Image: Paris Hilton
Yes, I know I'm re-posting a lot lately but this is another good article I read about living in Kuwait. This is a little off the topic below but how many times have we expats heard, "If you don't like Kuwait then GTFO!" when we simply state the obvious and express our opinion about our expat experiences in Kuwait?
Well, I LOVE Kuwait and it's my second home but if you do as well then stop throwing trash all over your own country. Show some respect and keep Kuwait beautiful. That's what I don't understand the most about living here. Even with full time cleaners on the streets and in the desert Kuwait still has tons of garbage everywhere (beaches, highways, Kuwait City, schools, etc.) because so many people throw trash out of their car window and home.
There is a lot to do and see here but why should we all have to look at so much trash everywhere we go?
Life in Kuwait May Be Dull - End of the Year Bank Balance is More
Many see situation as a blessing in disguise...
Re-posted from the Arab Times and written by: Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff [Link]
In this week’s online poll, Arab Times asked readers for their opinion on
social life in Kuwait. The responses ranged between the negative and the
complacent, with a majority, 40%, stating that there are very few social events
organized in the state.
When talking to people on this opinion of voters, most agreed. However, many of them saw it as a blessing in disguise, “because it gives people more time for family, and helps them save money.”
Expatriates who have lived in other Gulf states, before coming to Kuwait, said that life in Kuwait may be dull, “but at the end of the year you have more bank balance which enables you to do more productive things in life, such as making good investments.”
Some of the citizens who spoke to the Arab Times had a dimmer take. The poor social and entertainment scene in Kuwait forces people to indulge in the only available entertainment, eating out. “That’s a big reason why there’s growing obesity in the state.”
About 23% of the voters said that different communities in Kuwait organize their own social events in a private fashion. “Since it’s held behind closed doors, it’s not known widely.” People who supported this view said that such parties and functions make sure there’s community bonding; moreover, they are also cost effective as they are organized not for profits, but for entertainment and socializing.
However, people were wary of parties that go overboard, where immoral activities take place. A particular respondent said that in a neighboring flat on New Year’s eve, a bachelor’s party went so wild that other residents had to intervene and warn them to play down or face police action. There are several social groups operating in Kuwait promoting drug abuse and alcoholism.
Another 23% of the voters said they are happy with the way things are in Kuwait. For them it’s just work and family that matter. As long as they are able to balance their professional and family lives, they are happy. They said that countries that promote too much entertainment and social life also open out venues for moral corruption. “It may be fun to live there, but it could also have too many negative consequences, which may bear upon the next generation.”
Twelve percent of the voters find entertainment in shopping malls and restaurants. For them it’s more about an excuse to go out and hang out somewhere, than actually indulging in some particular activity. Cinemas are also good for some emotional catharsis and to relieve stress, a few interviewees noted.
A very small minority, 1%, said that there’s a lot happening in Kuwait, and there’s no need for more. They ask people who disagree to scan the newspapers every day, and count the number of social and entertainment events that take place here.
Re-posted from the Arab Times and written by: Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff [Link]
When talking to people on this opinion of voters, most agreed. However, many of them saw it as a blessing in disguise, “because it gives people more time for family, and helps them save money.”
Expatriates who have lived in other Gulf states, before coming to Kuwait, said that life in Kuwait may be dull, “but at the end of the year you have more bank balance which enables you to do more productive things in life, such as making good investments.”
Some of the citizens who spoke to the Arab Times had a dimmer take. The poor social and entertainment scene in Kuwait forces people to indulge in the only available entertainment, eating out. “That’s a big reason why there’s growing obesity in the state.”
About 23% of the voters said that different communities in Kuwait organize their own social events in a private fashion. “Since it’s held behind closed doors, it’s not known widely.” People who supported this view said that such parties and functions make sure there’s community bonding; moreover, they are also cost effective as they are organized not for profits, but for entertainment and socializing.
