Short Break

There are so many things coming up, moving to a new area, brother-in-law's wedding, Arabic classes and limited access to internet at work is making it a little difficult to blog. I will start my move today which means no internet until it gets transferred over to the new area, who knows how long that will take and I'm taking Arabic classes which means I have a lot on my plate right now and not a lot of time to blog, these are some of the reasons I might not have as many updates. You can still reach me by email kuwait411@yahoo.com if you have any q's.

Once everything is settled and I have time to blog I will be back. Stay tuned!

Sleepin Beauty Auditions

KLT is looking for Prince Charming and other characters!

Into Narnia Auditions

Sorry, this is a little late posting but it benefits a great cause.

In Nov/Dec 2013 we will be performing Into Narnia, which will be for the Bayt Abdullah Children's Hospice and that is our annual charity show. All the proceeds from tickets, etc. go directly to the Hospice to help the children who have cancer in looking for cures, paying for their medication and treatment, and any other needs they may have. We will be holding auditions for Into Narnia on the 19th of September for children and the 21st of September for adults. All the information is on the flyer I have attached. I am kindly asking if you could advertise this flyer on behalf of One World Actors Centre in hopes that we can get the word out not only regarding the auditions but also to raise awareness for the hospice. The more seats we fill the more money goes towards helping these children.

It sounds like a beautiful show, I'm looking forward to attending. Great Job!

Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil Coming to Dubai

Cirque Du Soleil brings Michael Jackson "The immortal world tour" to the Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai AE beginning on December 30, 2013-January 14, 2014

I love Cirque Du Soleil, one day I will actually get to attend on of their awesome shows.

Burger Box

One more burger place to add to the huge list. This one is behind Holiday Inn Salmiya, it recently opened.

Gramps sent me this via APO thinking it was an important box, this is what I Got

A roll of TP!!! I love my grandfather! He wouldn't let my grandmother open it to see what it was before he sent it.

Buffalo's Mahboula has a new location- Best Western

Buffalo's has officially moved to their new location in the Best Western Mahboula. It's now a 2-story restaurant and will have a kid's play area soon.

Upstairs...

It has way more room than before and an easier place for secretive people to bring their dates, hotel included.

Gayest Arab Wedding/Party Invite Ever

This has got to be the gayest wedding invite ever. Why, why, why would you let your sons pose like this????

Inglot vs. Tuesday in love- which one is really water permeable?

Maybe the claims of Inglot nail polish aren't true according to this video.........

It's Friday

Enjoy your

The 13th

A clip from my favorite movie Friday for all of you to enjoy. (Warning: Bad words)

Have a great weekend!

Greenery in Kuwait

I just love the green areas at my new work location, it's so much better than seeing sand all day.

 

Love my new job!

Car crashes in Kuwait

Almost every day I come across some kind of crash. Unfortunately this Camaro belongs to a friend of mine and he got smashed up while reversing out of a parking spot in the grocery store parking lot. A female driving a sunny raced down the parking area and didn't see him pulling out, smashed into him and kept going with his fender stuck in her grill. He managed to get her tag number and went to the police department to file a report.

 

The lovely police officer told him it was his fault and ticketed him and the female was not held liable for any damage which will cost more than 300KD to fix. So, to all of you who reverse out of a parking spot make sure you be very careful as it will be your fault if someone hits you. Sincerely, Kuwait police.

Accident on the way to work. I still don't understand how he got hit by a street sweeper considering they travel around 10 km or less on the streets.

The moral of the post is be careful when reversing and street sweepers pack a mean punch.

Another crashed car being towed.

Costa Fortuna Cruise

Want to do something different for your next holiday? Check out this cruise from Costa Fortuna, a friend of mine and his wife took a 3-day cruise back in June and he told me they had a great time. I've seen the big ship at the port in Khasab, Oman when I visited there a few years ago. That was the first time I ever saw a cruise ship close up.

Has anyone taken this trip?

Lebanese drifter scares the shhhhh out of the Saudi Guy!

 

Kulu tamam! Don't be scared! OMG I'm dying from laughing!

