  Kuwait
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 533 Kuwait Tips.1037 Kuwait Photos.0 Kuwait Videos. Kuwait Pages by pangtidor
| Page Views: 4,570 Last Visit to Kuwait: September, 2007 | KUWAIT : AN EXPAT COUNTRY by pangtidor - last update: May 27, 2008 |
WELCOME TO MY KUWAIT PAGE After posting my first Kuwait page in VT, I have received many emails from other members who will work and stay in Kuwait for a while. I realized most of the Kuwait forum questions are about how to live in Kuwait as an expat. Surprisingly, more than a half of Kuwait` population is the expat`s population. For all of these things I have previously mentioned, I decided to update my Kuwait page. Middle East used to be seen as a scary, close minded, and awful place to live in.It was the first thought of mine too about Kuwait,as one of the Middle East`s countries before I came here. I was reading some comments about Kuwait,apparently before or right after the Gulf War. It is totally different when you experience it by yourself. It will be a VT-licious day for me to know if my Kuwait page helps you on moving or planning a visit to Kuwait. On the other hand, I have a big hope that other VT members will create their own Kuwait page in their own opinions to help others too. My Kuwait page in my point of view could be seen differently by others with theirs when they come, work, and stay here in Kuwait. Besides, it may not complete too. Hopefully, we will have more members who create Kuwait page to help others. |
| THE LANDMARK OF KUWAIT : KUWAIT TOWERS |
|  | THE GOOD THINGS FINANCE No tax in Kuwait at the moment!!!! Some hotels or restaurants may charge 10-15% service charge but the rest will be totally free of tax. WORK PLACE In average, working hours in Kuwait will be 38-42 hours a week. THE WEEKEND OF KUWAIT WILL BE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY (effective in September 2007). The working hours could have 20-40% off during Ramadhan month (a fasting month for the moslems). Less tension at work but it could be more demanding when they find out you know more than the others at work. The higher education you have, the better the respect you will get at your work no matter what nationality you are. You may be surprised to see how lazy the local people at work will be and how fast their positions will be promoted without doing anything.:-)). BANKING SYSTEM You may get an instant money/loan in a big amount from the bank easily. You will just submit your civil ID and salary certificate. THE LIFE The life is easy here. No rush at all. Kuwait is trying to be less conservative. Living cost could be less when you know where to buy the cheaper things. There are many agencies for the domestic helper with the cheap price so you do not have to worry for the housework when you are going to stay with your family here. RELIGION Kuwait is a moslem country but they respect others` religions by allowing churches and temples here. THE LOCAL PEOPLE They respect ladies in public , the ladies lines will be different and they will be seated in all the public transportations in Kuwait. You may see many westernized local people everywhere. The ladies love heavy make up and they can vote since 2006. Apparently `the modern kuwaity housewives` are much more dominant than the husbands. I think this is one of the reason the moslem men can get marry for 4times here legally. :-)) You will be amazed how the children will take care of their parents. 2-3 generations use to live in one house here. THE OTHER THINGS health insurance will be issued everytime you renew your civil ID and it covers for most of the expenses ; electric power is high in here in each house/flat ; Kuwait has great sale season, usually 2-3 times a year (the end of summer/winter and in February); and you will find everything in Kuwait. Dress codes for men and women are trying to be more liberated but you should not dress like a slut for your safety. Medical services of Kuwait is good enough for the international standard. I may say the private hospitals will be slightly better than the government ones. Nevertheless, the sterility, the skills, and hospital equipment standards have reached the good level of international standard.Though Kuwait is not a good tourist destination, you will see beautiful beaches here and bussiness seems to be good too.Oh one more thing, KUWAIT IS NOT A WAR ZONE!!!!! IT WAS TOTALLY SAFE DURING THE SECOND US-IRAQ WAR, NO CHEMICAL WEAPONS AT ALL.:-))YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS FOR NOW. |
