Heading to Oman (and happy holidays!)

Christmas season is already here and school holidays too. In Kuwait, as you can imagine, people don’t celebrate Christmas here, but the international schools take three weeks of holidays, to let their staff (normally from Western countries) to have a rest. As there are many foreigners who don’t come back to their homes and they stay here these days, in the shops they still can buy Christmas trees and other decoration so they can feel somehow at home.

I don’t know if it is always like that, but the decoration of the Souk looks like Christmas Style

Due to I was in Spain just few months ago, I have decided to spend these next days traveling. This time I go to Oman some days, where I will meet Arturas, a good friend from my Lithuanian period, who is working there right now. I have been planning the route I’ll do and I saw already some spectacular pictures. As I heard, this land is awesome and there are a lot of interesting places to visit. I think these thirteen days are not going to be enough.

Amazing

This is basically everything I wanted tos ay in this post. I will be back with new chronicles and experiences in Oman. I wish you a merry Christmas and an excellent beginning of the year. I am finishing it in good mood, positive and curious to know what will happen in 2018. In this 2017, I feel I achieved many of my goals and I feel quite satisfied. Thanks to all for being there supporting me and helping me to reach my wishes. All the best!

Over the hump

Few days ago, AWARE association organized another great activity for foreigners in Kuwait to discover some costumes and particularities in this country. This time were the camel races, an event which is celebrated between November and April, and it normally attracts both locals from all kind of social sphere and visitants who want to know more about this peculiar tradition.

Camel races are not just taking place in Kuwait, but they are also popular in other countries in the Middle East. The main difference compared with other places is the use of remote-controlled robots instead human jockeys. It was normal before that short height people and even children do this role. Humanitarian organizations used to be provoked into outrage by this and their pressure convinced the organizers of the races to use new technologies since 2005. The robot is a small artifact with a plastic stick emulating a whip, which is hitting the camel on the back during the race. Meanwhile, the owner of the camel follows the race inside a car, directing robot’s movements using a kind of remote control.

The distance covered by the camels (although I think it is better to call them dromedaries because they only have one hump) in a race depends on their age. The youngest ones run 3 kilometers, while the oldest ones can finish up to 11 kilometers tracks. The maximum speed this animal can reach is around 65 km/hour. Normally light complexion camels are selected for this competition, and they are usually trained in special farms with a strict diet composed basically by milk, corn and some vitamins.

The fact of using animals for races, considering that they can suffer, outrages logically animal rights groups. However, although without any intention of justify this cultural practice, the camel is one of the most valued, beloved and well treated animals in Kuwait. I don’t have any doubt if I think of everything camels can contribute, such as means of transportation through the desert or providing food, like milk and butter, which we could try just there.

 

  I have to admit that the races didn’t make feel too many emotions; actually I felt a bit uncomfortable watching those devices shaking their sticks, but at the end it was not so bad. It was a good opportunity to leave the city, reaching the border of the desert, and having the chance to see closer these animals. Some of them are quite tame and you can stroke them, but with others you have to be careful. If you have some free Saturday, don’t hesitate and go to the Kuwait Camel Racing Club to have a look, it is actually a curious and different experience.

The thousand and one pleasures

As I already did in other countries before, I always find some addictive goodies which I will finally miss when I’ll leave. These ones I include here are not exclusive from Kuwait (actually, I think none of them are originally from here), but you can easily in any country in Middle East. For me it is the first time I live in this part of the World, that’s why I feel so pleased when I try them. I have already tried some of them but I never had such a easy and affordable access to them till now.

Kebab with muttabal (it is like a kind of hummus made with eggplants) and big bread, the perfect lunch

One of the first thing I discovered when I arrived Kuwait, making me so happy, was that I could find here all kind of cheese everywhere. After such a long time living in a country like China, where this product is not so usual, it is very comforting for me when I know I can buy a half kilo of feta, a packet of mozzarella or cream cheese every time I go to supermarket. Definitely this is my drug.

