Singapore

[HannibalX]

Singapore.

I am curious to hear about people's experiences in Singapore. My wife and I are currently living in Eastern Tennessee, we just moved here from Orlando, FL. Right now I am "stuck" here so to speak because this is where my employer needs me. In approximately five years though we will be moving to Chicago which is where I was born and raised. The idea of living in another country for a period of time has always appealed to me. We have been thinking moving somewhere for a year or two before moving back to Chicago "for good" so to speak.

We have a few requirements though on places, they are: The country must have a stable, democratic government, English must be spoken enough so that we don't have to learn a new language and there must be a technology industry so that I can find a job. After doing a lot of reading on CIA World Fact book we have decided on Singapore.

Basically what I am looking for is any experiences you have with the country. If you live there even better. We are looking to rent a condo in a fairly sizable city. If we can get around without a car great, but we are willing to purchase a car if we need too.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LS20]

dont spit gum on the sidewalk

 

[ElFenix]

singapore != democratic government


edit: cars are not needed and are actually quite expensive. the climate gets warm and muggy in the afternoons but the mornings are quite nice. i'd rent a house on the west side of the island rather than a condo, though.

 

[coldmeat]

How about Canada?

 

[kalster]

singapore is ok, i found it to be a bit too perfect, nice for a visit, wouldn't want to live there though, i liked hong kong way better, much more lively

 

[jamesave]

singapore is not only a country, but also an island and a city.

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
singapore != democratic government

This is true.

 

[SSSnail]

Bring LOTS of money. It is the highest concentration of millionaires on earth, or so I heard...

I'm actually heading there to live (been there quite a bit as well), 95% sure, my company is sending me and I may be situated there in February of next year. Welcome to the Expats living huh? Anyways, it is clean for the most part and the people are very nice (if you're a foreigner ). Real estates are quite expensive there, so needless to say rent is off the chart.

Things you'll love - not in any particular orders - women, variety of food, shoppings, safety, a modern and polite society in general, convenience of traveling to other ASEAN nations (heck, to Beijing is 7 hours). You can actually go to a public food court, place a package of napkins down as a place holder, come back with your food and your napkins and seat WILL BE THERE! Short of amazing.

If you're into drinking and clubbing, there are those, but the scene gets old after a while. But frets not, Thailand, Vietnam, etc... are just a few hundred Sings and less than 2 hours away. Malaysia is right across the bridge, and Indonesia is not too far (though you may not want to visit Indonesia right now).

It's not democratic, but they are not anything I've experienced before; you're free to do whatever you want, just don't break their laws. It's a sort of hybrid democratic totalitarian system, but it works well and very stable hence all the development from Western companies. Getting around in the country is very easy and cheap, you'll love their subway system. The primary language spoken is English, so much that the government is trying to get the youth to speak more Mandarin so they don't forget it.

One thing you may have to think about is a job before you move there. They won't just let anybody in, pretty high requirements for residents application. Tech jobs are aplenty as it is a technological first nation, but you'll have to compete VERY HARD with talents, cheaper talents from neighboring countries (India...)

Things you will not have to deal with: homelessness, crimes, fanatics, whales in spandex...
Things you will deal with: year round hot and humid weather (almost right on the equator), smoke blanket that comes once a year from neighboring Malaysia, traffics, taxes (they tax you, but at a minimum I think 8%, I'll show you how to get around that; the good thing about this is that US only tax you after the first 80K).

I'm looking for more people to join my Fantasy Football league when I get there

p.s: I must warn you, a lot of people that I know moved there for "one or two years" haven't been back.

 

[xanis]

What about a European country like Germany? Pretty much any country in the EU will speak English and will most definitely have a stable government.

 

[Vonkhan]

S'pore isn't democratic ...

 

[Atheus]

I've been there. Nice to visit but it's not somewhere I'd like to live. Firtsly it's almost unbearably hot and humid - ok at the beach but not so nice in a crowded city. Also the law is extremely strict, you can get large fines for things such as chewing gum or littering, and don't even think about so much as talking to someone who smokes weed. The death penalty is given to most people involved in such things.

On the plus side the taxis are cheap...

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Atheus


On the plus side the taxis are cheap...

and honest. unlike malaysia, where the taxis are even cheaper (actually so cheap that the drivers can hardly make a living without being dishonest to white people)

 

[AkumaX]

i'll be there in a few hours. will let you know if you should go or not

 

[SSSnail]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Atheus


On the plus side the taxis are cheap...

and honest. unlike malaysia, where the taxis are even cheaper (actually so cheap that the drivers can hardly make a living without being dishonest to white people)

Mostly honest. I've had a guy that drove me around the blocks the opposite directions before, his excuse was he just started driving. I then told him that I'm not even a resident and I know where everything is, I had to tell him where to turn.

But yeah, most of the times, I'd say 99% of the time you won't have to deal with dishonesty. Just be careful if you venture to Tanjong Pagar.