# \[Archive\] Middle East

**URL:** <https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515>\
**Category:** \[Archive\] Off-Topic Discussion\
**Created:** [7 September 2012 09:00 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515 "2012-09-07T09:00:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/skink/32/1782_2.png) [@Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Skink)\
**Post date:** [7 September 2012 09:00 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/1 "2012-09-07T09:00:21Z")

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**Skink** :

…In real life I work in Hospitality, and even if I’m Italian I’ve been living abroad for the last 6 years of my life shifting between England, States, Australia, Switzerland and Spain.  
  
Now, for the first time in my life I decided to invest on my future and accept a management role in a 5 stars hotel luxury field in Kuwait (Middle East). But jeez guys, here’s hard life! True, Dubai is just 1 hour away but still…   
And now I received a job offer from Switzerland, for another winter season. I don’t think I’m going to accept (even if the thought of white, powdery snow and a couple of skis attached to my feet makes me drool)…  
  
My question is: has anyone ever been living in an orthodox muslim country before (note, not Bahrain, Oman, Emirates, Lebanon or Qatar where everything is legal and their life is VERY western-like)? How do you make time pass and how do you cope without beer (seriously, is the thing that I miss the most)???

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 01:28 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/2 "2012-09-08T01:28:25Z")

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**brotsorrow** :

eeek… good luck man, i do not know how you can do it. I don’t even mean the beer, just all the limited options and “different” rules.

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 01:48 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/3 "2012-09-08T01:48:04Z")

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**GRNDL** :

Shisha perhaps? Get some of the ol’ double apple and five star going? :wink:

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**Author:** ![RichardC1967](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/richardc1967/32/11879_2.png) [@RichardC1967](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/RichardC1967)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 02:41 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/4 "2012-09-08T02:41:59Z")

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**RichardC1967** :

which place is safer…Switzerland or Kuwait?..

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/skink/32/1782_2.png) [@Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Skink)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 04:57 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/5 "2012-09-08T04:57:40Z")

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**Skink** :

It’s not really about safety! Because of oil Kuwait is maybe the safest place on the planet. Seriously, here you have all the same s\*\*t than you have anywhere else. Women are not forced to conceal themselves, they can work, vote and drive. It’s just the alcohol missing (plus Saudis on vacation, which can be a real pain in the bum)…  
  
And you see, my main goal is to return back to Australia. This time to stay!!! And getting a VISA is sooooo difficult without a proper position…  
  
But anyway thank you for your kind words guyz! Thankfully I’m going to Dubai tomorrow, can’t wait to see a pint glass again!

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 07:42 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/6 "2012-09-08T07:42:06Z")

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**DAGabriel** :

And as far as I know, painting CDs isn`t forbidden. So what else do you want to do in your spare time?

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**Author:** ![Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/skink/32/1782_2.png) [@Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Skink)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 08:20 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/7 "2012-09-08T08:20:31Z")

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**Skink** :

> And as far as I know, painting CDs isn`t forbidden. So what else do you want to do in your spare time?  
>   
> **DAGabriel**

That's another point dude. Here my inspiration is completely frozen. I oil paint and draw other than collect CDs, but this place totally ate my inspiration. I put myself in front of a white sheet and nothing comes to my mind!!!

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 08:33 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/8 "2012-09-08T08:33:22Z")

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**MLP** :

Well I’ve spent plenty of time in afghan and I barely even thought about beer! I think it’s the fact that no one else was drinking anyway so after a little while you sort of forget about it.

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 01:21 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/9 "2012-09-08T01:21:24Z")

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**Kera foehunter** :

You should do fine ! This sounds like a chance of a life time!!  
  
Just be glad your not a woman. Because they are treated alot diffrent than here in the Free world.  
  
I spent 6 month as a youth in India it was day and night diffrent .  
  
But i learn a lot and made some friend some 10 year a go .

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**Author:** ![cornixt](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/cornixt/32/138_2.png) [@cornixt](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/cornixt)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 02:33 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/10 "2012-09-08T02:33:39Z")

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**cornixt** :

You might be Italian, but this website should answer a lot of your questions:  
  
[Middle East - British Expats](http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=60)  
  
My father in law worked in Saudi for a while. He wasn’t allowed to bring anything into the country but there were a few places he could go to get alcohol - and more importantly, eat during the day during Ramadan. They were only open to foreigners.

