Expat life in Kuwait

David Yorsten poses at the Kuwait House of National Memorial Museum (Saddam Museum), a memorial to the Gulf War, Northern Shuwaikh, central Kuwait. / Courtesy of D. Yorston

Canadian native, David Yorston, one time English teacher in Korea took the opportunity of a lifetime to go back to his former profession, civil engineer.

Accepting an offer from a Korean company, he found himself stationed in the oil rich State of Kuwait.

Now back in Korea, Yorsten spoke with The Korea Times about his experiences in Kuwait and how it compares to here.

Question: How does it feel to be back in Korea?

Answer: When I first came to Korea in 1996 from Canada, I did not think it was going to become my second home. Actually, it took me two months to unpack my suitcase back then! But ever since, Korea has treated me well and I have a good social network and feeling for Korea. So, it feels like I am back home now.

Q: What was your position in Kuwait?

A: I worked for a Korean environmental construction company as a soil remediation engineer.

Q: How was it living in Kuwait – work and lifestyle?

A: Before I went, I had to do some research to find out about Kuwait. I had talked to a number of friends who had been there before and asked them about their experiences in Kuwait. Most of what they told me was true. Kuwait is a harsh place to live for two reasons. The first reason is the extreme physical climate – Kuwait is a hot desert. The second reason is that it has a difficult social environment – you have to work twice as hard to meet people, Kuwaitis and foreigners alike. The Kuwaitis were the hardest to meet due to their conservative culture. The foreigners were hard to meet because they were the ones working all the time.

Working in Kuwait was something you did around the clock on a construction project. But during the summer heat, no one worked outside in the heat of the afternoon. I remember when I made my first site visit in August with one of our superintendents because it was 58 degrees Celsius then in the desert – and we all still had to wear our PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) – that meant a hard hat, coveralls, and work boots. So, it was hot! One had to bring along lots of water and leave the SUV running with the air conditioner on. Plus, we also got stuck in a sand dune and had to radio for help! You have to remember about safety. Also, due to the war legacy in Kuwait, you can’t just go walking anywhere in the Kuwaiti desert. You should be aware of land mines.

Q: You were recently in Dubai. How does it compare to Kuwait?

A: Dubai is known as the most international and developed city in the Middle East. When I got to Dubai on vacation, I found out that this is entirely true. Tourism is the second industry in the U.A.E. (United Arab Emirates) and they have diversified their economy and invested in some pretty impressive infrastructure. In Kuwait, you will not see this kind of infrastructure and very few pleasure tourists.

Q: Are you going back to engineering?

A: Yes, I feel I will go back into engineering. Even though I love teaching, I feel that engineering gives me more challenges and stability. Currently, I am arranging interviews with some Korean companies that I have come across due to my Kuwait experience.

Q: You worked as an English teacher in Seoul. Describe your experience.

A: Yes, I worked as a science, math and English as a Second Language teacher in Seoul for about eight years. I love teaching and relating to the younger students. It made me feel younger and it was a good exchange of culture. I remember the field trips the most, especially to places like Everland and the Korean Folk Village. However, it was difficult to get used to working and evaluating students’ performances in the current Korean educational system. I am used to the Western style.

Q: Any plans to go back to the Middle East?

A: I will go back to the Middle East if a good opportunity arises but I would have no plans to live there for the long term. It is just not my culture and lifestyle.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone thinking of working or travelling over there?

A: If someone is serious about going over there, they probably want a change in their life, or need to make money fast. If those are your reasons, then I would recommend going there to work until you are no longer motivated to stay there. <The Korea Times/John Redmond>