New Zealander moving to Kuwait

Also, EMPLOYMENT.   What's the market like? For a middle aged woman - administration, secretarial type work?   Hard to get employment?

You will suffer as a women. It is not safe, it is not cheap either and as a foreigner and white man you will get stooged in shopping, taxi etc.. Try it and find out? I did and came back.

Welcome!

i was @ the dealership yeserday getting my Kia serviced, and didnt see any Ora's, is it a sedan?

id love to help u out with some info, but im neither from new zealand nor australia

Welcome to the Forum 
and why do i alawy see this written

You will suffer as a women

no u wont suffer as a women
u wont suffer from taxi's i'll give u a great taxi number and cheap also

everyone get nailed in shopping it's bushiness no matter where u are from just depend on how u talk and react and ofcourse having an Arab with u will help u in local shops  but label shop are all on the same prices like x-cite eurika-shops in marina mall and avenues but in local shop they might try to scam like any other industry trying to make more money ?

Poor, poor Joannne (with 3 n's)

You have had a rough time in Kuwait, so why is it my wife and her friends love the place. Of course there is no alcohol, but that is not a bad thing as the women drive like devils here and all they drink is coke and coffee!

Judygirl, come to Kuwait and have a good time.  Join the BLS (British Ladies Society) and eat amazing food at a fantastic selection of restaurants.  (The lamb is expensive though - I think is comes from New Zealand :-)

I just moved to Kuwait from Auckland been here  3 weeks and am loving it!!!

Surely can recommend you few taxi guys you can stick to them if you like them! Here most of the things are done by word of mouth.

If you plan to drive do get International driver's license and after you get residency convert to Kuwait License.

In my company there are 3 other Kiwi's working they have been here 2, 3 & 1 year each they like it here.

Of course each individual thinks differently thus after all it all depends on you how you take your experience i.e. in positive way or other way!

People are very helpful here........3.4 million population out of which 2+ million is expat community!

All the best, feel free to ask any questions.

Cheers
C

Hi Judy girl - sorry,not an Aus or NZ, but just moved here as a single female from the UK 10 weeks ago.

It's probably much safer than the UK, NZ & Aus here - you just follwo the same rules that you would anywhere in the world, don't take risks you wouldn't normally!

It is tough to find stuff to do here, you do have to go looking for it because it definitely doesn't come to you, but as some of the other's have said, there are societies, clubs, groups etc that you can join, any age, any status.

Assuming that you are coming in on your hubby's visa, you won't be able to work straight away usually - think there are restrictions for a few months. Work in admin/secretarial in regular Kuwaiti companies tyends not to go for westerners becayse the pay in those roles isn't normally high enough - the admin roles tend to be low paid & for indians, filipinos etc - there is a very strong caste system here, quite hierarchical & although totally unjust, as an expat westerner, it works in your favour.

Yes, occasinally you get stared at - beca\use you are a novelty here! I don't find it intimidating in regular places liek shopping centres etc but in government places such as ministries, medical test centres etc it can be a bit off putting - but that's soon over & doen with at the start.

Clothes - its always warm but I have acclimatised very quickly - Jul & Aug very hot, even at night still 40C plus. Sept is starting to cool down now tho - nice breezy warm evenings aroudn 35 at noght, 40-42 in day. I would say that in winter you will need a jacket, but it's warm enough at the moment to wander around with short sleeves - AC means im always in a sweatshirt in the house tho!

Rent, depending on what your husband is doing out here, varies drastically - depends on the kind of set up you want. We (I share with 2 other females) have a very beautiful villa floor with 3 en suite bathrooms, big enough for a 4 person family with ample room to be out of each other's way! in a very nice area for KD650 a month unfurnished - all bills are included usually, and most offer internet, satellite tv etc (sorry don't know how many NZ dollars to the Kuwaiti Dinar) - you can pay twice that, depending on the area - we got an absolutely great deal for the spec that we have. Lots to choose from.

Try another forum - just landed kuwait - there's lots of houses to rent on there...

hope this helps. Although there are low days, its not a bad life!

Katie

Thanks guys for your input.   Am starting to get excited about the whole idea of moving to Kuwait. 

Just gotta pack up here and chuck stuff out.   

Ladies.....  clothes to pack,??????

ANything you shouldn't bring!   How conservation do you have to dress?? Or is that not the case?  Cheers JJ

Welcome on board
This country is safe but weather is terrible and life is expensive.

JudyGirl
how r u, Sorry im not NZ  but my brothein law is a Kiwis, im egyptian live in kuwait.
well u really gonna like it over here in kuwait, But the weather is frm extream to extream, In summer is such an open oven, in winter damn cld.
youll find lots of places for shopping, driving over here is a nightmare hhhh
ppl most of the are real helpfull,
Come over & enjoy

Hi Judy,

Bring whatever you want.. In public try to avoid wearing too short skirts or shorts but other than that you dont really need to cover up. You'll need party dresses etc if you're going to go to parties Kuwait is what you make of it, the more you socialize the more you get to know what's happening around.

Good luck

Good luck

Don't dress short skirts or exposing tops or you will be groped by horny horndogs! lol.  You can wear that clothing if you are only going from your place to a party, but cannot wear it to go shopping or even to stop at a store to get cigarettes.