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Aussie Expat Living in Bahrain
After 3 fabulous years in the Far East and 2 very long years in Saudi Arabia with my wife and son, we departed in Mid 2000 not yet prepared to return home (still looking for the almighty $). We ventured across the causeway into Bahrain, found ourselves a place to call home and eventually found myself a position with an eCommerce company as their Training Manager. We have now been here a year and I thought you would enjoy the little info about this small island state of 682 sq km and less than 600,000 people (with 40% being non-Bahraini).
First Impressions
Here is some concise info about twelve things that I think you will most notice in your first few weeks in Bahrain
First of all - note that any luggage or cargo you bring in to Bahrain will be checked for unsuitable videos, magazines and other material - to avoid hassle do not try to import pornography or even adult rated movies.
When you arrive in Bahrain expect to need to collect lots of forms, stamps and signatures in order to get your Residency Visa, CPR (card, local driving licence, customs clearance, electricity & phone connection, etc. Make sure you have lots of passport size photos and - unless your employer is prepared to provide Guarantee Letters - expect to have to provide several substantial (Bahraini Dinar BD100/$A500) deposits before services will be connected. Corruption is minimal and Government organisations do work, but sometimes slowly. Many companies employ fixers who know the ropes ... they can speed you through, or even do the job for you.
The biggest advantage and disadvantage of Bahrain! Sunshine is nearly guaranteed and for the average Aussie the weather is lovely October to April (excepting the occasional chilly day in December/January) but gets seriously hot from May to September. Many holidays are timed to escape the stifling heat and humidity of mid-summer (July/August).
The roads in Bahrain are good but the "Rules of the Road" are flexibly interpreted by drivers. Expect speeding and rapid lane changes, and don’t expect indicators to be used. Although fatal accidents are amazingly rare, minor bumps are inevitable regularly.
Bahrain is small. You can drive from one end to the other in 30 minutes. Within a few weeks you will have seen the sites and explored it all. This doesn't suit everyone.
To the surprise of many people - unlike most Arabian Gulf countries, alcohol is readily available for sale in Bahrain. There are pubs, bars and retail outlets. If you avoid the 5* hotels then prices are generally about $A2.50-$4.00 per beer in the retail outlets, $A20-$30 for a cheap bottle of Hard Liquor and $A40+ for better labels and a good bottle of wine (very difficult to find any good Aussie Wines at times) will put you back $A40-$A50 per bottle. The penalties for drink-driving are stiff.
The main form of public transport is taxis which you will probably need to frequently use until you lease or buy a car. Try to avoid taxi ranks outside 5* Hotels, wave down a cab instead. Make sure the driver uses the meter, at night they may refuse but make sure you have agreed a price before you start the journey - BD3, including a tip, is plenty for up to 4 miles (6 km) at night.
Women can work and drive in Bahrain. However expat women will find that they always attract attention, which can sometimes be excessive and undesired (often from Saudi's visiting Bahrain for non-Islamic reasons). This can be reduced by adopting sensible and well covered dress (e.g. long skirts or trousers) in public places and most women eventually get used to it to a degree. Unattached women are rare and should be careful, in bars and clubs they can expect to be continuously approached by men - local and expat.
The quality of life in Bahrain is very good by most comparisons. Local people are generally friendly and crime rates are low, although inevitably "rich" expatriates are occasionally a target for theft and burglary. The western community is quite small but this can actually help you to make a wide range of friends. There is always plenty to do and to get involved in. Most people take on (at least part-time) a house-boy or maid so much routine drudgery is removed.
Although Bahrain is a very tolerant society, particularly by Arabian Gulf standards, it is an Islamic country and local rules and customs should be respected. Allow common sense and caution to dictate your behaviour until you are accustomed to Bahrain. Pornography is banned and being inebriated and excessive displays of affection in public are best avoided. For example, in theory an unmarried couple kissing in public could be deported!
A sensible dress code, covering legs and shoulders, should be adopted when in public places. Short skimpy summer dresses for ladies, and bared torsos for men do not count as sensible! Light clothes are normally sufficient, but a few sweaters and cardigans are useful in the winter.
Like many countries Bahrain has a mixture of wealth and poverty, but due to the small size of Bahrain these co-exist to an extraordinary degree. Million dollar mansions are built beside shacks, and brand new limos can share the road with donkey carts. There are many very wealthy individuals, but half the working population are expats from the Indian sub-continent who earn as little as $A200 per month.
In the Suq … haggle like mad and never buy from the first stall you come across! Outside in the Suq, in most shops you can often get 10-15% off the initial price just by asking for "Best Price", further discounts may be harder to get as the Shop Assistant has to consult the Manager. Paying cash will always get a better discount. In western-style supermarkets with bar-code reading tills you usually have to pay the marked price, but no hassle if you offer a credit/debit card.
In general, shopping has much improved in Bahrain over the last few years, although high quality after-sales service is still rare. Cars and electrical goods are often cheaper than the Australia but more expensive than the US. For other large items such as furniture the savings that can be made by buying in Far East, Australia, Europe or the US are usually cancelled out by the shipping costs - although the choice may be limited if buying in Bahrain. Several medium to large shopping malls have recently opened with outlets from popular Europe and US stores. However off-the-peg clothes shopping are still affected by a limited selection for up-to-date western fashions and high prices. Alternatively, getting clothes made by a tailor can be cost-effective and is popular - but can be hit and miss for quality.
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