Kuwait City, Kuwait Report of what it's like to live there - 01/20/12
Personal Experiences from Kuwait City, Kuwait
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
I have lived in the Dominican Republic and Moshi, Tanzania.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
There are direct flights to Kuwait from Dulles. It take about 21 hours from Seattle to Dulles to Kuwait.
3. How long have you lived here?
2 years.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Educator.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Commutes are infamous. My commute from Fahaheel to Hawali was 45 minutes, and we had to leave early to avoid rush hour.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
The cost of food is comparable to the US.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
If you like fashion, don't buy anything here because while the prices are the same or higher, the quality is not. If you like bargains, again, do not shop here; bring your clothes. Kuwaitis like to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to do their shopping, and to the UK and US.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Restaurants are a big positive in Kuwait. They serve excellent food (although food-borne illness can be an issue in the summer) and provide excellent service. There are a couple of Thai places, lots of Chinese, some Lebanese restaurants, Mexican (not super, but satisfies the craving okay), McDonalds, Burger King, Popeyes, KFC, you name it.
5. What kinds of organic, vegetarian and allergy-friendly foods are available, such as organic produce, gluten-free products, meat substitutes for vegetarians, etc?
Organic food can be found cheaply in hidden places the Indians/Bangladeshis know of, or expensively at Dean and Deluca in the Avenues mall. Fruits and vegetables are abundant, imported from Egypt, Australia and other countries, as well as a few vegetables that are grown in Kuwaiti green houses.
6. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Cockroaches can be an issue. I saw a mosquito once or twice.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Most get mail through a courrier service. Legend has it that there is a postal system; I don't know anyone who uses it, Kuwaiti or expat.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Filipinos are the most educated, and therefore the most expensive. They tend to speak the best English. Most ex-pats tend to have Sri-Lankan domestic help. They tend to cost go from 7-10KD per week.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Gyms exist and are expensive. The Palms offers a discount for married couples, and they don't mind males and females who are acquaintances registering together.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards and ATM machines are no problem to use.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Yes, there are mosques everywhere, and a few non-denomination Christian churches. The Mormons don't have a church, but they have a community. I'm not sure what else.
6. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
7. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
It is a good idea to speak some Arabic; the main opportunity to use it is with taxi drivers, who are often Bedouin. Know how to say left, right, straight, yes, and no. Learn numbers so you can negotiate a good price. Indian, Bangladeshi and Filipino cab drivers usually speak enough English to understand directions and negotiate prices.
8. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Malls are wheelchair accessible, and that's about it. Sidewalks are full of inconsistencies, and sand is ubiquitous--sometimes the only way to get from point A to point B is to either walk through it or walk in the street.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Taxis are what ex-pats tend to use, but the bus system is reliable and much cheaper. In busses, be careful about sitting next to the window, as kids sometimes like to throw bricks at them.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Kuwaitis teens who do desert driving like Hummers. Most can use just about anything because the roads are well-tended.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Dongles are used, so the speed isn't the best, and service can be dodgy at times. Overall, though, it works. The cost is around 25KD a month.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
The best phone company depends on where you live. Choose the company people around you have, because reception varies from place to place.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
2. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
There is a decent veteranarian next to the Friday Market, and a couple of others on the outskirts of town. The Friday Market also has a row of pet supply stores.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
There are a lot of jobs for teachers and engineers who work in oil.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Do not show the knee, cleavage or shoulders, and wear nothing see-through or tight. Many a Kuwaiti teen pushes this envelope, but it makes the locals uncomfortable. Police stop non-Western expats who break this code.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Kuwait has a penal code that includes torture, so it's pretty safe, and theft is pretty rare.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Health care is great in private hospitals, with Western-trained doctors, many who are amenable to alternative medicine. The public hospitals are good for when you don't want care, but need a certificate proving you were sick for work. The cost is only 1KD per visit there, the check-up is cursory, and the certificate is easy to get.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
We lived in Fahaheel, where the air quality is often terrible because the oil refineries are nearby and oil is in the air. Add that to the dust that has many people on nebulizers one a month.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Most of the year, the weather is quite pleasant. It gets cold enough for a scarf in December; the summer is scorching.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Most schools (but not all) are a bit rough for ex-pats. Kuwaiti students are often poorly behaved and low achieving, and as they are a pretty closed society, ex-pat kids may be left out. This is not always the case, as Kuwaitis are also intrigued by Americans, so someone outgoing can make friends. There are also a few half-American Kuwaiti kids to be found. They are more open, particularly if they have been raised partly in the US and don't speak much Arabic.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
Most schools have special needs programs because these are big money-makers, costing twice or three times regular tuition and often, for Kuwaitis, paid for by the Higher Council. The quality of special education is often low, because resources depend on the school investing in them rather than pocketing that extra tuition. There are some well-trained special educators, however; you just need to know where to find them.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
A lot of the schools include preschool; I do not have a lot of direct experience with them. I can say that they tend not to be comparable to those in the US in terms of early intervention opportunities for children with delays.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, particularly through the better international schools. They even have ice hockey.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
The expat community is big, but people tend to stick with the people they work with or live near.
2. Morale among expats:
The morale of those who have been there a while is pretty high because they are plugged into their community. It depends on how easily you make friends, and if you find people you click with.
3. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Parties, where expats make their own home brew, are popular.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
There are three things to do in Kuwait: visit other ex-pats (the most popular), go to the beach (a nice place, actually), or go to a mall (and there are many, many malls to choose from). Rarely do ex-patshave the opportunity to befriend Kuwaitis, but when that happens it is a good thing; they are fun to be with and have great parties.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
The gays I knew were not out in Kuwait for fear of the known: it is illegal, and breaking the law is dangerous.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Kuwaitis are tolerant of religions other than Muslim, often highlighting the similarities to Christianity. They are offended by atheism and Judaism (particularly Zionism). Men do not take to female authority figures, but understand the differences of culture between East and West, so many try to be tolerant of Western women.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Highlights mainly include the travel: in my first year of living there I visited Oman, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, and Dubai, all recommended destinations, all pretty cheap, particularly if you can use Al Jazeera airlines.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
The biggest perk to living in Kuwait is travel to other countries. There's desert camping, which leaves much to be desired in Kuwait. Other countries provide tourist experiences for desert camping, such as musical entertainment in Oman and Bedouin experiences in Jordan. Kuwait has no tourist activities.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Plane tickets.
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
The advantages of living in Kuwait are cheap travel to other countries in the hemisphere. Popular destinations include Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Jordan and, for a quick weekend away from the drinking restriction, Baharain
11. Can you save money?
Yes, if travel is kept under control.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
I loved it there; I had wonderful friends and we had a great time together. But there is no reason to go back to live. The place is great as a home base for seeing the Middle East. I've seen it now, so I'm done.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
parka and bikini, although the latter can be worn at private pools.
3. But don't forget your:
appetite. The food is aces.
4. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Married to a Bedouin for visiting Petra in Jordan.
