#expatinkuwait
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karinaputri56 · 4 years ago
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Main ke 5 cabang % Arabica di Kuwait
Bila orang bertanya aku lebih suka make up atau kopi, sudah pasti kopi. Aku tidak tahu pasti apa yg membuatku sebegitu ketagihannya dengan kopi. Kesempatan untuk minum kopi "asli" yg memang ku sukai, aku dapatkan ketika aku di Kuwait. Kopi bukan ajang ikut-ikutan bagiku tapi gaya hidup. Saat orang-orang di tempat kerjaku mengejar diskon sepatu, tas, dll aku lebih suka membeli kopi. 
Belum lagi ketika aku bekerja, & stand by di bar aku jg membuat kopi jika ada order seperti espresso, latte, cappucino atau hot chocolate menggunakan La Marzocco. Setidaknya aku tahu cara membuat kopi, men steam susu, & membersihkan mesin kopi. Aku jadi ingat saat pertama kali membuat kopi menggunakan mesin, supervisorku tak jarang marah kepadaku karna kesalahan yg ku ulang. Hingga akhirnya aku yakin kalau aku bisa. Kalau sudah terbiasa, membuatku sangat nyaman melakukannya. Terlebih wangi kopi yg slalu menyambar hidungku.
Saat aku libur, istirahat selama sejam, atau bahkan sebelum/setelah kerja aku pergi ke beberapa coffee shop seperti Starbuck, Coffee bean & tea leaf, & % Arabica. Ini 3 cafe favoritku yg mana menu moccacino mrk enak sekali.
Sedikit review mocca       :
Starbuck >>> iced dark mocca : dominan pahitnya 70 %, coklatnya pekat, namun kadang saat pembuatan minuman ini, kopinya burning rasa pahitnya aneh & tidak enak. Harga 1.6 kd/Rp 74.000.
Coffee bean & tea leaf >>> aku lupa namanya apa. Mocca drinknya light, tidak pekat seperti starbuck. Mrk menggunakan coklat bubuk yg rasanya jg enak ketika bersatu dgn susu, & kopi. Harga 1.6 kd/Rp 74.000.
% Arabica >>> dark latte. Perpaduan kopi arabika, susu, & coklat belgia yg sudah di lelehkan. Saking enaknya aku tidak dapat menjelaskan detail. Aku saat itu berharap brand ini buka cabang di Indonesia, & akhirnya menjadi kenyataan. Walaupun butuh waktu sangat lama, akhirnya dibuka 2 toko yg mana orang-orang ngantri.
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Aku tak heran karna di Kuwait sendiri, saat soft opening toko sangat penuh dengan antrian. Terlebih saat akhir pekan. Harga 2.25 kd/ Rp 104.000. Dengan harga yg lebih tinggi dari 2 brand kopi di atas, jadi makin penasaran?
Berhubung % Arabica masih 1 company dgn resto tempatku bekerja, & banyak orang Indonesia, entah sudah berapa kali aku berkunjung ke sana. Bahkan aku bisa duduk berjam-jam.
Apa yg membuat orang-orang begitu menyukai brand ini? Saat kamu masuk ke cafenya, design hanya di dominasi oleh warna coklat & putih. Starbuck, & CBTL menawarkan warna yg mencolok, ramai, & menu yg banyak.
Tak banyak menu yg % Arabica tawarkan. Brand ini berasal dari Jepang di temukan tepatnya d Kyoto. Design minimalis merupakan simbol kehidupan orang Jepang. Tidak hanya itu, rasa kopi yg konsisten membuat orang slalu merasa ketagihan terutama aku sebagai pecinta kopi. 
Menu lain yg pernahku coba adalah spanish latte, brownies, & chocolate bite. Resto, & cafe di Kuwait memang jagonya untuk urusan dessert. Namun masih tergantung brand yg mana.
