Journey to Iraq

If you had told me two weeks ago that I would be in the Middle East I wouldn’t have believed it.  It just goes to show how quickly things can change and how much opportunity exists in the universe outside and the universe within. 

Yesterday started off as a planned trip to a country club and then a trip to the largest mall in Kuwait.  Met my sister's dear friend Fazilah (who has now become my dear friend) and started off with a fantastic brunch and a quick jaunt to the 360 mall.  As we were driving, I expressed my wish to come back to the Middle East one day and see camels.  And, just like that, like a wish from the genie lamp, our day was turned upside down and we found ourselves heading to the desert in a modern day caravan.  Adil = Genie! Thank you for making my wish come true.

Now when I first heard that we were going to the Iraqi border, part of me was a little frightened.  I'm sorry Mom & Popz, I know you hate when I do these things but I have this gland in my brain that just seeks out adventure and suppresses harm avoidance! So of course, I said yes! I'll take a trip to the Iraq border over the mall any day!

We passed miles and miles of desert sands, listening to 99.7 Kuwait Radio.  Kuwait Radio plays what you would regularly hear in Canada on a typical radio station, uncensored.  But during the time of prayer, all radio stations play azaan.  It is a beautiful break to the day when you can surrender to remembrance.  And then the music starts back up again right where it left off, and just like that you are trying to grasp on to that last shred of inner peace that you held for just a few minutes.

Driving through the desert is reminiscent of driving through the prairies, but instead of wheat fields you see vast dusty sand as far as your eyes take you.    At one point, we saw a herd of sheep being led by a shepherd in the traditional headscarf.  It was all very Paulo Coelho circa "The Alchemist" (only my favorite book).  We had the quiet road mostly to ourselves and were able to carefully absorb the ruins and remnants of the Gulf War.  They say the city never really recovered…

ruins from the gulf war

An hour of the same scenery will make your mind wander.  I started thinking about an interesting course on Cultural Intelligence (CQ) that we had a few days ago.  We always hear about IQ and EQ but what is CQ?  They define CQ as the capability to function effectively across a variety of cultural contexts.  A very interesting concept and highly necessary for those that see themselves as citizens of the world.  The bigger question is, how do we work on projects in a "Canadian way", while at the same time conforming to the culture in which we are operating? There is a fine balance here because we don't want to lose our "Canadian-ness" - that is why we were chosen to collaborate & provide knowledge transfer in the first place!  Ultimately, I think it comes down to delivery and how you chose to execute on your actions in a culturally sensitive manner while still pushing the status quo while you can.  It’s not a science but an art - the art of careful and calculated change management, bit by bit, until you have transformed a whole system.  I find it truly awe inspiring, especially amidst the social and cultural boundary's that bind this nation together while at the same time split it apart.

on our way

As we drew closer and closer to the Iraq border, we saw the most amazing sight of about 15 wild camels roaming near the road.  We stopped our car and had the chance to get out and observe these magnificent creatures.  They were surprisingly fast but some were curious and ventured near our car, just a few feet from us.  What an amazing experience, and even more amazing to experience it with Fazilah!  After we finally pulled ourselves away, we ran into yet another herd of camels crossing the road.  In this pack we saw both brown and white camels.  I have to say, the camels truly made my trip complete. 

camels on the side of the road

love these creatures

me & fazilah

curious camel coming towards us

camel crossing

white camel

We finally got to the Iraqi border and drove right up to the checkpoint, where there were a lineup of cars trying to get into Kuwait from Iraq.  It was different from what I expected - I did not see a large military presence.  Definitely not what you would expect from a border crossing with a  war torn country.  A few people were milling about and there was a derelict hotel that people could stop at.  Who would want to stay overnight at the border I have no idea!  Being just a short distance from Iraq was so interesting. I can't even begin to imagine the plight of human suffering during war, any war, anywhere.  The loss of mothers, children, brothers, fathers, sisters...seeing it on TV and in movies is desensitizing, like its "just another war".  Being just meters from this country is another story - how can an invisible line drawn in the sand say that all of a sudden your lives will change forever?  We have so many human constructs like time and space but being at the dividing line between a war torn country and a non war torn country is as real as it gets.

the border - Kuwait to Iraq

All in all I feel so humbled by this whole experience in Kuwait and although I didn't have a true desire to explore the Middle East before this trip, I now would love to come back to see Jordon, Oman, Qatar, UAE, and of course Turkey.   Special thank you to Fazilah and Adil for being so hospitable and showing so much kindness. I had a wonderful time with you guys and hope to meet you guys again in the Middle East!  Now I'm all tucked in on the flight home and just finished watching the old school Wizard of Oz.  And just like the ending, there is truly no place like home.

Aladdin lamp - wish granted! Goodbye Kuwait!

So, So Sheikh!

Me & Fazilah at 360

Before I was souking it, and now I'm sheikhing it.  I have seen a completely different image of Kuwait lately, with swanky restaurants, uber high end malls, beautiful villas and personal drivers.  The only word that comes to mind when I think of the experiences I've had the past few days is that it's just so chic (read: "sheek")!

A few nights ago we went to Hotel Missoni for a spectacular dinner over looking the gulf.  This place is beautifully designed with vibrant pops of color and the distinctive Missoni feel.  The best part was the bathrooms, with purple walls, gold fixtures and...wait for it...hot pink toilet paper!!! Dream come true!!!  Also went to a fantastic restaurant that I would highly recommend - Assaha.  This traditional stone Lebanese village makes you feel like you are back in the 16th century and the food is fabulous.

