Have you lived in Singapore ?

[Tinks]

... harr too funny, hey did i get it wrong isn't Warburton in Singapore

(i have a feeling i'm now gonna belted up at the Hen's night )

No it's not and yeah you might

[MistyFying]

I haven't lived there, but I have visited and *loved* it

[Sopdet]

Oi Missy you are NOT allowed to go!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my friends is from Singapore if you want to ask me questions from a local's perspective.

[YoYo]

I'll give you one word to start with, and we can work from there.....EXPENSIVE!

We live in a 3 bedroom condo in the central area (so very close to Orchard Road - think ridiculous amount of shopping) and pay about $6k a month in rent (singapore dollars) BUT that is included in DH work package. You'd definitely want that to be covered.

Things to do for kids.....Did I hear Play centre!! Swimming..... Play centre.....Swimming.....and ridiculously expensive extra curricular activities. Their parks don't even have swings

Getting around in Taxis and buses if you don't have a car can be a bit awful in the long term (well for me now we have DD) but buying a car is also totally ridiculously expensive (we just paid $61k for a car.....on finance!)

On the upside....you can get a 'helper' for about $400 a month...it helps them out greatly. BUT there is a hidden Maid's levy paid to the government at about 270 per month PLUS you have to feed, house, and insure them too.....not such a cheap exercise....but is the 'done' thing. I never wanted a maid....still don't really....

It is not a bad place to live though. Of all the asian countries you could be an expat in, this would be the one to do it. You'd definitely want it to be worth you while though. Because living here costs a bomb. I seriously paid $4.25 for 30g of Rosemary the other day!

There is much more to it though so shoot through your questions

[smiles4u]

Thanks heaps Julia for that and for being so honest (what i mean is for example when i was looking at starting a family it was amazing how all my friends with kids were like " Yeh is wonderful " needless to say they didn't tell me the crappy times that come with it), ... i hear ya Julia as i do have huge concerns of a few things that are so incredible expensive there is Singapore such as the rent, etc .... i stumbled across the Australian International School of Singapore and almost had a heart attack at the fees, just insane eg, Kinder like $4grand a yr, then primary $6grand+

DP and i chatted some more about it last night and he seems more keen about it and to be honest so am i, just gotta decide on where (what country) and then the when will come later on if it ends up being what we want to do after looking intensively into it. He also said for him it's doing it more for the life experience and best to do it while DD is so young rather then later when it could affect her schooling or social side of things (meaning pulling her in and out of schools at an older age, ... DP had this happen when he was 13 and he found it traumatic but then he was painfully shy whereas our DD isn't, but who's to know if her character could change).

As for the maid yeh DP mentioned about it how his Singapore co-worker's parents have one and like you Julia he and i aint keen on the idea, we wouldn't want to have someone living with us or in our residence, for me i wouldn't feel comfortable with it IYKWIM

Julia i will most likely get back to you at some point armed with some questions

(P.S - hope you don't mind i read your blog and didn't know whether to laugh or cry when you mentioned about the cost of your herbs when you had a herb garden back at home cause i use to have one until DD was born now it looks like some unidentified shrub, lol)

[YoYo]

I said to DH we could start trafficing Rosemary....the size of my hedge at home...I'd be totally loaded!

You'll get nothing but honesty from me on this subject. We are doing this for DH's work experience, it's an opportunity to get ahead, pay off the house and all that, and that (like you) is best done while the kiddies are young...but I'll tell ya from my heart, it's hard feeling so dependent here, because there isn't much to do.....hence blogging

I am not unhappy, some days are just worse than others. You have to get out and meet people (especially with kids the same age as yours) which is easy to do....but sometimes it's hard to be bothered!!!

Oh and the maid 'live in' thing....they are pretty good at making themselves invisible AND you can also get live out maids....but it costs you more Of course!

[smiles4u]

I think one of the reasons for my not feeling so concerned about being on our own there is cause living here in Ballarat after 5years i still feel lonely even though i have a few people i can go visit or ring i don't particularly feel close to them ... not like we go out socialising together without kids, and to be honest they are not my cup of tea to do that with anyway as we have different tastes and interest.

As for family none bother to come visit us, it's all about us visiting them which we are truly sick of doing ... might open their eyes up and teach them a lesson if we did move overseas (but clearly not the reason we would go) and as for my close friends in Melb (and interstate) i have only one friend that bothers to visit me every 2 or so months in Ballarat whereas the rest use the excuse i live too far to travel to (which ticks me off cause it's not like i live in another state). So i guess in explaining all that DP and i don't feel we are at any lose in connections when it comes to our family and friends.

I would imagine i would feel lonelier abroad in just knowing i'm further away from Australia but i'm an adaptable person and would feel comfort in knowing it's not long term but to just be there and try enjoy what i can out of the experience. Who knows i and/or DP could end up miserable and just wanna come back home and think as long as we have that security in knowing we can come home we could deal with it, still wouldn't be easy emotionally and financially but it's there meaning home back to Australia.

Julia how long are you there for do you know ? (just curious)

[smiles4u]

DP just had a read of all your posts Julia (easier than me re-reading what i've already read ) ... Thanks heaps Julia

[YoYo]

Hey my pleasure, if there is anything else you want to know, just ask

[smiles4u]

... thought i'd give a bumpity bump to see if there is anyone else with comments

[smiles4u]

spoke with DP last night he is actually feeling more stronger about the idea of moving to Singapore i think also cause his Singaporean co-worker he works with in Melb put in his resignation yesterday as he decided to go back to Singapore (with his Singaporean wife) and he suggested to my DP again about working there in Singapore. He doesn't leave his job in Melb until i think the end of October so i told DP to get some more info from him

Yules his co-worker said the same thing as you that there isn't much to do there other than going out to eat and shop, and that it's incredibily humid (us coming from icy freezing weather i don't think we care about that much, lol) but we both feel we could take that chance for the experience of living there providing it doesn't set us back financially and would look at being there for only 2years which we know 2years goes fast ... Will keep you posted Yule)