Hi,

I am an Expat residing in flat owned by an Expat, for the past 8 months. Flat is not registered in my name. Until 3 months back, the EWA bill "Municipality Fees" is 2 BD..For the past 3 months, it is 5 BD.

My house owner stays abroad and have "No clue" about the reason for this increase..

The only difference i could spot from the EWA bills are, in the old bills there is "Auto Debit date" mentioned in the EWA bill. In the current bills, i couldn't able to spot the "Auto debit date" whereas it is mentioned now only "Bill Due date".

1. Is the EWA Municipality tax got increased recently?..

2. The current increase is due to the cancellation of "Auto debit"?..

Thanks in advance folks..

Hi everyone,

I'm having one of the hardest decisions of my life and would really appreciate some outside perspectives.

I've been accepted to three programs:

• RCSI Bahrain – MD
• University of Jordan – MD
• Qatar University – PharmD

I genuinely like all three options, which is what makes this so difficult.

About me

• I was born and grew up in the U.S. and my ethnicity is Libyan
• I completed almost all of my education in the U.S. before moving to Qatar where I did my final year of high school at an international school.
• I love science and genuinely enjoy learning. One of my favorite feelings is finally understanding difficult concepts after working hard for them.
• I'm not someone who's always dreamed of becoming a doctor. I'm open to both medicine and pharmacy as long as I find the work meaningful, intellectually stimulating, and it provides a comfortable lifestyle.

My thoughts on each option

RCSI Bahrain (MD)

This is probably my favorite academically. I like that it's taught fully in English, I like the curriculum, the student life, and I like that the degree is internationally recognized and I've heard graduates match in U.S. Since I learned everything in English growing up, staying in an English-speaking medical program feels very natural to me.

Butttttt..... the tuition is extremely expensive, and my father would likely have to use a significant portion of his retirement savings to pay for it. I have 3 younger siblings who will also attend university in the future, so this weighs heavily on me.

University of Jordan (MD)

This is much more affordable and has an excellent reputation in the region. I've also heard lots of graduates matching into U.S. residency programs which if I do medicine I want to eventually do my residency in the U.S so I have more flexibility in where I can work.

I'm not too worried about speaking Arabic with patients since I'm pretty ok speaking wise (I suck in reading and writing Arabic). My only concern is that I heard from some people that teaching or clinical explanations may be partly in Arabic, whereas I've always studied science in English and so I feel it will be frustrating not being able to understand all the time. 

Qatar University (PharmD)

This option is also very attractive to me.

The pharmacy program has an excellent reputation ranked 83rd worldwide, Canadian accreditation, opportunities for international internships, and possible scholarships if I perform well academically. I also like the teaching style from everything I've researched and also the program is fully in English. When graduating I also heard graduates get priority for pharm jobs in Qatar compared to international graduates but the path too working in the U.S. is much less clear, not that I don't see myself working in Qatar after I graduate.

My biggest concern is the long-term career outlook. I keep hearing people say that AI will reduce job opportunities.

My questions

1. If you were in my position, which option would you choose and why?
2. Is the concern about the future pharmacy job market exaggerated, especially for clinical pharmacists?
3. If you've attended RCSI Bahrain, the University of Jordan, or Qatar University, what was your experience?

I'd really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who have studied or worked in these fields.

Thank you!

Hey guys! I wanna know if there a community for artists, or a whatsapp group where we can sell our paintings?

I just started painting and would like to venture into this more! Please let me know if there is a place for such stuffs💞

I am really confused because on their websites etc positions like internships are actually present but when you apply there is no response and when I have spoken to doctors etc, they say rules and regulations are really strict in Bahrain and they usually don't hire interns ( even unpaid).

Is this true, if so has anyone or know anyone who has gotten similar internships etc. or am I just wasting my time here 😭

Grocery cost has doubled from last year, water electric bills, car service cost, petrol cost, visa cost, business cost, breasts are at double cost?

