DaJesus

I'm hoping people bother to look at this thread for the sheer idiocy of the title...

Right - ive seen lots of guys do the "i'm moving to X Y Z and can anyone give me advice on blah" and usually its there already if you search...

Now, i vowed i wouldnt be the same pain in the arse doing that, but I've come unstuck at the last minute. i'd been lined up for a job in riyadh for the past couple of weeks and today out of the blue they rang and said they want me to take a different position in kuwait

I have to get onto them tomorrow morning and essentially decide as its time pressure sensitive etc etc... so all my research about best compounds to live, etc etc has just gone down the swanny...

I've looked through quickly for info on Q8 and its a bit light on the ground presumably as most of you dont live there... but i know theres a few... Dago, some other girl and her fella were moving there etc...

Need couple quick answers:

Tax free? - i think it is from my research - but not certain as info was sketchy.
Accom - cheaper than saudi probably - is it compounds or living more amongst the native arab population?
Safe - presumably?
Dry country - damn... but probably a good thing cause like most of you, i aint moving over for the nightlife - its to make and save money; but i presume there is something to do in terms of R&R - golf? football? normal stuff.

(nearing the end) - i get the impression that its probably a higher paying country in terms of salaries etc, i presume standard of living is high, yet is not as expensive as dubai or saudi?

I had plenty more questions - but its late, and I have a lot more to get done before this thing tomorrow, so if anyone can help me out, I'd be mighty grateful.

DaJesus

shakh your bootie

Hey DaJesus -

I grew up in Q8 in the 70s/80s so my info is a little dated, but have buddies from school who live there so not completely outta touch....

The good news for you is it ain't saudi. Yes, officially dry but unofficially the expat community get around this with nothing like the kinds of penalties that you'd pay in Saudi. It ain't Dubai, but it's better than Riyadh....

Rent should be better than the UAE - really cannot speak with any authority on comparison with a Saudi compound....

Other than that - hmmm... Man, it's just another place to notch up a few years experience... If the package is right, go with it.... Why not????

Good luck, and a big, big welcome to the forum. Sure if ya make a weekender to Dubai or Abu D, the folks on here will welcome you with open arms... If you do go to Kuwait and need some help finding friends, drop me a PM and I'll hook you up with some old compadres....

Take care, compadre,

SYB

DaJesus

thanks syb...
just needed some re-assurance

I saw the following on another web site - can anyone confirm if its true?

In addition to their salary, contract workers are awarded an ‘indemnity’ at the end of the contract period. The indemnity is usually based on basic salary excluding any bonuses. The indemnity can be a significant amount of money if you’ve been working in Kuwait for a long time, and many people manage either to accumulate a reasonable financial cushion or to live the high life. If you’re clever and disciplined, you should be able to do some of both. The indemnity has nothing to do with insurance but is an end-of-contract bonus which is required by law to be paid to expatriate workers as a sort of ‘thank-you’ for being of service to the state. (It’s also known as ‘end of service benefits’.) Indemnity scales usually amount to 15 (in some cases 20) days of basic pay per year of employment for the first three years and thereafter a month’s salary per year of employment.

W10

Thats pretty standard for the Gulf.

I'd be more worried about the fact that Kuwaitis are the dogs of the Gulf

LeicesterKid

Would you mind elaborating on that a little?

LK.

DaJesus

i was just talking to one of my prospective employers in kuwait about the job, and i gotta say he couldnt understate the position much more.... i had to double check with him that he was indeed interviewing me for the position that i thought he was interviewing me for...?!

he mentioned that the salary might not be the greatest - eh i thought it was fine, works for me - but that at least the contracting company pays on time - hmmm a concern... i had heard of guys having difficulty with getting paid as time sheets go through the agencies first and being a middle man they take their cut etc etc but thankfully not the case here.

accomodation is paid for - transport provided - (company vehicles of some sort)
fuel taken care of and medical insurance covered. seems ok.

its all got me very unsettled...

I am in permanent position now, albeit i desperately wanna leave, and was happy to make the move, but that one phone call has sown serious doubt in my mind.... i dont mind making a mistake if im getting paid a shed load of cash, but i wanna be sure its not a total waste of time...

any thoughts? I am really thrown now...

LeicesterKid

What line of work are you into?

LK.

