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ISR Readers Respond to Culture Shock: Kuwait

Been here 10 years, it is all very true....and he left out a lot of details...This guy should come back, do some more research and write a book on the subject! He'd be famous, make a lot of money, and perhaps contribute to a much needed change of consciousness around here. Kuwait would be lovely, if these people would wake up. One would think the Gulf war would have been a more humbling experience for them. How quickly they have forgotten. Thanks for this!

what about the maids or teachers or foreigners who steal from you?you just saw what you think is right or wrong from your point of view.yes i am kuwait ,i have servants that i respect and treat well and they steal from me?well i send them back home.after helping them open their houses and teach my kids to respect them this is what i get?my phillipina friend yes i have phillipina friend had a phillipina maid who stole from her and escaped from her here in kuwait.what about that.you didnt hear it?dont see things from one point of view and say that all kuwait is like that.i see anjelina with 6 or 7 assistants?do you know what goes on in that house?how well she treats them?i dont know but i cant say having sooo many kids and each kid has an assistant.looks kuwaiti to me?what about that?your article is rubbish.you have a culture shock in your country where people are either negros or white trash.racisim was and is still a major issue in the us.

I'm sorry but this teacher does not know much about Kuwait other than her immediate circle of friends and acquaintances. Firstly, most Indians in Kuwait send their children to private (Indian) schools. Indians form the largest minority group in Kuwait. Indians are into managing and running many businesses. Indians are the most influential group of expats in Kuwait because of their sheer size and clout in the country. Many of the top students in private schools in Kuwait are Indians be it any curriculum system, English, American or Indian.

This teacher is providing a very skewed view about Kuwait - I hope readers will see the real picture and then draw conclusions about Kuwait.

Cheers
Indian in Kuwait

Well written. Your account is exactly how the United Arab Emirates operates. Unfortunately, this is one of the most racist societies I have ever lived in.

total nonsense!

this i typical any foreigner who lives in kuwait,feeds from it wealth,takes money from it say.i have been in private schools since the 70s.all you teachers want is to make money and not care how you educate us,and all of you hate kuwait,its racist its bad its whatever,well if you were doing well in your country y did you come to kuwait?in the many years i have been to private schools,and now my kids go to private schools,you might find one or two good teachers.sad,we pay so much for the school and get rubbish teacher who dont teach well in class to give private tutions and make money!!!!!

well this teacher who wrote the article is chasing phillipinas,how sad is that?you cant control your dick dick head so dont talk bad about my country!!!you want culture shoch?what about pedophiles and incest in your white trash community?we kown all you dirty laundry so shut up and go back home you sick sick man.you feel sorry for the slavery here?we help those people open houses,feed their kids....but they are ungrateful.they r like you,coming from low,poor environment,you envy us rich people.even the rich n famous americans say that the poor envy the rich.

another culture shock is that you want to define the law of nature,gays getting married?lesbians????????/you peolpe cant stand us,we have religion,we have customs,we respect our families,we have strong bonds with our relatives.what do you have?nothing,even this issue you envy us.i feel sorry for you.one day kids will learn at home through computers and not need you psycho teachers!!!!!!

My wife & I lived in Kuwait for over 7 years. We now reside in Oman and the difference between the two countries is incredible. This article about Kuwait and its people is absolutely correct. I read of a maid that had endured a painful and inhumane death. She was found below her balcony with 19 stab wounds to her back and covered in acid. Verdict: "Suicide" I'll leave it to you to make up your own mind.

What this man says is true! I work in Qatar...and much the same occurs here, as in all of these Gulf states, and I would venture to say...the entire Middle East! Yes, there are some very, very kind and considerate people here, as in every country, but the arrogance that some of these so-called "Muslims" display is extremely hard to stomach! As a Muslim man myself...I, for one, can truly say (based on my number of years here) that Islam is practiced in "name only" by the majority of the Arabs here! Yet, you see masjids everywhere and men flocking to pray...my question is: What are you praying for...because surely it is NOT to become a better person in your day-to-day dealings with all human beings, no matter where they hail from?

Maybe that is why such a "test" (wealth and military bombarment) is being administered on them...because of the way they have dishonored Islam in their actions and deeds! Yet, these so-called leaders, if you can call them that...or more-so, these "a_ _-kissers" of the West are the weakest men I have ever come across...no backbone whatsoever when America or any other Western state comes calling...but let it be another developing country or, (as stated in the article) their citizens come here to work for meager wages...then you better watch out...the "kings" are a-coming and nothing will stand in their way!

I am Muslim from the UK but have worked in Kuwait teaching for 9 years. Whilst many of the comments in the article are valid - some are clearly biased and inaccurate.

"Indians, Palestinians, Egyptians, Lebanese, etc.-- go to public schools" is incorrect. Government schools are ONLY for Kuwaitis... ALL other nationalities go to private schools.

I left the UK after being spat at in the street for wearing a scarf and the final straw was when a man tried to run me off the road whilst I was driving. I decided to work in a Muslim country. I am happy to say I haven't faced anything of this level in Kuwait - in fact I have seen extraordinary things happen....these are a few of my encounters:

I once left my keys in my car in a shopping mall car park ,and returned to find a respectable middle-aged Kuwaiti man waiting with keys in hand next to my car - who politely handed them over, smiled and suggested that I should be more careful (very true!)

Once I lost my purse in a restaurant, and returned the next day to find it there fully intact with money and credit cards - having been handed in.

I got a puncture on the highway and within 2 minutes a Kuwaiti soldier stopped and changed my tyre.

On another occasion I was lost in a less desirable residential area in Kuwait when I had a puncture, a Syrian man stopped, took my wheel, got the tyre repaired and fitted it back - refusing any money for the garage, and was very polite and respectful.

There are many good people in Kuwait, but sadly it is the bad ones that get the publicity. I don't think I would have had the same results or assistance had these events occurred in my home city in the UK!

The lifestyle for expat teachers is good in many ways. Back home I would not have been able to afford on my teacher's salary to: eat out regularly at fancy restaurants, have a membership at a hotel beach club, travel to the far east so cheaply... Although there is no home-mail delivery system in Kuwait - you never have to experience the constant barrage of bills for utilities, tax etc. arriving daily on your doormat and the rat-race pace of life trying to get through your days juggling work, childcare, and doing all those tasks to keep your household running... instead your free-time is your own...and you can easily afford to find someone to care for your children if you need to go out, get affordable help with the housework, have assistance with bagging your groceries and taking it to the car if you want.

Teachers often report that they do not have rights and had bad experiences. In one less reputable school I worked in, they refused to pay my end of service indemnity and to clear my paperwork. I went to the Ministry and got my rights - my money and my papers. Interestingly many other teachers in the same situation did not go to the Ministry... and did not get their rights ... claiming they were scared to report the issue.

I also notice that on so many articles on this web site indicate that the schools have made rules and regulations that are unacceptable e.g.Al-Bayan, "restriction of speech".... this does not come from the school..... it comes from the Ministry of Education's standard contract that everyone should have... the school did not create this... it is the law in the country for all schools, for Kuwaiti and expat employees alike. Maybe ISR admin should check the facts/law before publishing teacher's rantings and unfairly ruining the reputation of schools!

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