We luxuriously strolled through 360 mall and The Avenues Mall which was an overwhelming introduction to the Kuwait "mall culture".  So what is this "mall culture"?  It seems that most of Kuwait hangs out at the swank malls - there is a lot of live music, smoking, and drinking mixologist certified mocktails.   Kuwaitis get a monthly stipend for being Kuwaiti (reverse taxes?) so it comes as no surprise that the malls are madness and it’s a culture of extreme excess.  The malls are beautifully done, with Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Burberry etc as well as boutique stores specific to the Middle East.  There is beautiful architecture everywhere you turn and palm trees line the store fronts.  The newest fashions in American and European stores are unchanged, uncensored, and literally flying off of the shelves.  Everyone wears the newest handbags and the most elaborate makeup. 

My take? I think this is a way that women can outwardly express their individuality and sense of style in an environment where external decorum has to have a layer of conformity.  Thick, shaped eyebrows (very Cleopatra-esque), khol rimmed eyes, and vibrant colored eye shadows dominate.  The musky scent of oudh overwhelms the senses and sometimes you'll catch a glimpse of a fleeting red sole under the careful flutter of the black abaya.  I always wondered if the scene from Sex & the City 2 was true, where under the traditional robes the group of women bare the newest collection from the catwalks of London, Paris & Milan.  I can't comment on that but what I can say is that there were gaggles of women at the hotel going to weddings that I met in the elevator, and I know that they were dressed to the nines under their black robes.  I know this because you could see vibrant colored trains flowing under their robes and the outline of couture cut dresses.

It is such an absolute juxtaposition of opulence in some places and shoddiness in other areas.  My mind is still trying to make sense of it.  Can you live a humble, pious life while buying the whole season of the new Fendi collection? Can you justify spending money on the multitudes of cranes and development around the city when key areas of your infrastructure are underdeveloped?  Questions to ponder...

Anyways, on a lighter note, I wasn't complaining when my friend's driver picked us up and drove us around the town.  When in Rome Kuwait, you know what to do!

Kuwait City: Souking It All In

Let me set the scene: Just finished a long day of work and I’m looking out my window at the Arabian Gulf, listening to the melodious sound of Azaan from a nearby mosque while feeling the dusty, dry breeze float through my window.

I have been in Kuwait City just a few days now and it has been such an interesting experience! First impressions? 43C doesn’t feel as bad as I thought it would because it’s dry heat. The offices/hotels/shops are air conditioned to the max, so I have to go outside a few times a day to warm my bones. The souk smells of spiced meets, feels of dusty heat, and sounds like an Amr Diab CD. I keep looking for those mysterious Bedouin beauties with kohl rimmed eyes that I thought I would see. None in sight – seems I’ll have to make a trip to the desert to meet the mysterious wandering nomadic desert dwellers. Unfortunately it won’t happen this time! Ah well, will save the Bedouins and the camels for another trip to the Middle East.

The majority of my time outside of work has been spent eating amazing food and exploring the Old Souk. The food here is truly wonderful – the meats are spiced to perfection and the lamb is incredible! The seafood is fresh and plentiful – just polished off a lobster at dinner. And of course can’t forget the fresh dates for breakfast, hummus, baba ghanoush, and baklava for dessert! My favorite discovery though has to be the “Minty Lemon” – a concoction of lemon juice and crushed mint. A few of those will really hit you…and if you need something stronger there are always Red Bull mocktails!

The Souk Al Mubarakiya (aka the Old Souk) is a good time pass – full of shawls, trinkets, Aladdin lamps (yes I had to buy one for my future bookshelf, but unfortunately the genie was not included), bangles, and traditional clothing like Ghutra/Egals. Spending Dinars is easy because 1 KD is approximately equal to 4 USD. Before you know it, you have no more money left! You THINK you just spent ten dollars but really you spent 40. Oops! If you ever do come here, skip walking through the fish market – fish guts all over the floor and the stench stays is your nostrils (and on your new shoes) forever. Instead, take a tour through the meat market. 10 steps will make you vegetarian! In either case, there is an area we lovingly call “Misty Garden” which is right in the middle of the souk with amazing local food and water misters everywhere. Perfect way to end off a trip to the souk!

Working in this country has been so eye opening in terms of understanding how to do business in a global context. It is completely different. Things that we take for granted in Canada do not exist here. Social and cultural norms guide practices, and to do business here you have to navigate a complicated and tricky structure with different rules for different people. It really makes you appreciate the infrastructure that we have in Canada, because although there is a lot of money in this country it’s not necessarily spent on the things that we would consider priority. Other key learnings: always have toilet paper and hand sanitizer on you, do not chew gum (it’s considered rude), and do not shake a man’s hand unless he offers his hand first! There are so many more learnings and cultural idiosyncrasies – too many to list. But all in all, it’s been absolutely fascinating.

A few days left in Kuwait city – off to bed I go for an early start tomorrow morning! Tosbeheena ‘ala khair!



Souk Al Mubarakiya




Mosque Near the Old Souk




Fish Guts




I was born for this weather




Food + Minty Lemon at Misty Garden




Amazing Seafood Resto by the Kuwait Towers




Dinner