Dickson House

Finally, after almost nine years of living in Kuwait I visited the Dickson house. It was empty and no one was there to take us on the tour so we walked around and made up our own tour. It's too bad there aren't more houses refurbished like this one. You can only imagine what life was like 50 years ago. This house sat close to the sea and just imagine seeing the fishermen on the dhows coming back to shore with their pearls.

 

It might be better to go during the day as there may be a tour guide available but it is  beautiful house.

Come to Esther's Attic

Due to limited exposure not everyone is aware of Esther's Attic re-opening so here are some pictures to let everyone know we are up and operating again and we have a lot of items ready to be sold. Operation Hope's founder lost two of her dear dogs within days, a lorry driver who had no idea of the loss brought her a puppy hoping she could take care of it. Scout 2 is Operation Hope's newest addition and that puppy is so cute! Again, Esther's Attic is open on Saturdays from 9am-12pm.

Fall cookies from Delissssssh

Scout 2

Come join Operation Hope! Blog (link)

The Kuwaiti orphanage gets a Facelift

Finally the orphanage is getting help!

The orphanage in Kuwait, which is housed in an old building, has been in a dire need of

refurbishment. This is where Khair Al-Kuwait (Kuwait Welfare) Charity stepped in and started a charity project called ‘Al Nuweira’ (kind of flower). The project aims to restore and rehabilitate the orphanage and to turn it into a better place for the kids who call it home. Individuals and companies can contribute by purchasing furniture for the 50 children who currently live in the orphanage. Khair Al-Kuwait was set up to take care of the orphan children from unknown parents, which are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. “HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has donated KD 350,000 for this project only,” said Fawzi Al-Ruweishid, Member of the Board and the Head of the Establishing Committee, explaining that individuals can also participate in this project by buying the necessary furniture and building materials for the orphanage. Built in 1960, the orphanage’s building needs reconstruction. “There are many old and broken things in the orphanage that need to be replaced. We want to make the place become a real home for the kids living in it, and they should not feel as if they are living in some institution or a school,” said Al- Ruweishid, adding that there are also guests from outside Kuwait who come to visit the orphanage. “We want to show them that this is an ideal place to raise kids. Our main goal is to make every child feel that this is his own home,” he said. The Al-Nuweira project started in 2010 and has a four-phase plan.

 

The orphanage has 17 houses including a medical clinic, education club, and a place for the teachers and supervisors. “We have already finished the first phase in January this year, which included four houses for the children, the clinic, the theatre, and a multipurpose hall. Now we are about to finish the second phase that includes six houses for the children, a central kitchen for them, and outdoor games,” he explained. The third phase will include the construction of another six houses for the children, while the fourth phase includes the outdoor area including the courtyards between the houses. Then there will be a fifth phase which will include the rest of the buildings including the administrative one, and will cover indoors and outdoors. “We aim to unify the general appearance and look of the all the houses. We are planning to execute the third phase in February 2013, and by the end of the year we may complete the project,” he pointed out.

 

People who would like to donate and participate in this project may purchase some of the furniture or building materials for the children through the charity’s cooperation with IKEA and Abyat. “The reason for choosing these two stores is that they are popular and very big, so we can find most of what we need there. Also, these two stores have a variety of children’s furniture and kids’ corner and therefore, the children enjoy visiting them. We aimed to make the orphan kids choose the furniture for their rooms, so we took them shopping. We wanted them to feel that they are going out with their family,” said Al- Ruweishid. “We then made a list of the things that we still need and we have put it on a prominently displayed board at these stores. Now, the customers will be able to see it and buy the stuff mentioned therein if they would like to help,” he said. (link)

Great job! Come on people, let's help out!

Royale Hayat Stay

I had to have surgery, while I usually go to Mowasat I was curious about Royale Hayat as a lot of the Americans in my company go there so I decided to try it out. When I went for my first appointment the check in was really confusing as there is no number system so you just kind of stand around and run to the counter when the admin looks like they're done. I saw the doctor and set up my surgery appointment.

 

Surgery day comes and I check in on the third floor. I'm used to Filipino nurses, I really like them and they usually don't hurt you when poking for blood. At RH they had Indian nurses and when she stuck that IV needle in my arm I thought  was going to come off that table, it hurt so bad and she was not easy about it either. After surgery I woke up in a nice room but too bad there was no OSN so I had basic cable with 90% Arabic channels. As time went on I realized I was on the maternity floor.

 

I could hear women laughing and talking so loud, this was at 9 pm at night. I just finished surgery and wanted to sleep, not going to happen on the maternity floor, there are no visiting times, people can visit 24 hours. WTH? The noise started again at 8 am, I thought I was going to scream, I just wanted some sleep and we all know how grouchy we get when we just want 5 minutes of sleep. I also know there is no way in hell anyone is going to quiet down Kuwaiti chicks without going into battle.

