Top 5 tips to live in Kuwait

Ok... hmmmmm...

1) As an American... three documents you want to have with you whether your new employer asks or not ...just get them done before arriving (if you plan on working)... 'Federal' Criminal Background Check, Driving record from your state of DL, and Diploma/Transcripts ... make sure you have them Authenticated by the Kuwait Embassy in Washington DC before leaving (quite a process, start early and follow instructions from the Embassy and US State Departments websites)

2) All your personal products are here... you don't need to bring much... the only thing I bring beyond the basics is, high thread count bedding (hard to find here) ...

3) Good 'branded' clothing if you want to wear, bring them with you (they're too proud of branded labels here and are very expensive), casual clothing is easy and cheep to find here.

4) Bring starter money with you... you don't want to start out broke and dependent ... could cause a lot of frustration on multiple levels

5) Kuwait is self descriptive (Ku"wait") ... prepare for a 'lifestyle' of patience ... lol

Have fun with the new adventure! 

Guess I'll be a follower today

1) Get your ALL paperwork in order BEFORE you leave.

2) If you're a female not all your personal products can be here. For examples tampons will not be something you'll find easily so stock up before you leave! The same goes for beauty products if you're picky then stock up, if you do find them here expect it pay more! Also, If you shipped your bed over from the states buy bedding you won't be able to find full/queen/king sizes here.

3) Know that the amount of you make and the way you are treated will based on your nationality. It's a very strange concept but nevertheless true so get use to it. If you're Asian or black chances are you'll be mistaken for Filipino or African because the other ethnicities cease to exist here for some odd reason just roll your eyes and walk away it will happen too often to get upset over.

4) Be prepared to wait.. for anything and everything. Your ID.. months. Your coffee.. midway after your received your meal and without skim even though you repeatedly asked for skim four times. Your food.. an hour lukewarm and expect mistakes with your order despite repeating it numerous times. Your 5 minute commute.. 25 minutes. You get the point.

5) Make friends as soon as you can! It will make your time in Kuwait a lot more enjoyable

Tip 1 - Understand how different it is.

You need to accept how completely different it is different to other places. By way of example, I'll compare it against other Gulf States I have lived and worked in:

Oman is unbelievably beautiful, the people are gracious, life is not rushed and Western expats live in and entertain in lovely villas in quiet locations.

Dubai is pretty much like living in the West, but in a nice climate for eight months of the year.

Abu Dhabi is sophisticated, organised, modern, convenient and relatively tidy.

Bahrain is liberal, tolerant and accepting of Western Expats.

Kuwait, in contrast, has NONE of these graces at all. It is the complete opposite of all of the above.

The only saving grace is that the Kuwaitis themselves are for the most part sophisticated, modern, open-minded and (when not driving - the roads are the most dangerous you will ever encounter) the friendliest people in the Gulf (apart from Omani's). They seem 30 years ahead of the rest of the region in terms of education and outlook. Which all seems really strange in the context of the country itself, which runs in complete administrative chaos and clearly the harshest of all the Gulf states.

Tip 2 - Prepare to drive defensively.

You simply cannot underestimate the danger and chaos on the roads. They are so bad you must be prepared to reduce driving to the barest minimum, to what is absolutely necessary to survive -ie, get to work, buy food and get to and from the airport. You are dicing with death, even on the rare occasion the roads are quiet. Do not go on the roads unless you absolutely have to.

People drive with no consideration to the point of having a death wish for all around them as well as themselves and their own families, follow no rules of the road at all, the police enforce nothing against the most dangerous drivers (the Kuwaitis), whilst a vast proportion of the population otherwise driving are not used to modern, sophisticated driving conditions or vehicles.

Witnessing carnage, deathly fear and utter frustration sum up almost every drive, even to the corner shop. Everybody's either crashing into each-other or just about to, otherwise they are in complete logjam with three lanes turned into twenty, filled well beyond capacity with cars millimetres away from each other, hands on hooters for hours on end, nobody moving except those turning left or right always across all the lanes of traffic, never using indicators, headlights or any thought processes and survival instincts attributable to even the lowest of life forms...

Believe me, one cannot exaggerate the danger, chaos, carnage and despair of driving here enough to prepare someone new to the country...

Tip 3 - Prepare for your paperwork to take months and months and months and months and months...

Bring every piece of paper you have with you - originals, certified copies, etc. Be prepared for inept bureaucracy and a hurdle at every turn. If there are no hurdles, they will create them instead.

Some things may never happen - such as getting a driving license (I was one of the lucky few I know of able to get this done in less than six months... some Western expats have been here for years without, having to take taxis everywhere).

Its often better if you try and do things yourself (if you are Western, that is) as companies here (even the largest and most important) are completely incompetent and simply don't care about these administrative problems, bureaucracy and cost or the trauma it places on expats.

