Kuwait Local Customs

Kuwaiti banquet

by mikey_e

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Kuwaiti banquet
by mikey_e
Skeet shooting
by mikey_e
A Bedouin tent
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Inside the tent
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Another view of the tent and its...
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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Ramadan

by KeithFitzgerald

If you are not a Muslim, then plan your travel to Kuwait outside of the Holy Month of Ramadan. During the month of Ramadan, everything pretty much is closed from dawn until dusk. If you are in Kuwait during Ramadan, refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in public out of respect for the religion. Otherwise, you might find yourself being detained for doing this. Loosen up and you'll enjoy the country's culture and people. I had many Kuwaiti friends and basically folks, we're all the same. We enjoy travel, family, parties and adventure. You'll do well by treating everyone...everywhere you go as a brother or sister, which goes a long way in establishing lasting friendships and making the world a friendlier place, one person at a time.

Foreign Workers

by Ewingjr98

Foreign workers -- or "third country nationals" -- make up a huge percentage of the population of Kuwait. By some estimates, as many as 1/2 of Kuwait's 3 million people are foreigners. Of these foreigners, many do the jobs that Kuwaitis traditionally find demeaning such as service work (hotel workers, maids, cooks, cleaning people) and construction (masonry, electrical, carpentry, etc). While there are a large number of British and Americans working in the oil industry, the other foreigners are mainly Thai, Indian, Pakistani, and Afghani.Besides the Kuwait state oil companies (http://www.naukrihub.com/overseas-jobs/gulf/kuwait/oil-gas.html), the following foreign companies have oil interests in Kuwait:British Petroleum, Chevron, Getty Oil, Gulf Oil, Japan's Arabian Oil Co. (AOC), Mobil, Royal Dutch/Shell, Shell International Petroleum, Texaco, and Total.

Arabic Hospitality

by isildur06

As being guest in a house or in an event, Arabs will offer you coffee and dates. Arabic coffee has quite a bitter taste, served in small glass cups. Traditionally they will keep filling your glass until you say you have it enough. Shaking the glass means you don't want more.

HOW DO YOU CALL THEM?

by pangtidor

Kuwait`s young generation is westernized rapidly all over the country. Nevertheless, they still keep some of the basic respect toward the elders in their family. SIR (male) and MADAM/MA`AM (female) will be used in formal setting. For the local people, they have their unique way to call and to be called, a common way in Arab countries too. The male will be happy to be called as `THE FATHER OF (HIS ELDEST SON/DAUGHTER NAME,DAUGHTER NAME WHEN THEY DON`T HAVE ANY SONS.) and the female will be happy to be called as `THE MOTHER OF (HER ELDEST SON/DAUGHTER NAME). For example : a couple have many kids and their eldest one`s name is Mohammad. You may call the father as BU MOHAMMAD (MOHAMMAD`S DAD) and the mother as UM MOHAMMAD (MOHAMMAD`S MOM). You may ask their eldest son/daughter name to call them so and they will be happy to tell you. For the very old ones (above 70s), you may call the male as...

W.I.B. - Women in Black!

by Hexepatty

Remember the movie Men in Black? (MIB) Well, Kuwait is the country of W.I.B. I know I'm being a tad profane and less than PC, but the truth is, I think Allah - in light of Global Warming - would be a tad forgiving if the women in Kuwait chose a somewhat lighter color. Gotta love the JPG of the women shopping for crocs. I hope they come in black. On the plus side: I bet their skin cancer incident rate is REAL low... (See? I'm making lemonaid outta lemons here!)

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Dress Codes In Kuwait

by pangtidor

The dress codes of the local will be the most concerned one for everybody whenever they will travel to a Middle East country. As one of The Middle East countries, dress codes in Kuwait could be seen as conservative one. YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE DRESS CODES IN HERE. Actually, the dress you may wear in Kuwait will be the same as the dress in other countries. No specific rules on how you dress in here like in KSA. The thing is, the perceptions of Kuwait`s people are different. Many young ones are `signature brand fashion conscious`and `westernizing` where as some conservative ones are still proud with their traditional custom. You can still see the women with ABBAYA (totally covered with a long black gown from the head to toe, only eyes exposed) and the men with DISDASYA (long white gown with the white head cover). On the other hand, you will be surprised how well the Kuwaities know...

Kuwait Greetings, Rules for men and women

by pangtidor

Whenever you visit a house or enter any rooms here, great anybody in the room.It will be greatly appreciated.ASSALAMUALAIKUM is the common greeting in here.It means PEACE UPON YOU.You may answer WALAIKUMSALAM,means PEACE UPON YOU TOO.You may see them kissing each other by pressing each other cheeks against each other`s with the kissing sounds both left and right.Men do the same to the men, sometimes the man will kiss the elder ones` nose.MEN SHOULD NOT KISS WOMEN IN PUBLIC, unless it will be their close relatives.When a man offer his hand to shake woman`s hands, sometimes it will be rejected if she thinks it is inappropriate.Don`t be offended.Women and men guest rooms will be separated for the party.In some waiting rooms,there will be separated rooms for women and men.A strange man doesnt suppose to sit beside a woman with Abaya (black long gown with the head and/or face cover).Women...

Diwaniya - Phase III

by Ewingjr98

After everyone finishes dinner, people will start to wander outside to the smoking tent. If your host has lots of money, this is more like a smoking house, but we'll call it a tent to make him happy... Again, there are couches in a huge crescent moon shape -- like this ). Like the other parts of the evening, the host sits in the center with the senior guests nearby and the lower ranking guests toward the ends. Here everyone may smoke cigarettes or shisha (water pipes). Shisha smoke is sweetly flavored, and much more mild than regular smoke. Just ask the servant for a shisha, and he'll bring one of these monstrous water-filled bongs. A little tobacco and a few hot coals and you're ready to go. Just suck hard enough to blow bubbles in the water.After an hour so so of smoking and socializing, the host will eventually tire. When he gets up, it's time to leave. Everyone will pay their...

Dishdash - traditional Islamic clothing

by Ewingjr98

The traditional clothing of the Islamic people in Kuwait, and other Arab nations, is called the dishdash. In Kuwait, it is always a long white gown, usually with a white head covering and sandals. This is the ideal outfit to keep you cool when the temps get above 120 degrees F!

The Diwaniya - Phase II

by Ewingjr98

The second stage of a diwaniya evening is dinner. After all of the guests have arrived and had a good chance to introduce themselves and get settled in, the host will stand and head to a separate dining room.Again, this room is comprised of a large U-shaped table. The host will sit at the center of the base of the U, with guests seating themselves roughly according to social status. The dinner will consist of all kinds of meat, rice, snacks, salad, pastas, and all sorts of odds and ends. While the non-Arab dishes such as pasta are served with a spoon, the traditional Arab items are served with the hands... just grab a handful of lamb or beef and toss it on your plate. Don't be surprised by the lamb's head. That is just a traditional sign that the host respects you enough to present the entire animal.After dinner we had some great deserts including ice cream and small pastries. The ice...

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