Job Discussion Forums

[bexely2000]

So after you've escaped your classroom, run the gauntlet of avoiding various people in running out of the school to freedom, what do you do in Kuwait from three in the afternoon until you re back the next morning?

Do you all go to the gym or something like that? Speaking of which, are there ones where the ex-pats go to? How much are they?

Just curious, happy teaching now�

Bexely

[younggeorge]

It's a few years since I was in Kuwait, but I never got enough money together to go to a club - all the hotels have them, but they're pricey. I contented myself with the parks (free) and the public swimming pool (Gulf Street, near Sultan Centre) which was not free but very cheap. Some schools open up their facilities to staff and friends of staff outside school hours: you'll need to ask around to find out about those.

[bexely2000]

Thanks for that.

May I ask how pricey is pricey? It will not mean anything to me now, but in a few months it might!

How does the swimming pool thing work? (I realise how daft that sounds) What i mean is is there a seperate women/mens or something like that?

Cheers

[younggeorge]

Sorry for the delay: I didn't notice you'd posted again. As I say, it's a few years since I was there, but I recall a figure of KD700 - though that might have been for a family as I was there with my wife and daughter.

The swimming pool has an Olympic-sized pool that's men-only at some times and women-only at others. It also has a "family" pool which you won't be allowed into unless you tag along with someone who has a wife or kids.

There's also a huge aqua-park which costs a bit more (maybe 10KD for the day?) but has slides, wave pools and such.

I hope that helps and is not too out of date. Funny there haven't been more replies - there must be people on the forum who have up-to-date info.

[KathyK]

I'm quite interested in hearing the replies to this question too. I'm moving to Kuwait in seven weeks to begin a new job and will be in the market for a gym membership or at least something that will keep me in some exercise two or three days of the week.

If the memberships are too pricey, is it possible to buy an exercycle to keep in my apartment?

Kathy

[veiledsentiments]

No problem KathyK, there are places selling exercise equipment. There is very little that you could want that you can't find in the Gulf.

There used to be one right down the street from the university in the Salmiya shopping center area...

Not to mention that, I expect that you can afford gym membership.

VS

[bexely2000]

I had comtemplated trying to take up a bit of diving again. Sounds like fun and all that, but then i saw a pic of some of the things that i might/possibly/could be swimming with, and decided to maintain my present status as a bona-fide and content land lubber...

http://www.bbrdive.com/news.html

[veiledsentiments]

Hey Bex,

I got a chuckle out of the little ad at the end about the beach clean-up called 'It's Kuwait, Why bother?'

Based on what I saw there, I wouldn't want to dive anywhere near the shore. But, I had friends that went out into the Gulf and dived around the islands out there. Since I don't even swim, it didn't much appeal to me.

Try it...

VS

[bexely2000]

Indeed, i might well try it as long as they can promise that there'll be no big fish things.....and i dont understand that ad either.

Is irony really that prevalent that people will see that and realise that they should NOT drop stuff?

Makes no sense to me, but i get the feeling that I had better get used to that feeling, i really can't imagine that Kuwait is really that similar to Nottingham or Blighty generally for that matter!

[veiledsentiments]

Well Bex... you don't actually want it to be like home, do you?

As you saw from the pics, they do have some big fish out there, but the whale shark is harmless.

As to cleaning up the beach areas, way too many spoiled people there used to having a servant picking up behind them as they leave a constant trail of litter. Changing that psychology will be a tough one.

VS