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kuwait for foreign women?

 
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crazycatlady



Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 46
Location: suffocating under a pile of cats

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 3:53 pm    Post subject: kuwait for foreign women? Reply with quote

what is it like living in kuwait for single foreign women? how are they treated? can they drive? can they go about their business by themselves? are there places women aren't allowed to go? is it anything like saudi?
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Starfell



Joined: 24 Mar 2010
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what is it like living in kuwait for single foreign women? how are they treated? can they drive? can they go about their business by themselves? are there places women aren't allowed to go? is it anything like saudi?

1.OK
2.OK
3.Yes
4.Yes
5.Yes- men's toilets
6.Yes,just as England is like Scotland and the US resembles Canada.
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crazycatlady



Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 46
Location: suffocating under a pile of cats

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what i meant by "is it anything like saudi?" was "does kuwait place the same legal restrictions on women that saudi does?" apparently the answer to that is "no."
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Starfell



Joined: 24 Mar 2010
Posts: 138

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 3:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You don't have to wear abaya or hijab.

You can drive.

You can meet men in public ( or private ) and the morality police won't come around and beat you round the legs ( or is that Iran ).

There are certain places that have men only / women only sections
( cinemas/ hospital waiting areas )

You should however, respect both the culture and yourself by covering up thighs, shoulders and boobs when in public- it's not Venice beach, and there's nothing more ridiculous looking than a western woman walking through Salmiya in a pair of shorts and a spaghetti top, or more liable to spark an unwanted ( yet predictable) attack.


Last edited by Starfell on Wed May 26, 2010 12:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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kaw



Joined: 31 Mar 2003
Posts: 302
Location: somewhere hot and sunny

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Being a western woman in Kuwait is very easy though you will get unwanted attention some times. There are women only gyms and stuff if that's your thing but there are also mixed ones as well - though these tend to be the more expensive ones.
Not sure how easy things are if you're 'non -western'.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only real similarity to Saudi is the restriction on alcohol. (although people do seem to have it at most parties... since I don't drink, I never asked) If you enjoy a drink now and again, I would recommend the rest of the Gulf where it is available in hotels, or for home purchase.

VS
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kuwait seems to be one of the more tolerant or liberal countries in the Middle East.

Still, I would dress conservatively and act respectfully. The old ways and norms die hard.

I think you will enjoy your stay there, if you conduct yourself appropriately.

Just expressing my veiled sentiments.

CF
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posh



Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Posts: 430

PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was once on the beach and two young Kuwaiti women came along in abayas (without veil). In fits of giggles, they stripped off the abaya then walked into the sea in jeans and t-shirts.
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Captain_Fil



Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Posts: 604
Location: California - the land of fruits and nuts

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

posh wrote:
I was once on the beach and two young Kuwaiti women came along in abayas (without veil). In fits of giggles, they stripped off the abaya then walked into the sea in jeans and t-shirts.


Young Kuwaiti women in wet t-shirts?

Maybe I'll visit Kuwait someday...

Smile
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posh



Joined: 22 Oct 2010
Posts: 430

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It did have an erotic element and I turned over onto my stomach, but I wouldn't bother going to Kuwait just for that Wink
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:16 am    Post subject: I'm a bloke in Kuwait but..... Reply with quote

It's much more liberal in Kuwait for women. You don't need to wear an abaya, local girls range from the conservative(the full house) to the liberal (jeans and t-shirts). Many don't cover their hair. Men and women can be seen walking about holding hands (gasp). At work our classes are mixed as is the staffroom. You'll be fine here.

Be sensitive to the culture and the religion and try an do things in company. The men here are frustrated and that includes the teachers Smile ,many of whom seem to have worked previously in Thailand, which apparently is a whole new world.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Captain_Fil,

"Maybe I'll visit Kuwait someday..."

You really should - after Bahrain, it's one of the prime tourist destinations in the area. Celebrities abound. Very Happy.

Regards,
John
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 1:26 pm    Post subject: Re: I'm a bloke in Kuwait but..... Reply with quote

sharter wrote:
... local girls range from the conservative(the full house) to the liberal (jeans and t-shirts). Many don't cover their hair.

One thing that I noted in the more liberal Middle East countries (Kuwait/Bahrain/Egypt/Morocco, etc) is that there tends to be kind of no in-between. They are either fully covered with tiny variations (gloves/no gloves... facial veil, no facial veil... shayla/niqab) or they are full slinky fashion plate. Those jeans will be painted on... as will the t-shirt... but more likely high-fashion trousers/blouse... stage make-up. As one of the male teachers in our department used to often say "please... get that girl an abaya!!) Laughing

Some referred to the look as either nun or hooker with little in-between...

VS
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huh?



Joined: 17 Mar 2011
Posts: 18

PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I understand the comment that there seems to be no in-between - that women look like nuns or hookers. The two extremes are certainly a surprising contrast that you will notice, but not really the norm.

At the private universities, the plurality of young women would not look particularly out of place in a western university. At the state university about 50% of the young women are in between. Most cover their heads, but with colorful or patterned scarves and often with a bit of hair showing. They try to come up with trendy new ways to wear their scarves. Many wear jeans, but cover their bums by wearing what Americans might call hippie-chick tops - long, loose peasant-blouse type things that reach down just to the bottom of their bums.

Many of the foreign Arab women wear western clothing. Some of the middle-aged women dress in a manner that reminds me of the buttoned up look you see in some small town churches in America - lots of big collars, bows, buttons, frills, puffy shoulder bubbles and no open necklines. Others have a business woman look or fairly sophisticated out-on-the town look.

The country is full of attractive young Filipinas who dress exactly like many attractive young working class women in the West dress - mildly tarty and usually quite becoming. I guess my point is that if you don't go out of your way to dress in a provocative manner, the reaction you get won't be much different than what you would get at home. The only look that you definitely will not see is the dressed-down, I-just-finished-cleaning-out-the -attic-and-couldn't-be-bothered-to-change look. (You will also never see shorts or a hallter top in public - except maybe at the beach.)

More important than your clothing is the way you behave. Be careful about using the casual, friendly looks and smiles that are generally understood to be perfectly innocent in the west, but that are more likely to be taken as an invitation in the Middle East.
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