Hello
My name is Marius.I'm romanian and i'm living in Kuwait form one year now and because i have such much free time i will start to write a blog about the life over here.
But first let me give you some informations about The State of Kuwait.
Kuwait lies at the head of the Arabian Gulf, between latitude 28 and 30 north and longitude 46 and 48 east. The land area of Kuwait is approximately 7,500 square miles, or roughly the size of Wales and is for the most part, flat. It has no rivers and no lakes. It is bounded on the west and north by Iraq, on the east by the Arabian Gulf and on the south by Saudi Arabia. There are nine islands, the largest of which are Failaka, Bubiyan and Warba, although none of them are inhabited. The government has set a population limit of 1.2 million of which 600,000 will be Kuwaiti. The Head of State is the Amir, who has appointed a Prime Minister (who happens to be a relative) to oversee all things political.
The country is split for administrative purposes into five Govenerates, being Capital, Hawalli, Farwaniya, Jahra & Ahmedi, however a look at a map will see three distinct areas of habitation, (1) the city and its suburbs, stretching south to the 6th ring road, (2) a strip stretching from Messilah and heading south to Ahmedi, and (3) Jahra in the West.
Arabic is the official language although English is very widely used and all road signs etc. are bilingual. English is also the official language for major contracts. Kuwaitis do not expect westerners to know their language and there is generally little difficulty in making oneself understood in English.
The ambient temperature is hot (to say the least) in summer, with official temperatures of 50°C being registered and 55 being the unofficial high in July and August.
This is a picture of Kuwait City centre.
The lack of provision for social life arises from a basic cultural difference in Arab life in that they are extended- family-orientated and have fewer social contacts outside the family circle, whereas the reverse is true for Westerners. The Arabs spend most of their time visiting family members’ homes and have less need for external provisions for social life of the kind we would take for granted. A further, direct consequence is that social contact between Arabs and Westerners is largely nonexistent, no matter how friendly they are in work. Another constraint on social life is that a bachelor is considered a dangerous man to an Arab and as such is a threat to his wife and daughters. He is therefore to be avoided socially. Such social gatherings that do exist are segregated into "families" and "bachelors", often by simply restricting bachelors to the most unpopular times of day or week. Some of the more enlightened clubs and hotels are free from this practice. Segregation of the sexes is a fact of life and Arabs will defend their opinions on the subject with all the fervour of someone who knows that not everyone agrees with it. Even in relatively liberal and cosmopolitan Kuwait, some are required to wear the veil and many wear the obayah. In court, the testimony of one man is as good as that of two women. The effect of this on Western women is less than in some other Middle Eastern countries since possibly the average Kuwaiti is more tolerant and in any case, he is outnumbered by more liberal expats. It is not so vital for women to cover up legs and arms, although some discretion is needed and one would not venture into the more traditional shopping areas like the souks or into a Co-op clad in shorts (then again neither should men). Conversely, in the hotels and more fashionable suburbs, the range of clothes worn is almost of Western standards. Western women never, however, feel entirely comfortable in the presence of a majority of Arab men as the latter’s upbringing probably gives them some strange notions about women, particularly non-Moslem ones. It is suspected that inside the Arab home, women play a much more dominant role than outside; this gives them a curious advantage in that they are treated to a Westerner’s eyes, with an exaggerated old-world courtesy.
Everyone in Kuwait is greeted with a handshake and entering a meeting, you will be expected to greet everyone in the room this way. When attending meetings, or any social gathering, it is considered discourteous to refuse tea (chai) when offered.
The local currency is the Kuwaiti Dinar, usually written "KD", sometimes before the amount, sometimes after. It is subdivided not into the normal 100 but into 1000 fils. There are 5, 10, 20, 50 & 100 fil coins and ¼, ½, 1, 5, 10 & 20KD notes.
Driving (always) and navigating (at first) can be quite dispiriting and the kamikaze nature of Kuwaiti driving standards should never be underestimated.
All cars(almost :)) here are air conditioned, most with automatic transmission.As in most middle eastern countries there is a pecking order when it comes to apportioning the blame of an accident, i.e., A Kuwaiti is never to blame, even if he/she rear ends you! However if a westerner runs into the rear of say, an Indian, then the Indian is at fault - totally unfair, but true. Petrol stations are open 24 hours to provide the local boy racers all night entertainment.
