Anyone lived in Singapore?

Parker

Hi all. So looking likely I may be offered a consultancy role in Singapore. I have two young kids (and associated wife too!) and it’s an initial two year contract. We want to live somewhere different to Blighty for a couple of years while the kids are young enough and this does seem a great option. Any advice would be appreciated!

Sporky

My brother's there, has been for a couple of years. Anything specific you'd like me to ask?

He seems to like it but school fees are somewhat beyond brutal.

Parker

Sporky said:

My brother's there, has been for a couple of years. Anything specific you'd like me to ask?

He seems to like it but school fees are somewhat beyond brutal.

Thanks Sporky - that’s a main question I guess....including school fees, what sort of package should I be pushing for to live comfortably.

Sporky

I will ask. How much space do you need? 

Strat_a_tat_tat

Great place. Haven't lived there... but have visited on business and on holiday.

My info is many years old.. so things could have changed. When I first visited on business... my contact had exactly the same car (same spec. same colour... everything identical) that I had in the UK... but here it cost £25k new and there £100k - because of the tax. If he kept his car until it was 10 years old, he'd have to pay the exact same tax again (as paid on the new car) just to keep it on the road for another period (I guess another 10 years).  So two things there... some taxes are very high... and the govt. was actively trying to reduce the number of old vehicles on the road... as, come the 10 year anniversary, you may as well buy a new car - as the tax was the same. Families tended to have just one car! Taxis were cheap though.

I think flats/apartments tend to be expensive... and space is at a premium. It's a lovely - but crowded - city.

Locals used to joke.... 'Singapore is a fine city... there are fines for everything'.

I liked their zero tolerance attitude to crime. Felt safe walking around the city at 2am. Couldn't do that in many parts of Britain.

Teetonetal

I work there a few times a year as most of my team is based there. Not my cup of tea at all. Far too warm and muggy for my taste. Pollution is horrific in october. Off there in a couple of weeks. Bit of a cultural hitch potch of East meets west. No real style of its own.

2 speed society. With Indonesians inparticularge  treated like shit. Government heavy.

On the other hand:

Good food, good location for visiting Asia. Pretty safe. Pretty clean. Schools are good.

I know a lot of people who have lived there over the years. Seems to be a bit love/hate. 

Do not move without at least one visit.

Ravenous

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

Locals used to joke.... 'Singapore is a fine city... there are fines for everything'.

Heh I even saw this on their t-shirts. Even chewing gum on the street could get you a fine (a measure to keep gum off the pavement.)

Only visited as a tourist many years ago, but the impression I got was:

Food/eating out - incredibly cheap

Cars, Accommodation, any sort of booze - incredibly expensive. High taxes on the cars & booze for example. Strange political system - it's a democracy but the people actually seem to vote for these taxes...

It really would be an expensive place to live (but nice, for a few years anyway.)

Parker

Sporky said:

I will ask. How much space do you need? 

Thanks. Being realistic, a Two bedroom apartment with the boys sharing. 

Parker

Thanks everyone else this far too. Great to hear contrasts!

TimmyO

Company I worked for has its 2nd biggest operation there - I used to go out for a month or 2 at a time and I have friends who live there.

one guy who took his family out there and put his daughters in school (££££££) ended up moving schools as they didn’t like that one - so he now has to schlep from one side of the city to another before work - do your homework

 For me, Singapore is half a step away from fitting the dystopian nightmare state of a good sci fi novel. The veneer of feiendly government barely hides one of the most racist, sexist homoPhobic societies you will see.

But somehow I can’t bring myself to hate on it. 

DEFINITELY spend some time (weeks) there before committing 

There’s an active Blues club, and the Crazy Elephant Bar has regular jams

Sporky

I've only been for a week for work. On the one hand the food is great, but I found it a very creepy place. The government has an absolute death-grip on the population, censorship is extreme.