Selama 2 tahun lebih di Kuwait, aku sudah mendatangi 5 dari 7 cabang. Nafsu berkelana yg tinggi membuatku slalu ingin kesana kemari. Beberapa kali aku kesana  bersama temanku, & tak jarang jg sendiri. Seperti biasa, menggunakan bis. Bisa di bayangkan rute ke tiap cabang yg aku hapal sekali. Kalau sudah terbiasa, segala sesuatu sangat mudah.
Saat aku istirahat kerja, & untuk menghilangkan penat, aku ke cabang salhiya tepat di belakang tempat restoku bekerja. Dari mulai barista orang Indonesia, Afrika, Bhutan, Nepal, & Filipina di sana sudah bosan melihatku muncul terus haha. Saat liburpun aku tetap datang.
Lalu ada 1 cabang unik di Salmiya, dimana menggunakan konsep 2 lantai. Salah satunya bawah tanah.
Berikut 5 cabang % Arabica Kuwait yg pernah aku kunjungi     :
1. % Arabica Sharq/downtown
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2. % Arabica Arraya Tower
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3. % Arabica Avenues
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4. % Arabica Salmiya
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5. % Arabica Salhiya (Kuwait City)
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Sekarang tinggal bucket list berikutnya untuk nongkrong di cabang Jakarta. Been longing for dark latte.
~KP
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thejustreflections · 6 years ago
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so after work, i went for a jog at a nearby seaside. as usual, the scene was beautiful, though it's still humid.🤣 - there were not much people along the beach. it was quiet and the waters were so calm. here are some of the shots i snapped! enjoy...😂😍 - #justreflections #beautifulkuwait #kuwaitcity #kuwaitphoto #souqsharq #souqsharqkuwait #beachphotography #beachphoto #amazingview #expatdiaries #writer #filipinowriter #expatinkuwait #ilovemyjob #nicephoto #mobilesnap #vscofilter #vsco #photosession #photographer #jpa #jonpageacabo (at Souq Sharq) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnEbVuxHSQ7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=eeuxfzbcs2sr
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simplecristineaban · 7 years ago
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And so the four days Holiday that I had in Kuwiat was ended. Yet I can't still moved on from the savouring taste I got from trying delicious food from Sutis Emirgan at the Avenues.😋 We were torn choosing between the Lebanese and Turkish Cuisine, but since we tried Lebanese before, Turkish wins. And happily we don't regret it.😊😊 💲💲Got to pay 17kd for one appetizer and two main dish and two drinks. The only mistake i did is i dont remember the name of the two main dishes since the appetizer is the "grilled halloumi cheese with tomato and cucumber". Both appetizer and main dishes were perfectly cooked. 🍴 Sure i will come back for overall service was good except for the fly roaming around but i have to understand since we choose to eat outside. A plus is the manager who is also cute. Lol. 😉 #expatinkuwait #q8expat #q8 #sutis #sütişemirgan #sutisavenue #foodislife #foodblogger #foodblogging #turkishcuisine #foodadventures #sütiş (at Sutis Kuwait - Turkish Restaurant)
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abrowngirlabouttown · 9 years ago
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Leaving Kuwait
As soon as I could, I made a detour for the nearest stretch of beach. The sand stood white against the  Persian Gulf and the last blues of the afternoon sky.  Ice cold juices in hand, this was the Gulf that I had longed to see.  I whispered to the ocean that I would befriend the sound of the waves as I made plans to return with my Arabic books and life long reading list.
But the summer heat kept us apart and it would be two weeks before I would return. I wrote down thoughts in a notebook and left prostration marks on the beach. There would be night time strolls and weekends  with friends, and an early walk after the Eid prayer. Eid al Adha brought us out at 5am and in the coolness of the post-dawn morning  I felt the first breeze of our stay. It carried with it the echo of our takbeers, weaving between local labourer and Kuwaiti.  When I rested against the doorframe of the mosque, taking in the rustling of palm trees amidst birdsong  I could have quite happily made a home in that moment. I smile, remembering that my Kuwaiti friend and family were late because their mum insisted on the whole family, including their cook and gardener, fitting into the car to travel to the prayer together.
