The adventure starts here

I just landed in Kuwait a week ago and I already figure out more or less what kind of place I reached and what lifestyle I will have here. I will describe you in broad strokes my first impressions, positive and negative, in this tiny corner of the World.

 

The first thing I noticed when I arrived here was the tremendous heat. We suffered a lot this summer with the hot weather but nothing compares to this oven in this season. The maximum temperatures surpass the 45 Celsius degrees and the minimum ones don’t drop less than 30. With this current outlook, it is almost impossible to do any activity outdoors; therefore people usually socialize inside the huge malls which you can find in any district in the city. I was told that in the middle of September the temperatures start to decrease a little bit, in October we will have a nice weather and from November it begins to cool down (it won’t be less than 6 degrees though, in December and January).

 

Inside a mall

 

When before departure I was reviewing Kuwait map, I thought that everything was compacted in a big city, where everything was a stone’s throw away. Actually, the country is composed by different municipalities connected to each other through a highway, which crosses Kuwait from North to South. The urban areas are located along the seaside, whilst everything on the West is desert and oil wells. I realized that everything is quite scattered and the distances between places are longer than I imagined. This explains that everybody use the car to move around. I still didn’t see neither bicycles nor motorcycles, and very few people go by foot, even in the evening when the temperatures drop a bit. The area where I live, Al Fintas, is very far from the downtown district, Kuwait City, and it takes half and hour at least by minibus to reach my working place. A good thing to say is that the beach is just 10 minutes walking distance from my apartment.

 

Another shocking thing for me is the difference regarding the cost of living, something that in somehow conditions my life here. The prices of daily products and commodities are often higher than in Spain, and I would prefer not compare with China if I don’t want to get depressed. Also, related to the economy, I could notice many contrasts, with Kuwaiti families buying luxury items and driving Porsches, and a huge group of workers, mainly from India, Nepal or Philippines, working and living in precarious conditions. About me, I think that, even getting a higher salary than the one I got in China, in long term I don’t believe I will save more than there. Anyway, I hope that at least I can have a life more or less comfortable, and I can keep some money for some trip during holidays.

 

This plate costs 2 KD (around 5 euros and a half), one of the most affordable thing if you want to eat outside

 

If you have read till this point, you would think that what a hell of place I arrived, and that maybe it would be better to leave as soon as possible. However, I can’t forget what the main reason why I decided to come is: my work experience. I am still in the preparation stage of activities, but I got the feeling that my job is going to be very valued at the school. This is going to help me to improve my career and I should concentrate in this now. In the other hand, I see the atmosphere and the rapport among my colleagues is good so far and this helps a lot. Most of the teachers come from UK and Australia, so this experience also implies a great impact in my English level, I am sure. I also have to highlight that the accommodation provided by the school is one of the best places I ever lived in terms of space and facilities, and this will make my stay here much bearable.

 

 

I learned many things through my experience abroad but there is something I would highlight the most: You don’t feel good or bad because the circumstances around, but because the attitude you have towards them. I have already passed similar periods in other countries and, if you are patient enough and know to value the positive aspects, finally you not only get used to a place but you will enjoy it too (and even missing it later). Anyhow, I came to give the best of me, absorbing as sponge everything I can learn, professionally and personally. And I am pretty sure that as soon the heat disappears I will see everything with better eyes.

 

See you next time!