Kuwait – A Dear Place to Me

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

I have innumerable reasons to love and respect Kuwait. On this esteemed occasion of Kuwait National Day, I consider it an honor to pen down four, among many, key points from my perspective on the reasons for my love and respect for Kuwait.

1.My Fond Childhood Memories:

I arrived in Kuwait accompanying my parents in connection with my father’s work. At the time when we moved to Kuwait, I was just two months old! Now, I am twelve years old – needless to say, mostly I grew-up in Kuwait and have spent most of my childhood in this beautiful and friendly country with all of my studies, thus far, in Kuwait. Majority of my friends, all of my teachers, family friends, neighborhood friends, etc. are in Kuwait itself. Therefore, if you ask me about my childhood memories, I cannot explain most of them without mentioning about Kuwait, as they are mostly based in Kuwait itself. As a child, who is growing-up in Kuwait, it will be most appropriate if I say that my childhood memories are Kuwait itself!

By way of examples, if I have to explain in a conversation about my most cherished childhood memory about learning cycling, I cannot fully explain the same unless I talk about and relate it to certain parks, streets and lanes in Kuwait. Likewise, during the weekends, my parents used to take me to the play zones in the shopping malls in Kuwait. As a kid, I have enjoyed my every moments in those shopping mall play zones in Kuwait. These are valuable nostalgic memories for me which cannot be conveyed fully unless I relate it with the Kuwait shopping malls.

2. A Good Learning Ground:

Having grown-up as a part of the society in Kuwait, majority of my learnings on the life lessons comes from Kuwait. Valuable life lessons I have learned thus far on key matters, such as how to behave in a society, need for keeping the surroundings clean, respect for diverse cultures, need for abiding with the laws, respecting others, health consciousness, etc. are largely acquired by me from the society in Kuwait which is a wonderful learning ground. To give few examples, I am very cautious and eager to keep my neighborhood clean – trashing only at the designated places, disposing the trash properly containing it, awareness on environmental matters, protecting the national assets, etc. are good habits I was able to largely acquire from the Kuwait society.

I am proud to be an Indian, a country that is wonderfully knit together based on the golden principle of ‘Unity in Diversity’. In addition to the learning opportunities I gain from India on the cultural diversities, being also a part of Kuwait society, I get immensely rich opportunities to watch, understand, learn and follow good practices from the Kuwait society and other expatriate cultures in the Kuwait society, such as Americans, Europeans, Egyptians, etc. By way of example, I am much attracted by the importance given to ‘charities’ in Kuwait culture and the way they treat valuably the deserved, I can say with confidence that automatically, the said good practice has become a part of my family’s culture as well. Thus, being in Kuwait, I am not only blessed by being a part of richly diverse Indian culture but also the cross country cultures as well.

3. Income Source:

Like the case of many Indian expatriates in Kuwait, my family’s primary source of income which is the basis of our lives, comes from Kuwait. In fact, whatever we spent for our lives either in Kuwait or in India is from this income. No words can fully express our gratitude to Kuwait in this regard.

4. Amazing Entertainment & Recreation Center:

No doubt, Kuwait is a wonderful center for various entertainments and recreational activities. What makes me very happy is the play zones in various malls in Kuwait. Farms in Al-Abdali and Al-Wafra, Aquatic pleasure activities, such as boat trips and para sailing, Cultural and Educational Center are few examples from many in Kuwait that offers amazing opportunities for entertainment and recreation.

Always remember, reciprocally, we have a strong obligation towards the State of Kuwait, by complying with the laws of the land, behaving well, respecting the foreign cultures, showing good driving habits, etc.

I am very thankful to the State of Kuwait and its esteemed Government for receiving us, the Indians, with open heartedness, treating us well and considering us a part of its society. Whilst, India is my home country and I love my country to the core, when I am in Kuwait, I have never felt that I am far away from my home country because Kuwait is a place where I feel I am at home, safe and secure. Shukran Kuwait – we love and respect you a lot.