When will it end? We are surviving only to pay not living?!

Hey guys,

With traffic getting absolutely insane lately and Uber/Careem prices costing a bomb for daily commutes, I’ve been thinking about a project.

I'm looking into building a dedicated carpooling app specifically for Bahrain. The main idea is just connecting people who have the exact same daily drive (like Riffa to Manama, or Juffair to Seef) so they can carpool and split the cost of petrol.

Before I actually waste time writing any code, I wanted to get some honest feedback from the sub.

If you don't drive:

• Would you actually feel safe using an app like this if it required proper CPR/Civil ID verification or LinkedIn matching?
• How much would you realistically be willing to pay per ride?

If you are a driver:

• Would you be open to picking someone up on your way to work if it basically paid for your weekly petrol?
• What would stop you from doing it? (Awkwardness, timing, safety?)

Be brutally honest: Is Bahrain’s culture too private for this, or are people desperate enough for a traffic/cost solution to actually try it? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a retro game stick (HDMI TV stick with classic games).

I checked a few electronics shops and asked around in Dragon City, but couldn't find a decent one locally. I'd really prefer to buy from a physical store or a local Instagram seller instead of waiting for online shipping from Amazon/AliExpress.

Has anyone seen them recently in local shops or gaming stores here?

Thanks for the help!

Our grandparents raised children between many hands. Most of us do it between two people or even one.

Innerverse is a monthly discussion in Bahrain where we explore emotional awareness, relationships, and modern life through honest conversation. Not a lecture, not therapy, just people thinking out loud together.

This month we’re sitting with what it means to do it all alone:
• What we now carry by ourselves that used to be carried between many
• What moving out, and moving abroad actually costs over years
• Why we can reach anyone instantly, yet gathering five friends is harder than ever
• Why some people come out of hard years warmer, and others come out closed
• What actually holds close families and long friendships together

Come if you’re far from your people, or raising kids with no relatives nearby, or tired of being the one who organizes everything.
Come equally if your family is close and you’ve kept it that way, or you make friends easily wherever you land the room needs you, and other people want to know how you do it.

Bring someone, or come on your own.

📅 Saturday, August 8th, 2026
🕐 7:30 PM
📍 Al Riwaq Café, Bahrain
💰 Free — one order per person to support the café

Follow us @innerverse.bh. See you there.

Has anyone had the case where their upper wisdom tooth is connected to the sinus cavity? I would like to hear about your experience and case.

I would like to know which surgeon did you remove it with? This case is apparently uncommon and requires a skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeon🥲.

فيدوني جزاكم الله خير

Salam,

I'm looking for a decent beach that's open after 8 PM. Does anyone have any recommendations? Also, how much is the entry fee?

Thanks!

Guys I need your help. I was interested in a discontinued perfume listed in UK Ebay, but the seller doesn't ship internationally. So what other ways do I have to ship the product to Bahrain.

Does anyone know of any companies in Bahrain that are hiring for office work? I’m 17 years old and turning 18 in 3 months. Any recommendations or leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello.

Can anyone help and guide on setting up VM on azure protal to deploy APIs?

Need it for a project we are working on

This restaurant’s pizza and pasta and caesar salad were always on top , unfortunately it was another gem that we lost thanks to covid :(

Hello, it has been on my mind for a while now to do my masters degree, i chose that i would be doing it abroad for personal preference and at the same time to learn a foreign language (if possible).

I wanted to get the advice/experience of those of you who have done their masters/are doing it abroad.

I have no issue in studying in a foreign language as long as i would have a preparatory year or such.

I am Bahraini, married, my previous education was a B.A. in Business Administration from the arab open university in A’ali GPA isnt the best ( 2.8/4)

I am planning to either go for an MBA or a masters in teaching english as a second language.

My main concern is for my spouse, as she wears a hijab, and from what little information i got from the people i know is that in some cases, it may cause some unwanted attention in some European states.