Labneh, a kind of cream cheese

This is very delicious too

Other section I normally visit in the supermarket is the pickles area. Here you can find all sort of olives and other products like mish, one of my favorite ones. It is a kind of cheese, from Egypt, salty, creamy, fermented for months and it is normally eaten with pita bread (at least I do like that). My Palestinian friend says that sometimes you can find little worms, hidden in the lumps, but they are harmless and they are not for bad for our health (what doesn't kill you, makes you fatter).

Continuing with the milk products, in this case beverages, here there are two which makes me crazy. One of is laban, a kind of liquid yogurt which reminds me the Ukrainian kefir (one of my passions in my Lithuanian period). The other one is ayran, originally from Turkey, also made with yogurt, but less creamy and more sour than laban. My favorite one is one mixed with mint, a pleasure for my throat.

Finally, a small paragraph to talk about the super addictive Arabic sweets. Here is quite easy to find delicacies such as the baklava (a cake filled with nuts from Turkey) o the kanafah (a kind of cheese cake typical from Palestine). It is also very usual to find terrines of halva, a sweet made with semolina and pistachio (I really like a type with chocolate). And finally my favorite dessert, the basbousa or hareesa, a kind of sponge cake made with semolina and it is normally served hot. Wonderful, really.

Dipping a piece of pita bread in hummus, feeling the pastry of the baklava crunching, licking the rests of laban in the corners of the lips… These little pleasures, maybe are not so important in order to change the opinion or the feelings about this country, but they help to make a bit easier the daily life here. Certainly, you have to look on the bright side.

The sun behind the clouds

It is difficult to imagine that in a such a modern city where high buildings, highways and malls with futuristic decoration are venerated, can be something we could call “old town”. There are almost no vestiges remaining of that small fishing village in the seventeenth century but, if ones explores carefully, it is possible to find historical treasures which are well worth visiting. Last weekend I could participate in one of the guided tour organized by AWARE in order to make known those few urban remains which survived the fierce construction fever in this country.

The first spot in our itinerary, just next to the Grand Mosque, was Al-Khalifa mosque. It was built in 1714 and it is one of the oldest in the country and one of the best conserved from this period. It is a small building, without too many ornaments, in which the minaret is one of the most remarkable parts. There are several mosques belonging to this age around the city center, contrasting with the modern buildings next to them, resisting the unstoppable urban development.

Inside the mosque

Another place among the most ancient ones in Kuwait is Shamiya Gate, one of the original entrances in the first city walls. It was built in the eighteenth century, when the city started to be popular and it became the target of rival tribes searching for resources. The first oil wells were not discovered yet, however, at that time the city of Kuwait was already quite famous as a commercial port, being one of the most important in the route between India and East Africa coasts.

The next place we visited was the Naif Palace. It was built at the beginning of the twentieth century in the interests of security and defense of the city. It was considered as a paramount part in the second defensive line after the city walls, hosting a big amount of military troops, weapons and ammunition. Nowadays it is still an important political and social center. During the visit we could see the cells where the war prisoners were guarded and a small museum about antique objects, old photos and other memorabilia from the Kuwaiti past.

Main yard inside the palace with the Liberation Tower in the background

Raise your hand if you ever used this before

After Naif Palace, the tour ended but I continued exploring the surroundings by myself until I arrived to other of the main landmarks, Al-Mubarakiya Souk, one of the most genuine places in the city. Here you can spend easily several hours among all kind of stalls. It is also one of the best areas to enjoy local food for very affordable prices. Maybe I should dedicate a special post in the future for this place, one of my favorite ones since I arrived so far.

One of the entrances to the Souq

So, if you come to pay me a visit, you already know that you will be able to see more than malls. I still have to visit Falaika Island, where I am thinking to go before than the heat comes back. Now it is the best moment for going out, no doubt, but people say that it will really cold soon, and I may need some extra warm clothes, let’s see.

Game of divans

If you walk (or you try to walk) in Kuwait and you pay attention to the entrances of the houses, you will discover that sometimes there are some divans forming an inverted U. Here is where Kuwaitis gather together to celebrate one of the most entrenched costumes in the country, representing one of the main pillars of socialization and communication. It is the called “diwaniya”, a gathering sometimes about political and social topics, or merely to spend time chatting, eating and drinking tea in a relaxed atmosphere.

