A TALL ORDER
After spending five wonderful years in the Sultanate, Annelies Boogaerdt bid adieu to Oman recently. In a freewheeling chat with OER’s Deepa Rajan the former Dutch ambassador speaks of her tenure and the special memories she will carry from Oman

Call her ‘curious Alice’. HE Annelies Boogaerdt, former ambassador for Kingdom of Netherlands to the Sultanate, believes that a good diplomat should be curious (and she does not mean the gossiping kind) “If you are not curious, you might as well sit at home and not do anything,” she quips. Of course one should be open-minded, patient and should always be aware and prepared to meet cultural challenges, she adds.

“I have seen that as long as you treat people with respect, don’t insult people and be punctual… they should be alright. That is how it works in any country.”

State honour
The diplomat was recently conferred the Al Numan Order ‘First Class’ for her tenure in Oman. It recognised her role in enhancing bilateral relations between the Sultanate and her home country. The award came to her ‘as a bit of a surprise’. Boogaerdt is quick to point out that her work as a diplomat is not really quantifiable in terms of who did what. “It’s never one person; it is always a collective effort’. In that sense, she strongly feels that award belongs to the other embassy staff as well. Nevertheless, the award came as a ‘proud but humbling moment in her life’.

She laughs: “Moreover, it is my first award ever.” Your eyebrows rise in surprise, “First ever…? Surely she would have won something in school, you are tempted to ask. Amid unfettered laughter again, she explains that in Holland there are no awards even if you are the best in school.”

“It is not easy being a diplomat,” Boogaerdt avers. Apart from the pressures at work, there are the challenges of staying away from one’s family and not to mention, the constant travelling. It is obvious she revels in them and takes a philosophical view of things. “Challenges are always there. The moment you arrive in a country, you know you are going to leave sometime. You know you are a guest there.” For Boogaerdt the challenge lies there. “When you get attached to a country, it always hurts when it is time to go. I remember my first assignment in Kenya. I found it very difficult to leave the place after two years. Over, the years I have convinced myself to get used to it. After all, it is part of the job.”

Keeping in touch with family is not a problem at all, she says. With the Internet, her world has become smaller and it is easier to keep in touch with the family. “I have made so many friends here. Now, when I go to New Zealand, I will have to start all over again and this happens every four to five years.” Trust Boogaerdt to find adventure in the challenge too. Curious as she is, Boogaerdt admits that travelling is the best part of being a diplomat. “You get to meet new people, explore the country and work on new challenges.”

‘Dean’ Boogaerdt
Is that what made her take on the job of the dean of all ambassadors in Oman? Boogaerdt, who was a teacher before joining the diplomatic service, is quick to dispel any ideas one has about a classic clash of diplomatic wits. “It was an easy job. My colleagues would come to me with simple questions about tax, diplomatic rules and sometimes even traffic regulations. Once, I even arranged a trip to the Sohar Port. There were other fun events too! I especially remember a farewell function we arranged for four ambassadors at Marina Bandar. I wanted it to be casual and fun and not a stiff diplomatic event.” She had a tough time convincing everyone, but in the end it was quite a party. Five years is a long time. And Boogaerdt has been more than a witness to some of the significant changes that have taken place in the Sultanate and its relationship with The Netherlands. She is quick to point out that the ties between the Sultanate and the Netherlands go back a hundred years, even though the Dutch mission became functional in Oman only since the 80s. “During my tenure, Sohar Port has witnessed major development. The first time I went to Sohar in October 2003, I remember it was all sand and desert, now things have changed and that is amazing.”

Education is another sector that has been instrumental in fortifying ties between the two nations. According to Boogaerdt, education projects such as the International Maritime College, which was set up by the Dutch government in collaboration with Oman’s government, are signs of better things to come. “The Omani Ambassador in The Hague is a woman and she is also the dean (of the ambassadors in The Hague). She is very much into education, so it helps a lot. We work together well,” she adds.

Tourism is one sector that Boogaerdt says has grown by leaps and bounds in Oman apart from the infrastructure sector. It is not just Dutch tourists, the influx of people wanting to vacation in Oman is huge. “I live by the sea near Shatti Al Qurum and it is amazing to see the number of people out on the beach. Earlier, Oman witnessed a surge in tourists only during winter, but the scene today is different and one can see them all-year round.” This, she feels has also contributed to the growth of the hospitality industry and the number of hotels that have sprung up to meet the tourist boom.

Sweet sorrow
When you live in a country for such a long time, you are bound to have some special memories. For Boogaerdt, the small trips with friends to places outside Muscat are the most memorable ones. Hailing from Western Europe, Boogaerdt likes the relaxed way of life and Oman offered that in full measure. “I was never apprehensive about coming to Oman. It is such a welcoming country and now after five years I feel it is even better than what I had imagined it to be. I feel a certain sense of satisfaction when my friends and relatives from Holland liked the place. The people are hospitable and warm and that makes your day-to-day life easy.” One believes that is the reason why despite the end of her tenure, Boogaerdt would like to come back to Oman’s mountains some day.

Apart from travelling, what entices Boogaerdt the most is reading. She is a voracious reader and claims to have thousands of books in her library; mostly fiction and French literature. Science fiction is a big no-no for her. You will also find her on the Internet either emailing or chatting. The fitness-conscious diplomat also makes time to go to the gym, when she is not sweating it out at diplomatic soirées.

For a Dutch who believes in talking straight, Boogaerdt has achieved a considerable amount of popularity. She became the only woman foreign ambassador in the Sultanate after the departure of the Italian ambassador. Were there no tough moments at all? “No, maybe no one messed with me because I am tall,” she laughs. One can’t help but agree. Annelies Boogaerdt is indeed a tall order to follow.

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