When I was first offered a job in Kuwait, I couldn’t even pick out the country on a map, much less tell you what I was getting myself into in moving there. I scoured the internet for practical information about expat life in Kuwait, but a lot of what I found was vague or contradictory. All I had to go on were some fuzzy ideas about what it might be like to live in the Middle East and all of them were based entirely on watching Aladdin and Sex and the City 2.
Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect!
Now that I’ve been living in Kuwait for nine months, I’ve got a pretty good understanding of how life works here. True, I still suffer from an occasional jolt of culture shock every now and then, but for the most part I’ve come to understand what to expect from living here. So, for those of you frantically searching the internet for information about life for expats in Kuwait, here are 10 things I wish I’d known before I made the move.
1. It’s Perfectly Safe
When I first began telling people that I was moving to Kuwait, they looked at me like I was insane. Perhaps it’s something about the geography. I mean, when you announce that you’re moving to a country that borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia, you can forgive people for jumping to conclusions. As far as they’re concerned, you’re voluntarily positioning yourself slap bang between a war zone and a country that carries out public executions. Let’s face it: the Middle East hasn’t gotten the best publicity recently.
The reality is that Kuwait is perfectly safe. In fact, I often feel safer here than I do back home in the UK. I can leave my bag unattended in the supermarket trolly without worrying than someone will steal it. I never worry about being mugged or assaulted. The only thing that ever makes me feel uncomfortable here is when men on the street start to follow me or try to coax me into conversation. However, a quick reference to my (imaginary) husband always instantly shuts that down.
2. Women can do their Own Thing
One of the first questions I’m often asked when I tell people I live in Kuwait is, “Are women allowed to drive there?”
There’s not much women aren’t allowed to do here. We can drive, we can own a bank account, we can work and we can walk down the street with our heads held high (with our shoulders on display if we’re feeling particularly sassy that day).
3. You Can Pack Your Regular Clothes
One of my major concerns before I moved to Kuwait was what on Earth I was going to wear. Some people warned me that women must cover their arms and legs at all times; others told me anything goes. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
It’s respectful to keep your knees covered and to hide away your cleavage. Not only that, but it would be painfully uncomfortable to walk through the streets in a crop top and hot pants because of all the negative attention you’d draw. Jeans, t-shirts, long skirts and leggings are my bread and butter here, but I’ve gone out of the house of particularly hot days with my shoulders uncovered without any repercussions.
I’ve also found that my style is a lot more casual in Kuwait than it is at home. There are no bars or nightclubs and there aren’t many opportunities to get dolled up so bear that in mind when you’re putting together your wardrobe.
4. The Cost of Living is High
The reality is, most people move to Kuwait for the money. There’s no tax and the Kuwaiti Dinar is the strongest currency in the world so working here offers some serious financial benefits. The downside of this flourishing economy is that the cost of living is pretty high, particularly because most things are imported. Don’t be surprised to find that a single crepe might set you back £10…but crepes are always worth it.
5. You Need to be Taxi-Savvy
One thing that is incredibly cheap here is petrol, which makes taxis very inexpensive. Be warned though: while taxi drivers are legally required to use a taximeter, most don’t and will try to sting you with an outrageous price once they get you to your destination. Never get in a taxi without negotiating a price first!
Also, it’s wise to assume your taxi driver has absolutely no idea where he’s going and, since most drivers speak very little English, you might find yourself being driven around in circles unless you’re prepared. Always make sure you know exactly where you’re going. Find out if there are any nearby landmarks and, if possible, have Google Maps at the ready on your phone. When you get into a taxi in Kuwait, be prepared to be the navigator as well as the passenger.
6. There’s Not Much to do Here
You’ll often hear people complain that Kuwait is boring. I am one of those people.
Kuwait is a very small country and, since alcohol is outlawed and there’s no tourism to speak of, there isn’t a huge variety of things to do. If you’re into shopping then the enormous malls will be sure to keep you occupied and if you like to eat out a lot, there’s no shortage of restaurants. Other than that, it’s worth looking into joining a beach club to while away your sunny weekends and of course there’s always the option of short getaways to Dubai and Bahrain.
7. It’s the Hottest Place of Earth
Back in the UK, life grinds to a sweltering stop when the temperature rises anywhere above 24 degrees celsius. In Kuwait, temperatures have been known to climb as high as 54 degrees. Palm trees have been known to spontaneously combust because it’s so hot outside!
It may initially feel like you’ll never acclimatise to working in 45 degree weather, but the blistering heat does become more bearable with time. That said, everything is open late here so you can avoid the worst of the heat and get all your errands done after the sun goes down.
8. Everything happens ‘Inshallah’
One aspect of life in Kuwait that I’m still struggling to adapt to is the laid-back, ‘maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t’ attitude. I’ve never been paid on time. Not once! It also took 9 weeks for my employers to process my residency visa and they didn’t seem to understand my irritation at being without my passport for that entire time.
You might ask concrete questions such as, “What time will my shift finish tomorrow?” or, “When are you going to book my flight home?” only to receive answer, “Maybe next week…Inshallah.” Odds are, you’ll be waiting a lot longer. You have to learn to go with the flow…I’m still learning.
9. There’s No Alcohol…Except that there is.
Kuwait is a dry country and I’m not just talking about the weather. Alcohol is illegal here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that no one drinks. There are an assortment of DIY home-brews floating around and, if you know the right people, you can even get your hands on a bottle of Johnny Walker or Grey Goose. You just have to decide whether it’s worth the threat of imprisonment or deportation. Of course, a cheeky weekend in Dubai is a much safer option!
10. It’s Not So Easy Being Green
By far the thing I’ve struggled with the most since moving to Kuwait is how environmentally unfriendly everything is. Each trip to the supermarket involves waging a personal war on plastic bags, even though I always take my own canvas ones. I don’t understand why the bag boys think a single packet of Oreos needs its own bag, but if you’re not prepared to interject, you’ll easily come away with 20 items packed into 15 bags.
And that’s not where the plastic-mania ends. Everything comes plastic wrapped or served in a disposable plastic container with disposable plastic cutlery and disposable plastic wrapping…usually in a plastic bag. At-home recycling is an expensive luxury, but recycling bins can often be found outside Co-Op stores. I save up all my glass, plastics, paper and tins and haul them over the to Co-Op once a month to dispose of them.
Unfortunately, most expats who willingly make environmentally friendly choices at home become lazy here. They dump all their recyclables in the landfill and take their 15 plastic bags from the supermarket because it’s easier than taking canvas ones. Don’t turn into one of these people!
Going to a new country and adjusting to a different culture is never easy. Like everywhere else in the world, Kuwait has its pros and cons. In fact, I’ve probably loved and hated my time here in equal measure. Overall, your experience comes down to your mindset and, if you come to Kuwait with an open mind, religious tolerance and positive attitude, then there’s no reason why your time as an expat in Kuwait can’t be wonderful.
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Please, is Kuwait a best country to further education and secure job opportunity at a go?
I’ve always asked myself what really happens in that tiny rich nation but with the 10 points I just read, I can now understand Kuwait 🇰🇼 is just like any other lovely place on planet earth.