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Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Old Oct 1st 2013, 4:44 pm
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Default Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

I have read a wonderful feedback on Japan from a person, who lived there for a long time, and would like to ask, if someone from the Singaporean forum could do the same - giving their insights and observations.

We are moving there soon, and to be honest I am scared. I never visited Asia, and have very little knowledge of what to expect in Singapore. I want to enjoy the country, but it feels so alien and strange at the moment.

How expat integrated there? What made the move abroad and integration easier?
Please share your experiences.
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Old Oct 2nd 2013, 3:14 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

We're not there yet but hoping to be there before the New Year. I've only been there for four days (en route to Australia) but first impressions were: clean, safe, friendly, shopping obsessed, loads to do, conservative, HOT! I can't wait to move, something different again and a new start. I'm trying to to overthink or stress about it, just get on board and enjoy the ride.

good luck!

Therese
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Old Oct 3rd 2013, 5:52 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Therese, thank you!
Each person has own way of dealing with relocations, and your advice is great; it is true, over-thinking can make people worried, and waste their time and energy.
So, better I enforce a time limit to my thinking activity, maybe giving only 15 minutes for over-thinking. I think scribbling down everything that comes to my mind should help.
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Old Oct 7th 2013, 4:12 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Hi Woodygold,

I was working in Singapore earlier this year for a couple of weeks and loved my time there. I have been all over Asia and Singapore is not much of a culture shock compared to most places in Asia.

The place is extremely clean and generally a very safe place to be. The people of course are lovely as they are everywhere in Asia and there is a lot of shopping opportunities!

As I have mentioned elsewhere in the forum, it does have a western feel to it and is certainly a place you can feel comfortable and welcome in.

Good luck

Dan
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Old Nov 15th 2013, 2:41 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Singapore's OK if you're a millionaire, but better to be a billionaire.

For the rest of us it's an overrated, expensive ants nest.
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 1:33 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Originally Posted by Woodygold
We are moving there soon, and to be honest I am scared. I never visited Asia, and have very little knowledge of what to expect in Singapore. I want to enjoy the country, but it feels so alien and strange at the moment.

How expat integrated there? What made the move abroad and integration easier?
Please share your experiences.
Believe me, after a few years here you will not want to move back. Living here is wonderful! Everything, from the food to the weather, the shopping, public transport, low crime, being able to shop online with no import tariffs for purchases up to S$400 (total incl. postage), having the world's best airport and airline at your doorstep, and if you have kids then there will be loads of things for them as well (need I mention Universal Studios?).

Consider this a massive upgrade in terms of lifestyle.

P.S I went to Japan recently and would be worried if I had to relocate there because it seemed a bit isolated, out of the way, few people spoke English, and although they seem to have a machine/device for everything I thought that Tokyo still had this eerie retro look to it, like I was back in the 80's or 90's. Maybe it was the colour of the buildings, the architecture, I don't know. But Singapore is completely different, more exquisite, "shiny", colourful, way more cosmopolitan. I love it here.
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 4:27 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Hi Woodygold,

I have never lived in Asia before and I moved to Singapore a few months ago.
The culture and mentality is way different from the European but otherwise you would like it. It's hot all the time, food is good, it's safe, convenient, etc...

It's great for travelling, it's so close to Thailand, Malaysia... so if you feel like you want to get out of there, you can just go somewhere for a few days!
Also because you are two, it will be easier At least when you feel homesick, you have someone here for you!

good luck xx
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 11:33 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

If you are British then you will find a lot of familiar things in Singapore. The road markings are the same as back home, all the signs are in English and the population all speak English. There are tens of thousands of UK and Aus nationals living here with a lot of businesses set up to cater for them.

If you are here with your rent paid and a decent salary then its a great place to live. If you were brought up in the countryside you may find it a little claustrophobic at first as it is so built up. However, its permanently sunny and there are no short, dark winter days. Its very clean with no crime and everything works! Its got the beach, great restaurants and its easy and cheap to explore the rest of SE Asia from here.
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Originally Posted by dean350
If you are British then you will find a lot of familiar things in Singapore. The road markings are the same as back home, all the signs are in English and the population all speak English. There are tens of thousands of UK and Aus nationals living here with a lot of businesses set up to cater for them.

If you are here with your rent paid and a decent salary then its a great place to live. If you were brought up in the countryside you may find it a little claustrophobic at first as it is so built up. However, its permanently sunny and there are no short, dark winter days. Its very clean with no crime and everything works! Its got the beach, great restaurants and its easy and cheap to explore the rest of SE Asia from here.
Can't agree with the bolded but I'm a bit grumpy, like.
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 1:47 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Originally Posted by ex reg
but I'm a bit grumpy, like.
. No kidding.

I think we all go through the Singapore is perfect stage though, don't we? And fuelled by the propaganda. But...then again....it's not a bad place to be. There's a lot worse places.
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Old Nov 17th 2013, 3:31 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Originally Posted by bakedbean
. No kidding.

I think we all go through the Singapore is perfect stage though, don't we? And fuelled by the propaganda. But...then again....it's not a bad place to be. There's a lot worse places.
I think the "honeymoon" stage lasts between 12-24 months, after which you hit the "things aren't all that great after all" stage that is a bit of a downer. But after that it's plain sailing all the way and you realise what a great place this is to live.

Clean? Yeah, mostly. No crime? Yeah, pretty much... but be smart as always. English? In general - yes! But you really need to focus sometimes. Beaches? Um, not really. Everything works? Actually yes, better than anywhere else I would add. If anything goes wrong it's usually the most irritating things that you don't expect to.

Overall this is a great country to live in, and I don't think I'd prefer to live anywhere else on this planet to be honest. Singapore is still my #1 choice by far and if you're coming over here with a great corporate package (housing, schooling, good salary, bonuses, flights included, insurance... car, nanny, etc.) then do treat this as a great opportunity. I didn't come here on such conditions as I decided to set up my own company, but if you were offered such a dream package then it would be crazy to turn it down. Chances are you will remember this as the best decision ever and will not want to move out when the time comes.

Last edited by astera; Nov 17th 2013 at 3:36 pm.
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Old Nov 18th 2013, 1:34 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

I shouldn't forget to mention very low income tax. You will pay about 7-8% every year and that's it. Makes a huge difference to your savings as the years go by.
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Old Nov 18th 2013, 8:50 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Woodygold,

Welcome to Singapore! I've lived in Japan (4 years) and Singapore (15 years) and I thought all of the comments above were pretty much spot-on, especially re the look and feel of Tokyo. Japan is an absolutely fascinating place to visit, so DO GO THERE, but not so nice to live for the reasons noted. Singapore is in some ways just the opposite - a great place to live but frankly not so exciting to visit. After 10 years my wife (Taiwanese) and I were itching to get out so moved to Tokyo, but were definitely ready to come back after 4 years (back here for 2+ years now). Hope that's helpful.

(SNIP)

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Old Jan 30th 2014, 7:34 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Honestly, I don't like it here.

A soulless concrete slab with a very elitist cum materialistic outlook.

The elitist bit is fuelled by the ranking to be no. 1, but one gets over it after a couple of weeks.
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Old Jan 31st 2014, 6:41 am
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Default Re: Moving to Singapore and Need some encouragement!

Gosh, better not put that on Facebook

Think I recall you saying that you were on a 3 month contract. Does that mean you will be moving on soon? Hope it's somewhere more to your tastes
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