The privilege of choice. Passports in hand, we are admitted to work and party anywhere on this earth, while others are denied refuge from raging fires we fuel. We have the privilege  to shape the  lives wish and  need only outstretched arms to  take from the good that abounds.
There was good to be found in Kuwait. A fellow Bengali Brit was my go to for trying to figure out life in the Gulf, and represented all the love and familiarity of the people I had left behind. My kind Kuwaiti friend probably would have been the one to rescue us if we ever on the wrong side of the law(!). Barely acquainted, she invited me to stay over when I was too scared to remain home alone. Then, when it transpired that I found the generous guest quarters of her family home even more terrifying she forfeited a night's sleep to keep me company on the sofa. I still miss the warmth of the aunties in the Arabic centre and the women I met from the halaqa group. So I didn't want to leave because of a lack of good souls. Nor because of the higher wages or slower pace of life. After all, we benefited from having some time away to actually think about what we wanted  and being in a better financial position  to pursue them.
We came out to Kuwait for a bit of a breather from the busyness of our lives back in the UK - but in the end it was that very busyness  that we missed. We become the sum of our experiences and those that we let define us can often pull us back to the  causes that most move us. With enough ease in our situation, as the days turned into weeks, we began to question how much we were able to contribute to the things that troubled us. That's not to say that on one else was.  Amongst many of the things they were involved in, my Egyptian friend  and her kids would spend the summer packing bags with food stuff to distribute to needy neighbours during Ramadan. Women from the halaqa were often supporting  vulnerable women  who they came to know of; and many  people that we met, whatever their situation were just trying their best to make a better life for their families.
But the fear remained for us. We were not doing enough.  Brunches. Dinner invites. The Gulf subdued and the rest of the region alight. Malls and villas, taxis chauffeuring us back and forth. All while others were desperately taking flight. On foot and rubber dingy from every corner of the world, some much nearer.
And so we returned. Having somewhere to return to.
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karinaputri56 · 4 years ago
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Mall terbesar kedua d Timur Tengah, The Avenues
Salah 1 bucket list yg terpenuhi adalah berkunjung k mall yg saat itu aku tidak pernah tahu sbg mall kedua terbesar d Timur Tengah setelah the Dubai mall. Aku yg terbiasa dgn musim tropikal Indonesia, suka area hijau, & tak begitu menyukai AC harus menyesuaikan diri bermain k mall. D tempat inikah kenyamanan terasa saat musim panas, & dingin. Tp tidak untuk orang yg mudah masuk angin haha.
Aku lupa kapan pertama kali datang k mall ini, tp aku sudah ancang2 untuk datang, penasaran sekali aku dgn mall ini. Seingatku, aku menghadiri acara d Kedutaan Besar RI bersama anak2 barista dari % arabica, lalu kami pergi k sana. Menggunakan taksi setelah menghadiri acara Indonesian day. Biaya yg kami keluarkan untuk taksi 3 hingga 5 kuwait dinar. 1 kd : Rp 46.000
Mall Avenues adalah mall terbesar kedua d Timur Tengah dgn luas 1,200,000 m2 berisi 800 toko, & tempat parkir cukup untuk 10.000 mobil. Ini cukup mengagetkan bagiku. Selama bbrp kali berkunjung k sana, aku tidak berpikir ttg ini sama sekali. Saking aku menyukai langit2nya yg tinggi, arsitekturnya yg memeberikan kesan outdoor padahal aku ada d dalam mall, & beberapa tempat dgn gang kecil yg agak gelap. Saat weekend, mall ini d buru2 orang untuk tidak hanya nongkrong tp jg berburu diskon d H & M, Zara, Bershka, dll.