However, people were wary of parties that go overboard, where immoral activities take place. A particular respondent said that in a neighboring flat on New Year’s eve, a bachelor’s party went so wild that other residents had to intervene and warn them to play down or face police action. There are several social groups operating in Kuwait promoting drug abuse and alcoholism.
Another 23% of the voters said they are happy with the way things are in Kuwait. For them it’s just work and family that matter. As long as they are able to balance their professional and family lives, they are happy. They said that countries that promote too much entertainment and social life also open out venues for moral corruption. “It may be fun to live there, but it could also have too many negative consequences, which may bear upon the next generation.”
Twelve percent of the voters find entertainment in shopping malls and restaurants. For them it’s more about an excuse to go out and hang out somewhere, than actually indulging in some particular activity. Cinemas are also good for some emotional catharsis and to relieve stress, a few interviewees noted.
A very small minority, 1%, said that there’s a lot happening in Kuwait, and there’s no need for more. They ask people who disagree to scan the newspapers every day, and count the number of social and entertainment events that take place here.
Re-posted from the Arab Times and written by: Valiya S. Sajjad Arab Times Staff [Link]
I do believe that you save A LOT but... It is EXPENSIVE here too! Less trouble to get into though:)
ReplyDeleteIt's ridiculously expensive here minus gasoline. If I lived in Dubai I would have NOTHING saved. I would also call in sick a lot to work from dancing till dawn at the clubs the night before.
DeleteI recently had a conversation with my son about his friends families that live in Kuwait and he was telling me about how most of his friends had large houses in India, Canada and even lavish homes in Dubai, so I asked him why they were still living in Kuwait, (are you sitting down?) “Because they can work in Kuwait and get paid for doing nothing”. Wow, I knew that Kuwait was the land of incompetence, where the incompetent thrive, but to live in a country just because you don’t have to perform in your job? Pathetic! Granted that most of the expat community in Kuwait is below the poverty level, I am always astounded to see all the TV boxes being checked in at the airport by low-level blue collar workers. They do manage to save here, although the salaries are low, but psychologically I don’t think it is advantageous for Kuwait to have high levels of unqualified workers who really develop a sordid contempt for a nation at the expense of a nation. I am about to state something very controversial so let me go on this point – Singapore recently banned foreign labor, mainly at the clerical level from the subcontinent, they are only issuing visas for selected positions to qualified candidates where locals cannot fill these jobs. We live in a modern world now that no longer run on logbooks, so to hire a bunch of Indian clerks is no longer feasible, I think the GCC needs to consider quotas and streamline the expat labor force.
ReplyDeleteYou have some valid points. I've never heard of expats not having to work only a few Kuwaitis I know told me they never even show up to work yet get paid. The sponsorship system and the people that run it have powerful wasta. You hear about change and then it never happens. Even the US immigration system is broken. Illegals take jobs, go to our schools for free and even receive free medical care while the middle class struggle to just pay for their health insurance. Corruption exists everywhere in the world and most of us feel helpless and disillusioned about ever seeing any real positive change.
Deletei am really offended after reading the above persons comment "on expats having no work and getting pay for it."
DeleteI know most of the expat community are overloaded with work and underpaid while a kuwaiti who doesn't even have the equal qualifications get double the pay with of course a higher position.
I work with a lot of arabs mostly kuwaiti females and see them 24x7 chatting on their fones on whatsapp twitter and spend another half of their time redoing their already over the top make up and spraying perfume every hour.While the expat staff mostly Indians and Pakistanis are over loaded with work and underpaid .
If you ask any manager who he/she would like to hire if give the choice between an Indian or Kuwaiti.They are mostly like to say the HINDI cause not only are we qualified but we work our asses off until we get the job done unlike Kuwaitis who have a laid back attitude and most of them know if there is an Indian person in the co they can dumped the work load on them and (Most of them) wouldn't say anythg.
