This has been the reaction 99.9% of the time when I tell people I'm moving to Kuwait. Yes it's random, crazy, adventurous, scary, bizarre...but let me tell you why...or shall I say why not?
& the story begins...
This isn't something we thought would happen. Not something we looked for, hoped for or even dreamt of...it kind of just fell into our laps & it's one of those things we just HAD to do. When I say WE, I refer to my husband Paul & I. I consider us as one & many times will refer to us as WE. Everything we do, we do as a team. So even though this is my blog, I will often be writing as WE.
OK, so let me explain the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, & HOW. Warning, This may get long & boring but I gotta explain!! You have to have the background of the story right?
This all started sometime in May. Actually I remember the exact time, just not the date. We were on our way to California for my cousin Areens wedding. We're driving to the airport when Paul receives a call from a recruiter. She introduces herself, tells Paul that she has his resume on file & was hired by a firm to fill a position in Kuwait as an attorney. As I'm listening to her speak about this firm & position I laugh in my head. Kuwait...hahaha ya right!! This Bitch is crazy! Anyways, she asks if Paul would be interested in interviewing, he looks at me & we both kind of just look at each other & are like, hey it doesn't hurt to talk to someone right? BOOM...and the ball gets rolling.
SIDE NOTE ( I am 4 months pregnant at this time)
Not sure the exact events that happened but it goes something like this. Maybe 2 weeks after the initial phone call a meeting time was set up. Someone from the Kuwait office would be in town & an interview was set up. Paul goes to this interview. I'm pretty sure it wasn't very formal, kind of just a meeting after work at a coffee shop or something like that. Meets with one of the partners (Phil I believe) & they kind of just discuss the type of work, the life in Kuwait, the experience, blah blah blah. Whatever was discussed in that initial meeting got Paul's attention because he comes home to tell me about it with a sense of excitement & intrigue. Who gets excited & intrigued about a job, right? Ummmmm in my head I'm like Kuwait? Really? I mean Dubai OKAY but Kuwait? I knew NOTHING about Kuwait. & the HUNDREDS of hours of research begin. We need to be informed & educated right? I HAVE to be supportive right?
2 or 3 (can't remember) more interviews/meetings were set up. Each time Paul came home to tell me about it he was more & more wanting to do it. The more research we did, the more convinced & comfortable we became. I mean we did EVERYTHING we could to know what we would be getting ourselves into. We talked to so many people, researched so many websites and digested so much information. One of the biggest assets we have had so far is an old friend of Paul's (Rami) who has been in Kuwait for years, has lived, breathed, worked & experienced Kuwait. We are so thankful to him for all he has done & helped with. And then the offer came....
I'll never forget that day. It was around the first of July. Paul received an e-mail offer. We were in the parking lot at Target when we opened it. CRAP, we have 7 days to accept or reject. Really... 7 days to decide our fate?! And the countless hours of sleepless nights begin. What if this, what if that, what do we do with the house, cars, our FAMILIES! FRIENDS..omg omg omg omg OMG we're having a BABY in 3 months!!! I panic & have major anxiety. Yet a sense of excitement & a once in a lifetime opportunity calms me. I've never been so emotionally drained...wait... yes I have as in 3 months I give birth to our first child, say bye to my husband 20 days later & begin packing our life away in the States. How I managed to do so much in a short amount of time with a newborn still amazes me. Without our family & friends help & support I would of literally had a nervous breakdown. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?
Seriously I could write a book on how much stuff has to be done to prepare for a HUGE move like this. And til this moment we are still doing things. So now I bet you are wondering what on earth made us decide to go...
& the story begins...
This isn't something we thought would happen. Not something we looked for, hoped for or even dreamt of...it kind of just fell into our laps & it's one of those things we just HAD to do. When I say WE, I refer to my husband Paul & I. I consider us as one & many times will refer to us as WE. Everything we do, we do as a team. So even though this is my blog, I will often be writing as WE.
OK, so let me explain the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, & HOW. Warning, This may get long & boring but I gotta explain!! You have to have the background of the story right?
This all started sometime in May. Actually I remember the exact time, just not the date. We were on our way to California for my cousin Areens wedding. We're driving to the airport when Paul receives a call from a recruiter. She introduces herself, tells Paul that she has his resume on file & was hired by a firm to fill a position in Kuwait as an attorney. As I'm listening to her speak about this firm & position I laugh in my head. Kuwait...hahaha ya right!! This Bitch is crazy! Anyways, she asks if Paul would be interested in interviewing, he looks at me & we both kind of just look at each other & are like, hey it doesn't hurt to talk to someone right? BOOM...and the ball gets rolling.
SIDE NOTE ( I am 4 months pregnant at this time)
Not sure the exact events that happened but it goes something like this. Maybe 2 weeks after the initial phone call a meeting time was set up. Someone from the Kuwait office would be in town & an interview was set up. Paul goes to this interview. I'm pretty sure it wasn't very formal, kind of just a meeting after work at a coffee shop or something like that. Meets with one of the partners (Phil I believe) & they kind of just discuss the type of work, the life in Kuwait, the experience, blah blah blah. Whatever was discussed in that initial meeting got Paul's attention because he comes home to tell me about it with a sense of excitement & intrigue. Who gets excited & intrigued about a job, right? Ummmmm in my head I'm like Kuwait? Really? I mean Dubai OKAY but Kuwait? I knew NOTHING about Kuwait. & the HUNDREDS of hours of research begin. We need to be informed & educated right? I HAVE to be supportive right?
2 or 3 (can't remember) more interviews/meetings were set up. Each time Paul came home to tell me about it he was more & more wanting to do it. The more research we did, the more convinced & comfortable we became. I mean we did EVERYTHING we could to know what we would be getting ourselves into. We talked to so many people, researched so many websites and digested so much information. One of the biggest assets we have had so far is an old friend of Paul's (Rami) who has been in Kuwait for years, has lived, breathed, worked & experienced Kuwait. We are so thankful to him for all he has done & helped with. And then the offer came....
I'll never forget that day. It was around the first of July. Paul received an e-mail offer. We were in the parking lot at Target when we opened it. CRAP, we have 7 days to accept or reject. Really... 7 days to decide our fate?! And the countless hours of sleepless nights begin. What if this, what if that, what do we do with the house, cars, our FAMILIES! FRIENDS..omg omg omg omg OMG we're having a BABY in 3 months!!! I panic & have major anxiety. Yet a sense of excitement & a once in a lifetime opportunity calms me. I've never been so emotionally drained...wait... yes I have as in 3 months I give birth to our first child, say bye to my husband 20 days later & begin packing our life away in the States. How I managed to do so much in a short amount of time with a newborn still amazes me. Without our family & friends help & support I would of literally had a nervous breakdown. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?
Seriously I could write a book on how much stuff has to be done to prepare for a HUGE move like this. And til this moment we are still doing things. So now I bet you are wondering what on earth made us decide to go...
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