Too bad the chick couldn't handle it, you will laugh at this guy and here's a short compilation of all the videos.

This guy is bad ass, I want to try!

Kuwaiti son left Behind

 

Dear Blogger,

I worked in a the Marine Hotel in Kuwait, I met my son, Arthur's father in Kuwait, we where in a relationship for about a year, he was very good to me at the time, but because I was nieve I didn't realize that he was actually a married man, which he had lied to me! In Kuwait it is very easy to conceal your real life and identity, he took me on two trips to Egypt and to London for holiday, when I flew home in 2007 from London I didn't realize that would be the last time I see him.

He left me at 5 months pregnant with nothing, because he is a Arab from Kuwait, I could not take the chance to go back to Kuwait and put myself and my baby at risk, I am christian and never wish to be another religion, so I decided I had no choice at the time, I had to go stay with my parents....

This is my story in short, in the last few years I have had e-mail contact with Arthur's father and he said he would send me a measly 200 dollars a month, which does not even cover his school fees, I have being to the Kuwaiti Embassy in South Africa, the Ambassador said he could not help me! I have being to see a South African lawyer and they want a retainer fee of 20 000 South African Rands from me, which is allot of money! 



 At present life is very expensive in South Africa, my son is turning 6 years old on the 7th November, I am at my witts end trying to make ends meet every month, I would like him to pay me the child support that he owes me for the last 6 years!.



He says he will have DNA test done, but he refuses to come to South Africa to have them done, I cannot come to Kuwait and put myself or my child at risk! He does not wish to help me! I received an e-mail from him which I will send you, I am willing to sell my story to a newspaper in England and I would like to know from you if can publish my story in a newspaper in Kuwait, he cannot get away with what he has done to me! All I know is that he worked in the Kuwaiti Embassy as Head of Security and that he traveled allot for his job.
 
Please see e-mails to follow with photos of my son and I and of his father,  Bader Mansour Mohammed Al Shammeri
 

National Memorial Museum Tour- Sept 12

TIES Cultural Tour to the National Memorial Museum

The TIES Center has organized a fully guided tour to the National Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to the remembrance of the brutal Iraqi invasion, the resistance that took place during the occupation, and Kuwait's liberation.

This is NOT a typical museum: please be advised that this event may be hard for some to handle as the audio and visual displays within the museum are very dramatic.

The bus will leave the TIES Center at 5:30PM on September 12th.
For registration, please call the receptionist at 25231015 or 25231016.

Admission is 1KD, which will be payable at the entrance.

My post with pictures on the museum.

Saudi student in US leaves his son behind and creates a nightmare for the Mother

I've read so many stories of children being left behind by GCC students but this story has to take the cake. If the student leaves his child behind and never signs the birth certificate then there is no problem accept abandonment which is really sad but the child can move on but what this Saudi guy did to his ex and son is horrible!

Hi Everyone,

First of all I will like to explain why I am raising fund to get my son's freedom back. The name of my son is Sami Sulaiman Alrajhi who is just one year and 7 months old. His Father is from Saudi Arabia, and he abandoned us two years ago. Since that day things are so tough. While I was pregnant dealing with his absence was so hard, and paying all by myself when i didn't have work or a way to support my son. But even if he knew all that he didn't care if i would be able to prove his first and unique son so far.

Two years had passed after the day he left us and things are becoming harder and harder. On early May 2012, after Sami was already born Sulaiman decided to signed up the Acknowledgement of Paternity in the state of Texas, where Sami was born, so he become the legal nor biological father of our son. On May 28 i asked Sulaiman to sign a permission to travel to visit my family in Guatemala, so he allowed me but when i asked him to sign the permission to travel back to USA he refused by saying "you lost your freedom the day I signed Sami's papers."

