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There you go. Perfect.
NARRATOR: Eliza and Ash Richardson
are a match made in the heavens.
I was a flight attendant, and he's a pilot.
NARRATOR: But they're seldom under one roof.
We were gone three, four, five days at a time.
NARRATOR: Now a move to the Middle East
is changing everything.
LAUREN: You would wash your hands and possibly your feet
before you would sit down to eat in this area.
She'll have to acquire some new skills...
ELIZA: Oh, what are these?
I need to learn to cook for Ash's sake.
...and cope with some turbulence...
The only thing is that noise.
LAUREN: There's nothing in the house that you see
will come with it.
...to make their international dream come true.
Did you ever think you'd be anywhere like this?
No. There's no way. Unh-unh.
Watch as these newlyweds get a taste of Muscat, Oman.
Wow, that's really good.
[ Doorbell rings ]
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
I can't believe you're leaving.
Who am I gonna go shopping with?
[ Laughs ]
ELIZA: Ash and I met working for the airline.
He didn't play any games,
and I think that was what really made me fall for him.
I'm excited about taking a guitar lesson.
After about a couple years of dating,
we were going days upon days without ever seeing each other.
NARRATOR: Ash found a job with a more regular schedule.
Ash got a job interview in the Middle East,
and after his interview, he proposed to me,
and it was a shock.
We hadn't really discussed getting married,
and I was a little hesitant at first,
knowing that we also had to move to Oman
and this completely different life-changing experience.
It was overwhelming for me.
I was worried
that maybe she wouldn't want to give up her job,
'cause she's very independent.
Okay, you ready? I'm gonna beat you.
You know that, right?
ELIZA: We eloped, and then a week after that,
he headed off to Oman.
One card.
And I've been packing things up and shipping things off.
Ah, you're beating me again.
When I told my family that I was moving to the Middle East,
they were very nervous for me.
Is there a dress code?
You know, I don't want to be disrespectful,
but for the most part,
I can wear everything that's in my wardrobe.
Yeah.
ELIZA: Moving to Oman as a newlywed,
I do know that there will be some challenges
going from working all the time to being a stay-at-home wife,
but at the same time, I think it's gonna be
a great bonding experience for the two of us.
NARRATOR: Eliza leaves the comforts of home,
flying nearly 7,000 miles to meat Ash in Oman.
[ Doorbell rings ]
Muscat is a center of international trade.
900 years of history is evident,
alongside modern structures
reflecting the cosmopolitan flavor of the city.
Surrounded by mountains and the Arabian Sea,
open-air marketplaces sell jewelry, food,
and other treasures.
ELIZA: I want to try that recipe.
Arabic is the main language of Muscat.
[ Speaks Arabic ]
But English is also widely spoken.
Tell me what you want to cook,
and I will give you accordingly.
Eager to get started on settling in...
Hi. Yeah.
...Eliza and Ash call on real-estate agent Lauren Sutton.
I do have one place in mind for you guys.
What exactly are you looking for?
What's your real desire?
[ Sighs ]
Well, there are a few things
that we would really love to have.
We would like a two bedroom/two bath.
Our budget is $1,800.
We would love an expat community,
something with a western feel.
Yeah, I mean, I think one of the most important things
is somewhere that's close to work
and, then, also somewhere where there will be
a little bit more socializing,
because we are gonna be new here.
There are some really great communities here for expats.
Oh, perfect.
There's a lot new developments here in Muscat.
They're mainly aiming for expats.
They know that most of them have
an attractive living allowance,
so they will increase the price.
NARRATOR: Knowing that Eliza is anxious to make friends,
Lauren brings them to Muscat Hills,
popular with expats.
Hi, guys.
It's so pretty. I love the view.
Yeah, it's gorgeous.
You found it okay as well?
Yeah. The only thing is, though, the noise over here.
I'm kind of concerned about that.
There is some daily construction
that's going on at the moment.
Yeah, it is pretty loud.
Has it been going on for a while?
They're just expanding the course,
but hopefully, not that much longer,
and it should be finished.
Sounds good.
Let's go in.
What I have for you in here is a two-bed/two-bathroom,
as per your wish list.
And it's right at your budget at $1,800.
Let's check it out.
Yeah.
And I like that it's partially furnished,
so that's a couple things that we don't have to buy,
which will be really nice.
Yeah.
Yeah. It's a really fantastic space.
But I just want to show you
the best bit about this property...
Oh, my God.
...which is this view out here.
This is absolutely gorgeous.
Wow.
So, you have the view of the mountains
and the golf course itself.
It's amazing. [ Laughs ]
The only thing is that noise.
One of the things that put me off
is definitely the construction,
especially with Ash's schedule.