57Deluxe

no, but I love their Hot Noodles...

shrinkwrap

Worked there for several years, a long time ago, but I go back every few years.
I was not a banking salary expat so never crossed paths with that lot.
It can be cheap to live, food is cheap and a there's a great variety of it providing you eat local, income tax is low, but yep expat apartments are expensive.

All in all I had a good time but it can drive you a bit mad after a few months. You need to get out of the place regularly, but then Malaysia and Indonesia are on the doorstep if you want some dirt and landscape.

RE Timmo saying it's homophobic - I disagree - there are many openly gay guys there. I don't think they get beaten up like in the UK.
It's absolutely NOT a democracy - benevolent one party rule .. and no dirt ever surfaces.

chillidoggy

Just be sure to check under the skirt before you get too far, eh?

TimmyO

Sporky said:

I've only been for a week for work. On the one hand the food is great, but I found it a very creepy place. The government has an absolute death-grip on the population, censorship is extreme.

This.

I'd be fine being there for an extended period with younger children, but not once they were 7+ ish - far too odd a society for that sort of shit to be in a kids head (imho) 

TimmyO

shrinkwrap said:

RE Timmo saying it's homophobic - I disagree - there are many openly gay guys there. I don't think they get beaten up like in the UK.
It's absolutely NOT a democracy - benevolent one party rule .. and no dirt ever surfaces.

There are - you're right. There are also 2 gay bars that get a blind eye turned to them.

But:
being (or being suspected of being) gay is grounds for arrest (and deportation if you are not a local)
The average local is way more open about their own homophobia than the average 70s european

A friend of mine and her (gay) local partner recently left Singapore to live in LA to get married and start new lives. I've been out with them to the gay club in Singa and seen how they lived there. Nobody there is confident that one day it might all change and someone say "fuck it, we're enforcing this now, you gays are all going to jail" - the only reason they don't is because of the ex-pats they rely on. 

Zoolooter

I lived and worked there for 6 years. Great place and a great place to bring kids up. Pm me if you want specifics.

hassleham

Where did you find a wife and two kids on a two year contract?! Sounds good to me..

shrinkwrap

TimmyO said:

But: being (or being suspected of being) gay is grounds for arrest (and deportation if you are not a local)
The average local is way more open about their own homophobia than the average 70s european

I guess it comes down to who you meet - where I worked there were 4, maybe 5, gay guys , but that was in the creative arts. They weren't too shy about it. My Singaporean wife worked for a local company run by two gay guys - many years later their business is thriving.
I just don't see it as being any worse than England in that respect. I tihnk the police gave up entrapment a long time ago.

Any experience working abroad is great for both adults and kids!
EDIT - yes you need to get out of the condos to learn about other cultures

Teetonetal

shrinkwrap said:

TimmyO said:

But: being (or being suspected of being) gay is grounds for arrest (and deportation if you are not a local)
The average local is way more open about their own homophobia than the average 70s european

I guess it comes down to who you meet - where I worked there were 4, maybe 5, gay guys , but that was in the creative arts. They weren't too shy about it. My Singaporean wife worked for a local company run by two gay guys - many years later their business is thriving.
I just don't see it as being any worse than England in that respect. I tihnk the police gave up entrapment a long time ago.

Any experience working abroad is great for both adults and kids!

---

No. I cannot agree with that. Sadly some kids get bullied or left out at school. Some parents are lonely and miserable (trailing spouse syndrome can be awful) 

I've loved moving abroad but it really is not for everyone. Learning the language, embracing change and trying to integrate are key vs trying to recreate home from home. I know people who have been here 5 years or more and hate it, staying just for the money.

Some people do not adapt well to new culture, new rules etc... kids might need a lot of support (at least sg is English speaking and Britain still has a cool factor)

Thst said, those who embrace it, put effort in etc often have an amazing time and a life changing experience.

Parker

So this is happening! Uprooting and flying my family 7000 miles for an adventure! Means I have lots of bits to sell on the classifieds.....