIPES ONEZA TABISH

cheese. Whisk for a minute till fluffy.

• Then add corn flour mixture and mix it to combine.

• Add mango puree and whisk again to combine it all. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

• Pour the pudding mix into a serving bowl and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

combine sugars, butter and heavy cream.

• Bring to a boil and stir continuously.

Boil for about 2 minutes.

• Drizzle over the pudding and enjoy hot.

MANGO PUDDING A quick, no bake, easy pudding with cream cheese and mango puree makes a decadent dessert that will leave you asking for more.

Ingredients • 3 tablespoons milk • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1/2 tablespoon corn flour • 1/2 cup cream cheese • 1 cup mango puree • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Preparation • Pour milk into the saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring it to a boil and add sugar, till it dissolves completely.

• Add corn flour and stir continuously to avoid lumps. Switch off the flame, after cooking for about a minute. This mix will thicken once cold.

• In another mixing bowl add cream

beat two eggs.

• Add 1 cup milk and sugar and whisk together.

• Warm honey in the microwave for 30 seconds.

• Combine honey with the eggs and milk and blend well.

• Add cinnamon.

• Add rice to a square pan and top with dates and dry fruits.

• Pour wet ingredients over rice and mix well.

• Bake at 175°C for 40 minutes.

• Serve hot.

BISCUIT PUDDING A classic pudding prepared within minutes with biscuits and condensed milk.

BAKED BROWN RICE PUDDING A delicious pudding dessert made from left over brown rice.

Ingredients • 1 cup left over brown rice • 2 eggs • 1 cup milk • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1/4 cup honey • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon • Seedless dates, handful • Chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios Preparation • Use left over brown rice. (Cook rice on the stove —1 cup rice, 2 cups water, bring to boil, stir once, simmer for 50 minutes).

• In medium or large bowl, crack and

Ingredients • 1 cup water • 2 teaspoons coffee powder • 2 packs of Marie biscuits • 1 small tin condensed milk • 400g butter • 10 tablespoons cocoa powder Preparation • Boil the water; add the coffee powder and stir.

• Dip the biscuits, one at a time in this liquid and arrange at the bottom of a shallow glass serving dish.

• Combine condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder and cook for 3 minutes on low heat till well blended.

• Spread this chocolate butter paste over the biscuit layer and repeat, covering the layer with more biscuits in a similar manner till all the biscuits are used up.

• Spread this paste over the top biscuit layer and chill.

Oneza Tabish is a food blogger, consultant, and columnist based in Oman.

She is also the owner of Oman’s popular Facebook group ‘What’s Cooking Oman.’

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STRIKING THE RIGHT WORK-LIFE BALANCE: T H E P R A C T I C A L G U I D E STORY ANTARA BOSE

Your daily job should enable you to do things that you actually want to do.

However (and unfortunately), a number of people allow it to work the other way round. If you are letting your job drain you out of all your energy, it’s probably time you reconsider your work-life balance and make some amends to your routine. No, we aren’t giving you any of those ‘tell-your-boss-a-no-and-walk-out’ advice. Here are a few practical and less drastic things you actually can do.

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Antara Bose is a model turned fashion and beauty consultant.

A popular blogger, anchor, and voice over artist, she maintains a deep connection with the local fashion industry and is passionate about discovering and celebrating aspiring talent as well as promoting animal rights. For fashion updates with a side of humour and sarcasm follow Antara on instagram @antarabose and on Facebook: Antara Bose.

SET SHORT-TERM GOALS AT WORK – Ones which are easily achievable and won’t take till retirement. It could be anything — acing an important presentation, submitting a tender or even something as silly as getting through a hectic week without losing your cool. Reward yourself with some quality time once it’s done.

USE TECHNOLOGY WHEN YOU SHOULD – We use it for our entertainment all the time. Why not use it to help us out at work. Incorporate business planners to assist you in sticking to your schedule, use apps and software that reduce the time taken to formulate pitches and profiles, video conference with clients instead of wasting time travelling – there are dozens of ways technology can reduce our workload. Once the work is done, disconnect from technology instead of lingering on aimlessly.