Right now, Sami is illegal in Guatemala which means that he is not able to go out of the country until he pays the fine of staying in the country for more days than his visa allowed. So far, the amount is around $2200 (well that was the amount the last time i asked two weeks ago). This charge is because as an American Citizen he is able to enter Guatemala and stay for 3 months, after that period of time another three months can be extended just for one time, after that he will be consider as an illegal. On November 26th, his permission expired and i wasn't able to ask for more time because the 6 months already passed. Since i knew that Sulaiman won't sign Sami's documents i tried so hard to register him as a Guatemalan Citizen to get double nationality and not pay the fee, but most of all to avoid future problems for Sami. However, i couldn't made it even if i have been trying hard and went to the immigration office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and also the American Embassy in Guatemala to find a solution. They said that i cannot register Sami without his dad concern even if am a Guatemalan citizen because he appears on Sami's birth Certificate. They said Sulaiman has to sign all the documents, which he is not willing to do even if i begged him more than once, i asked him many times to not mess up on his son's life but he refused to do it and it seems that he is stubborn to make us suffer.

By now, i feel that all the doors are closing and there is not way to go out. Sometimes i feel that Sami will have to turn 18 to be able to decide by himself and return to his country, which is his right, but if I don't pay the fine or register him on Guatemala he will have to pay it by himself and will be a lot of money (18 years x $20 per day). But there are still some options left, but being honest i do not have money to pay the fine right now. My income in Guatemala is not that good, actually is just allowing me to provide Sami's basic needs, nothing more.

The money that I intent to get though all of you is to first buy a ticket to go to the Guatemalan Embassy in Texas to legalize Sami's birth certificate by the consul which is a requirement for Guatemalan government to use it here. Second, I need to fill a case in a court to get the full custody of my son, there is not point for Sulaiman having right over Sami when he haven't been there for him, and most of all because it will be helpful to take decisions over my son without asking his heartless selfish father. Third, I need to buy a ticket to go to a Saudi Embassy in USA to do some procedures. And finally, to pay the accommodation in USA until the day I return to Guatemala to see my son. Sami has to stay in Guatemala because he cannot travel to USA until i pay the fine. I am planning to travel for 10 days in order to go to all the places i need to go to solve his future.

I hope you will help Sami... I do not have money to pay you back but I will pray for each of you to get the triple that you donate for Sami's cause. I am planning to travel the first week of December because are my vacation. If you need to contact me to check that am saying the truth please do it.

Thanks in advance, and may God bless each of you and your families. fund link
OK, you don't want your family to know about the child but to do something this cruel to someone is just plain evil. Why doesn't the US stop them from coming or if they do they can't leave until they submit DNA or something so this doesn't continue to happen.

Another idea: USE PROTECTION!

The you have citizens complaining about the process of getting a US visa:

End Visa Applicants Woes At Embassies’

‘Citizens Embarrassed’

Arab Times: KUWAIT CITY, Sept 4

MP Mohammad Tana Al-Enezi urged the Interior Minister and his Foreign Affairs counterpart to end the embarrassing treatment against Kuwaiti visa applicants at the embassies of European countries and the US.

MP Al-Enezi accused the embassies of fixing long-term appointments for Kuwaitis without considering their conditions and noted some of the applicants are seriously ill or under intense pressure to meet up with academic studies, so they do not have time for such delays. He argued that Kuwait accords the citizens of these countries respect to obtain visa at the point of entry without effort, but there is no reciprocity in that regard.

He is of the view that the countries in question should not be acting in that manner knowing that Kuwaitis travel there for tourism, medical treatment or studies and not as refugees or beggars.

 

I agree on certain cases such as illness or emergency to be expedited but as for students, there is no love for them, I know first hand what they do when they "study" in the states and it is far from academic, it's actually just a free trip to live somewhere other than Kuwait and they get paid to party, have a gf, relax (and study for a couple hours) as well as driving around town in their flashy cars. The US should make some international agreement before any GCC students can come to study, for example, if they are charged at any time they have to submit to a DNA test even if they are back in their countries.