Tip 4 - It's very expensive - make sure the salary is actually worth it...

I've been lucky on this front, but I'm probably saving less than I could in some other Gulf states - and one needs to balance money against lifestyle. Housing is very expensive for anything worth living in - and then still costs a lot to sort out!

Tip 5 - Enjoy it...

After the above you may not believe it, but ultimately life can be enjoyable and interesting here. Most people are here for work and (unlike is often the case in other Gulf States) work can be interesting and good quality. Socially, its what you make of it through the people you meet. Over time it grows on you and becomes home...

Hey hey!

Way too many people say about Kuwait that you either leave in the first two years, but after that you are most likely in for the long haul.

1) Like every place it has its pros and cons. This place can be amazing. Believe it.

2) Find hobby groups, volunteer work, join yoga, horseback riding, scuba, motorsport ralies, go to cinemagic, attend the events that are in abundance, this will help you meet people similar to you.

We do fashion photoshoots fairly often and are always looking for volunteers/ models/ seamstresses, etc.

3) When you drive, don't get distracted about the people tailgating you. Keeping your attention on your own path is better.

4) Close your windows when you leave the house. The dust Gods notice us unexpectedly, most frequently on weekends.

5) Your neighbourhood bakala is your best source of information about resources in your area & will deliver items you need to your house if you ever have that emergency.

Good luck, you don't need it though cause you got this :-)

melankaya wrote:

Hey hey!

Way too many people say about Kuwait that you either leave in the first two years, but after that you are most likely in for the long haul.

1) Like every place it has its pros and cons. This place can be amazing. Believe it.

2) Find hobby groups, volunteer work, join yoga, horseback riding, scuba, motorsport ralies, go to cinemagic, attend the events that are in abundance, this will help you meet people similar to you.

We do fashion photoshoots fairly often and are always looking for volunteers/ models/ seamstresses, etc.

3) When you drive, don't get distracted about the people tailgating you. Keeping your attention on your own path is better.

4) Close your windows when you leave the house. The dust Gods notice us unexpectedly, most frequently on weekends.

5) Your neighbourhood bakala is your best source of information about resources in your area & will deliver items you need to your house if you ever have that emergency.

Good luck, you don't need it though cause you got this :-)

I like the different perspective, and yes... the window thing is a big deal here... "very" dusty place, if your not home keep them shut (not even sure mine open - lol) 

Driving.
As anyone on this site will tell you, driving in Kuwait is an absolute nightmare. My tips to survive driving in Kuwait are as follows:
Expect the unexpected. What most westerners would consider common road sense does not exist here. Driving at 120kph at just 3 centimeters from your bumper is normal. Pulling out in front of you forcing you to slam your breaks on is fine. Intimidating you by arriving at 160kph flashing lights and honking horn when you clearly have nowhere to go is common sense. Having children as young as........ well any age really, hanging out of windows, climbing around the seats and sitting on the driver's lap whilst flying down the hard shoulder/emergency slip road is great. Pulling up to traffic lights and emptying 3 months worth of McDonalds packaging onto the road is just how it should be.
All these things for the right minded individuals reading this will be totally alien and unacceptable.
But this is the reality.
The only way to make it through is to rise above it and get on with your own lives.
we can not change it, and it is pointless to even try.
Suck it up and whatever you do, do not fall into the 'When in Rome' mentality.

Dan Cassidy wrote:

Driving.
As anyone on this site will tell you, driving in Kuwait is an absolute nightmare. My tips to survive driving in Kuwait are as follows:
Expect the unexpected. What most westerners would consider common road sense does not exist here. Driving at 120kph at just 3 centimeters from your bumper is normal. Pulling out in front of you forcing you to slam your breaks on is fine. Intimidating you by arriving at 160kph flashing lights and honking horn when you clearly have nowhere to go is common sense. Having children as young as........ well any age really, hanging out of windows, climbing around the seats and sitting on the driver's lap whilst flying down the hard shoulder/emergency slip road is great. Pulling up to traffic lights and emptying 3 months worth of McDonalds packaging onto the road is just how it should be.
All these things for the right minded individuals reading this will be totally alien and unacceptable.
But this is the reality.
The only way to make it through is to rise above it and get on with your own lives.
we can not change it, and it is pointless to even try.
Suck it up and whatever you do, do not fall into the 'When in Rome' mentality.

maybe a little understated    ... but yeah, that works... thumbs up ... (and don't miss backing up on the highway because they miss they're exit and don't want to go down and turn around at the next... driving down one way streets because "Hey, it's shorter!"...five abreast on the two-lane cloverleaf interchange)