SCHEDULE A SET NUMBER OF HOURS FOR WORK – And stick to it, or at least try. Work has a tendency to pile on and never really seems to get over. Don’t fight it. Simply decide that you will not work more than a decided number of hours. Like twenty-four hours in a day, imagine that there are only so many hours you have to finish work. In those decided hours, steer away from distractions and work effectively. Then stop, and turn off.

DO UP YOUR WORKSTATION – This is a unique one. Keep pictures of good times spent with family and friends all around your table. Take pictures of yourself outdoors, engaging in sports or doing things you love. Let these pictures serve as constant reminders that you need to do more of that. Trust me when I say it, that picture of a fun, family trek — give it a good long stare and you’ll find a way to get out of work and do it all over again.

STAY HEALTHY – Bingeing on fast food, not getting adequate sleep or skipping workouts are clear signs that your ‘work-life balance’ is way off track.

Give time to holistic living. It’s not just something that millions of life coaches preach; in all honesty, it will only make you more productive at work. It’s a cycle — investing in healthy living increases productivity (so you can get done with things faster), and at the end, you’ll end up having even more time to dedicate back to healthy living. See how it goes?

SIGN UP FOR HOBBIES – You can do it with your loved ones or solo, but the idea is to sign up for classes. Pay that advance, and if you feel the pinch, even better!

Yes, we said it. Do you know why? That’s because the guilt of missing classes will force you to make time and go. Deep-sea diving, anyone?

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BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE Cast: Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Cailee Spaeny, Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson, Nick Offerman

A movie star helps a young singer and actress find fame, even as age and alcoholism sends his own career into a downward spiral.

Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at a run-down hotel in Lake Tahoe in 1960s California. Over the course of a fateful night, they all get one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong.

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KAYAMKULAM KOCHUNNI Malayalam Cast: Mohan Lal, Nivin Pauly

A STAR IS BORN Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga

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Dreaded by the rich and corrupt and revered by the poor and downtrodden, Kayamkulam Kochunni was a Robin Hood of sorts.

The film chronicles the life and times of the legendary 19th century highwayman, and how he rose from his humble beginnings.

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HELICOPTER EELA Cast: Kajol, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Neha Dhupia, Riddhi Sen Eela is an aspiring playback singer and single mother. She has given up all her dreams to raise her only son. But now her baby son ‘Vivan’ is all grown up and being a typical young millennial, doesn’t want his mother’s life to revolve around him. But being an over protective mother, Eela has other ideas and joins her son’s college to spend more time with him. Unfortunately her plans backfire and she suffers a backlash from Vivan for invading his privacy. Will Helicopter Eela manage to salvage her relationship with Vivan and find her calling again?

Running at: Vox Cinemas, City Cinemas

MY GIRAFFE Cast: Dolores Leeuwin, Liam De Vries, Martijn Fischer Patterson, a small boy, has a big friend: Raf, a giraffe.

They are born on the same day, live next door to each other and are inseparable.

Bridget (Hilary Swank) returns home at her brother’s (Michael Shannon) urging to deal with her ailing mother (Blythe Danner) and her father’s (Robert Forster) reluctance to let go of their life together.

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COMING SOON

WHAT THEY HAD Cast: Aimee Garcia, Blythe Danner, Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Taissa Farmiga

HALLOWEEN Cast: Jamie Lee Crutis, Judy Greer

FIRST MAN Cast: Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Ryan Gosling

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SUDOKU

HOW TO PLAY Fill empty cells with the numbers 1 to 9, so that each number appears once in each row, column, and area.

