Why do we love Kuwait? 🇰🇼

I've been thinking about writing this post for the past few days. It's the first time I've had 3 days off in the past while. How can I describe my love for Kuwait? What can I say? It's so hard to describe a love that's innate; a love that's been stamped into our souls even before we were born. I'm sure every person would say they love their country however every love is different. Kuwait is different.

Besides listing some of the benefits to living in this beautiful country, such as free education including higher education and the ability to travel virtually anywhere in the world to complete higher education studies. Let us not forget residency programs for medics as well as fellowship programs and years of abroad studies with all costs covered. Let's just hint at access to free healthcare for everyone living in this country. We have access to the best kinds of medicines, therapies and anything that's not available here, citizens get to be sent abroad for free healthcare and procedures anywhere in the world. What about employment opportunities and housing? It's so hard for people to complain when they don't get small things but they forget the bigger picture. We are living in a country that has provided us with literally everything; and a bit more...

الحمدلله

I've personally experienced living abroad and thankfully it was a beautiful experience. In total, I've spent nearly 14 years abroad. I loved it. I will always be grateful for the experience, it helped me grow as a person and mature significantly. I was blessed to always have a family member around and I'm sure it would've been difficult if I wasn't surrounded by the care and love of my family. Even though living abroad was a beautiful experience, it was never home. You never felt that you 100% belonged. I would get an ache in my heart whenever I listened to national songs and someone spoke about Kuwait. It would feel like someone was pulling at my heartstrings. Kuwait is different, Kuwait is home. No matter how comfortable you feel anywhere else, Kuwait will always be different.

Let's speak about what has happened over the past year. COVID19 took over the world. When it started getting bad, everyone came together and forgot their differences. When we went into lockdown, volunteers helped out everywhere that was needed, not for financial gain; they did it because of their love for this beautiful country. During Ramadhan, police officers broke their fast outside on the streets in the heat. I've personally seen a young man with a red face sweating in the street at 2pm when it was at least 45 degrees. He was smiling and doing his job without complaining.

Healthcare workers never stopped working despite the different lockdowns. We went to do our job everyday and did what we had to do. We put on the full hazmat suits, N95 masks, face shields, shoe covers, gloves and gowns. We walked around in the heat from building to building, unable to breathe or see properly due to our multiple layers. During Ramadhan, we broke our fast with donated food because we were in lockdown and couldn't order food from anywhere. No one could deliver food to us when we were in complete lockdown and no one was allowed on the streets. We did all this happily, without complaining, for the love of our country and the safety of its people. Kuwait was going through a difficult time, and we were doing our part in fighting corona. It felt like war at times.

Speaking about war, lets go back to 1990, I was 5 years old and can only remember snippets. I remember seeing the army on the streets. I remember moving out of our house and into my uncles. I remember playing with my cousins every day and eating rationed food, the same thing nearly every day. My father and uncle would go out and work in bakeries and help out removing rubbish from the streets. Everyone came together during that time. It didn't matter whether you were rich or poor or where you lived. Our country was under attack and we all did our part. This is what Kuwaitis are known for, sticking together when the times get tough.

As Kuwaitis, we have so many entitlements that some people feel they are entitled to everything. It's a shame when the actions of a few people ruin it for the rest of us. They forget to look at the bigger picture and start complaining about minute little issues. I just wish people would be more grateful. I've started waking up every morning and listing all the things I'm grateful for in my head. This little exercise has made me calmer throughout my days. Choose gratitude and your days will be more beautiful, I promise.

Take a moment and think about what Kuwait has offered you, from the day you were born until your present day. Be thankful and grateful. Kuwait is beautiful, let's never forget that.

I'm grateful to be a Kuwaiti citizen.

I will never stop fighting for my country.

I love Kuwait.

وطني ... وطن النهار