 

Finally I reached my boiling point and called the manager, I told him I wanted to check out and transfer to Mowasat because I couldn't sleep or rest. I've never been on a maternity floor after having surgery, that is the worst place someone who needs rest could be especially when visiting hours are 24/7. After a couple of hours I was transferred to another floor with huge rooms and no loud people. It was great and the nurses were nice and always there when I needed them.

 

Yeah I'm sure everyone thinks I'm a complainer but when all you want is 5 minutes of sleep you will be grouchy too and demanding your rights.

 

The food was pretty good but not much selection.



 

 The fancier suite......

It's more of a hotel than a hospital and I kind of feel it's catered more for those who want to show off and give birth in a fancy place. When you walk into the hospital it feels like a Thai restaurant as the staff are all dressed in Thai outfits and you get the feeling of a hotel check in. During one of my appointments I spent 3 hours there. The doctor was late and I saw her an hour after my appointment time, when you go to give blood there is no one there and it usually takes 20 minutes waiting for someone to get there. If you have an appointment you don't check in you just go sit by the doctors office door and wait for someone to ask you when your appointment is.

When you check out your paperwork is just randomly placed on the counter near the admin lady and when they get to it then you are called. It's kind of chaotic when there's 20 other rich Kuwaiti chicks eye balling you as if you stepped in front of them or something. I really think they should incorporate some kind of number system like Mowasat has that way you won't end up possibly fighting with the other people waiting.

I don't think I will be going back there for anything else. I will probably stick with Mowasat from now on. It's a hospital not a hotel and the doctors in Kuwait are all the same no matter which hospital they are working for. I'm still trying to find American doctors here, at least they would understand what I'm talking about instead of having my husband translate.

Sheep are freaking Expensive!

KUWAIT: Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Company (KLTTC) announced that it imported 87,000 live Australian sheep to meet the market’s demand during Hajj and Eid Al-Adha.

KLTTC Managing Director Faisal Saud Al-Bader said that the company has taken steps to ease the difficulties of consumers in getting their sacrificial sheep on this important occasion.

 

Al-Bader said the company made sheep available in authorized slaughter houses for KD49 apiece. He said this has been done as the company’s responsibility to meet the needs of the consumers. He said people must slaughter their sheep in slaughter houses for public health and safety reasons.

 

Meanwhile, it was reported that sheep prices reached KD 150 per head, breaking all previous records. Citizens who were upset over the spiraling prices of sheep resorted to import sheep. The prices of sheep varied from KD 100 to KD 150 for local, Saudi, Jordanian and Syrian sheep. Iranian sheep are also available in the market at a hefty price, it was reported.

 

It was noticed that citizens were not buying sheep on Wednesday as they thought that prices would drop gradually. Goat auction also started yesterday by selling six goats for KD 140 each, which means goat will be retailed for not less than KD 150.

 

My husband shelled out 120 KD for a sheep and we were left with little over half of the meat once he gave some to the poor. I was thinking we should have kept it all for that amount of money but some should go to the less fortunate. My mom ended up donating 25 KD for a sheep to be killed in Yemen or somewhere in the family name. Such a shame when people can't even afford to do what is Islamically expected due to the greed of others. I wish I would have know about the 49 KD sheep beforehand but as usual those are kept secret until afterwards.

 

Hello Ministry people doesn't this sound like something that needs to be controlled?

 

 

Esther's Attic is open for Business

Last Saturday was Esther's Attic grand opening, I was in the hospital so I couldn't blog about it but this Saturday it will be open from 7:30 am-12 pm. I hope everyone can join us this weekend! We are taking donations for our winter bags and toiletry bags. If anyone is interesting in helping it's 5 KD per person per bag. The winter bags contain warm underwear, scarf, gloves and socks these will be distributed to the workers on farms and those who have to work outside in the cold. We welcome anyone who wants to volunteer to help put these bags together as well.

The toiletry bags are for the women in the shelters and consist of shampoo, soap, sanitary napkins, toothbrush and toothpaste, these are distributed on a regular basis to the women in the shelters. If you are moving and have extra stuff that's in good shape feel free to bring it by Operation Hope. The winter bazaar season is coming up soon and OH will be attending some of these events to spread the word about what we do. See you at Esther's Attic!

Eid Festival at the AWARE center

Halloween Party

Advertisement for a Halloween party.

I got my Huaraches!

I've wanted some huaraches for a long time now, one of the guys at work went to Texas for vacation and came back with two pairs. Unfortunately one pair is too small, it's like a size 7.5 or 8. I'm bummed that the other pair is too small to fit anyone so I'll be looking for someone with a small foot to give them to but only if they appreciate them.

 

I should bring some and sell them here.

Al Ghanim Garage



Trying to fix my car completely after a minor accident turned into a nightmare. The car has been in the crappy shop for over 2 months and when we picked it up it still had problems. My husband took the car to Al Ghanim garage to check the work of the mechanic. I really like the garage, it reminds me of the states. Clean and professional. I think these backwood mechanics have no idea what they are doing and do more harm than good. Once you give them their money they disappear and if they did a crappy job the only thing you can do is take them to court.