Sometimes he needs to sleep during the day,
and the construction's going on,
so that was definitely a big concern for us.
LAUREN: So in here is your master bedroom.
Again, you have your own balcony looking out to the same view.
Oh, wow. That's awesome.
You can even wake up to the view.
[ Laughter ]
And also storage. You have a lot of storage.
Yeah, this is, like, three times the size
of our place back home, so it's amazing for us.
Yeah.
ASH: This property is at the top end of our budget,
but it did fulfill a lot of our wishes,
and I sensed Eliza really liked it.
The kitchen here is one
of the smallest parts of the apartment,
but it does come with everything
that you would normally purchase.
Most of the apartments here --
They will not come with goods such as these.
You normally have to purchase them yourselves,
so you guys are kind of really lucky in that respect.
It's nice. I wish it was a little bit bigger.
ELIZA: Yeah, it is a little tight.
It looks like a starter kitchen for you.
Yeah, I don't know how much use it's gonna get with me.
Have to try it out.
I know he wasn't a big fan of the kitchen.
ASH: The kitchen was probably a little bit smaller
than we would have liked.
I think we would also like to be in a place
where it's easy for him to commute to work.
You know, we want him to be able to spend time at home.
Eliza has given up a lot to be here.
She gave up her career to come,
so we wanted to make sure that she felt really comfortable
in whichever place we picked.
If they're willing to increase their budget,
they could have something spectacular.
So, this property I have for you here
is a three-bedroom/ four-bathroom.
ELIZA: More than enough space and closer to work.
So, I just want to show you guys
'cause I think you'll be blown away by what's inside.
Yeah. I want to see it.
Let's check it out.
Wow, this is so pretty, Ashlan.
Do they have good food here?
NARRATOR: With the promise of shorter work hours,
airline pilot Ash Richardson accepted a job in Oman.
Should we just sit anywhere?
Yeah. Just pick a seat.
His new wife, Eliza, gave up her career.
I like it.
And she has a lot to adjust to
in her new surroundings.
ELIZA: Being a western woman in Oman
is definitely a lot different
from being a female back home.
A lot of people will refer to my husband as the boss
and will, you know, go to him for things first,
before they would come to me.
And that is strange for me. I'm not used to that.
It's not out of disrespect or anything.
It's just how things are here.
So, this is lamb that they baked in the ground for three days.
They usually have it during special occasions.
Do you know what kind of leaves these are?
Banana leaves.
Banana leaves?
Wow, that's really good.
That's really good.
You're gonna come back?
Oh, I'll definitely come back.
NARRATOR: And the drastic change
from flight attendant to homemaker
leaves this newlywed wondering if she's made the right choice.
It looks like a starter kitchen for you.
Yeah, I don't know how much use it's gonna get with me.
Have to try it out.
NARRATOR: Lauren's next property
is a spacious villa closer to Ash's work.
They'll have to dig deeper into their $1,800 budget,
but it's a small sacrifice for Ash
if it satisfies his new bride.
It's a great neighborhood.
Is it in an expat community?
It's a mixture of locals and expats,
but location-wise, it's fantastic.
So, this property I have for you here
is a three-bedroom/ four-bathroom.
It's a little bit over your price budget.
It's listed at $2,200. But it's a fantastic deal.
Offers like this don't really come by often,
so I just want to show you guys
'cause I think you'll be blown away by what's inside.
ELIZA: Yeah, let me see it.
ASH: Let's check it out.
Yeah, let's go do it.
Oh, my God.
So big.
It's huge.
You like it?
Yes, I love this.
Yeah.
Does it come with all the furniture?
It doesn't, no.
That's something you would need
to take into consideration with your budget,
'cause nothing in the house that you see
will come with it, I'm afraid.
Okay.
I was a little surprised that Lauren would show us
a place that was $400 over our budget.
It's a great property,
the amount of space that they're getting for the price,
and they just won't find anything else like it.
This is where traditionally you would have a dining room.
ASH: Okay.
Hence why you have washbasins here.
So, obviously, traditional Omani style --
You would wash your hands and possibly your feet
before you would sit down to eat in this area.
Okay. Yeah.
They just have replaced it with a pool table.
ASH: There you go.
See? Perfect.
I think Eliza loves this place. It's like a palace.
ELIZA: But knowing that there would be additional costs,
such as buying furniture to fill up the place
and paying for just the upkeep --
I mean, all that stuff adds up.
Through here, you have the kitchen.
ASH: Oh, wow. It's big.
Yeah.
Probably put some big table right here.
Have this, you know, eating area here.
Wow, plenty of cupboard space.
I know.
It's great -- a lot of space.
And Eliza's gonna get lost, definitely.
