I returned to Kuwait for a short vication. It caused me a small cultural shock to see Kuwait after more than one year of living in the UK.

These pictures and words captures some of the thoughts I had as a result of that small shock.

* * *

“Was it Wanasa [fun] living in London [the UK]?” I was asked

“Not really!” I answered

London can be fun, but it’s not always like that.. because, as simple as it may sound, once you live somewhere it becomes just a place to live in :).. and I don’t even live in London!

* * *

People can easily get fooled by appearances, I’m one of them.. and so are you!

High expectations, if not accompanied by rationality, is one of the main causes of depression. Now I know why so many expats feel like they are out of place, it’s not that the place they are living in is not so good, it’s not just home sickness they are feeling.. but most likely it’s just because they were expecting arriving to the dream land they long imagined.. when it’s not!

Some people give up, some just shut their mouths and some nag and whine, but the few who adapt and just live the dream are the ones who truly succeed.

* * *

Corruption this!! Corruption that!!! We are going down!! Mako Fayda….

This all what the talking was about the other day when I meet some of my old friends. I heard alot that we -in Kuwait- are the people of te7el6em [Whining] and I think it is true, and I think it is a healthy thing actually, but when it comes to just whining and complaining, specially in private meetings, it may become dangerous because it really is a contagious disease!

We must learn to see the beauty in things and say “No!” to negativity. Again, living abroad for a while is one of the things which makes you realize just how lucky you are to live in the place you lived in and just how beautiful it is.

* * *

I had to visit Kuwait Airport the other day because I had some non-travel related works to do there, and what a strange mixed feelings I got as I passed near the Departures sign!

Here I am, in Kuwait, in what supposed to be a relaxing vacation after a whole year of stress and hard work and before another 3 years -or more- of even harder work.. and yet, sadly, there is nothing relaxing about this vacation. We try our best to have as much fun as we can, we did some crazy stuff and really spoiled ourselves in an effort to achieve our relaxing goals in Kuwait.. but we some how failed!

Kuwait is the most beautiful place, no doubt about it, as they say.. “Feeha elle Nabi [It has what we want]” :)… but, how much fun can you have when you know that at the end of the day you have no real home to return to?

“I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here” I though when I saw the Departures sign “but not like this!”. It might seem strange to you, but not to me, but my wife Athoob also had similar thoughts, “I wish we can bring the stability we had in the UK here.. to Kuwait” she said.. and I couldn’t agree more.

* * *

“So can I join my course normally?” I asked Fayza, the employee in the Postgraduate Department in Kuwait Cultural Office.

“Yes you can” She said.

It is not every day that you get a chance to start a new life, but for me.. that day came when I heard those three words..

The moment she said those three words replaced all the moments before.. good or bad. We lost lots of things in our last trip to Kuwait including our memories, and I mean that literary! After loosing the things I lost in Kuwait I feel like I no longer fear loosing, I even feel like being afraid to lose is for losers! All I care about now is what lies ahead of me.

I don’t want to sound like a wise guy, but what I learned in my last trip.. and what I advise you to do, is not to get too attached to “things”.. because sooner or later those “things” will be lost. Everything will be sold, burned or buried sooner or later, so why feel like your life depends on mortals? It’s plane stupid if you think about it.

Even life itself, your life, will be gone one day, and we all will be forgotten, unless we did something to be remembered with. Do you want to be forgotten or remembered? What kind of memory would you like mankind to have of you? I’m sure you want it to be a good one. Think about everything you do in life as a Sadaqa Jareya [current charity] which will last even after you’re gone, this way you will not get too attached to this short life.. and will not want to leave it as a nothing either.

Wishing you a fruitful life with an everlasting memory..

Yours
Moayad Hassan