Kuwait forum: Help with Article
Posted in the Kuwait forum
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Lisa Crouth
02 Nov 2009, 12:03Help with ArticleHi
I am a British freelance writer and am currently living in Dubai and working on an article on Moving to Kuwait. The article is for a Dubai based, English lifestyle magazine and is about property, living overseas and regional affairs.
I used to live in Kuwait many years ago and my sister and I were pupils at the English school Fahaheel between 1979 and 1985. I would like to find out more about what life is like now please.
I was wondering therefore whether some of you might be able to help me by writing a few, brief lines on living in Kuwait please. I need information for an "Expat Tips" column life in Kuwait and also some answers to the following general questions please. Any other useful information you would like to include would be a bonus. These responses can be as short or as long as you like.
1 Is Kuwait a safe place to live with families?
2 What are some of the expat jobs people are attracted to. Is it a good place to save money? Would you say salaries are higher compared to other Middle Eastern destinations?
3 Any nice places to visit there? ie in the desert, good beaches.
4 In which areas of Kuwait do most expats live? Are most expats renting villas in compounds, flats, or villas with pools and facilities?
5 Are there clubs for expats? eg the Hubaba club? theatre, sailing golf club, etc
6 What were the good things compare to life at home.
7. Are there good shops there?
8. What tips would you tell expats moving to Kuwait, eg on settling in, securing school places, etc.
9. Best / worst bits of living there?Many thanks in advance for your help and support with this.
I really look forward to hearing from any of you . -
Ahmad Zain
03 Nov 2009, 12:35If this is an article about moving to kuwait then it should include both the bad and good sides of living in kuwait.
I will try to write down some information which I have learned in more than seven years living in kuwait.
I'll divide the expatriates in different categories. (This is what I think)
1 - Housemaids
2 - Bachelors on Visa No 18 with an average salary of 120 - 150 KD per Month
3 - Bachelors on Visa No 18 with comparatively higher salary of 300 - 400 KD per month
4 - Families with an average salary of 500 - 1000 KD per month
5 - Exexutives with a salary greater than 1000 and I know at least two persons who were getting around 20000 KD per month.
6 - Expatriates who have their own business here. (Well established)I think kuwait is a land of opportunities. The reason?
If you are a qualified person, you'll always get a chance to get into the job market and grab a good job. If you start your own business, there is no tax here so whatever you are earning is yours.
Well in this case, a risk factor is also involved because it's basically not your business. Instead a kuwaiti owns the business but still there are some rights for expatriates as well as there are many expatriates running successful business here.
If you are not a qualified and educated person but are skilled in some profession, still you will get the opportunity to get a good job.
If you are not well educated or skilled and don't have any work experience, there are jobs for labours.
So almost in any case, you'll find the work (Forget that you'll find a work here if you are a lazy person or think that the work which you are going to do is not according to your status).Now, this was all about working in Kuwait.
What about the security?
I don't see any problem here with the security. if you are following the law, no one will ask you what you are doing. So the first responsibility is on the person to obey the laws of the country in which he resides. There are crimes here as well but comparatively the crime rate is very low. However, be careful not to go alone at night if you are a woman or kid because there are criminals who can abduct you for any bad reason.
Maid's life is difficult in Kuwait.
I think I'll come to your points now instead of writing like this because it can take longer time
Q1 - I think so provided you also take care of the family from your part.
Q2 - It depends on the person who is moving to Kuwait. He'll find the work in which he is interested or has experience. It's a good place to save money if you are earning well and your family is living in your home country. The problem is when a person starts earning well, he'll definitely bring his family here and eventually will not be able to save enough money for his future. I think salaries are higher here compared to other gulf countries.
Q3 - Yea, Go to beach in Salmiya, Entertainment City, There is one island as well ( I have not gone yet
Q4 - Well, most expats are living in Farwaniya, Salmiya, Khaitan, Hawally, Jaleeb Shuaikh, Abbasiya, Abu Halifa. I don't know in which area maximum expats are living.
Most of the expats are renting flats to live. Bachelors live in rooms with 3 to 5 persons living in a single room. families are living in flats. Only well settled expats can afford to rent a villa. There are buildins expensive than villas, in which you have pools, gyms and other facilities.
Q5 - I don't know if there are clubs here but yes Cinemas are there.
Q6 - There is nothing good to compare to life at home, however, if you are earning well and fulfilling the responsibilities of your family at home and here in kuwait then you feel a little bit satisfied. Because in the end everybody is here to earn well for the sake of his/her family back at home or here.
Q7 - yes there are good shops. Also in every area of Kuwait, there are government owned markets(Jammias), in which we can find goods with good quality at a reasonable price.
Q8 - I have not studied here so don't know much about the schools. However, I have seen that upto 10th grade, people are studying here but for college and university studies almost every expat tries to go to his/her homeland and get the education from there. For expats who are coming to earn money, they should be well equipped with some sort of professional training or well qualified and experienced.
Q9 - Best is the part of money which you are earning here and worst is the time when your ego hurts by Locals or unfortunately you become a victim for some crime.These were my views. Others may or may not be agreed with what I said. Hopefully, it'll help you in your article. if it helps, then do send me the article, I would love to read it.