Abt the person comment on seeing blue collared workers taking TV screens back to their home country..wats so shocking??the poor guy works his ass off mostly doing labour work during the worst of weather conditions. Doesn't he deserve to reward himself and bring something nice to his family back home???If a Kuwaiti can spend 1000 of KDs on designer bags why cant the poor class be able to reward themselves with a TV?Everyone deserves to be happy in the end of the day after all the work they have done no matter what nationality they are.
Well, the funny thing is that some Kuwaitis should GTFO for ruining their own country, and this is coming from a Kuwaiti citizen. People who litter, not put an effort into work, or cheat the government don't deserve to live in a country that provide them the 'cradle to the grave' treatment!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more, Expat! Life and living in Kuwait is heavily subsidized compared to most places, else. You work hard in Kuwait to be able to play real hard in Beirut, Cairo or Dubai. Kuwait is great to live Sundays through Thursdays whereas Dubai is good for the weekends and holidays only. And now with low cost carriers you could flydubai with Jazeera every other weekend,if you so chose to. Can't imagine what it must be like to go on living in Vegas and Dubai is our Vegas in the Middle East. Also I dont think Dubai is a sound place to raise a family and have kids growing up there, in what feels like a hypermarket city teeming with Prada prostitutes, Chinese and Russian hookers and a perpetual aura of retail therapy, booze and 'bigger-bragger and tackier'. Plus, the house rents, utilities bills, food, parking and entertainment don't come cheap either. In fact, one needs to work in Kuwait, Qatar or Saudi to be able to enjoy the good life in Dubai.
ReplyDeleteThere's so much that people living in Kuwait take for granted; it is only after you have moved out to Dubai you begin to realize what the real deal was, and what it was that was so right with Kuwait.
I couldn't have said it better!
Delete@Lost in Translation - I live in both countries and I can't wait to hit the plane to get the ‘hell out of Dodge’ in order to get my normalcy back in Dubai. Every time I land and swipe my e-gate card I thank God I landed back on hallow ground again - it is comforting to me to live under a stable government where there are organizational systems. Yes, my DEWA bills are off the chain because I own a villa, but when all those little trick-or-treaters came to my door last October, most with their smiling parents, I felt so happy to be in a country that allows me to openly celebrate my traditions in a civil way. These prostitutes that you site, I never see, but to have cheap, smelly prostitutes up in my face in the frozen food aisles of my local grocery store as in Kuwait, I do not experience in Dubai. I constantly have smiling people say 'thank you' and 'excuse me' in the grocery store and actually look me in the face (not the dirty looks that you get in Kuwait from strangers) and actually engage me in small talk - much like back home. I would take the friendly, wholesome atmosphere any day, then the abrasive tone of Kuwait with its lack of infrastructure and a government that seems to have the inability to move the country forward with the rest of the GCC. It was better when Wataniya Airways was flying then we could avoid the harsh immigration staff at KIA, but the fact that a nation of people have to leave a country in order to live their life and be happy is discerning to say the least and very bad for its economy.
ReplyDeleteYou got to be kidding me. The infrastructure in Kuwait is flaky compared to Singapore yes, but I still give it top marks considering you have a network of 7 ring roads for a tiny city state and with 3 mobile phone service providers for a population;a shade less than 3 million. And what to speak of the free landline service and free parking everywhere you go to a mall in Kuwait. The airport in Kuwait may not be attractive but at least it's convenient- doesn'take more than 30 mins from tarmac to parking lot unlike Dubai international where you could be in fast track immigrations itself, for well over three quarters of an hour. I'd say the instances of spotting prostitutes in the local bakalas/grocers here are about the same as spotting prostitutes on the creekside promenade or the high street off Fahidi street with one notable difference, there is a crime beat section in Kuwait dailies that reports crime unlike in Dubai, where all things are only bright and beautiful due to the media freedom flourish, or the lack of it in the Emirates.
ReplyDeleteOn people saying,'excuse me,' and ' thank you' let me tell you I get a lot of that especially, from my husband when we have wild sex on the beaches of South Kuwait. Come now, can you beat that?