Ada cerita lucu saat kami k sana, bbrp orang pergi duluan, & yg lain menyusul termasuk aku. Saat kami mau bertemu, & tidak tahu pasti lokasi masing2 ada d mana, kami menggunankan google map d dalam mall karna area yg sangat luas. Bahkan fase mall ini ada 4, belum lg aku lupa ada berapa lantai.
Toko2 apa saja yg aku temukan d sana? ada Gucci, Dior, Louis, Fendi, & restoran2, kemudian terdapat jg 8 starbuck. Ada jg toko kesukaanku yg harganya murah2 seperti Miniso (aku biasa membeli make up, headset, & skincare d sini), Pick (es krim yogurt yg membuatku tak kapok datang berkali-kali), & Yaki restaurant (sushi, my best mood booster).
D tambah toko2 mainan, permen, coffee shop, & masih banyak lagi. Tiap aku k sana, aku menyesuaikan budget krn kadang aku jg sekalian belanja k supermarket yg harganya lebih murah d banding aku beli d Bakala, toko kecil d d depan apartemen. 
Prinsip hidup aku adalah aku tak perlu beli barang2 branded tp selama sebulan aku tak kekurangan makan sama sekali. Apalagi banyak produksi ayam frozen, sementara aku membeli ayam yg fresh karna aku ingin lebih sehat walaupun harganya lebih mahal.
Ada waktu d mana aku pergi k sana sendiri.
Aku ingat saat mendapat split shit, aku ada waktu istirahat 4 jam yg aku gunakan untuk pergi sini. Aku pergi k Miniso untuk membei bbrp item. Aku turun dari taksi d gerbang yg jauh dari Miniso. Aku lupa kl aku sedang memakai sepatu hak tinggi kurang dari 5 cm tapi tetap saja sakit, & aku harus berjalan jauh.
 Kemudian ada waktu jg d mana aku mengajak teman asingku makan d resto d sana saat day off. Beberapa bulan kemudian aku Tamrin, & kakanya janjian untuk bertemu d Avenues. Kebetulan saat itu dia habis berbelanja, & aku jg membeli tas plastik d miniso.
Kami pergi k restoran Yaki. Aku tak pernah membeli makanan selain d Yaki. Makanan arab ataupun amerika aku tak begitu suka. Saat memesan makanan, & pelayan mengantarnya d meja kami, mrk terkaget. Mrk lebih menyukai makanan dgn porsi besar sementara aku suka makanan minimalis. Aku memesan 2 yaitu Salad, & shrimp roll yg mateng. 
Setelah itu kami pergi The cheesecake Factory. Aku hanya memesan chocolate cheese cake mrk yg rasanya enak bgt. Ah mengingat ini smua saja aku menjadi lapar haha. Sampailah d ujung waktu kami harus pulang k arah berbeda, aku k Sabah Al-salem, & teman2ku k Salmiya.
Berikut foto2 yg aku ambil sewaktu aku d Avenues   :
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1. Lift tanpa atap yg unik, percaya atau tidak sesering apapun aku k sini aku belum pernah mencoba. Karna sibuk foto2.
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2. Kalau suatu saat k sini, jangan takut tersesat ya tp aku suka masih suka bingung jg haha. Ini foto d ambil waktu weekend. Dari situ, aku tak pernah mau k sini saat weekend.
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3. % Arabica, kopi paling hits d Kuwait. Konsep cafenya minimalis, & ga banyak menu tp orang ngantri.
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4. Aku bersama temanku Tamrin. D sinilah dia mengelih kl porsi makanan jepang terlalu sedikit.
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5. Makanan signaturenya yg cm ada 4 roll tp ngenyangin bgt.
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6. Ice cream matcha green tea yg yummy bgt. Cocok untuk jadi penutup.
Aku menyesal, harusnya aku membeli gopro untuk merekam, lalu upload k Youtube. Next time, aku harus melakukan ini.
~~ KP
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karinaputri56 · 4 years ago
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Ngumpul, & diskusi bersama orang2 arab.
