Job Discussion Forums

[dccitygal]

Hi All,

I'm new to this site, and will be new to Kuwait in 2 months! I've been reading through all the Kuwait postings and it's been incredibly helpful. I will be working at AUK, and am trying to find out any logistical information you might have. Has anyone lived in the university-provided housing? Any advice on what to pack...specifically clothing, household items, etc?

Thanks!!!
dccitygal

[veiledsentiments]

I assume that you are American? Have you ever lived overseas before? When I went to Kuwait I brought my clothes/shoes, my favorite teaching materials, my favorite little kitchen utensils, my pillow, and a set of good knit sheets - king size so that fit any size bed.

Most things can be found in Kuwait with little problem - the shopping is good. Don't take any 110 small appliances (unless dual voltage). Within walking distance - when it is cool enough - are supermarkets and shopping centers.

The university is in a good area with plenty of nice apt buildings surrounding it. My friends there took an allowance and found their own flats.

I hope that helps, but you may want to ask more specific questions.

VS

[15yearsinQ8]

you'll easily exceed your checked and caryy on limit with the bare essentials for kuwait
everything can be bought here but pack
patince - 2 extra helpings to be sure
sufficient bullsht retardent
a tongue clamp to prevent from speaking out about EVERYTHING
a blind eye - with extra
ear plugs

hhhmmm come to think of it, ear plugs are widely available so pack another can of bullsht retardent

[dccitygal]

Thanks for the reply! Yes, I'm American. I've spent over half of my life living overseas, but haven't lived in the Middle East since I was a kid...and never been to Kuwait. I'm a single female, so I'm wondering what kind of clothes to bring over. I know that Kuwait tends to be fairly open, and that as an American woman I don't need to fully cover up. But I do want to be respectful of the culture. Any ideas on what kind of clothes would be suitable in a university setting (working as staff not faculty)? I'm wondering how dressy they get (should I bring pant suits? or casual slacks?). Also, I've read that it's advisable to get longer sleeved long tunic shirts. What do you think?

I assume I'll be getting some moving allowance (still negotiating contract). So do you recommend doing household shopping in the states and shipping it over (I know you mentioned sheets...what about comforters, pillow cases, kitchen utensils, etc)? I'm not much into cooking, so don't necessarily have a stock of kitchen stuff in the states

Oh, and my last question for now is about books. Can you get a wide variety of english language books in Kuwait? I'm a big reader and have tons of books in the states, but can't afford to ship them all over. I would want to have access to novels, as well as resources for my work (career counseling). Do you think it's worth investing in a pile of books here and shipping them over?

Thanks again for your help!! I keep thinking that there are probably tons of things I'm forgetting to ask...so if anything else comes to mind, feel free to share! Anything you wish you had known before moving to Kuwait??

AK

[veiledsentiments]

Let me see if my acquaintance there has time to answer my email or visit here and get more specifics.

But generally speaking, I would dress modestly - skirts below the knees - no bare shoulders - sleeves to elbows - nothing skin tight. (although you will have a few students who will break all those rules ) I always felt more comfortable avoiding being a 'trend-setter.'

Books have always been an issue in the Gulf. There are book stores but the prices tend to be very high and I was never thrilled with the inventory. I understand that many get books through Amazon now in the Gulf, you might want to check their website on the shipping costs and hopefully someone will come on and tell us whether you get delivery in Kuwait with no problem. Many universities end up with an informal book exchange system and perhaps AUK has one... I will try to find out. I always brought back a few each summer to add to the 'library.'

If you are in TEFL, I wouldn't count on a shipping allowance or it will be small - if you are a professor, you likely get one. The reason that I took my pillow and knit sheets is because the specific ones that I prefer are not available outside of the US. Everything else I bought once I got there. I am a lousy unenthusiastic cook, so I just brought the small stuff that made that job easier - it all fit in a rubbermaid cakepan... not pots and pans and things that are easily available there. (There is an IKEA and Ace Hardware... and other cheaper options)

VS

[dccitygal]

Thanks VS for your reply! This is really helpful. Good to know about the book situation. I have a couple more questions, but if you're tired of posting then feel free to ignore Do most expats buy a used car? I'm pretty sure that transportation costs are not included in the offer, and they said that most people either just use cabs or rent a car. But both those options seem like they would get pricey over a couple year span. I've also had people tell me that I absolutely need a car over there. What are your thoughts? I'd much rather not have to deal with buying a car (and I've heard driving can be a bit scary).

Also, I'm wondering about the workout options over there. I've heard that many expats get a healthclub membership if their living situation does not provide a gym. Is that a pretty feasible option economically for someone living on a university staff salary? Do any expats just go jogging, or would that be really strange/immodest for a woman in the Kuwaiti culture?

Thanks again for all your advice!

AK

[veiledsentiments]

Hey dccitygal,

I have a response from someone at AUK:

"AUK has leased an entire building in Maidan Hawalli and she is going to have to live in that building. It's actually a really nice building and it's almost completely furnished (they leave one room empty so people can store things or decorate as they wish). People moving into this building will not get a furniture allowance.

Some of this year's new faculty who live in that building avail themselves of the shuttle that the university provides to take them to and from work every day. It's like twice a day in each direction. Maidan Hawalli is a nice area but very residential. It's not walking distance to anything. She's probably going to need a car. The rental prices have gone way up since I came. There are a few rental agencies that will still rent out a tiny little Peugeot for under 100KD a month.

There are services through Aramex or the new one called UShop We Ship which will set her up with a mailing address in the States and ship anything she orders to her on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. I use UShop We Ship and am very happy with it. It's still pricey to have things shipped but it's a lot less than ordering things from the individual vendors and having everything shipped one at a time.

If she's going to be working in Student Success, she's in for a treat. It's a really great group of people. They do good work and they're really nice too."


As to the purchase of a car, you may want to wait and see... perhaps rent or lease for a few months, and then decide. You may find the traffic too intimidating, but really it is only marginally worse than the Capital Beltway. Personally I always bought a new car in each country because I didn't want to deal with repairs and garages. (note: be sure that your US driver's license is current and has at least the two years to run... and if you can, get a no-claims letter from your US insurance company. That will save you money on insurance if you decide to buy)

There are health clubs, and yoga, and I saw women - both expats and local women - jogging on the beach in Salmiya near the campus - although they wore baggy track suits with long pants and jackets. Personally I walked the beach every evening... during the months when I was certain that I wouldn't melt.

VS