The diwaniyas can be both private (among closed groups of friends or relatives) or public, where everyone can participate and give some opinions. In this case, people discuss generally political topics, like a small citizen’s assembly, providing active participation for the people. They are especially active during election periods. This kind of meetings are a good examples of the level of freedom of speech existing in Kuwait, with more democratic participation than other countries in this area.

 

Tea and sweets, always there

According to what I heard, it is not usual that a foreigner can be invited to participate in a private diwaniya, although it is normally possible to join to any public one, as long as the language is not an obstacle. I already commented in another post that AWARE association organizes discussions every Tuesday, mainly for foreigners in Kuwait, where a moderator holds a debate in English around several topics related to cultural exchange between Western and Arab culture. In these events, not only you can learn interesting information, but they are also a good opportunity to meet new people, something which is not very easy in this place as we already know.

I am glad to know that traditions like this one are being kept, with debates promoting the dialogue, the understanding of other realities and the critical thinking, in this World where people tend more and more to criticize with resentment and without any base, from the anonymity of social media. We have to go out more, knowing, discovering and experimenting and, if it is possible, debating with other people face to face, with empathy and without blind hatred. It is a way to improve somehow the coming prospect we will need to face. 

In great shape

Kuwaitis have a reputation for being people who tend to be sedentary, who do almost everything from their cars or their sofas, and whose habits don’t fit exactly in what we can called a healthy life. However, actually there are all kind of sport clubs around the city and it is possible to see many locals keen to exercise, especially in this period of the year, when the perfect temperatures for going out to burn some calories.

Apart of plenty of gyms and swimming pools, you can find many sport facilities in Kuwait to practice any kind of sport. In my neighborhood, for example, there are a couple of football fields, which you can rent for hours, and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts, near to the beach. For those who can afford it, there are also multiple options for practicing water sports, such as sailing, yachting or scuba diving in some coastal areas.

But, undoubtedly, my most motivating sport and the one which became one of my main hobbies, is running. I always try to find time to have a short race, one of the few funny things I can do in the area where I live. Now in Kuwait there are several running races, such as the Run Kuwait or the Gulf Bank G42 marathon, just last Saturday. I could participate in both in the 10 km. It was very good actually and it is not only a sport event, but also a opportunity for socializing and having fun outdoor, something that in this country is not very usual, beyond the families who go for picnic on the beach.

I am keeping running and I hope I can find more chances to participate in a race. As I said, it is one of the few activities in which I could socialize since I am here, and it also keep me motivated enough to continue living here. Is someone joining next time?

Shall we meet?

Before coming to Kuwait I spent some time investigating in Internet about the pros and cons of this place. One of the most usual complaints among other foreigners who already lived here was the difficulty of making friends and socializing. There was all kind of people, of course, but most of them lament their small social circle and the lack of opportunities of leisure. I didn’t think it could be so frustrating but, after some weeks, all these opinions started to be confirmed. I don’t know if it is because of personal or situational reasons but, among all the countries I have been, this is the one where I am finding more complicated to find persons who I can call friends.

Starting with my personal circumstances, I don’t think that living in a neighborhood like Fintas, far from all kind of center of leisure and socialization, can make it easy if I want to know and meet new people. I already commented in other post that this country is made for vehicles, not for persons, and moving from one side to other is very tired because it is very time consuming. This is by the way other of the factors which hinder meeting someone: the lack of time. I have a very busy schedule and, if I add the master I started two weeks ago, I almost don’t have hours left. But anyway, every weekend I seize the opportunity to go out and do something else than working and studying.

Seaside in Salmiya, where almost every Friday go for running

Other intrapersonal factor, which also affects to many migrants in any other country, is the continuous wheel of farewells and bye byes. People who have been for a long time out of their countries tend to be exposed to this situation very often. Kuwait is not one of those countries where people stay too long, and most of the persons come here for a short period and they leave as soon as they can (there are obviously some exceptions, but this is like that at least for those who come alone). This implies that there is people who don’t want to get involved so much in a friendship, because they don’t want to experience again the same situation. In my case, I must admit that I feel something similar and, after so many years traveling around, I still couldn’t normalize these “mourning” processes when I have to leave my beloved friends behind. But that doesn’t stop my wishes to socialize and make friends as something paramount whenever I go.