 

It's time to stop the suffering of children left behind because the subject is taboo in their country and they know they will never be held responsible that's why it continues. If they commit the sin of sleeping around before marriage then hold them accountable. No one wants to have to submit their story to these sites to find the missing father:

Saudi children left behind, Kuwaiti children left behind and Qatari children left behind

 

Expats have an advantage when renting in Kuwait

Everyday expats complain about Kuwaiti citizens and their actions. Have any expats thought about their advantages over Kuwaiti citizens? You can finance cars easier, you can end up with better jobs and salaries than locals even with locals getting that extra 250 KD and the biggest perk expats get in this country is being able to rent apartments/flats. Several Kuwaiti citizens I know can't find apartments due to the Kuwaiti owners discriminating against their own people. When a Kuwaiti (who isn't loaded and has no wasta) wants to rent an apartment they are first tested by the rental office expat with a series of questions about their family name, salary and information about their wife having a job or not.

If a citizen likes the apartment they must pass the Kuwaiti owner course which means being looked up and down from head to toe, having the owner see what kind of car you drive, what is your family name and IF he likes the local they will have to pay a deposit equal to the rent amount (which you will never see again, they say "deposit" but it's really free money because they will find some way to take it all) plus 2 months rent and finally half month rent amount to the office. My sister who is American with Kuwait nationality can't find an apartment now that she is no longer married, why, because she is still considered Kuwaiti even if she was originally American.

There are are two kinds of Kuwaiti citizens, rich and not rich. Those that are rich have wasta, money and power. They control the country but don't know what it's like for the non-rich people and expats. Does anyone think the rich people have ever went to a government hospital for anything? Doubt it, but they are on the committee and decide what actions to take for the health system. Will any of these people put a stop to the uncontrollable rent increase? Doubt it considering they are the ones making money off of these deals.

When will Kuwait unite again? Will there ever be a time when Kuwaiti citizens protect each other instead of trying to be better than the next? Considering they are the minority population one would think they would unite and grow instead of dividing the country further. The expat communities have better unity than Westerners and local citizens.

For example: When an Indian expat comes to Kuwait he is instantly taken into his community in Kuwait, they help him with finding a job if needed, housing and transportation. American citizens don't really help their fellow citizens with jobs as they think the new guy might take his job, they can be mean especially if you're not in their click or a Mason, they also tend to separate by color. Everything is getting more expensive but salary is not matching the "growth". Greed rules this country which is quite sad when other GCC countries are growing and leaving this place in the dust.

Well, I had my ranting and raving which made for a long story but these things can make you "crazy in Kuwait".

Bad English translation in Kuwait

Get those vehicles off the traffic lights!!!

Driving in Kuwait Class from TIES

In this presentation important information about Kuwaiti traffic laws will be discussed. Learn all about the traffic system in Kuwait, such as how to acquire a license and what to do if there is an accident.

September 10, at 7:00pm.

Car crashes in Kuwait

It seems like this guy took the right merge too quickly and killed the tree. Ouch.

 

I hope he had full coverage insurance.

Legal action threatened by the owner of Better Books and Cafe

Yesterday I updated a prior post about the re-opening of Better Books and Cafe and this morning I had this email from Maxine, the owner of the store threatening me with legal action if I don't take down my latest post. I agreed to take it down because I don't want another 248am/Mark lawsuit. The post was based on a story from Kuwait Times which must have upset her. I have no problem with taking something down that I posted if it is actually wrong but I copied a public story from a news agency. She also told me my blog is being watched for harassing comments.

"As proprietress of Better Books (and I prefer to be known as a nice"Kuwaiti" lady) still very much under the investigation of the Ministry of Information, I ask you immediately take your latest post about Better Books off your blog.
I find full of mendacities which is detrimental to my continued business operations.
You are free to call me to get the record straight. My number is well posted on my Facebook page 666 37351.
Also, I regularly consult with a lawyer re my operations and the continued use of your site to spread lies about my business will be dealt with appropriately. Please do the right thing, remove it and call me for a more accurate story.
Maxine Meilleur666 37351"

I thought I was doing something good by reporting the re-opening but I guess not. I did take down the most recent post as per her request even though it wasn't personal just news.

Original post here

Cultural Orientation Course from TIES

It starts at 7 pm and prior registration is required.