Level | Easy

8 2 8

6

4 5

9 2

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ULTIMATE AIRPORT DUBAI

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Level | Moderate

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THIS WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

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same. On one day, she could be finding alternative flights for a stranded group of f you live in Oman, you’ve almost defi- Chinese passengers, whose connecting nitely travelled outside the country by flight home has been delayed. But with just air. If you’re an expat, you came here by 90 minutes left before their replacement plane, so no argument there. If you’re Om- flight takes off, she needs to work fast. On ani, we’re sure you’ve gone overseas on va- another day, she’s required to calm down a cation to escape the hot summer months. distraught father whose son’s gone missGoing overseas was a big deal for us ing. With hundreds of thousands of people when we were growing up. It was special to at the airport at any given time and mere travel by plane. Today, however, we don’t minutes before the flight takes off, she’s think twice before hopping on a plane, as got all of her staff on the case. we sit back, close our eyes and prepare for Over in customs, officer Hassan Ibrahim an uneventful journey. and his team have their eyes peeled for any But while all of us and our thoughts contraband that enters the UAE, and with are preparing for our journey among the good reason: Dubai has some of the strictclouds with not a care in the world, there est laws towards illegal items, and it’s his are a million thoughts buzzing through the job to ensure that as much of it as possible minds of those whose job it is to provide us is stopped at the borders. He could be sumthat carefree journey. moned for something as From ensuring all the passimple as a taekwondo insengers and their luggage THE SHORT AND SKINNY structor bringing in a prop get to the plane on time and that’s raised suspicions, accommodating emergency Name: Ultimate Airport Dubai or for something underGenre: Documentary last-minute requests to rehanded, such as passengers Produced for: National Geographic scheduling delayed flights from South Asia bringing in Produced by: Arrow Media and ensuring that airports expensive aromatic wood What it’s about: How does the run smoothly despite the that’s used to make perworld’s biggest and busiest airport constant upgrades, a new fumes, hoping to sell it for a continue to be the best? In this fanshow by National Geographtidy profit in Dubai’s luxury tastic behind-the-scenes TV series, ic, shot at the world’s busiest tourism market. viewers are given an exclusive look airport, shows us just how Up in the control tower, into how Dubai International Airport airports cope with being it’s the job of Tess Toogood runs round the clock busy, operating, and mainand her air traffic control Runtime: 60 minutes per episode taining efficiency 24 hours a team to ensure that planes Where to watch: National Geographday, seven days a week. take off and land from Dubai ic, DirecTV, various streaming sites Ultimate Airport Dubai International Airport in a IMDB Rating: 7.5/10 follows the lives of those who safe manner. With mere make Dubai International seconds separating the Airport the world’s busiest take-off, taxiing and landing airport and among the best in the world. times for aircraft from all over the world, The show aired on National Geographic and it’s the New Zealander’s job to plan ahead is now available to watch online. to avoid the catastrophic collisions of milA number of key figures across all sec- lions of dollars worth of expensive aircraft. tions of Dubai International Airport, It’s a skill she’ll need to use quite well in which plans to accommodate up to 90 the weeks to come: Dubai International’s million passengers a year, are followed runways are to undergo a multibillion-dolthrough the course of their duties at the lar upgrade; the airport will be running on airport. There’s Mel Sabharwal, the Emir- one runway alone. The massive engineerates Airline manager, whose job it is to en- ing project will require the cooperation of sure that passengers get to their flights on thousands of people, years of planning, and time. A far from easy task, given that the with the tightest of deadlines, leaves absoairport’s three terminals are quite far away lutely no room for error. Ultimate Airport from each other, and cover the size of more Dubai is an excellent show that deserves a than 150 football fields. binge-watch this weekend No two days on Sabharwal’s job are the – gautam@timesofoman.com

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VOLUME 11 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 11, 2018

IN FOCUS CROWNE PLAZA MUSCAT CELEBRATED THE OFFICIAL REOPENING OF THE NEWLY RENOVATED PROPERTY.

OMAN SOCIAL LOUNGE, A FACEBOOK GROUP BASED IN OMAN, ORGANISED A COOKERY COMPETITION TO CELEBRATE THEIR THIRD ANNIVERSARY IN SAFEER PLAZA.

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VOLUME 11 ISSUE 42 OCTOBER 11, 2018

Omantel brings back the excitement with ‘Recharge and Win’ offer O mantel — the first and leading provider of integrated telecommunications services in the Sultanate — has brought back the excitement with ‘Recharge and Win’ offer for its Hayyak prepaid customers.

The offer, which was launched last month and will continue until December 15, 2018, grants lucky winners luxury cars, bonus credit, mobile Internet data and local minutes.