Enigmausly & melankaya, you're both wrong

you should welcome the sandy/dust with open arms! it is part of the government initiative to provide portable beaches to the expats of Kuwait - leave your window open for a few hours on a clear day, the sky darkens, the dust blows, come back home to sand all over the house, open your lights, spray some water around and voila, you have your own personal beach in the comfort of your living room.

name me some place else that does that

my take:
Everyone complains that there is nothing to do in Kuwait - quite the contrary, there is a lot to do if you LOOK. so:
1) Embrace new hobbies, find out things to do outside/inside and find like-minded people to enjoy it with.
2) your culinary list will be engorged; food is bountiful in kuwait and suits every budget. indulge, however, watch the waistline! Therefore...
3) Indulge in a form of exercise - running or cycling, when the weather permits, and even when it doesn't, mall walk.
4) Kuwait is a Muslim country, but it is not closed. understand that religion will play a big role in plenty of things, no alcohol, conservative dress etc. however there are legal ways around these - for example, drink at the embassies (if your embassy permits) and dress as you please at private parties.
5) Learn a bit of arabic, it will make a difference

I'm a little concerned about all of the comments about driving. I've only spent one weekend in Kuwait, and found the driving fast, but far better than my 4 years experience driving in Jordan. Are certain areas of Kuwait worse than others? I cuss like a sailor every time I get behind the wheel in Jordan. I was looking for a little more relaxed environment.

Hubby said it is because the western expats in Kuwait haven't experienced Jordan, so therefore don't realize it could be so much worse. Before visiting Kuwait, I read a lot of comments about how dirty it was, and was surprised that this wasn't what I found upon arrival. I really don't want to leave one Middle-Eastern country, just to end up in the same mess.

Have any of you westerners lived in Jordan, before moving to Kuwait? I'd like to hear from you.

I've never been to Jordan but you'll still be cursing like a sailor behind the wheels 

Kuwait may be a relaxed environment but whenever I get into a car I am anything but relaxed.

I think certain areas and neighborhoods of Kuwait are cleaner and less populated than others and it does depend on what time you were out.

Kuwait does take some getting used to. My experiences were as follows:

1) I absolutely concur with everything that's been said about driving in Kuwait. I learnt the public transport system (municipal buses) right from the start, and could move about quite cheaply. They're a darn site cheaper than the private taxis. Those Indian/Asian drivers are a rip-off!! Learn to know the standard fares to areas you commonly go to, so you can insist on paying only that rate, and no more!! There are plenty taxis about, so just getting out and getting another is not a problem. The driver will soon compromise and accept your fare. Don't try and negotiate after you've arrived at your destination. Haggle before you even enter the vehicle. I was once locked in a vehicle, with the driver refusing to let me out until I've paid him the exorbitant fee! Buses are cheaper, though shunned by locals, because they're mostly used by foreign (Asian & Filipino) labourers. Don't expect to get route information anywhere, though (like maps, times, routes, fares, etc.). It'll just have to be a learning adventure!
2) Have a network of friends/acquintances -- people to hang out with. The place can get pretty lonesome (especially on the weekend), with little to do but mall crawling (in place of pub crawling!), eating out (lots of it!), movies (limited), ten-pin bowling (quite popular as a group activity) -- and that's it! There are other activities, but it depends on the social network you've built up....
3) Food is generally very cheap. One can live comfortable, while gaining quite a few pounds. Familiar fast food take-aways (MacDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, etc.) abound. For the more adventurous, there's an endless variety of restaurants (not fancy big ones) offering cuisine from across the Arabic world -- Jordanian, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese, etc.
4) Locals (Arabs) don't easily approach you as a stranger -- in my experience. You'd have to make the first move and the effort. After that, they can be gracious hosts!
5) Get to know the 'currency' of the area you live in. Larger companies rent out apartment blocks -- which are pretty comfortable (some with security, swimming pool, free Wi-Fi) -- in particular areas. Unfortunately, with this concentration of rented apartments (by companies) in certain areas, these come to resemble foreign labour compounds, with many nationalities, and little contact with the local Arabs....
6) Some things can be really cheap over here -- clothing, electronic goods (modern flat-screen tvs, laptops, cells, Tabs, etc.), but do check quality. The Chinese seem to be slowly flooding this market as well....
7) If you can live without the obligatory alcoholic beverage for entertainment, life can be pretty easy-going. Fly back home regularly and fill up, if you need to!
8) Depending on your home currency and the going exchange rate, one can save impressively, without having to live like a miser. The Kuwaiti Dinar is one of the strongest currencies in the Gulf (if not THE strongest!), buoyed by their oil reserves....

That's all I can think of for now. It appears, each will have their own impressions of the place, depending on where you come from, who you associate with, what your expectations are, etc., etc. Best is to come armed with enough information about the place (esp. practical info about transport, documentation, etc.), and then to just go through the motions and make your own impressions....

Enjoy the ride!