THE BAD THINGS THE WEATHER The summer falls between May and september and the winter beetween november to march. The temperature during winter will reach 40-50F during December and January but the temperature will be extremely high during June to August (120-130F). Super hoooooooooooooooot. The average humidity during early summer will be less than that in the winter. But sometimes during July to October the humidity may raise to 80%!!It has a very low rainfall too and an other disaster in Kuwait will be THE SANDSTORMS!! They are common throughout the year. THE BANKING SYSTEM You will not get any interest when you save your money in the bank (salary account) as it is prohibited in the moslem law but I wonder why the interest will be there for the loan or credit card though. Get the salary account in KFH bank if you don't wanna leave any balance in your account after the salary day. There will be no minimum balance for KFH. LOCAL PEOPLE No patience at all but slow at work and customer/public services. Having 3-4 Asian housemaids at home; could be the reason for some harassments to Asians on the streets. THE LIFE Many use to find that Kuwait`s life is super boring. Glamour night life with alcohol, disco, porns and prostitutions are strictly prohibited. Pork is prohibited here too Nevertheless, you may find all the prohibited things illegaly. Well, everybody could see `the boredom` differently. Some could just use it to cover their wrongdoing here but some could enjoy their life here in their own way. So, everything will be up to you. If you need any information about Kuwait, just send me email. I will be glad to help whenever I can. Post your questions in Kuwait forum too, the more people you reach, the better answers you will get.Try to open these website too : Kuwaitiah and Kuwait-info . For the airport, you may check Kuwait-airport.com , you may see the local news on Kuwaittimes and Arabtimesonline The best websites about Kuwait so far. Other than our www.virtualtourist.com of course. :-)) YOU MAY BE DISCOURAGED BY THE DANGER AND WARNING TIPS ON MY PAGES.. DO NOT PUT THEM AS YOUR GENERAL VIEW OF KUWAIT. USE THEM FOR YOUR OWN PRECAUTIONS, THEY COULD HAPPEN IN ANY OTHER PLACES TOO. NEVERTHELESS, THEY CAME FROM MY OWN EXPERIECES-OBSERVATIONS AND BY OTHERS` EXPERIENCES TOO. CORRECT THE TIPS WHEN YOU FIND THEM WRONG. SEE MY TRAVELOGUES PICTURES TO HAVE SOME IDEAS HOW KUWAIT LOOKS LIKE. HOPE MY PAGE WILL BE HELPFUL FOR YOU. REGARDS, SALY.;-) | | | THEY ARE TRYING TO COVER THE BEACH WITH YACHTS NOW |
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| Pros: | "Tax free, easy life, and good money." | | Cons: | "Many sandstorms,dont trust anybody,no alcohol,no pork,no disco and boredom" | | In A Nutshell: | "Well,I still love this country" |
pangtidor's Kuwait Travel Tips
 pangtidor's Kuwait Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for pangtidor about Kuwait | | | | |
nora_south_africa Sat Jun 21, 2008 05:10 UTC
hi I been on the road travel in Zambia, Botswana ans a quickie to Zimbabwe , back now so hope to be online more often for a while...adding all that new info!!! | angiebabe Thu Feb 21, 2008 04:26 UTC
Hi and thanks for the interesting information and photos around your page here - have been asked to be there this weekend! so a quick search on how things are there thanks. | sathishc_cit Thu Jan 17, 2008 06:15 UTC
I'll be travelling in Kuwait Airways in May and will have a 1 day stopover in Kuwait.Can you please provide me ideas to make the best of my 1 day visit to Kuwait.I would like to have a feel of the culture, food, weather, sightseeing places, desert, etc. | benmychree Wed Dec 26, 2007 05:21 UTC
Great info. Just 1 correction. You CAN earn interest at banks (I work for a bank in Kuwait). There are interest bearing savings accounts and fixed term deposits. Sharia law only applies in Islamic banking, not standard banking. Hope this helps. |
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