Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
o a – s i s (noun)
1: a fertile or green area in an arid region (as a desert)
2: something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast
Team America (Meegan, Jake, Jon, me):
o a – s i s (noun)
1. something unique and extraordinary that occurs in an unlikely place.
(From Colca Canyon and Huacachina, Peru, November 2011)
No Boundaries 
[…] “We’re serving drinks soon.” Okay, I responded, felt myself relaxed with the promise of an oasis in the middle of the desert. Little did I know that by “soon,” while I writhed and struggled […]