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vol 07 Issue 11 / june 14, 2013

VRROOM MATE
Passionate about swimming, hiking, snorkeling, diving, karate, boating and fishing, Nashwa Al Kindi, however, enjoys a unique romance with her first love Biking. Meet Omans Super Woman!
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VOL 07 ISSUE 11 / JUNE 14, 2013

SUPER WOMAN
VOL 07 ISSUE 11 / JUNE 14, 2013

OMAN

Nashwa Al Kindi has to spend long hours in the sea under the sizzling hot sun and work out vigorously in the gym to keep herself fit to be a successful sailing instructor. The strenuous routine notwithstanding, the youngster maintains her enthusiasm and high energy that helped her become the first Omani woman to ride a bike 12 years ago. T. A. Ameerudheen meets Omans Super Woman

he began her career as a freelance photographer capturing corporate events and marriage ceremonies. Then she moved on to wear the hat of a driving instructor and a year later she opted the job of a customer care agent with a telecommunications company, but nothing seemed to satiate her adventurous nerves. Her mind yearned for activities like diving, snorkeling, hiking, swimming, karate, bike riding and fishing. Thus Nashwa Al Kindi, the woman with a steely resolve, began to trudge a path never travelled by her peers and commenced to dismantle the traditional boundaries for women in Oman. Her first memorable feat came in 2000, when she became the first Omani woman to earn the licence to ride a bike on the roads of the Sultanate! Little Nashwa had fallen in love with bikes from her younger days and she had fancied owning a powerful two-wheeler when she became an adult. Her desire for the vehicle grew stronger thanks to her occasional visits to Oman Automobile Association where she rode dud bikes. But her father, Mansoor Al Kindi,

didnt buy her the vehicle, instead he asked her to get a four-wheeler licence. This didnt dampen her spirits. She kept her dream in the back of her mind, and saved as much money as she could to realise her dream. A couple of years later, she owned the first bike of her life a Honda 125 CC but she had to overcome many more hurdles to take it to the road. She couldnt find an instructor to teach her the tricks of the trade. For, no one was willing to groom a woman bike rider. But You Tube, which has plenty of tutorial videos, came to her rescue where she perfected the art of gear changing and leg positioning. Later, she put obstacles on the ground and successfully mastered the art of riding bikes before approaching the Royal Oman Police for a learners licence. The policemen were surprised when I gave my request. They didnt know whether women were allowed to ride bikes. They tested me with several questions to check my readiness. A couple of weeks later, I appeared for the tougher road test. I couldnt make it in the first attempt, but my determination paid off as I cracked it

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VOL 07 ISSUE 11 / JUNE 14, 2013

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Hectic daily schedule

6.30 am: Gets up from bed 7 am to 8.30 am: Drives to Oman Sails Musannah Sailing School 8.30 am to 9 am: A brief preparation for day 9 am: Briefs the trainees about the days activities 10 am: Students get their boats ready 10.30 am to 12 noon: Accompany the students for sailing training 12 noon to 1pm: Lunch break 1 pm to 2 pm: Teaching trainees (theory classes) 2.30 pm to 4 pm : Sailing 4 pm: Monitor trainees while they clean the boat, wash it and cover it. 4.30 pm: Brief the trainees about the day, comment on their performance and suggest ways to improve 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm: Meets the chief instructor, who will advice me to make things better 5.30 pm to 7 pm: Drives back to The Wave 7.30 pm to 9 pm: Hits the gym for work out 9.30 pm: back home, spends time with mother and father 11 pm: Back to bed

in the next try, Al Kindi recalled. It turned out to be the happiest moments in her life. It was a huge achievement as I showed my counterparts that women in Oman could dream big and achieve bigger things in their lives, she added. Having earned the licence, Al Kindi bought a new bike (Yamaha V Star) and hopped on it for long winding journeys. I rode the bike to Dubai three times for the Dubai Bike Show. Once I went with a group from Oman, while on the other two occasions I went alone, disclosed Nashwa, who plans to attend the next edition of the event soon. And she has some bigger plans for future, prominent among them being touring the Gulf region and travelling along Omans coastal region, from Sharqiya to Musandam. It will be a difficult trip. I have to plan properly before embarking on the journey. I should find out ways to tackle possible damages to the vehicle. So I am still thinking about it, she said. Nashwas road expeditions, however, were not free of accidents. She has fallen from the bike, skidded off the road, and suffered minor injuries en route to becoming a seasoned biker. And she vividly recollected her first major accident, saying When I entered the roundabout, the vehicle in front of me applied the brakes. I didnt have a choice but to apply the brake forcefully, and the bike skidded off the road. However, I was able to stand up on my own and pull it up. Then I completed my ride before heading home. Into Oman Sail Last year, Nashwa saw a posting on Facebook that eventually changed her life. It announced recruitment of women instructors in Oman Sail. She didnt have to think twice to apply for the position. For, she always had the sun, sea and sand on her mind. A rigorous selection process followed, comprising interviews, team activities, and Nashwa was picked for a six-month training at the Oman Sail facility at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha. During training, instructors found it difficult to challenge me. I finished first in all the activities, as I had previous experience in boat expeditions. I fell off the boats many a time, but it was all part of the activities. After six months

Thats Nashwa
1. Currently working as Senior Instructor at Oman Sail. 2. Worked as a freelance photographer, driving instructor and customer service agent. 3. First Omani woman to get licence to ride bike. 4. Owns a Yamaha V-Star 650 CC Bike. 5. First Omani woman to win the best instructor award in Oman Sails first award ceremony. 6. Passionate about swimming, hiking, snorkeling, diving, karate, boating and fishing.

training, I was posted at Marina Bandhar Al Rowdha and then at The Wave. Now I train sailors at Musannah, too, she said. The thrust of the training was on sailing, as the instructors need to get a feel of the wind. And when the training began, Nashwa was the undisputable champion in the group. As time passed, others began to catch up with her. But the fighter in me was not ready to give away the champion tag. So I took my place back soon, as I

wanted to be the winner always, she said. And Oman Sail honoured her fighting skills, picking her for the best female development coach of the year award during its first-ever award ceremony at Al Bustan Palace last month. It was a huge reward for the smart, knowledgeable and committed Nashwa who has been toiling from morning till evening under the hot, sizzling sun to groom new instructors. When the heat becomes unbearable, she wears a tur-

ban to protect herself from the Sun. Out on the sea, I have to pull the boats with my students. It is a tough job in the sweltering sun. But I am not bothered about my complexion. Sailors do not care about their looks. They just focus on the job at hand, she said. The tough job demands high level of physical fitness and that is why Nashwa doesnt want to miss her workouts even for a single day. When the clock strikes 7, Nashwa hits the multi-purpose gymnasium at The Wave. A rigorous workout follows for the next one-and-a-half hours in which she spends time to tone her muscles besides doing cardio exercises. I am a fitness freak and I enjoy working out. My day will not be complete without going there Nashwa pointed towards the gym and walked straight into it. - ameerudheen@hioman.com

Photos courtesy: Oman Sail