Talking now about external factors, totally out of my control, I would start for the usual profile of foreigner coming to this country. It is still early to make a precise description but, according to other comments I read in social media and conversations with other expats, I see there are many people who come here merely because they want to make money, without caring about social life at all. These are individuals who focus only on their work and they even use their free time to do extra hours in any other place. In the other hand, I also see there are many expats coming with their families, in some cases with children, with a set of recreational habits in somehow far from the single ones’, like in my case. Even so, I have to say that in all these years I met wonderful people in this family situation and I really enjoyed with them (although I tend to keep myself apart when the plan for Saturday is going to a theme park for children…).

Kuwait, apart from its planned for cars urban design, doesn’t offer too many activities and leisure places. I mean, it has nothing to do with Dubai, for example, although, if one explores well, it is always possible to find something interesting to do. Other related to leisure time factor is the absence of alcohol. For me it doesn’t mean any obstacle but I know people who don’t feel so comfortable socializing without having any alcohol around. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no pubs in Kuwait. I was once in one, where there were no spirits but shishas. If you are not bothered by the itchy eyes of the remaining smell on your clothes,, then it is not a bad place.

Despite all these circumstances, in the last weeks I have been meeting new people who I can arrange meetings and activities with, like running, now when the weather is very convenient. It is a question of time, that’s it, as in every part of the World, although here it is a bit more complicated. By the way, does anyone fancy a cup of coffee?

Abayas, dishdashas and other clothes

One of the most shocking and, at the same time, disturbing things to see when one arrives to Kuwait, or any other country in Persian Gulf, is the amount of women wearing completely in black, many of them showing only the eyes. This only reinforces the theory saying that we tend to perceive with more attention what matches with our previous expectations. This leads us sometimes to distort reality. Strangely enough, there are other women, at least in this country, who goes with uncovered hair, and some of them prefer wearing in western clothes (I have even seen some girls in bikini in a public pool). Few days ago I attended to a cultural conference about clothing in Kuwait and Arab countries in general, and we discussed about this and other related topics I will comment now.

The main traditional attire for women is called abaya. It is a long, floor length tunic, usually made in polyester or silk, in black colour. It is wore together with the hiyab or the cloak used by women to cover their heads and, sometimes, with the niqab, the veil which they cover their faces with, showing only the eyes. The reasons of why they use this clothing, with or without niqab, are merely religious and cultural, and it will depends on the degree of religiosity or traditionalism of each woman. That is to say, at least here in Kuwait, using abaya and covering head and face is not obligatory, although there are countries like Saudi Arabia where it is mandatory in all public places.

Continuing with the female attire, the abaya is not the only traditional clothing for women in Kuwait. There is another dress, also long but much more colorful called daara. It is used usually for special events, such as weddings and other celebrations, but also there are girls who wear this for going out. The daara can be in different colors and designs, and it is normally decorated with embroidery and filigrees.

About men clothing, the most traditional ones wear usually a long white tunic called dishdasha, with trousers in the same color. On the head they wear a kind of cloak, known as ghutra, which can be in different colors, mostly white or a design of red squares, resembling those typical Palestine scarfs. The ghutra is topped with a double twisted black cord, the agal, in order to keep the cloak in its place, without falling down.

Does it look good?

It was an interesting talk where we also discussed about other topics such as the situation of women in Kuwait, what I would like to talk in a future post. About this matter, I don’t consider negative nor degrading if a girl covers her head or even her face, as long as it is a personal decision and it is not an imposition. But, well, if we stop to think about in our own dressing habits, what is not an imposition? Are we really free to decide what we want to wear? We tend to think that Muslim women are slaves of their religious values but, are we, Western people, not also slaves of our fashions and trends?

Here is the debate in case someone would like to say something about.