Have you noticed that some things happen only in Kuwait? Or maybe they happen somewhere else but mainly here at home. We are a very lucky nation in many aspects. We have continuous dust storms of all the colours of the rainbow. Does it happen anywhere else without a season? In other places there are months “designated” for dust storms but here we are lucky that we have it nearly all year round. We also have the meteorology department that misses its predictions for only five days. They predicted Eid to be dusty but the dust storms hit Kuwait only yesterday.

Another thing that happens only in Kuwait are extended holidays. Suppose you have an Eid holiday on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, I bet you that half the ministries yesterday seemed evacuated. It was a work day yesterday. Today, Thursday, I challenge you to go and see for yourself that only 10 percent of the employees are on hand. We have the habit and flexibility of connecting holidays with other holidays and weekends. Instead of celebrating Eid for two days now, it stretched to 10 days. Isn’t that nice? Where else can you find this luxury?

What a blissful life! I would like to tell all newcomers to Kuwait that if the holiday falls between two holidays there is a generous compensation. If a holiday falls on Saturday (a weekend day) then there will be a day to compensate this with another workday given as a day off. Where else do you find such appreciation and luxury by the government? Only here.

We have another luxury that other nations lack – it’s called wasta (connections and who knows who. It could mean even sometimes breaking the rules and laws.) Breaking the rules is aadi (in translation meaning OK, or no harm). This is one of the slogans we use often. Whatever happens we say aadi! Electricity cuts: Aadi! Water shortage: Aadi! Kuwait Airways flights cancelled every day: Aadi! Connecting holidays: Aadi! You go back 10 times to the ministry to complete your paperwork and it takes you forever to finish: Aadi.

Long queues in every ministry for immigration, visa renewal and driving licences: Aadi! Employees sipping chai (tea) when you are waiting outside for your paperwork: of course it’s aadi. Honestly I feel sorry for expats. Most of us have connections here and there. Even if the connection is not in the same ministry, we will find somebody who knows somebody. But expats don’t have that luxury. So, they have to work. It becomes aadi for them!

Another thing which you can find only in Kuwait is parking cars at random everywhere. In wrong places, dangerous corners, blocking the roads or cutting off full streets sometimes. Where else can you see two cars standing in the middle of the road and having a chat and the long line of cars behind them can do nothing about it. If you are lucky to be Kuwaiti, maybe you can blow your horn and you can shout yalla! But if you are an expat all you can say is aadi.


By Badrya Darwish
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
http://twitter.com/badryad