RedSquirrel

My husband and I moved to Singapore 6 months ago, and haven't yet met any other Brits! Plenty of Aussies and locals, but all with their own friends, children and lives.

Is there anyone else out there who has recently moved to Singapore?

Fairydust

Just going to send you a PM

Englishmum

Hi there...I wrote out a long reply and it dissapeared into cyber-space...grrr.

Anyway....there are thousands of Brits in Singapore, less likely to be found on the East Coast as it's further away from the favoured schools, Tanglin Trust and United World College which are both about a mile from Holland Village.

We relocated from Singapore to New Jersey but I'd return to Sing in a heartbeat!

Have you heard of the "British Club"? It's lovely and in a really nice and peaceful hilltop setting and very, very popular for British expats. You can buy transferable memberships (sometimes they are posted in the 'Straits Times' or on the messageboards at the club from private sellers who are leaving Singapore - sometimes at a cheaper rate than if buying through the club) or at the normal price via the club's membership secretary. My husband's company paid for our fees and monthly dues, but if your budget is tight you could join the 'British Association of Singapore" and get access to the club (limited days and times) that way:

http://www.britishassociation.org.sg/join.htm

http://www.britishclub.org.sg - You can phone up the Membership dept and ask for a free, no obligation tour of the Club, even if you have no intention of joining and just going for a 'sticky beak' LOL!. You can do the same with the Hollandse (Dutch) Club, the Polo Club etc. I wouldn't bother so much with the Tanglin Club...it's a bit stuffy to be honest.

We joined ANZA (Australian & New Zealand Associaton) which is open to all nationalities; I volunteered in the office for four years and was heavily involved in the ANZA soccer programme for kids. It's very lively, has loads of British members and their events are good; next week on the 1st is the 'Not the Melbourne Cup' event...try to go if you can. We went to this event one year at the Aussie High Commission and placed bets on wind-up cuddly toy pigs LOL! The Aussie ladies wore crazy hats - the kind you see at Ascot. They have beer & sausage sizzle nights/pub nights, annual Ball, coffee mornings, tours of Singapore, tennis, mahjong and lots of volunteer opportunities for charities eg. Riding for the Disabled....lots of British women enjoy doing that:

http://www.anza.org.sg

Good Luck!

Englishmum

Oooh, just remembered something else.

If you haven't been there yet you *must* go to the "Colbar", it was recently relocated (due to redevelopment) next to the Judo/Karate club opposite Tanglin Trust School in Portsdown Road. It looks like a shack...but it used to be the squaddies mess for the British Army and they taught Mr & Mrs Lim how to cook English style! We were regulars there and still miss the place....

Great for British chips rather than McDonalds string type chips.

Great for a greasy fry up (eggs, sausages, beans and chips etc. LOL!)

Wonderful chicken curry!

Cheap beer (Tsing Tao is v.good).

They're always closed on Mondays and it's popular especially on Sunday afternoons/evenings (maid's day off!). They even have an expat football team.

Also have you checked out:

http://www.expatsingapore.com ?

Yorkieabroad

Englishmum gave you the civilised version!! Sorry you're not finding the right crowd - have you tried the "expat" bars. Not sure where is popular now, but when we left in 2002, there was always an expat crowd in Harry's/Penny Black/Molly Malones on Boat Quay. Also downstairs at Muddy Murphys (over the road from Orchard Towers at the top of Orchard Road). Father Flanagans and some of the other bars in Chijmes were popular. Err, there was also a newish complex with restaruants and bars (branigans was one) sort of between china town and boat quay/shenton way, and I can't for the life of me remember its name... Last one I can think of off the top of my head is the microbrewery on the river opposite Clarke Quay - again can't remember the name, but I will as soon as I hit the "submit reply", so see you in the next post....

Yorkieabroad

Brewerkz!

Ps - I know a few people there still - if you want any intro's drop me a PM

RedSquirrel

THANK YOU very much to EnglishMum and Yorkieabroad for such a bundle of useful info and links

I hadn't realised that ANZA isn't limited to Australians and New Zealanders. I've walked past their office a dozen times, thinking what a friendly place it seemed.

Hubby and I did go to Brewerkz once, but there was a big match showing so nobody was "chatting" !

just_the_two_of_us

Hi! As u probably saw from another thread, we've moved to Malaysia. We do go up to Johor Bahru to visit my wife's family once every couple of months. If u'd like to meet up in Singapore, do send a pm!

cre8ive1

Hi there. I'm a Brit living in JB with a Malay hubby (sorry I don't drink) and a 2yr old daughter.

Desperately seeking friends to swap stories over a "cup o tea n a slice o cake'.

And if you're old enough to remember Aunt Sally and Rentaghost and HERBIE from the first time round, then we'll have a lot to chat about! LOL

Hope to hear from you soon.
Please send me a PM <personal email address removed>

CaliforniaBride

YOU PUT A WER AFTER W AND A WER AFTER O
A WER AFTER R AND IT'S AWAY WE GO
YOU BUT A WER AFYER Z AND A WER AFTER E
A WER AFTER R AND YOU'RE LEFT, WITH ME.

WHY DON'T YOU
WHY DON'T YOU
WHY DON'T YOU,
JUST SWITCH OFF YOUR TELEVISION SET,
GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING LESS BORING INSTEAD.

UNDERGROUND OVERGROUND,
WOMBL-ER-LING FREE.
THE WOMBLES OF WIM-BLE-DON COMMON ARE WE.
MAKING GOOD USE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND,
THE THINGS THAT THE EVERYDAY FOLKS LEAVE BEHIND

BAGPUSS, DEAR BAGPUSS,
OLD FAT, FURRY, CAT PUSS.
WAKE UP AND LOOK AT THIS THING THAT I BRING,
WAKE UP, BE BRIGHT, BE GOLDEN AND LIGHT,
OH BAGPUSS, HEAR WHAT I SING

"I'll have a 'P' please Bob"

cre8ive1

WOW! You summed my entire childhood up with those few words! I really enjoyed that blast from my past, my Mum even bought me a Bagpuss VHS tape 2yrs ago LOL!

Do u remember Watoo Watoo? And Ludwig? 2 czech cartoons, Watoo Watoo was a magpie type of bird that could go under the sea. No one else remembers it but me! Mary Mungo & Midge. Mr Ben. Clangers. Play School. Play Away (Brian Cant). Magic Roundabout.

Do you remember Miss POPOV in Rentaghost? She was recently GAIL's Mum in 'CORO'.

Come on, join in....who else remembers what?

just_the_two_of_us

Hi. We have recently moved to Johor Bahru and are looking for some social network of friends! Do reply if u're in the region!