What happens during a sandstorm?
Areas located around exposed sand are at larger risk of sandstorms – a sandstorm occurs when high amounts of strong winds occur in deserts.
The wind ends up carrying large amounts of sand with them from the ground and pushing them in the direction of the wind’s path. These winds engulf some areas with sand clouds, making the visibility in the area very low and at times, very warm.
And while sandstorms can’t kill you, consequences of a large amount of sand and low visibility can. So here are 6 things you can do to keep yourself safe in the case of a sandstorm.

Take caution when driving
If you find yourself driving when a sandstorm suddenly appears on your path, it is not advised to continue driving as the visibility of the roads will start to decrease.
And because of this, you cannot anticipate whatever might be in front of you – a tree, a car, a person or a dead end.
Therefore, you should immediately check the traffic around your car and begin to slow down as soon as possible. Then park on the side and switch your air conditioning to circulate inside your car to avoid bringing in the sand from outside and wait for it to pass.

Cover your nose and mouth
This is especially important to those who suffer from any kind of asthma or respiratory problems – when a sandstorm hits, the sandy and unfiltered air around you will make it hard to breathe and might irritate your throat and lungs.
Wear a respirator mask or opt for a piece of cloth to wrap around your nose and mouth – moisten the cloth a little before you place it around your face. You can also apply some petroleum jelly to the inside of your nostrils to prevent any dryness.

Protect your eyes
Being out in the open with no protection for your eyes might cause them to get irritated and make it harder for you to see. Attempt to wear goggles or sunglasses to minimalize the dust and increase your visibility of what’s around you.

Stay indoors
The best way to beat a sandstorm is to wait it out. Stay indoors until the weather conditions clear up and only leave your house if need be.
Staying inside a shelter will limit any unexpected dangers that might occur.

Be prepared
If you’ve already heard of a sandstorm making its way to your city then it’s good to start preparations early. Make sure you have enough water for you and food just in case the storm stay around longer than expected.

Don’t panic
As the sandstorm makes its way around, the areas might appear dull and ominous looking. However, there is no need to panic – sandstorms come and go so it’s just a matter of waiting for it to pass.
Keep an ear open for any advice coming from your local authority centres as they will keep you updated on the storm’s duration and extreme areas to take caution from visiting.

Many people tend to think that Kuwait is similar to other GCC countries, such as the UAE and Qatar, where alcohol is restricted but widely available. Contrary to this belief, it’s important to note that there’s no alcohol available in Kuwait. That means even hotels and restaurants don’t serve alcohol in any way.
As a result, the laws surrounding alcohol in the country can be somewhat confusing to expats. A lot of people consequently ask “can you drink alcohol in Kuwait?”

Is alcohol illegal in Kuwait?
To be clear, in Kuwait the act of drinking alcohol privately is not illegal in itself, but buying and/or selling, bringing alcohol to a public place or being intoxicated in public areas, including a car as a passenger, are all serious crimes.
Strictly speaking, the Kuwait Penal Law states that “any person who brings, imports or manufactures alcoholic or intoxicating beverages for the purpose of trading shall be penalized for a period not exceeding 10 years”.

Can you drink alcohol in Kuwait?
Anyone caught drinking and possessing alcohol for personal use will be slapped a fine of not more than KD100.
The law goes on to state that if the intention of bringing, importing or manufacturing is not trading or promotion, and should he repeat this act the penalty is imprisonment for a period of not more than 6 months and/or a fine of not more than KD100.

Can you drink alcohol in public in Kuwait?
In regards to public intoxication, the law says that any person who takes alcoholic or intoxicating beverages to a public place or to a place where he may be seen by others be it a public place or a private club, and any person who brings the alcoholic or intoxicating beverage to the said place for another person to consume shall be jailed for a period not exceeding 6 months and/or fined not more than KD50.
Any person who is found drunk will be punished the same.
Many expats find alternative ways to consume alcohol in the privacy of their homes, but it is not advisable as they are taking their chances with the law. You can find non-alcoholic beer and malt options at stores across the country.