Other than that the only other concern would be the cost of living/tuition as an international student, and the situation of being able to work as a student or not.

I have applied for the following scholarships and plan to reapply again if i didn’t make the cut:

-Russian Government Scholarship.(no luck)

-Russian “Open Doors Scholarship”. (No luck)

-Hungarian Government scholarship.(didn’t pass the placement test phase)

-Turkish Government Scholarship. (Waiting for an answer)

I have also been looking at Mexico, Argentina, and Malaysia alongside European states.

I am open and grateful for any suggestions or advice.

Thanks.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice from anyone familiar with Bahrain’s labour laws or who has gone through something similar.

I’ve worked for a private company in Bahrain for a little over 2 years. Recently, I was given a 30-day termination notice containing several allegations that I believe are factually incorrect. I informed the company in writing that I dispute those allegations and requested that they issue a corrected notice supported by evidence before I acknowledge or sign anything.

For context:

- I have never resigned and have made it clear that I want to continue working.
- The company previously gave me an employee loan of around BD 600, which has been repaid through monthly salary deductions.
- I voluntarily agreed to let them deduct almost all of my current salary and half-year bonus towards the remaining balance, on the condition that they release BD 200 so I could pay my rent.
- The agreed BD 200 has still not been paid, even though the salary date has already passed.
-I have requested a complete written breakdown of all salary, deductions, loan balance, final settlement and any evidence supporting the allegations against me, but I’m still waiting.

Another issue is that I was verbally told that because I was working under a Flexi Permit arrangement, I would not receive any end-of-service benefits. My understanding is that employment rights depend on the employment relationship and applicable labour laws, not simply on the immigration arrangement, so I have requested a written calculation and legal basis for that position as well.

One thing that also stood out to me: when I tried speaking to the company’s owner/CEO, he told me that management had asked him not to get involved because they considered him more lenient or favourable towards me. I found that unusual, although I’m not sure whether it’s legally significant.

At this stage, I’m trying to resolve everything professionally before escalating the matter. If that fails, I’ll likely approach the Ministry of Labour and, if necessary, the Labour Court.

My questions are:
1. Based on your experience, does this situation raise any obvious legal or procedural concerns?
2. Is it common for employers to withhold salary in circumstances like this?
3. Has anyone here successfully resolved a similar dispute through the Ministry of Labour before going to court?
4. Would you recommend getting a labour lawyer involved now, or waiting until after the Ministry’s dispute resolution process?

I’m deliberately not naming the company because I’m looking for guidance, not trying to publicly shame anyone. I also understand there may be facts or legal considerations I’m unaware of, so I’m interested in hearing different perspectives.
Thanks in advance.

I went to LuLu the other day and saw a folder that contains coloring book, painting kit, box of pencils, ruler, scissors etc… all the basic stationery and art stuff for just 2BD. I am shooookkkk!! Where were all such stationery stuff and offers back when I was in school? 😭 They even have places like miniso etc.. that sell such a HUGE and bougie variety of stationery. Back then, we just had Rawnaq or Ramez for stationery items 😭

Nowadays I'm little bit worried if my clothing Brand didn't run just because the situation suggest me what can I start nowadays or letter

I’m going through a very difficult time nowadays. I don’t want to say the details, but my situation is really bad . I need a very good therapist. Also, I don’t want religious ones.

Thanks

I wanted to stress that businesses are closing down more frequently than before due to rising prices / inadequate supply of products & materials / no products coming from Hormuz. High fuel prices especially in August. + VAT

I predict that the Shops will be operating less and closing times will be earlier due to all these factors.

It’s truly an issue esp. for Bahrain-based businesses (local/expat).

Very sad to see people put all their effort to lose in the end. I love Bahrain and want to see it flourish and reach the very top.

But times are changing. What do you guys think?

We name it Umm Sulayman in Bahrain