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 04:50 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/11 "2012-09-08T04:50:55Z")

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**Golder Goldeater** :

A friend of mine told me that there are special sections at supermarkets for non muslims, where you can find beer/alchohol/pork etc.  
  
But I’ve never been there and I do not even know if we are talking about the same region

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/skink/32/1782_2.png) [@Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Skink)\
**Post date:** [8 September 2012 05:32 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/12 "2012-09-08T05:32:26Z")

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**Skink** :

…Unfortunately this is not the case!!! There are some really good restaurants though… And beef bacon is not that bad.   
  
Thank you guys for all your kind comments! And greetings from the Atlantis hotel Dubai!

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2012 08:14 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/13 "2012-09-09T08:14:43Z")

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**Golder Goldeater** :

> ..Unfortunately this is not the case!!!   
>   
> **Skink**

In that case, you should start thinking what will you do during Ramadan.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2012 08:24 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/14 "2012-09-09T08:24:29Z")

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**snowblizz** :

> > ..Unfortunately this is not the case!!!   
> >   
> > **Skink**
> 
> In that case, you should start thinking what will you do during Ramadan.  
>   
>   
> **Golder Goldeater**

Surely the answer to that is, make food at home and eat it whenever you bloody well please?  
  
It's not like they stop selling food or anything. Or indeed serving it to those poor clueless infidels. Especially say at a hotel...  
  
And I have to say on the topic of alcohol. So what? I regularly go 6 months or more without drinking anything. If not getting beer is such a problem then I have to say, maybe the problem is a bit more serious than not being allowed to buy alcohol...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/skink/32/1782_2.png) [@Skink](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Skink)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2012 08:57 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/15 "2012-09-09T08:57:39Z")

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**Skink** :

> > > ..Unfortunately this is not the case!!!   
> > >   
> > > **Skink**
> > 
> > In that case, you should start thinking what will you do during Ramadan.  
> >   
> >   
> > **Golder Goldeater**
> 
> Surely the answer to that is, make food at home and eat it whenever you bloody well please?  
>   
> It's not like they stop selling food or anything. Or indeed serving it to those poor clueless infidels. Especially say at a hotel...  
>   
> And I have to say on the topic of alcohol. So what? I regularly go 6 months or more without drinking anything. If not getting beer is such a problem then I have to say, maybe the problem is a bit more serious than not being allowed to buy alcohol...  
>   
>   
> **snowblizz**

Yup! Ramadan ended&nbsp;&nbsp;the 20th of August. Markets are open all day long and you can eat in public after 6.30! In your house you can do whatever you want. Hey, by the way I'm in Kuwait not in Saudi Arabia!!! This place isn't really THAT bad!!! And the problem about alcohol is not really about drinking it... But hey I just returned from Dubai (which is really really nice BTW) and I had a fun time (check out "Russel Peters Lebanon" on youtube)! So the spirit is still high here! Once again thank you guyz for all your comments, this is really a great community! :cheers

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2012 09:19 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/16 "2012-09-09T09:19:57Z")

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**Kera foehunter** :

Well sweetie I hope you enjoy your stay … You sound very Happy about this and that what matters  
  
 \* hug for good luck \* now enjoy your stay  
  
 Kera

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**Author:** ![Swissdictator](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/user_avatar/discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/swissdictator/32/24994_2.png) [@Swissdictator](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/Swissdictator)\
**Post date:** [9 September 2012 09:48 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/17 "2012-09-09T09:48:57Z")

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**Swissdictator** :

I say Switzerland, but I might be biased… maybe…   
  
Seriously though, I have been to Geneva a few times and my brother has lived there for years. It is a wonderful country.

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [10 September 2012 01:42 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/18 "2012-09-10T01:42:49Z")

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**rpitts2004** :

Better hire good security

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**Author:** ![system](https://chaos-dwarfs-uploads.s3.dualstack.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/1X/058cf99fdec95c6eee5c82f87c1a7b1af846a162.png) [@system](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [10 September 2012 06:37 UTC](https://discourse.chaos-dwarfs.com/t/archive-middle-east/17515/19 "2012-09-10T06:37:33Z")

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**burock** :

hey Skink, just saw the thread.  
  
i am a Turk. never been to kuwait but i think i can be of help for some of your questions nevertheless.  
  
drop me a pm when/if you need help.  
  
cheers and good luck…