American Curriculum Schools
Kuwait American School
American School of Kuwait
American International School of Kuwait
Universal American School
American Academy for Girls
Dasman Model School
Future Bilingual School
Canadian Bilingual School (CBS)
American Baccalaureate School (ABS)

British Curriculum Schools
Kuwait English School (KES)
The English School Fahaheel (ESF)
New English School (NES)
The English School, Kuwait (TES)
Kuwait International English School (KIES)
British School of Kuwait (BSK)
Cascade British Nursery School
Kuwait National English School (KNES)
The English Academy (TEA)
Gulf British Academy (GBA)

Indian Curriculum Schools
Carmel School Kuwait (CSK)
Indian English Academy School (IEAS)
Fahaheel Al Watanieh Indian Private School (FAIPS)
Indian Community School Kuwait (ICSK)

Kuwait Times
The Kuwait Times are based in Kuwait and are proudly the first English-language daily newspaper in the Arabian Gulf Region. The newspaper offers something for everyone with local and international news, business, sports and lifestyle sections and word search, crossword, Sudoku and maze games available daily.
Paper copies of the newspaper is available in Kuwait, else the entire newspaper can be read online. Individual articles are also loaded onto website.
Website: http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/

Arab Times Online
The Arab Times does not only focus on Kuwait but on the rest of the GCC as well. This is still a very popular English newspaper in Kuwait. The newspaper has grown from a weekly tabloid to a daily newspaper. They also offer a handy service where you can subscribe to their news feed on your phone and receive the latest news on Whatsapp.
This newspaper is quite comprehensive and offers a lot of information. Their website is also easy to navigate.
Website: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/

The Times Kuwait
No this isn’t the same newspaper that was first mentioned. The Times Kuwait is a weekly newspaper that was founded in 1996. The newspaper recently revamped itself with a new image and becoming digital. It feels like a more rounded newspaper with a large variety of content available. It doesn’t just focus on Kuwait so do know beforehand that you will read about other countries in the Gulf region as well.
Website: http://www.timeskuwait.com/

Kuwait Local
This newspaper is more focussed on local businesses in Kuwait but does offer local news, new rules in the country, exchange rates, gold rates and offers in Kuwait. It is definitely a great place to find out about events happening around you or if you are looking for a specific local business.
The website itself does feel cluttered with advertisements.
Website: https://www.kuwaitlocal.com/blogs

So double that if you wish to have both parents in the country… It amounts to KD 1,700 in total.
If your parent(s) is aged 65 and below, the medical insurance cost reduces to KD 300 per parent.
The introduction of the new fees comes after Kuwaiti lawmakers have been pushing for imposing fees on foreigners as they’ve been receiving free health and medical services, at the expense of the state. Plus, it is believed that some individuals bring their families to Kuwait to be treated, which adds further pressure on the costs and services, Gulf News reported.

Why is this an issue?
Implementing fees and addressing the healthcare system in Kuwait is part of a wider issue of demographic imbalance in the country.
Over 3.1 million expatriates make up 70% of the total population of 4.4 million people. Kuwaitis make up for the remaining 30%.

What is Eid Al Adha?
As mentioned above, Eid Al Adha is also known as the ‘Festival of Sacrifice.’ It is the greater of the two Eid’s and marks the day on which Allah tested Prophet Ibraham’s (PBUH) obedience. Allah demanded that Ibrahim sacrifices his son, Ishmael to Allah.
Ibrahim was obedient to God throughout the journey. Just when Ibrahim was about to kill his son, Allah stopped him and provided an animal to be sacrificed in Ishmael’s place.

When is Eid Al Adha in Kuwait?
Eid Al Adha does not occur on the same Gregorian date every year. The Islamic holidays are calculated according to a lunar calendar which has approximately 11 less days than the more commonly used Gregorian calendar.
Eid Al Adha starts every year on the 10th of Dhul Hijja and continues until the 12th of Dhul Hijja.
An estimated date for Eid Al Adha can be determined via the moon sightings, but it is usually only confirmed three or four days before the actual Eid. This is the case for Eid Al Adha and Eid Al Fitr.