Awal2 ku tinggal d Kuwait, tidak mudah bagiku untuk beradaptasi. Sbg social butterfly menurut orang2, nyatanya aku adalah seorang loner. Energi yg ku dapat mmg d dapat dari bersosiaslisasi dgn orang lain, karna aku adalah seorang ekstrovert. 
Datang k negara d mana aku tidak mengenal siapapun kecuali temanku yg bekerja d embasy, & kami jrg komunikasi. Sebekum aku berangkat, aku menghubungi karyawan d sana agar aku bisa lebih mengerti apa yg harus aku lakukan. Aku tak bekerja d sana melalui agency, jadi aku harus tahu apa yg harus ku lakukan.
Sesampainya d Kuwait aku membuat bucket list untuk membantuku mengerjakan bbrp hal d luar jam kerja. Dgn waktu kerja 9 jam sehari, & libur 1 kali dlm seminggu, aku hrs mampu mengatur waktu. Apalagi dgn kondisi burn out, jauh dr teman2, & keluarga mebuatku lebih mengenal diriku sendiri. Kelemahan yg ku pikir tidak kumiliki ternyata aku punya.
Kalau tidak salah selama 3 bulan awal aku d Kuwait aku blm memiliki civil id/ktp maka aku tidak d perbolehkan keluar rumah rumah, kecuali dgn teman yg memiliki civil id. Namun aku suka nekat keluar bahkan sendiri.
Sebaiknya perilakuku jgn d tiru. Aku seperti itu karna aku tak betah d apartemen. Blm lg aku senangs sekali menjelajahi tempat baru. Jadi aku lebih sering melakukan itu sendiri.
Jadi aku mulai datang k komunitas2 setelah 7 bulan dari kedatanganku k negara gurun ini. Saat musim panas yg membakar kulitku. Aku saat itu memburu info ttg forum diskusi Inspirational Hang out melalui instagram. Hal2 inilah yg membuat orang2 heran bagaimana caraku agar bisa berkumpul dgn orang2 arab yg mrk pikir angkuh.
Ada beberapa hal yg ada d otakku    :
Apakah mrk welcome dgn expat dr Asia? Apakah mrk rasis? Apakah mrk bahas inggrsinya lancar?
Wajib bagiku untuk membuktikan hal2 d atas dgn mata kepalaku sendiri. Intuisi bisa benar bisa jg salah. Aku tak mau terjebak dlm katanya, kata mrk, dll.
Pertama kali ku datang, acara diskusi d adakan d Al- Shaheed Park. Saat itu aku masih tinggal d Hawally, aku pergi menggunakan taksi. Yg membuatku bingung adalah taman ini luas & memiliki bbrp gerbang. Aku bingung ketika supirnya bertanya. Oh iya, aku hampir tidak pernah tersesat d Kuwait krn aku slalu menggunakan google map.
Aku berbincang dgn Sahar, yg usianya setahun d bawahku. Dia pernah kuliah d Inggris, tidak heran aku mendengar bahasa inggris yg dia ucapkan sangat jelas & tidak ada aksen arabnya. Lalu satu per satu orang berdatangan. Acarapun d mulai, saat orang sibuk mendengarkan saja, aku tidak hanya mendengarkan tp jg mengamati setiap orang satu2.
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Dari sini aku mengerti knapa temann2 kerjaku yg orang2 asia melihat orang arab d atas mrk, karna buat mrk orang arab punya gaya hidup tinggi, barang2 branded, make up mahal, dll. Ini lucu buatku, haruskah kita mengagungkan orang lain sementara kita merendahkan diri?
Orang2 arab yg datang k diskusi d sana adalah untuk bertukar pikiran. Bukan untuk fashion show, & percaya diri itu penting karna smua orang spesial.
Oh ya aku lupa menyebut komunitas tsb adalah Inspirational Hang out. Foundernya adalah Sahar, seorang fisioterapi & Hanan seorang guru yg dulu sekolah d Kanada.
