Manama, Bahrain Report of what it's like to live there - 12/01/08
Personal Experiences from Manama, Bahrain
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No. Amman, Jordan and other South Asian countries.
2. How long have you lived here?
3. Travel time and best routes to this city from Europe or the US:
Most flights go there. British Airways has good planes and service, the best service is provided by Gulf airlines like Emirates, Etihaad.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Work.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Everything from 1 bedroom apartments to mansions - made out of brick not wood. Traffic is getting insanely heavy especially during commute hours. Could take you 2 hours to go 5 km. But they have an amazing system of highways, so can span the country very quickly, just near the city center the traffic bottlenecks occur.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Comparative to that in U.S., if not cheaper. You got to know where to go, but even if you go to the large supermarkets relatively cheap. And a lot of veggies and fruits are available year round because they import a lot.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Nothing, everything is readily available plus more variety because of the many different nationalities.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Most American fast food restaurants are there. But since it is a very diverse country, half of the residents are expats, other cusines are very readily available.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Can go to the post office.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Indian, Phillipino, Pakistan maids are available. Either for day work or for full time. They are not treated fairly and receive very low wages, so on one hand you can get them very cheaply but then it depends on your moral state of mind.
3. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Just like the U.S. and other places, safe and secure because eventually they are managed by the same firms. Plus credit card fraud less of an issue here than in the U.S.
4. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Yes, there are mosques and churches.
5. English-language newspapers and TV available? Cost?
There local newspapers, plus you get international newspapers as well, sometimes a day late because of the travel from the local country. For TV there are a few channels available locally, and then you easily catch signal from Saudi, and they have like 4 English channels which show movies, shows etc. largely U.S. ones. Can opt for using a cable service, many do, and can see many channels. And the service is not very expensive. Can go for Showtime, Orbit (which has many channels), plus can get South Asian channels as well.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
None, English is widely spoken - the country got its independance from Britain in 1972.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Without a car hard to get around for anyone, otherwise they are getting more and more considerate in making ramps etc.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Public transportation is limited but there are plans on improving it. Taxis are overpriced, buses are scarce, everyone tries to get a car, even if its just a old dusted model.
2. Do you drive on the right hand side of the road or the left?
Right hand, like U.S.
3. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
You can find everything here, don't really need to bring anything. They love cars here, and speed in them too!!! The most common companies are Toyota, Honda and Nissan. In american companies GM. Roads are smoother and much better maintained than in US. Should go to the Traffic Directorate in Isa Town once you get here to make sure you can drive with your license and if there are any legal issues with it.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, 256k for US$27 monthly, higher you go the more expensive it gets. They need to improve this, the reason for such low speeds and high costs is lack of competition.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Can go for Batelco or Vodafone(Zain). You can get something called a simsim from batelco which is a prepaid card and you can use that with a sim card bought from them. IPhone is available but the retail cost is like around US$1,600, but it's unlocked.
3. What is the best way to make phone calls back home?
Skype, or local companies like Batelco.
Pets:
1. Quality pet care available (vets & kennels)?
Yes, but limited.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
The job opportunities are there, but the government wants to give jobs to Bahrainis as well, especially because a lot of them are graduating from universities in recent years and because it is their country and it is small, jobs for expats maybe less than what they used to be.
2. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Not really enforced, but you are expected not wear skimpy clothes, especially women, like mini mini skirt in the middle of the day in a mall but not really enforced.
Health & Safety:
1. Pollution index (Good, Moderate, Unhealthy, or Very Unhealthy)?
Moderate, except during sandstorms which are rare (you can count them on your fingers).
2. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Not really. Small country, crime is there but largely limited to theft and not really murders or violent crime.
3. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Medical is not that good, there are a lot of private hospitals but I have lived in Jordan and have to day they have a much better health care system.
4. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
It gets mild from November to February. July to October gets really warm. But the country is like under an AC blanket so not really affected.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
St. Christophers School- British education (O-levels, A-levels till grade 13), British embassy school, Bayan School- American education. Many Indian, pakistani, south asian schools. I studied at St. Christopher's and everyone there including the librarian is from UK, very good school, has a very high standard of education. When compared to schools in UK, based on the % of students getting A's it ranked 15th (in the world, of course there are other schools at the same level). Teachers expect students to be excellent, and the studies there can be harder than in universities (in US).
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
They are understanding and try to accommodate them, but not so well as in U.S.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Yes, can get a nanny or some companies have day care as well. There are privately run Kindergartens as well.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
About 50% of the total population.
2. Morale among expats:
Depends on your position - most are workers and labourers who are low paid and work because they have to. Others are highly paid and find the life is very calm and easy going and not too much pressure, plus they end up making more than they would in their home country.
3. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Malls, clubs, etc.
4. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It is a good place for families, and raising children. And if you get bored can go to Dubai for a weekend, fares are not that high.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
The culture is not really tolerant of gay/lesbians yet.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Racially: a lot of Indian workers are here and they are not treated well by locals, low pay substandard treatment. Religious: depends in which community you hang out in, the richer the person the more understanding they are. Gender: its decreasing now, a lot of females in the work force. University of Bahrain, the largest university there, has 44% female student population. There is a university just for women.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Small country: few things to do. Some parks, beaches, F1 track where you can get all kinds of lessons in driving plus watch now regular racing, like professional drag racing.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Cultural gifts, and the Arabic perfume which is very nice and hard to find outside of Middle East. Gold, jewelry.
9. Can you save money?
Ohh yes.
Words of Wisdom:
1. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes.
2. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
3. But don't forget your:
Family photos!!!