Now, how many bedrooms is this, again?
Three.
He's probably worried
that I'm gonna get lost somewhere in the house.
[ Laughs ] But honestly, I think that's it.
I think he absolutely loved the property.
It feels like a palace. [ Laughs ]
LAUREN: This is what would be classified as the family room.
Again, very bright, lots of light coming through.
I love it.
My only concern still is furnishing all this.
I mean, with only you and I and --
ASH: It's big.
Yeah, it would be a lot of money.
But you are getting a huge amount of space
for a very good price.
But let's head on into the master bedroom.
ELIZA: Wow.
Again, great size.
Yeah, it's big.
This is awesome.
It doesn't seem like you have
to use the lights during the day.
It's just natural sunlight.
LAUREN: Yeah, it's natural sunlight,
which, obviously, here,
you get near enough 365 days a year.
That is true. That's awesome.
That's nice.
ASH: It's great.
It's close to work.
Even though it's a little bit over-budget,
it's a lot of space, so it's a great steal.
ELIZA: I think he fell in love with it,
and I'm probably the one that's gonna have to be
a little more practical with this.
Lauren, where have you brought us?
[ Laughter ]
NARRATOR: If Eliza needs to fill her time...
It's a two-minute walk through the car park,
and you're inside the mall.
So I can go shopping while you're at work. Perfect.
The beaches are really pretty here.
Yeah, they're nice.
They kind of remind me of home.
NARRATOR: Married to an airline pilot,
newlywed Eliza Richardson
gave up her career as a flight attendant
to be a homemaker in the Middle East.
The water's actually a little colder
than I expected it to be.
Eliza is concerned about feeling isolated
while her new husband, Ash, is at work.
ELIZA: Ash is a go-getter, he is a hard-working person,
and he is a risk-taker.
So, can you see yourself living here?
Yeah. I think I can, actually.
Ash and I are opposites.
I'm definitely a little more reserved,
maybe a little more conservative.
Think you're gonna get used to the heat?
[ Laughs ] I hope so.
I think I'll like it,
but I think I'll also miss the seasons, though.
What about you?
Do you think you'll like the heat,
being so fair-skinned?
No.
I bet you'll get used to it.
Yeah.
And Eliza's worried about finding a comfortable home
within their $1,800-a-month budget.
Feels like a palace.
ASH: Probably put some big table right here.
LAUREN: Have this, you know, eating area here.
It'll take a lot to furnish this place, though.
NARRATOR: With a growing expat community in Oman,
inexpensive rentals are hard to find.
Lauren's next house is smaller and farther from work,
but the price and shopping convenience are first-rate.
I wonder where they're taking us,
because this just looks like a shopping mall.
ASH: Yeah. It's a little bit strange.
Lauren, where have you brought us?
This is Muscat Grand Mall.
This is the residential part of it.
So, the shopping mall is literally above us right now.
It's literally to the side of you.
Oh, to the side of us.
It's a two-minute walk through the car park,
and you're inside the mall.
So I can go shopping while you're at work. Perfect.
The property I have to show you today
is two-bedroom/two-bathroom.
The price is fantastic.
It's listed at $1,600,
and all your utility bills are included
in that price as well.
Okay?
Do you want to take a look?
Yes. Absolutely.
Wow, there's a lot of light.
So, you were saying nobody's lived here before.
They're all brand-new?
It's all brand-new, yep.
This is your open-plan living and dining.
Okay. What do you think about the size?
I just don't think it's as spacious
as I was hoping for, I'd say.
You are saving a lot of money each month,
given that your electricity, water,
and all your utility bills are included in your rental.
We'd save a ton of money. That'd be awesome.
It's just not as big as I would like it to be,
but the price and with all the utilities included --
the $1,600 -- is just amazing,
and, I mean, you really can't beat that.
The balcony doesn't have much of a view to look at.
So, is there any, like, yard?
Yeah. There's public courtyards.
There's this one here that you can sit in,
and there's chairs and stuff,
just to sit in the evening or something.
Oh, all right. That's nice.
I noticed it's pretty cold in here.
A.C. works pretty good?
LAUREN: Yeah, it's brand-new air-conditioning units.
Oh, okay.
And it's controlled automatically on the wall.
ASH: In each room, or is it central?
Oh, okay.
Oh, that's nice.
So, this is your master bedroom here.
And again, quite a lot of natural sunlight
coming through, which is nice.
Does have a nice, like, modern look to it,
but there definitely isn't much of a view.
Yeah.
Not a big fan of the view whatsoever,
but having the shopping mall and the supermarket so close by
is nice.
And then I'll lead you into the kitchen.
Again, it doesn't come with --
No appliances.