Aku berusaha sebiasa mungkin menyesuaikan waktu liburku agar bisa mengikuti diskusi, tp karna tak bisa sering2 ikutan, aku hanya bisa datang bbrp kali selama aku tinggal d sana. Termasuk dateng k acara gathering mrk. Aku senang sekali karna Sahar mengundangku secara pribadi. Saat itu peralihan muasim, & Kuwait banjir jadi sekolahpun libur kecuali restoran, coffee shop, & aku kurang tahu apalagi yg buka.
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Awalnya ku ragu untuk datang. Hingga akhirnya aku mendapat shift kerja pagi, & esoknya split shift yg mana ku harus datang jam 11. Tapi karna banjir yg melanda, aku hrs datang sekitar jam 9 pagi. Berbulan-bulan aku merasakan stres bekerja d resto cabang Salhiya, hingga akhirnya aku memilih untuk mengalihkan itu smua melalui kegiatan2.
Alhamdulilah, dgn aku d undang aku merasa bahwa aku dapat lebih mengenal kultur orang2 arab. Walaupun aku bingung harus mengajak siapa. Akhirnya ku putuskan untuk pergi sendiri menggunakan bis. Aku berhenti d dekat jembatan, & berjalan menuju rumah Hanan. Ketika ku datang aku d sambut, & saat berada d living room aku berkenalan dgn bbrp orang yg membuatku semakin canggung. 
Aku sempat terdiam, karna aku berpikir kalau manusia cenderung mau bersosialisasi yg dapat menerima mrk, & punya kesamaan entah 1 negara, etnis, dll. Pikiran ini membuatku melamun saat smua orang sibuk ngobrol. Hingga akhirnya seorang perempuan yg berasal dari India, & ternyata dia pernah mengunjungi Indonesia pun datang. Orang yg melihat dia tidak akan percaya kl dia berasl dari sana.
Ya, kulit dia putih karna kita hanya tahu bahwa orang2 India berkulit coklat. Kita lupa kl Indonesia pun demikian, sangat plural.
Kami bercerita banyak hal termasuk pengalaman di selama d Indonesia, makanan yg dia suka, & kadang dia suka d mintain foto bareng. Dia tertawa bercerita ttg ini.
Selang bbrp jam setelah game atau melakukan kuis, atau sblm ini kami d persilahkan makan. Ada bbrp menu seperti chicken biryani, terong, & bbrp dessert. Aku yg tak terlalu suka masakan arab karna hambar & tidak pedas ttg mencoba nasi ayam biryani yg pakai garnis kismis. Aku jg tak suka kismis tp perpaduan ini membuatku suka.
Tak banyak foto yg aku ambil dalam moment ini tp aku berfoto bersama Sahar (rambut hitam) & 1 lg aku lupa namnya.
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Dapat d lihat betapa senangnya aku
Walaupun esok ku harus bekerja d jam 9 namun jam 10 masih d rumah Hanan. Pulangnya aku d antar oleh Samir, temanku yg bekerja sbg HRD d Kuwait.
Well, aku tertidur lelap dgn senang setelah ku merasa puas melahap dessert d acara gathering tsb.