How does Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha in Kuwait?
Performing Hajj
It is customary for all Muslims to perform Hajj at least once in their life. Eid Al Adha forms the last three days of Hajj. Muslims will often travel to Saudi Arabia just before Eid in order to perform a pilgrimage from Mecca to Mina, Mount Arafat, Muzdalifah and then back again.
Hajj can only be performed during this period, else it is not considered as Hajj, but as a lesser pilgrimage called Umrah. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. All Muslims are expected to perform Hajj at least once in their life if they are financially and physically able to.
Performing Hajj
Muslims who do not travel to Mecca for Hajj will often times start the Eid celebrations by fasting on Arafat day the day before Eid Al Adha.
By fasting on this day, all their minor sins from the previous year, and the upcoming year are forgiven.
Sacrificing an animal
It is also customary to offer a sacrifice to Allah during this time period. While some families still slaughter and sacrifice their animals themselves, others prefer to donate money and have someone else do it on their behalf.
Give gifts to the children
During Eid Al Adha, children will usually receive money from their elders. This is known as an Eidee and is always loved by everyone at the receiving end. This can however turn into an expensive gift as all the children in the family usually receives Eidee from their elders, regardless of their age.
Sacrificing an animal
It is also customary to offer a sacrifice to Allah during this time period. While some families still slaughter and sacrifice their animals themselves, others prefer to donate money and have someone else do it on their behalf.
Give gifts to the children
During Eid Al Adha, children will usually receive money from their elders. This is known as an Eidee and is always loved by everyone at the receiving end. This can however turn into an expensive gift as all the children in the family usually receives Eidee from their elders, regardless of their age.

What is Arafat Day?
Arafat day is the second day of Hajj and is celebrated on the 9th of Dhul Hijja. On Arafat Day, Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) gave his last sermon on Mount Arafat. During this sermon he proclaimed that Islam as a faith is now perfected.
Arafat day is celebrated on the 9th of Dhul Hijja
Muslims often fast during this day as it is believed that fasting on Arafat Day will grant them forgiveness for all their minor sins from the last year and for the coming year. Fasting is especially encouraged they did not travel to Mecca for Hajj.

History
The development of the Kuwaiti educational system largely gives thanks to the abundance of weath that oil has brought to the country. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were few educational facilities in the country. A small number of Quranic schools known as Al-Katatib existed, which taught reading, writing and arithmetic, but there was no public education for the first part of the century, and any funding mainly came from Kuwait’s wealthier private citizens.
By the end of the Second World War, as oil production picked up, approximately 17 schools had been created as the government began investing large amounts of money into social services, especially education. By the 1960s, there were approximately 45,000 students enrolled in the Kuwaiti educational system, 18,000 of which were female.
Following the 1960s, more advances were made in education. The constituion of 1962 stipulates that education is assured and promoted by the State, and reflects the belief that education is a fundamental right of all citizens. Consequently, schooling was first made compulsory in 1965, and in 1967, a private school system re-eerged with the help of government subsidies.

Today
Today, the educational system in Kuwait is larger than ever. There are close to 500,000 students enrolled in schools, which consitutes approximately 30 percent of the entire population.
There are three basic levels of education in Kuwait – elementary, intermediate and secondary. Each level involves four years of study, and schooling usually begins at the age of 6. Schooling is compulsory for all children aged 6 to 14, which are the elementary and intermediate levels, and all stages of state education are free.
Students in all Kuwaiti schools study English beginning in the second grade.

