Download - Y-oman.com

December 13, 2011 Issue 198total darkness 24-hours-a-day, every single day, no glimpse of the sun here. Then in February, the sun slowly starts to peak its headround the corner, little by little, and by the first week in March the sun will come back, and the inhabitants will celebrate the full return ofthe sun and now the weather systems will completely switch, with it working up to 24-hours of sunlight for the summer months ahead.But despite this, the nights will still be very, very dark when we are there, which makes the possibility of seeing the Northern lights veryplausible. That too will be amazing, so fingers crossed!We plan to celebrate ‘Women’s International Day’ at 78-degrees North, which will take place on 8th March, in the hope of inspiringwomen worldwide and encourage them to take part in an adventure of their own. This date also happens to coincide with the end ofthe long polar nights and embraces the return of the sun to this remote part of the globe, so we will also be celebrating ‘Return of theLight’ day. During this trip, we will help raise awareness for breast cancer by supporting ‘Breast Friends’ in the UAE, and to contributeto Plan International’s campaign called ‘Because I Am A Girl’ aimed at educating women around the globe. One of the 12 women onthis Arctic Challenge is a three-time breast cancer survivor from the UAE, and I hope that women who read this article will feel inspired.We hope to call out to all women to stand strong and healthy and to continue to promote peace in the world. By giving all women avoice through education, this will ultimately be possible. Despite the 12 women having diverse backgrounds on this trip, they all haveone thing in common, they dare to care.Each woman on the arctic challenge will be proudly carrying their own national flag. I am originally British, and it was assumed by theTeam that I would carry the British flag. But because I have never really lived in the UK, and was born in northern Sweden in a smallvillage called Piteå, I felt a little out of place in doing so. Due to my father’s desire for adventurous travel and constant working overseas,my whole life was spent growing up in different countries around the globe, living in some rather remote countries such as Romania andAlgeria, to name but a few, which back in those days were considered ‘hardship postings’. I have, however, lived in Oman for the last29 years and have experienced a wonderful affiliation with this country, and I guess I consider Oman to be my home now. So I askedif I could carry the Omani flag instead. It was eagerly accepted by the Team, and I have to say I feel very proud to depart on this ArcticChallenge representing Oman.I feel connected to this country as if it were my own. I love the Omani people, and I find the scenery breathtaking and quite diverse;from beautiful beaches and fjord-like seas, to spectacular mountains, endless wadis worthy of exploring, and the amazing WahaibaDesert. The choices are endless. Coupled with this, I have the utmost respect for His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who I haveseen nurture this country from the dark ages and turn it into an outstanding first-class modern country, whilst keeping the culture andtraditions alive. HM is a very fair and trustworthy leader who genuinely cares and looks after his people. I have always maintained thatif all leaders of countries around the world were as tolerant, generous and wise as HM, then we would finally have world peace andan end to global suffering. HM is an example to be followed by all. I admire his economic, political and above all humanitarian policiesthat I have witnessed over the years of living here. So it goes without saying that I am indeed very proud to carry the Oman flag on thisarctic challenge.And as if I hadn’t had enough exposure to extreme cold conditions, I booked myself to spend a few days in northern Sweden at theend of the Arctic Challenge to re-visit my roots where I was born. And guess where I will be sleeping? Yep, you got it! On a block of iceat the Ice Hotel! Mmmmm, maybe I am a glutton for punishment, but hey, in for a penny in for a pound! I will tell you all about it whenI return in April 2012.So, I urge all women interested in doing something a little different, and daring to care, to let their imaginations wonder, and make adifference in some way, big or small, it doesn’t matter, but be brave and follow your hearts to leave your mark on this planet by helpingus to become a better, more educated, and healthier world, for the future generations to come.