KP
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thejustreflections · 6 years ago
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#featuredpoetryoftheday : many faces of her (by @eludedprophecy ) . i can connect to this reflection in so many levels. somehow it brings back a lot of memories in the past and it gives me so much chill thinking about falling in love. . thank you rashford, for sharing your piece of creativity! let's all dwell in the glory of love... cheers 🍹🥂❤❤ . ■ do you want to submit your poetry? swipe left to see how. the slot is still open for submission. . love...love... jon❤ 😍 --- #justpoetry #justreflections #justlove #callitwhatyouwant #typography #letters #memories💕 #poem #poetryporn #bymepoetry #niceletters #tula #makata #filipinowriter #q8 #expatinkuwait #likemyrecent #recentpoetry #creativewriting #creativepeople 😍😍😍 (at Qasm Dasman, Al 'Āşimah, Kuwait)
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thejustreflections · 6 years ago
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you'll learn some arabic words from this piece. i hope you enjoyed it. ask me what those italized words mean...😊😊😊❤❤❤ . as an expat, language is a challenge but if you love what you do and turn fears to positivity, everything will be easy. . -- jon ❤ // #ofwlife #ofwdiaries #prose . more expat stories soon... #expatdiaries #expatinkuwait #expat #ofw #pinoyabroad #filipinosakuwait #writer #tula #makata #makataph #jonathanacabo #jonpageacabo #justreflections #reflectionsofaman #comment4comment #wordporn #poemporn #instapoetry #instaprose #amwriting #writingcommunity #pinoy (at Kuwait City) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqEbvyEAY9A/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3q3v85cximzz
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abrowngirlabouttown · 10 years ago
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Hijabi woman goes for a jog
Hijabi woman cracks a joke. Hijabi woman eats cheese. Why does the ordinarily mundane often take on exaggerated proportions of "did she just do that?!" when the subject in question is a Muslim female? One would consider the straightforward recreational activity of 'going for a run' as practiced by millions, a fairly routine affair (although a note of respect to our brethren who have to walk miles for everything we take for granted). It should be easy to leave the apartment and just go for a jog - right?
Not quite. You see there are thousands of men hanging around where I live, just waiting for me to step out of the apartment to gawp and laugh. What's worse is that I know that some of them are lurking behind palm trees and dustbins ready to pounce. The only way I was finally able to go was by badgering my husband until he let me accompany his runs. Other precautionary measures were put in place. I opted to run in the cover of the night and for double measure, with sunglasses to save me the indignity of having the gawping men successfully make eye contact.
As expected, nothing went to plan. For a start I was encouraged by my husband to wear my yellow basketball vest to stop cars knocking in to me.  My fitness level meant that I needed to stop to catch my breath several times and slowly trudge alongside the very men I was trying to escape, and then I lost my sunglasses. With nothing to shield me, my subterfuge was exposed for all my hijabi Bengali browness doused in sweat.
Of course, these are all exaggerations concocted by my mind.  There are not thousands of men waiting around my apartment with nothing better to do then laugh at me. It's more likely that they are returning from a tiring shift at a construction site and if they do glance my way, it's probably because of the novelty of spotting a small hijabi running alongside a white bloke. Save for Dubai, where it's hardly unconventional to spot oddly paired couples, I don't know where we wouldn't stick out. In the UK, if I maintain a respectful distance, sometimes I can successfully pretend that we are just colleagues on our way to a meeting. I also don't think I'm subjected to heightened levels of harassment here either. I generally feel ill at ease jogging by myself in the UK. If some idiot is going to harass me because I'm female, then I'll be more so a target in a hijab. Back to the cheese. Although well intentioned, I can recall the surprise when I took part in a staff netball session in my previous school in England. Though, nothing had prepared me for the reaction during the teachers' relay at the sports day. On both occasions, it wasn't just the fact that I took part in 'funny' oversized attire but that I wasn't as awful of an athlete as some had expected. My apparent lackadaisical image could have been due to remaining stationary for most of the time that they had been aware of my presence. If I was to perform some manic run on the last day of term, what did I expect? Well, apparently, not that. I've always been involved in some sporting activity since I was younger, just not tennis, as no one did that where I was from. I won the 800m every year at school and was approached by two coaches to join an athletics club and the women's premiership (as a hijabi, I feel as if merely uttering that I have an interest in sports will not be accepted). For a long time I dreamt of becoming a footballer, and then a male footballer after watching the women’s England team (sorry I should really write about the impact the sexist FA have had on womens’ football).