ASH: Oh.
That's something, again, you have to think about
in your budget.
Maybe with the money you're saving
from your utility bills every month --
something to think about.
Okay.
It's pretty small, and I would say,
like, looking at the cabinets and stuff,
it just seems like it's not the nicest quality, maybe.
Yeah.
I'm not a big fan of the kitchen.
Everything just wasn't up to par for me.
The kitchen was definitely small,
and it didn't come with any of the appliances.
But at the same time, there is the convenience of it.
It is nice that she can walk to the supermarket and to the mall
and do shopping and won't have to drive very far.
We need to make a decision about the properties.
NARRATOR: Can they come together on price and practicality?
So, which one are you leaning towards?
It's gorgeous up here, huh?
I know.
But it is so hot.
I know. I'm ready to jump in the water.
NARRATOR: With an offer of shorter work hours,
airline pilot Ash Richardson and his new wife
are moving to Oman, hoping to spend more time together.
What do you think that is over there?
I don't know. It might be an incense burner.
But with their living situation up in the air,
Eliza is concerned about what's on the horizon.
House 1 is on budget at $1,800 a month...
And I like that it's partially furnished,
so that's a couple things that we don't have to buy.
...a desirable expat community.
The only thing is that noise.
At $2,200, house 2 is over-budget.
Feels like a palace.
NARRATOR: But for Ash, it's a small price to pay
for his new bride's happiness.
I love it. My only concern still is furnishing all this.
I mean, that'd be a lot of money.
NARRATOR: House 3 is under-budget, at $1,600.
All your utility bills are included in your rental.
We'd save a ton of money. That'd be awesome.
NARRATOR: And the location is a plus,
if Eliza can hold on to their savings.
It's a two-minute walk through the car park,
and you're inside the mall.
So I can go shopping while you're at work. Perfect.
I would say that it would be
between Muscat Hills and the villa.
I would eliminate the mall apartment.
Are you sure you don't want to be close to all the shopping?
I mean, I would love to be close to shopping.
My only concern, though,
is that I just don't feel at home there.
It's not spacious enough, you know?
Yeah, definitely.
And that's the most important thing, right?
Where I feel comfortable.
Yeah.
I guess we'll have to get rid of that one first, then.
Okay.
So, now we have two more left.
So, which one are you leaning towards?
I want the villa.
You want the villa?
I like the villa, too,
but I love that view at Muscat Hills.
Yeah, but the only thing is,
it's a little bit far from work.
You have all the space and the private garden at the villa.
Maybe a little bit too big.
Yeah.
And I am worried about the money.
Since we're just moving here,
maybe it's not such a wise choice.
But when it comes to Muscat Hills,
I actually can really see myself living there
and waking up to that beautiful view every single day.
True, it is a really nice view.
It is. It's gorgeous.
Let's do it. Muscat Hills.
Yeah?
You want to shake on it?
Let's go tell Lauren.
NARRATOR: Affordable price and spectacular views
make house 3 the clear choice.
How do you like the marina so far?
Oh, my God, I absolutely love the marina.
Have you ever seen one of these dhow boats before?
No, this is actually pretty cool.
That's a traditional Omani boat. It's nice, huh?
Yeah, it is really pretty.
When we first came here,
we didn't really know what to expect.
The quality of life that we have is even a little better
than what we would have imagined being in the Middle East.
That's awesome.
I think we made a great decision moving into this property.
I absolutely love it.
Finally, the construction's over.
I know. It's so, like, nice and peaceful.
I'm glad that that stopped.
ELIZA: When Ash and I first moved here,
it was really important for me to make this feel like home.
I've been able to get back into giving guitar lessons,
which I absolutely love doing.
Good. See, you caught on really fast, Ethan.
Giving up my career in the U.S. was a challenge for me,
but I think I've adjusted to it.
Learning how to cook was probably the biggest challenge.
Oh, no problem.
What are you up to today?
I think I'm gonna call Heather,
and maybe we'll be able to get together.
Making friends in Oman took a lot of effort,
but the friends that I have made are great.
Oh, my goodness.
That reminds me of "Aladdin."
Yeah.
It is kind of like "Aladdin" in here,
like "Arabian Nights."
It is. Yeah.
Working in the States,
we were gone three, four, five days at a time.
Here, I'm home every night.
Yeah, I think it feels like we have a real marriage
now that we're home together all the time
instead of going our separate ways.
In the evenings, you can take walks on the golf course.
I've grown to love it.
It actually is starting to feel like home.
It is a quiet, kind of serene place.
I think overall it was a great decision.
So, are you gonna take up golf?
I will. I'll get a polo shirt and khaki pants.
What about you?
Definitely.