Mohammed Abdul Latif, General Manager of Consumer Sales at Omantel, commented “We feel really excited for the Recharge and Win offer and eagerly waiting for the first draw to take place. The offer had seen a huge success in 2017, and we are expecting to see the same buzz this year.”

“A total of 3 lucky draws will be held for the grand prize of Porsche cars, with a winner every month. The first lucky draw is set to be on October 15, and the other two lucky draws are scheduled for November 14 and December 16 this year.

“The moment they hear that they have won a dream car is just precious. We are always glad to draw a big smile on our cus-

tomers and keep them and their families happy,” he added.

To claim their instant prizes, customers need to dial *456# after recharging OMR3 and above, they will be eligible for the monthly draw for the grand prize. All new Hayyak customers will also get 10 chances to win the grand prize. Furthermore, using Omantel’s app or website to recharge will double the chances of winning the grand prize.

“Winners of the lucky draw will be called and informed by Omantel on how to obtain their grand prizes, while virtual prizes will be added to customers’ account immediately upon recharging,” explains Abdul Latif.

Investing in the future of the nation, Omantel connects even the most remote communities of the Sultanate to each other and the rest of the world. Omantel is the Sultanate’s first and leading integrated telecommunications services provider, enabling the digital society to flourish, allowing new ways of doing business and delivering a world of information, news and entertainment.

With unbelievable cash gift offers from Towell Auto Centre, Mazda’s new range of vehicles will be hard to resist T

owell Auto Centre (TAC), Mazda’s exclusive distributor in the Sultanate of Oman, will continue with their amazing cash gift offers and easy EMI plans on Mazda’s exceptional range of vehicles till October 14.

TAC’s amazing cash gift offers will give customers the opportunity to own their favourite Mazda vehicles at unbelievable prices. The new cash gift offers extend to Mazda’s sedan and SUV models.

The 1.5 litre Mazda 2 comes with a cash gift of OMR1,151 and EMIs starting from OMR66. The Mazda 2 has features like 6 speed automatic SkyActiv transmission, cruise control, keyless entry and traction control system. (Luxury model specifications) The popular Mazda 3 comes with an unbelievable cash gift offer of OMR1,700 and EMIs starting from OMR74. Available in 1.6L (without SkyActiv technology) and 2.0L (with SkyActiv technology) engine variants; the Mazda 3 is loaded with exciting features like blind spot monitoring, rear parking camera with static line indicators, adaptive front lighting system and adaptive cruise control. (Luxury model specifications) The compact CX-3 comes with a cash gift offer of OMR2,750 and EMI starting from

OMR79. The 2.0L Engine SUV has features like daytime running light, smart key, sport shift gear switch and alloy wheels. (Luxury model specifications) The 2.5L all-new CX-5 crossover comes with a cash gift offer of OMR2,000 and EMI starting from OMR108. The CX-5 comes loaded with fantastic features like adaptive driving beam, smart key, smart brake support and commander switch controls. (Luxury model specifications) According to Towell Auto Centre (TAC), the sole distributor of Mazda vehicles in Oman, “Mazda has a wide range of sought

after vehicles with advanced technology and global appeal. The new range of vehicles includes features like Mazda’s SkyActiv technology, which assures fuel efficiency without compromising on safety and performance. TAC’s cash gift offers and easy EMIs ensure guaranteed savings, and makes Mazda a popular choice among customers looking to buy a car that offers both savings and performance. With Mazda one can always expect superior quality at affordable prices.”

Mazda has brought quality to the roads of Oman, and TAC has made owning a Mazda

an absolute joy, thanks to their excellent after-sales service, availability of genuine parts for all Mazda models, their efficient staff and amazing promotions for customers. So hurry and visit your nearest showroom if you still aren’t driving your dream Mazda yet.

To find out more about Towell Auto Centre’s showrooms and servicing centres, you can log on to mazdaoman.com, or just walk into any one of Towell Auto Centre’s 10 Mazda showrooms situated across Oman.

You can also download the Mazda Oman mobile app to locate a showroom closest to you.