Family picture of zulfi during parents visit in kuwait
Zulficar, his story of moving to Kuwait and his perspective on migration. Anyone planning to make a move out of India can take something out of Zulfi’s story and StoriesFromOutOfIndia.
Kuwait
We at these blog are making an effort to help you in making an informed decision (through stories like these), if you are one of those who are looking to making that move.
Four years ago, a wiry bhilai boy decided to move to Kuwait for a fresh start. For, Today, he is back in the country he first set foot in, and made a life for himself.
When did you decide you wanted to move out of India?
I felt that I did not have much scope in India as I had lived a ‘party life’ in my teen years. Than working in navy but I had heard a lot of good things about abroad and thought it would give me a fresh start, which I did get. That was almost 04 years ago. At that time, Kuwait was not one of the places I wanted to move to, it just happened to be a place where my brother in law lived, so I thought, “Why not? Let’s give it a shot.”
How were the initial first years? Did you find the place welcoming, were you missing India or its chaos?
The initial first years almost 04 years ago, were very hard. It was a major culture shock, and I wanted to run back to India, to a place that I felt comfortable in. But I knew deep down, that this was a place that would be good for me eventually; so I stuck on.
First pic : Zulfi with brother in law
After working in navy , zulfi moved to kuwait .!
You done graduation from navy and then decided to work in Kuwait, wasn’t that hampering your stay in India?
Not at all; although Kuwait is a good place to live, it’s saving power in the way of money is very high So when I moved to Kuwait , the saving power was a lot more and after working there for 04 years The shift was not easy, as Kuwait offers a lot of luxury, but it’s a sacrifice one has to make and come back to reality in India
Was it an easy decision to move back to Kuwait?
Moving to Kuwait was different in its own way. It’s like living in Disneyland. Everything is fake—one makes a lot of money, drives fancy cars on very fancy roads, live in hotel that one can only dream of, eat over-priced foods and live in a very fancy cocooned world. One has to keep his/her eye on the prize and not lose focus. To me, it was a 5 to 10 years goal—make my money and leave and that’s why i am here . The money I saved in 04 years in Kuwait, I would never be able to save in 10 years in India on a regular job.
How would you rate the quality of life in Kuwait as opposed to India?
India has its own charm, but I am not fond of the corruption, the filth all around and small-minded thinking of some people. But there are things also that I love of the Indian culture—I love the feeling of genuine people around, some of the values that we were brought up with and the amount of government holidays that people get there [ha ha ha ha…]
Would you recommend Kuwait as a place to migrate to for those who are contemplating a move?
It’s hard for me to say that Kuwait is a better place to settle in, some folks love it others hate it. As for me, it’s part of my life now and I love it. I would definitely recommend Kuwait as an option to young graduate looking at starting a new life. It’s a struggle to settle in, in the beginning, but it keeps getting better.
What are the plus points of living in Kuwait ?
We have a free accommodation system, water electricity is free (although it is terrible), Kuwait provides a safe environment; I can feel safe walking around anytime. There is no discrimination of work,Kuwait has a great skyscraper and plenty of nature around; sea side views … it’s all of these that make Kuwait so beautiful.
Other than the lifestyle created by money, the weather plays a big factor when moving to Kuwait. Kuwait has extreme climate, while Kuwait has 2 seasons which is extreme in my opinion from extreme hot to extreme cold . The changing of the colours from one season to the next, to the kids enjoying the activities like cycling, rollerblading , skating to beautiful parks here in winter activities.
points?
Living in Kuwait, gives one a different impression of life, something one could only dream of: high-end cars, fancy holidays, expensive watches, high-end restaurants, spending money without having to think twice. Coming back to India, reality hits back and one can never make the same kind of money as easily as one would make in Kuwait.