Job Discussion Forums

[bullish]

I'm Christian, ex-husband is Muslim, our child is Muslim.I will be living and teaching in Kuwait for at least 2 years. Since I never converted, will my child be feel odd, insofar as this country is quite religious? My ex lives in another nearby country, and he's definately moderate.

[15yearsinQ8]

your preface is false
being 'quite religious' is not necessarily intolerant
there are quite religious sunnis and quite religious shiites and quite religious christians all in kuwait - on average the religious sunnis are the least tolerant but consider the other two groups hethans and only god can truely save their souls....so i won't say i have seen intolerance here just some occasional 'oh you sinner, god help you' look
having said all this, kuwait cannot be described on the whole as a 'quite religious' country
as a muslim, your child will recieve islam and religion subjects in school - if he/she is not well versed in arabic , some private schools give these subjects in watered down arabic/english - other schools do not give watered down arab versions of these subjects and marginally arabic students sit in the back are allowed to do other work and are quietly passed.....
is your child well versed in arabic?
what is the age of the child?

[15yearsinQ8]

there are many christian mother / muslim father children in kuwait among the expat or foreign wife community sets

your child will not feel 'odd'

[bullish]

She is 12, and attends an Islamic international school in the US. Her Arabic is shaky, as the instruction has been flaky and irratic.
I was told by the director since she has a US passport she does not have to take Islamic classes. I would rather do this on our own anyway.
My Arabic is better, as I learned from my ex and formal study.

The international school she attends now is dismal-the core subjects are overshadowed by the Islamic and Arabic subjects. Although her present school has a decent sports programme, music is non-existant.
The school in Kuwait is American with a solid history.

[15yearsinQ8]

the director LIED to you
welcome to kuwait
on application forms of schools students state a religion and the religion of mother and father
a mulim father passes his religion to his children
according to ministrial regulations, your child must take islam and religion
this is determined by religion not passport
also ministry of interior states religion of all those with work visas and their dependednts - the govt keeps a number of all religions present but no big brother persectuation of non-muslims.....

does your daughter wear a hijab? the answer leads into complicated child development/cultural upbringing/personal identity issues as i've witnessed them in kuwait
you can pm me about this