Renting is the only way an expat can get a house in Kuwait and this is a simple process with most reputable real estate companies advertising in the papers or a drive around the area you fancy will see many "For Rent" signs - the obvious ones are in English, and tend to have tolerant landlords, others are in Arabic (although it’s obvious what the sign says) and should be treated with a little caution by the Westerner. Flats are available furnished or not, the difference in price for a particular area giving a rough indication what is included. For a furnished flat most furnishings provided are only a year or so old at the most.
Crime is quite rare, and what there is tends to be fairly minor, however most crime tends to be in the overcrowded Asian parts of town. Groups of 5 or more people out late at night are also seen as a threat and can be taken in by "Competent Security Personnel" for questioning. There are regular police road blocks checking for paperwork to cut down on illegal immigrants. It is also worth noting that almost every Kuwaiti, seems to be a policeman, and there appears to be no "ordinary constable" rank, as every uniform has at least one stripe; when in doubt ask for the captain.
The threat from Iraq in the north is ever present, however there is a large military presence in the form of both British and U.S. warships in the Gulf, an RAF squadron of Tornados, U.S. A10 bombers and regular troop maneuvers on the Saudi border provide an adequate deterrent, although the average expat does not really feel this threat.
The local postal system is inefficient and letters can take weeks to travel literally a few meters.
Maid services are widely available, with live in maids only allowed to families. A one day a week service can be obtained from Indian, Bangladeshi or Filipina girls for up to 30KD per flat per month. This price includes all cleaning and laundry / ironing but not cooking. Other services are available on request. Many advertise their services in the local English language papers. The residence fee for a live in maid is about KD200 for the first year and KD10 for each subsequent year, and the wages tend to be in the area of KD80 per month. Each residence also comes with a "Hariss" who will clean the communal areas and wash your car, the latter you will have to pay for yourself and costs about KD5 a month for a daily wipe over with a damp rag.
Food shopping is diverse in Kuwait, ranging from "bakalas" (corner shops) to supermarkets, such as Co-ops and Sultan Centers, and through to wholesale markets. Bakalas tend to be used more for emergency rations, although some are quite well stocked.
Co-op stores are found in each "area" of Kuwait and are government subsidised. Around these you will generally find at least on fast food outlet, a bakery, hardware store, Gulf Bank and a post office with some having a playground for children. The largest, best stocked Co-ops can be found in Mishref, Rawda, Rumaithiya, Shamiya, Fahaheel & Salmiya. They are more usually frequented by the stricter of Muslims, therefore dress should be moderated and shorts are frowned upon.
Sultan Centres are located in Fahaheel, Salwa, Shuwaikh, Salmiya, Ahmedi and the largest and newest in Sharq - there is also a wholesale Sultan Centre in Farwaniya. These are extremely westernised, although the American management have now vanished, and as a consequence stock control isn’t what it used to be - Bran Flakes have been known to disappear for six weeks at a time.
The quality of all the supermarkets is quite high .
A few Do’s and Don’ts:
Do expect Arabs to sit, talk, and stand closer than people in the West do. What Westerners consider an intimate distance is here only social and friendly.
Do expect to be touched more frequently by members of the same sex. This is an expression of friendship.
Do accept as normal the occasional use of influential connections to accomplish tasks more rapidly.
Do not venture into some of the less western areas wearing inappropriate attire, this also applies to standing outside mosques and visiting the Grand Mosque.
Do expect to shake hands much more frequently. On entering a room or meeting a group of people, it is expected that you will shake hands with everyone, except small children. On social occasions, you will probably also need to shake hands again when you leave.
Do not expect all promises or decisions to be put in writing. In some situations, you will have to accept an oral promise. This is partly because the written word carries a weight of meaning greater than Westerners are accustomed to.
Do not be surprised at being given an indirect answer of insha' Allah (God willing). Insha' Allah usually indicates the good intentions of the speaker.
Do accept "chai" - tea when offered - it is considered impolite when refused (note: the cup is usually the size of an egg cup and contains about three heaped teaspoons of sugar and sometimes honey and lemon)
Do avoid some subjects in public. Certain topics are generally not considered appropriate or acceptable for discussion in public. These may include political issues, religion, alcohol, total women's liberation, abortion, and male-female relationships, such as dating. Many people are very sensitive about these topics, and problems could arise should you try to discuss them.
Some pictures made here:
