Coming to Kuwait from US

Welcome to the forum and to your pending move to Kuwait.  There's quite a few teachers from the U.S. here. 

Which school will you be teaching at?

Thanks!  I would rather not mention the name of the school, because I prefer to form my own opinions about it after I get there.  I don't like to read the "hearsay" and other people's opinions.  Even here in the US, others' opinions have been nothing like my experiences.

I hear there is a ton of shopping and dining in Kuwait.  I'd like to know everyone's favorite places to eat and shop.

Hi, I live in NJ currently and will be going to teach in Kuwait in August.  I agree with you, sometimes it is best to just form your own opinions.  Often complainers will go out of their way to write a negative review, but not enough happy people will write reviews.

There does seem to be so much shopping and dining out going on in Kuwait and I can't wait to check it all out.  I have seen where they even have "Entertainment" type of books for the buy one get one deals. I am sure we find this part of Kuwait wonderful. 

Have you started the process of getting all your paperwork for your visa?

I just had my interview this past Tuesday, and I accepted the job two days later.  From what I understand, the school handles most of the visa process. I have sent them copies of many documents, and they have sent me a boatload of paperwork to go through.  That is my mission this week...to muddle through all the paperwork and make a to-do list.

How about yourself?  PM me...maybe we are at the same school or possibly near one another!

i believe i can guess the name of your school and be within the margin or correctness

think of it as a learning experience, travelling, seeing new parts of the world etc.

any specific questions u wish to ask, feel free to shoot em straight away.

welcome to the blog, and to the community ^^,

Legacy- That is exactly how I see it!  And please, by all means, guess the school...but do so in my inbox. 

I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life.  I've already invested in good sunglasses and a floppy hat to protect my lily white freckled skin!

I've read somewhere that single women should have a male friend to go around in public with, as it cuts out all the staring.  How do the men react to two or more women together?  I guess I'm asking, would I be more comfortable alone or with another woman?  Would another woman invite or decrease more attention?

i will i might know a few teachers over there too

the topic of expat female safety is very important, i tried to touch on it here but it depends mostly on you.

in most cases, it is the occasional "hot stare", most flirtatious comments would be in arabic so, sticks and stones.

whether u walk alone, with a guy, a girl, 2 guys and a girl etc. it all depends on the attitude of the "other guy".

its not really a "should", your safety in public is guaranteed. most malls etc. have plain-clothed security walking around with their walkie-talkies, and also, the police respond to the more raucous felons swiftly, either with a 1000KD fine or a complimentary hair shave (they call em eve-teasers).

have a looksie at www.arabtimesonline.com to gauge the local news etc. you wont be disappointed. it makes for a hilarious read some times.

Ha! I have read that blog post recently. Didn't realize that you were the man behind the words. My favorite part was the end where it is stated that landlords shun single women for fear of immorality. Guess I need to find a husband!

I will check out the news link in a bit. Now I know who to run to with all my silly questions. Thanks legacy!

much obliged

u need to know that its all about who you know

its like single/business relationships. if u approach a certain task as a person you could be shunned, where as if u do the same as a business you will be welcomed with open arms. so if your employer arranges accommodation for you, it shan't be a problem whether ur single or not.

and it also depends on the mentality of the landlord. and the place you choose to live. everything comes with a price.

the golden rule of placement here is:
the more you pay,
the more they are willing to look the other way.
the less you pay,
the stricter are they.

(just for rhyming purposes, i know its not proper )

Nice poetry there! If you were in my class, you'd be at the top of it!

Fortunately, our accommodations are provided by the school. So I won't run out and get married just yet!

howdy how!!! welcome single atlanta women with no name hehe
hope u enjoy it just do come with an open mind, get ready for the ultimate culture shock and no i do not mean camels and tents hehe

Haha!  Oh, I have a name.   Thanks for the welcome!

Not much shocks me anymore!  Although, I do look forward to seeing camels. 

How does the Kuwaiti culture view tattoos?  I know many Muslims (not from Kuwait) here in the states who believe you shouldn't have them.  I'm sure plenty of expats over there are tatted.  Should they be hidden in public, or do people even care?

well it depends if its really obvious u will get whipped 100 times lol j/k u should be fine, its usually the locals with tatoo's that get starred at ur not gonna tell us ur name? are u shy? hehe

Good to know, because it is too hot over there to keep them covered all the time!  I know that I can't show them at work, but that is nothing different from teaching here.

Mr. Arch-T, you haven't told me your name either.  Are you shy??

yes lets pvt

Ha!  I have a sneaking suspicion that you are far from shy.

believe it or not, and if u dont believe theres a thread here to prove it, there are tattoo artists in kuwait

altho Islam does view tattoo's as "forbidden", you will find Arabs sporting tattoo's and they arent shy about it. so long as its not in any place, private, at most people will be admiring your skin-art (or admiring you), but it wont get u in trouble.

I have my name tattooed on my wrist in Arabic - I always forget and I'm amazed when someone comes up to me and says my name lol such a numpty

Ally- I would like to see a picture of your tattoo! I have one on my wrist also. Do you cover yours at work?

ill try and private message you a photo later.

i cover it at work by wearing bracelets or watch but sometimes i forget, my kids dont really seem that bothered by it

I have tried to do all kinds of cover-ups for my tats (wrist, foot, calf, and back) and it just seems like the easiest will be jewelry and long clothes.  I am glad to hear it won't be as big a deal as I thought it would be.  I thought if worse came to worse, I would just keep getting henna tattoos on my hands to blend in with my wrist - they are beautiful.