Pre-school is available to 4 to 6 year olds, and students who can complete their basic education can continue on to higher education.
Despite government schooling being readily available, many Kuwaitis choose not to send their children there, and instead enroll them in private schools. There are a number of these available, and many have foreign sponsors and are co-ed.
Private education is not wholly funded by the government, although it is generously subsidised. The Kuwaiti Government pours more than KD 5.6 million per annum into private educational facilities in addition to allotting land for school construction and distributing textbooks.
Unlike most co-ed private schools, Kuwaiti public schools are segregated by gender, beginning in the first grade. Despite this separation, women are granted the same educational rights as men, and the Ministry of Education has worked to further the education of women through various programs such as the 1989 initiative to establish daytime literacy clinics.
The Kuwaiti Government ensures that each new school built contains a library, and over time, has expanded the collection of books existing in school libraries from 230,000 to more than 3 million publications today. The government also launched an ‘Education Net’ project to connect every government school and library in Kuwait to a telecommunications data network.

Higher Education
There are two state supported institutions of Higher Education in Kuwait:
Kuwait University
Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (2-year college)

Kuwait University is a co-ed intitution made up of five campuses in Kuwait City. It was established in 1966, and has grown to up to nearly 18,000 men and women, and has expanded from only 31 faculty members to include numerous colleges and departments.
The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training was establised in 1982 to incorporate the various educational facilities that had been created to fill the need for techincal and vocational training in Kuwait.
In addition, there are a number of private post-secondary colleges and universities that are approved by the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education,

Foreign Scholarships
The government of Kuwait has an ambitious foreign scholarship program, which supports top Kuwaiti scholars who are accepted to universities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other foreign countries.

As locals celebrate with pride on these official holidays, expats should also take the chance to embrace the local culture.
Here are some ideas to help you immerse yourself in the Kuwaiti culture.

1. Try authentic Kuwaiti food
   Kuwaiti cuisine is an important part of Kuwait’s culture. The food is succulent and full of flavour. Some popular dishes include Machboos (Mutton, chicken or fish over fragrant rice) and Maglooba (Rice with meat, potatoes and eggplant).
   Seafood is a significant part of their diet. Popular fish include Hamour and Zobaidi. If you’re looking for a restaurant that serves authentic food, try out Khaneen.
2. Visit a museum
   One of the best ways to get to know a country’s history and culture is through museums and there’s no shortage of them in Kuwait. From art and archaeology to audio-visual displays of the oil industry, you’ll definitely find something to interest you.
3. Attend a festival
   In celebration of National and Liberation days, the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) is holding their third Nawarat Al-Ahmadi Festival. It’s a public event that’s family friendly.
   You can expect competitions, raffle draws, face painting, cartoon characters, magic shows, exhibitions, music shows and more.
4. Spend time at Souk Al-Mubarakiya
   Souk Al Mubarakiya is one of the oldest souqs in Kuwait, dating back at least 200 years. It’s also used to be the center of trade before the discovery of oil. It’s easy to spend hours there just walking around and discovering what bargains you can get on things such as silk carpets, antiques, perfumes and traditional costumes.
   If that isn’t enough, there’s also two free museums there – Sheikh Mubarak Kiosk and the first Islamic pharmacy in Kuwait.
5. Become a tourist
   If you haven’t already explored the surroundings of Kuwait City, it’s definitely something you should do. Try visiting Al Jahra, the site of the infamous shootout from the Gulf War. In the spring, the desert is transformed into a green oasis. The only thing the town has is a rectangular mud structure called Red Fort.
   There’s also a historic island located 20km northeast of Kuwait City. It was known to the ancient Greeks as Ikaros, now a part of Failaka Island. The Gulf War caused a lot of damage to it but there are still historic ruins worth visiting.

Yes, your brain is important… But your heart is the organ that is keeping everything alive. As soon as the oxygen supply to organs and tissue is cut off, they will start dying. This is why it is so crucial to look after your heart.

Heart disease have always been a concern and fast food becoming the preferred choice and a less active lifestyle isn’t helping either.
A recent study about the social attitude towards heart disease in Kuwait showed that 39% of residents who participated fear that they might die because of heart disease.

