An expat’s journey to Kuwait, Dubai & Saudi Arabia

My journey as an expat started in 2003, when I joined PWC Logistics in Kuwait as a Logistics Supervisor. An expat's journey to Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi ArabiaSince it was my first venture to move out of my country home, I was filled with mixed emotions. I was not sure about relocating to Kuwait as my first expat country to look for a serious career because the region was still recovering from war damages. Still, I decided to go there as I love adventures and I was ready to face the challenge. Once I started working there, I found it very exciting. Since it was my first job and experience as an expat I couldn’t socialise much but it was a fascinating and a learning experience for me. After a couple of years living in Kuwait I moved to UAE for a better career working for Fujairah Rotana Resort and Spa in Dubai.

By that time Dubai had become a thriving metropolis. Interestingly, only 8 percent of the population in Dubai are Emirati and 92 percent are expat and migrant workers. This made Dubai a sobering prospect for an ambitious bachelor like me.

I really enjoyed the quality of life in Dubai and the fact that the Emirate is so centrally located. This makes it a great place for exploring the world. Working with an international standard group of hotels gave me the opportunity to mingle with multinational, multicultural people from all parts of the world. I realized that Dubai’s society somehow resembled a mini world and I truly enjoyed its diversity. Interacting with clients, guests and vendors took away my fear of talking/handling different nationals and it boosted my confidence level. Of course I kept myself active and socialised with people as much as I could. 

But, my destiny brought me something else and I again moved to Riyad, Saudi Arabia to combine my passion and career. I joined FastTrack Relocations as Operations Supervisor and tried to bridge the gap of Dubai. I began my career in the logistics field, a field I was passionate about and where I wanted to build a career in. I started from scratch and with time I was becoming an expert in the field. Though Saudi Arabia’s culture is entirely different from that of Dubai, I adapted quickly. I found my place in the expat community here and started making the most of my time. On the weekends I enjoyed the discourse with other expats, played indoor games and exchanged our views and ideas. Saudi Arabia practically became my home and I found my better half here. She is also from my motherland but an expat, building her career in the medical profession in Riyadh.

My life changed again when I received an offer and joined Crown in January 2012 as an Operations Supervisor. Crown brought me back to the international environment and gave me the opportunity to meet and deal with foreigners from all over the world. It was the time that I got the chance to deal with different diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia and I feel very proud to be a part of this team. It is always a pleasant experience to deal with any expat in Saudi Arabia. Crown opened me many doors to socialize and mingle with different nationals while introducing me to an expat community. Another important fact is that the cost of living here is pretty reasonable. I find my life more interesting and filled with new experiences, friends and more fun. It gives me enough satisfaction at the end of the day.

Jems Varghese
Operations Supervisor Saudi Arabia

Jems Varghese professional tasks are managing operations and accounts for Crown Relocations in Saudi Arabia. In his private life he enjoys traveling, watching movies and playing cricket.