Still, the race was solely worth it for the reaction of the students.  I did feel bad for my laconic replies, it was just difficult to reply with a parched throat. Two things I took from that day; 1) Don't race during Ramadan  2) As a hijabi, be ready to take some blows to your pride for doing anything that’s considered beyond your narrow abilities
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abrowngirlabouttown · 10 years ago
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abrowngirlabouttown · 10 years ago
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When I started Arabic lessons here most of my classmates were middle aged ladies from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan. In my first session I sat there thinking oh dear what am I going to learn from these auntyjies after all an advanced class on grammar requires years of dedicated study blah blah blah...the predictable smackdown was forthcoming as it so often required in such egotistic musings. As it turned out, I would be at the bottom of the class - these aunties were not just spritely but they could teach the rest of the Arab world more than a thing or two about al-lugha al-Arabia. 
But their most precious gift was their unassuming generosity and humility. To be in their company meant to strip down layers of self-imposed, educationally learnt, institutionally taught graces of importance and superiority. It's easy to live separate lives here. Language, more specifically labelling (as it it often constructed) delineates a meaning of material significance and societal worth. Expat, no no - western expat, migrant worker, immigrant, American, Filipino, Kuwaiti ...But with the aunties (which I use a term of respect), the outer layers of meaningless consciousness can be discarded. In their company, only open hearts remained. 
Put simply, I know who I would have found the Prophet (saw) with.
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abrowngirlabouttown · 10 years ago
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Of Friends and Enemies
She said tears were pouring down her face after the torrent of abuse waged against him.  Mu-ham-mad, with a soft beloved ‘hum’ in the middle. May peace and blessings be upon him. 
She is a convert, as are most of the expats I’ve been introduced to.  What was intended as a note on the women I’ve met here had been put off.  Social media felt enraged.  How indecorous of me, writing of trivialities when people had been murdered by Muslims in Paris.
But thousands have been murdered by Muslims.   "Oh Lord do not make us a tribulation for those that have disbelieved" warns a Qur’anic verse.  An admonishment against our excesses and distortions.The anguish and embarrassment is perpetual. It’s not confined to one instance of European grief.
A mention of marginalisation and subversion. Racially charged drawings and journalism that seeks to debase and abuse. I know, our blood is cheap. But we’ve cheapened our religion.
Then she brings me back. We’ve gathered at the home of an American convert this time.  While I joke that we should create a series on expat wives of Kuwaitis’ Someone makes mention of the Prophet (saw) and my oversaturated brain starts to drain. Gatherings with family have been replaced with the warmth of Kuwaiti coffee and newly forged friendships. A cool wintry desert camping trip, tours of the old souk, breakfasts of ful and falafel. 
God gives you what you need. In the midst of my expostulations I’ve needed them to show me another side of life here. Without realising it, I’ve also needed the strength of their newer found faith.
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abrowngirlabouttown · 10 years ago
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White privilege. White, male, bourgeois, of perceived Western European descent privilege. 
 I, of brown autumnal bark, Muslim migrants' daughter. I am juxtaposed to this world of white entitlement. 
But that was back home, here my British passport and English accent affords me privileges over the non-Kuwaiti Arab, the Filipino, all South Asian migrants, and especially the Bangladeshi. Doors are opened, curtsies are given and western wages offered. 
Here, I'm a product of white privilege. But I'm not an extension of it. I can still be denied a job at a 'prestigious' western school because of my hijab (yes, you're a qualified teacher, but have you ever considered a role as a teacher's assistant?), and I'm pretty Bengali looking. Let's be honest, often, the only reason I've received acknowledgement is because I'm flanked by my white husband. This is privilege by association.The privilege of the plate scrapings of someone else's Sunday roast. 
I don't want leftovers nor do I crave admittance into the white club of privilege. It's embarrassing. It's embarrassing to be considered better then the non-Kuwaiti Arab, the Filipino, South Asian migrants, and especially the Bangladeshi, because I'm also Bengali. 
We are one and the same.
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