 

 

It would be great of the ministry controlled garages and all of them had to have licensed mechanics and be liable for their work. Fat chance but hey it sounds good.

Old Amiri Hospital

My husband and I were checking on my car at one of the garages in Kuwait City and as we were leaving I saw this huge building wasting away. As we got closer he told me it was the old Amiri hospital, my first thought was why would anyone let it crumble and die. It's a beautiful building in a crappy area surrounded by car parts and garbage.

I think the whole area needs an overhaul as it brings nothing to the image of Kuwait City. Most of the little shops have been there for many years but since Kuwait is undergoing  a modern change it would be nice if they tore down that whole area and rebuilt it as an area for car garages that follow rules and regulations instead of people who do more damage when fixing cars than fixing.

They saved the old American hospital in Salmiya, too bad they couldn't do the same for this one. It's not too late.

Be back Soon....

Taking some time off for something medical. If you have any questions please contact me as I will answer it as soon as I get back. Meanwhile, have a look at some older posts while you wait. Inshallah it won't be long..... CIK

Kuwaiti restaurant in Ajial Mall Fahaheel

My husband took me to an old Kuwaiti restaurant located in Ajial Mall in Fahaheel. The decor was nice there was a lot of room but the food just didn't compare to Freej Swaeleh. The waitress couldn't understand English and kind of just stood around.

We ordered grape leaves but they were sweet. I like the ones that have a lot of lemon and tomatoes. If you have a craving for Kuwaiti food and don't want to drive to Salmiya it's a nice place.

Mexican pizza at Taco Bell

I wonder if it's as good as it is in the states. I know what I will be trying this weekend.

Sultan sets up 66 nurseries in Sharjah

Sultan orders 66 nurseries to be set up

Nearly 66 nurseries will be set up in Sharjah to take care of children and spare them negligence under new directives from His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Passionately moved by a case broadcast by Dubai TV local news about an infant tortured by a housemaid, Shaikh Sultan gave his instructions for building these facilities through a call to ‘Direct Line’ programme broadcast by Sharjah TV and Radio, and described the incident as “brutal”.

He also appealed to parents to lend proper care and attention to their children.

“Leaving children to housemaids and not giving them proper care is a major issue in our community and people should lend attention to it,” the Ruler said, adding that he was pondering over the idea of setting up these nurseries throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. (link)

Great job! These things only seem to happen in UAE.

Janet Jackson's Qatari Wedding

Janet Jackson and her fiancé Wissam Al Mana are reportedly planning to get married in Doha, Qatar in 2013.

The couple hope to tie the knot in Doha where the billionaire was born and are making arrangements for the ceremony to take place in 2013.

Janet and Wissam will be wedded in a Muslim ceremony. A renown Turkish author, Adnan Oktar (aka Harun Yahya), is also making the claim that the 46-year-old Janet Jackson has converted to Islam — as did her brother, Michael Jackson — and is choosing to keep her new religion a secret from her fans.

According to an insider the wedding will be "one of the biggest, most memorable extravaganzas in recent history".

The source added to National Enquirer magazine: "They have tentatively set a late 2013 wedding date. But they are still working out the details and the exact day."

They will reportedly spend $3 million to fly in their 500 wedding guests from all over the world, while Wissam wants to give all attendees a $10,000 Rolex watch each as a thank you for attending.

The insider added: "Wissam is going to splash big when he marries Janet. It's going to be the wedding of the century."

Janet and Wissam allegedly got engaged last year after Wissam, a billionaire whose family has extensive reaches in the real estate and media spheres, proposed to her with a stunning 15 carat diamond ring. The couple met in December of 2009 after Janet gave a special performance in the Middle East and the rest, so it seems, is history. The couple was supposedly shooting for a 2011 wedding, but they ultimately tempered their excitement and chose to hold off for a couple of years so they could have time to plan the festivities.

Janet has been dating Wissam - who is almost a decade younger than her - since summer 2010. (link)

Well, her brothers were living it up in Bahrain so the Jackson family already has lots of love for the GCC. I wonder if he will take a second wife to give him some kids unless Janet's tools are still working and she can have a baby at almost 50. Hmmmmm, stay tuned.

AWARE Center- Dhow sunset dinner Cruise

AWARE Center:

Dhow Sunset Dinner Cruise 05 Oct 2012, 5:30 pm

Before the discovery of oil in Kuwait, dhow builders were viewed as one of the major national resources. Kuwait owned over 800 dhows prior to World War I. By 1919, Kuwait had acquired about 1200 dhows of different types and sizes. They were used for fishing, pearling, deep-sea trade, Gulf coastal trade and the local transportation of goods and  fresh water. The purpose and  function of the dhow strongly influenced its design and size. For a relaxing evening on the water, join AWARE for a most unique experience; a Dhow Sunset Dinner. Note: If less than 15 participants registered, the tour will be cancelled Limited Seats. Advance reservations required at joumana@aware.com.kw
 Fee: KD 20