When I left for the Gulf the first time, I packed three suitcases of stuff I didn't need and forgot the one document that nearly got me turned back at immigration. Every Malayalee expat has a version of this story.
Before You Leave India
Documents — the non-negotiable list:
Passport with at least 6 months validity beyond your visa dateAttested educational certificates (HRD attestation + UAE Embassy attestation if going to UAE)Original employment offer letterMedical fitness certificate (some countries require pre-departure medical)Passport-size photos (white background, 4x6 cm — Gulf specs differ from Indian)Driving license (international driving permit if you plan to drive initially)
Financial prep most people skip:
Open an NRE and NRO account before leaving. SBI, ICICI, and HDFC all let you initiate this in India. Doing it from abroad takes 3x longer.Set up online banking and UPI on your Indian accounts. You'll need to transfer money, pay bills back home, and manage investments remotely.Get a Forex card loaded with the destination currency — for the first week before your local bank account is set up.Inform your Indian bank you're going abroad so they don't freeze your card for "suspicious foreign activity."
What to actually pack:
Medicines you take regularly — brands and formulations differ abroadElectrical adapters (UAE uses UK-style 3-pin, Saudi uses US-style 2-pin)Your favorite spice mixes and pickles — yes, you'll find Indian stores, but your amma's podi is irreplaceableFormal clothes for the first week (office wear, interview-ready outfit)Important documents in both physical and digital form (email yourself copies)
What NOT to pack:
Heavy winter clothes (it's the Gulf, not Canada)Excessive electronics — they're often cheaper there, tax-freeMore than one traditional outfit — you'll only wear it for Onam and Vishu
First Week Survival
Open a local bank account immediately. Most employers will arrange this, but if not, Emirates NBD, ADCB (UAE), Al Rajhi (Saudi), or National Bank of Kuwait are solid choices with good mobile apps.
Get a local SIM card on day one. In the UAE, you'll need your Emirates ID application receipt — du and Etisalat both offer tourist SIMs that work while you wait.
Find your nearest Lulu Hypermarket. I'm not being funny — for a Malayalee, Lulu is your lifeline for the first few months. Familiar products, Malayalam-speaking staff, and that small comfort of home when everything else feels foreign.
The Emotional Side Nobody Talks About
Homesickness hits around week three, not day one. The first few days are exciting — new city, new job, everything is novel. Then it settles in. The quiet evenings. Missing your family's noise. The food that's almost right but not quite.
This is normal. Every single Malayalee expat has felt it. Call home, join a Kerala Samajam, find the local church/mosque/temple. The community is there and they've been through exactly this.
The Gulf has been home to Malayalees for generations. You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Take it one day at a time.
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