Some rights reserved by hamad MTruth be told, I’m not actually interested in finding my way through the wilderness with a compass and a map. I am, however, interested in helping others to navigate the cultural wilderness that is Kuwait, which is why I’ve spent the last few months managing the transition of my school’s new hires as one of two Orientation Coordinators. It has been a remarkably smooth process, as measured by three metrics: first, all new hires got their visas before their scheduled departure date (this has NEVER happened before due to the myriad and Byzantine bureaucratic procedures required); second, we have yet to have a runner (the phenomenon of overwhelmed teachers shirking their commitments and breaking contract to return home; third, we’ve received numerous compliments and thanks throughout the process. With only a few short days until school starts, I attribute our success to several principles we’ve adhered to in the planning process.