DaJesus

telecoms consultant...
currently working for big multinational telco as engineering specialist so am well paid, but have chance to get 50% more cash + paid accom/car... hard to resist... and thats before i even start negotiating basic... thinking of asking for 25-30% more and see if we fall somewhere in the middle

Yorkie

I think you should be worried about moving to Kuwait. Having lived all my life there (father's job) then marrying a Kuwait who blends in perfect east world and west world. I, my husband and his family along with every Kuwaiti in Kuwait am insulted with "Kuwaiti's are the dogs of the gulf" It is a BIG insult to refer to an arab as a dog. So may I suggest that it's better for you to stay in the western world - you could find yourself in some trouble big trouble if you move over. Hurting peoples feelings and insulting people through a loose tongue it's not wise my friend.

Dutchie

Hi Lorraine,

I've been thinking a long time about replying to your remark. I've tried to figure out a way that wouldn't seem as an insult to you or the majority of the Kuwaiti people on this bulletin board that I still consider honest and sincere. That you feel insulted? To a certain degree I can understand that. The reputation W10 is referring to does exist in the EU and the USA, and although taken totally out of it's context by W10, it is a spin off of the Gulf War. A lot of Kuwaiti business people have earned billions of US Dollars in not honoring pre war outstanding amounts. Hiding behind the fact a war took place. Only building on the reputation W10 is referring to.

That a reputation like that hurts? For the honest people living in Kuwait I can understand that. But for a lot of EU and USA people and companies involved in rebuilding post war Kuwait the disappointment was a very, very bitter one. Companies and private individuals that helped Kuwaiti's back on their commercial feet saw themselves going bankrupt in the EU and the USA. Despite the many court cases against them, and the Kuwaiti government itself, until today only a fraction of the outstanding amounts has actually been paid out. Keeping in mind that the Kuwait government itself declared it would honor any or all pre and post war outstanding amounts.

What I am trying to say is, although you being married to a Kuwaiti national, please don't see Kuwaiti society through pink sunglasses okay? Like so many countries in the Middle East it is far from being perfect. Like a famous US newspaper once wrote in one of their post Gulf War issues, and I quote "The Saudi's? Went from a Camel to a Cadillac within a decade. The Kuwaiti's? Went from credit card generation to credit card generation to dogs on the war lords table within a few years time span... When they needed help? The world wasn't big enough to help them. And with Kuwait rebuilt? The shame of not honoring their 1001 promises towards the rest of planet earth just simply turned into denial on a massive scale..." end quote. I wonder what will happen to Kuwait once the last drop of oil has been pumped up? Pay back time on a massive scale perhaps?

shmagic

Kuwait is actually pretty easy going in comparison to Saudi from what I've gathered and lived there for a few years...I'm now going to Riyahd and not thrilled

Alcohol is..kind of tolerated for foreigners IF you can buy some...but LOL the supermarkets have all the ingredients for home brew alongside each other so they know its done.

The restaurants are a mix of American fast food and lots of Indian ones...and Lebanese food is wonderful. Great restaurants in the Hotels my favourite was the Japanese in the Crown Plaza...but the Sheraton Lebanese came a close second.

The black robes the abaya is worn by some Kuwaities but not all and actually most western women wear pretty normal clothes....cut off jeans etc without being hastled too much.

The social life is a bit boring...but you usually have a pool in the apartment you rent and its a way of meeting other peope.

It takes a bit of getting used to but I enjoyed much of my time there...wasn't working though and it does get boring after a year or two.

Apartments ARE expensive but if the company is paying not a problem...no charge for electricity or bills poping through the door everything is covered by a one off payment.

Doctors all speak English and Medical care is excellent...I had a major operation there and it was like a 5* hotel...did a better job than I would have had in UK.

The only thing I HATED was the medical...because they do NOT allow you to have this done before getting your civil ID you must have it done in the local clinic and this means queing for ages like cattle...and the same for fingerprinting and Xray for TB...it is NOT fun.

Fingers crossed won't have to do this for Saudi.

The driving is atrocious...one of our fun hobbies was looking for the new car wrecks in the police compound....and truly forget the rules of the road...there aren't any!

Kuwait can be fun..so enjoy.

shmagic

CeeBee

I think you may have mixed up the original poster with another poster?