How to deal with stress when moving to Kuwait

Here are some thoughts:

- Cultural: beyond the working hours, Kuwaitis rarely got anything to do with expats. Make sure you invest in making friends from other nationalities other than Kuwaitis.   Tip: To make friends, start with googling for social activities  like reading book clubs. Public speaking clubs are Toastmasters. More than 40 clubs are available in Kuwait. Join some of the volunteering socialites in Kuwait, such as INJAZ-Kuwait. 

- Cultural: Learning a bit of Arabic is a must, especially if you need to follow-up with government ministries and agencies. The official language of the pubic sector is Arabic, and most locals working there don't speak English very well.

Moving with family: Due to the hot weather for about six months of the year, beyond activities indoors shopping malls, the options are limited. However, from November until say, April, outdoor options increase dramatically.  Tip: Many websites offer listing of "things to do" in Kuwait. Thank god for Google! 

Moving with family: Need to take your ids to school everyday? get ready for daily traffic! Tip:Try to plan to live not far away from where your kids are going to attend school.

Administrative and bureaucratic issues: It is a pain, for everyone. Get ready for extended delays to get your local government paper processing  time. Tip: Try to reply on a "Mandoob" which is a local (sometimes expat) clearance guy who will followup on your behalf. A fee per transaction is expected.

Good luck!
Yousif