I saw this in the Kuwait Times today and it is very good advice to newbies, so I thought I would re-post.
10 tips for new expats moving to Kuwait
By Jamie Etheridge
I remember when I first arrived in Kuwait how incredibly
alien everything seemed. The strange sand colored landscape mostly devoid of
trees and grass are shocking for someone visiting the arid Gulf region for the
first time. Over the days, weeks and months to come I acculturated to the point
that after a few years things like going to the ‘saloon’ to get your hair cut
now seem perfectly normal to me. (Does anyone but me think it’s ironic that in
the States, a ‘saloon’ is a place in the Old West where they sold beer and
liquor?) I don’t even hesitate when ordering mushakil at Canary (although my
accent leaves much to be desired) and I can take my child to the public
hospital without losing my mind.
For the novice expat, arrival in a new country like Kuwait
can be both exciting and daunting. There are so many challenges to living here.
Whether you hail from Belgium or Bangladesh, adjusting to an alien culture,
land and society takes time. There will be a million questions on everything
from how to find a flat (realtor, classifieds or driving around for hours in
the areas of your choice) to how to get a driver’s license. Some things your
employer will take care of for you but for the most expats, when it comes to
daily life, they’re on their own.
So here’s a few tips from an old timer to new expats now
calling Kuwait home:
1. Start every day with patience. Seriously there are so
many things here, so many ways of doing things that can drive you crazy. Just
relax, take a deep breath and accept that things may take longer or be done
differently than you are used to.
2. Find a few places – a local coffee shop, a bookstore, a
spot on the seaside, a park or a favorite mall – that you like and get to know
the area and the people who work there. Familiarity helps a lot when starting a
new life so make some friends – even coffee shop acquaintances that you can
greet each day and who will recognize you too.
3. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Yes, I know it’s
currently 50+ C outside and that the cars on Kuwait roads are notoriously
disrespectful of pedestrians. Do it anyway. Perhaps in the evening. You will be
surprised at what you see and you’ll begin to appreciate all the interesting
and lovely things that can be found in your neighborhood.
4. Explore Kuwait. When I first arrived, I used the Gulf
Road as a baseline and would drive around in increasingly larger concentric
circles – always working my way back to the Gulf Road – as a way to explore new
areas. This can also help you find the small grocery, dry cleaners, mobile
phone shop, gas station and other daily life services you may need.
5. Don’t stress the bureaucracy and the paperwork. If you
have a deadline for anything – a paper that needs a stamp or a visit visa about
to expire, rest assured it will NOT come through on time. That’s just the
reality of life here. If you are very lucky, you might but it’s best not to
count on it. Do what you can, ask help from your employer and the company
mandoub and then just wait – seriously, you will drive yourself nuts worrying
about paperwork in Kuwait but believe me, it’s really out of your hands.
6. There will be many things here that are not done the way
they do them back in your home country. But that’s sort of the point, right?
Remember you are here for a reason – a job, following a spouse, whatever and
its best to focus on the bright side.
7. Respect the local customs, language and religion.
Courtesy and respect work in almost every situation.
8. Enjoy the strangeness. You may eventually become a lifer
expat. I realize now how much I enjoyed my early years in Kuwait and I wish I
had fought less against the strangeness and explored more.
9. Be homesick. But don’t let it get you down. Instead book
time to chat online with family and friends back home but also make plans to
get out and meet people in Kuwait and build a life for yourself here regardless
of the circumstances.
10. Smile. It’s not easy and for women it can be viewed as
flirtation but still do it. Just be careful and keep walking if someone starts
to harass you.
If you are new to Kuwait or a long time expat, what do you
think is missing from this list? Email me at etheridge@kuwaittimes.net . (Only
respectful replies will be published. No vulgarity and no spam please.)
By Jamie Etheridge
etheridge@kuwaittimes.net
etheridge@kuwaittimes.net
2 comments:
11. Try to make Kuwaiti friends, many expats live in Kuwait for years and never make friends with locals.
Your blogs have most realistic information about day to day life in Kuwait, especially for expats. Many of those were really helpful when I moved here in 2012.
Keep going !
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