Eat healthy
Eating healthy is about more than just counting your calories and cutting out certain foods. Eating healthy for your heart entails a balanced diet with more fibre, fish, nuts and seeds and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. You will also need to cut down on certain things such as saturated fat, sugar and salt. In addition to the above, keep an eye of your cholesterol levels and eat slowly so that you don’t over eat.
Consult your local dietitian to help you prepare a healthy diet that is right for you. This will not only be good for your heart, but also make you feel better in general, help you manage your weight and enjoy more energy.

Drink plenty of water
Your body consists of approximately 80% water. It is important to help regulate your body temperature and plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Drinking more water will help to naturally suppress your hunger, help your brain to feel less fuzzy and help your body remove waste.
In short, there is a reason why they call water the substance of life. Your body requires 2 litres a day of water to function optimally.

Cut back on alcohol
Now that you know why water is important for your body, it is a good time to mention that you need to cut back on drinking alcohol. Alcohol not only dehydrates you, which is bad for your whole body, but it also increases your heart rate, blood pressure, weaken your heart muscles and cause irregular heartbeat.
One or two drinks can protect some people against heart disease but this is not for everyone. It is best to consult your physician about this.

Become more active
Exercising frequently will not only make you look great, but also help make all your muscles stronger, release ‘feel good’ hormones in your brain, increases the oxygen levels in your blood and help control your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
You don’t need to start training for a marathon or join a CrossFit club. Simply start by taking a walk every day and increase the distance every week or join a spinning class at your local gym. Get up every hour or so and start opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
It is a good idea to consult your doctor or work with a personal trainer if you are struggling with your weight. This is to ensure that you don’t put too much strain on your heart while exercising.

Stop smoking
Quitting smoking and avoiding second hand smoke is most probably the single best thing that you can do for your heart. Smoking is the main cause of coronary heart disease. Cigarette smoke promotes the development of plaque build-up in the arteries making smokers more likely to suffer from a heart attack.
Deciding to quit will not only improve your health, but also save you money and make you feel better in general.

Manage your weight
You might not be overweight, but are you sure that you have the ideal weight for you? To determine your ideal weight, you will need to calculate your BMI. While doing this, do however keep in mind that there is a big difference between your body fat percentage and your body muscle percentage. Muscle ways more than fat so you will weigh more with the more muscles you build. You might have to ask your personal trainer to help you measure this or have a look at scales that automatically calculates this for you.

Get enough sleep, but not too much
Many people under estimate just how important sleep is for our bodies. While we sleep, our bodies work at healing and repairing itself, our minds process the information from the day and our brain releases anti-depressant hormones. Sleep also helps to improve memory, spur creativity, sharpen attention and help you to perform better in general.
Be careful not to sleep too much though. Studies have shown that the same as how lack of sleep improves your chances of suffering from cardiovascular disease, so does sleeping too much. Ideally, you should be getting 8 hours of sleep per night.

Looking after your heart is all about balance. There are a couple of small changes that you can do that will make a big difference. You don’t need to implement everything all at once, but rather set goals for yourself and systematically implement the changes into your daily routine and diet.

Criteria

• The vehicle insurance must be valid
• Both the seller and the buyer must attend the procedures
• In case of transferring the vehicle ownership, the owner must present a notification to the section concerned at the General Traffic Department with a copy of ownership transfer documents attached.
  -The owner of the vehicle must attend in person or their representative with a power of attorney. If the owner is a juridicial persion – such as a company, or an organisation – the representative must have a signature authorisation from the General Traffic Department and an implementation of judgement

Required Documents

• Civil ID and a copy for the seller and buyer
• General power of attorney, in case the seller did not attend in person
• Mandatory insurance document
• Determination of heirs, incase the owner is deceased
• Power of attorney from the heirs – or a letter from Public Authority for Minors Affairs on the guardianship of minor inheritors – incase the owner is deceased
• Signature authorisation, if the seller is a company

Procedure
The procedure is quite simple, assuming you have met all of the criteria above and have the required documents needed. You must visit the section concerned at the General Traffic Department in the governorate of the seller refers to and submit the required documents. You then fill in the application form and pay the fees due – voilà!