Singaporeans Living Overseas...
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Perth......Studied there but life is wayyy to slow.Originally posted by Lingos:No Melb isn't cheaper than Sydney.
WHy don't u look to Perth instead.
I can't adapt!
Maybe when I'm old and toothless I'll consider Perth
Btw, don't even think about shopping in Perth. It's really really really limited -
I have been in the UK for 10 years since 1995. I was also in the UK for my studies in the mid to late 80s. I have been away for a total of 13 years...Originally posted by jOhO:try spending 10 years in UK, and see if u miss anything in Singapore.
Frankly, I don't miss Singapore. Perhaps my parents ,a few friends and some memories of good times (which stays in my head anyway).
Singapore food is available in the UK. May not be so nice but the authenticity has improved since I was a student here. -
Miss cheap local food. Yes, you can find Singapore food here in UK but the taste is different and so expensive. Imagine spending S$15 for a plate of char kway teow...and I can do better at that...Apart from that, don't miss anything else...
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But more importantly, I miss the medical system back home. Over in the US, it is so bloody inconvenient to just go see a doctor. First, you need to get the right doctor for the right age. My kids can't go see the same doctor as us cos they need to have peds. The medicine is only available in pharmacies and not from the doctors. Then there is the stupid insurance companies. What the heck, in Singapore, just go to any doctor and voila...solved. Man, it is such a hassle. It is no wonder the people here are so into self medication.
Afraid that is due in part to the high litigation rate in US and everyone is practising defensive medicine. It's also coming to Singapore now, including the need to get medication from pharmacies. The pharmacists are saying that doctors are earning money from the medicine and now the Ministry is planning to ban doctors from selling the medicine. Hope we don't learn the worst from the US.. -
I heard that life's picking up alot in Perth these days!Originally posted by elindra:Perth......Studied there but life is wayyy to slow.
I can't adapt!
Maybe when I'm old and toothless I'll consider Perth
Btw, don't even think about shopping in Perth. It's really really really limited We'd love to live there.... if not for the fact that jobs are harder to come by than in Sydney!
Shopping... depends where you go and which times of the year I got some really good buys in Perth (suburban areas) that I can never get in Sydney for the same price. That was about 2-3 yrs ago though, perhaps things have changed. -
Well, I love accessories like hair accessories, necklaces, rings, toe rings, anklets, etc. I guess if you're talking about countries in Asia like Thailand, China or Korea, yeah, you could probably get a wide selection of accessories there and it would most likely be cheaper.Originally posted by elindra:Rhonda there are better countries to shop in. Singapore is not the best place to shop
However, if you venture to countries like the US, UK or Europe, the same baubel would cost much much more.
I realised this when I went to the US - a silly hair clip that'll sell here for $3.90 was being sold there for US$12.90!! I was 
There's a wide variety available here too as we get imports from a lot of different countries. -
Hmm... , one more thing. Quite a number of you mentioned that Singapore has a good public transport network and the taxis here don't charge you an arm and a leg.
I agree! I was stunned when I walked to a bus stop in Charles Village in Baltimore, Maryland, and sat there and waited... and waited... and waited... and I was the only one there for almost twenty mins then when someone else finally walked by, I asked and realised that their buses have schedules one and the next one won't arrive till about 45 mins later! Wah! Like that means that an arthritic ol' lady would have to plan her trip out of the house to the bus stop way in advance because if she misses her bus, she might have to wait more than an hour for the next!! 
Also, the public transport there doesn't cover a lot of places. You really cannot survive in the States without a car!
I love being driven around but I guess when I migrate, I'll have to learn how to drive quickly, and get myself a car not too long after too. Otherwise, it'll be work-home-work-home.
Too bad the public transport network isn't as great... it's quite fun being able to read or do whatever else you wanna when you're on the bus / train. -
Obviously, you've never been to Wal-Mart or Target.Originally posted by Rhonda:However, if you venture to countries like the US, UK or Europe, the same baubel would cost much much more. I realised this when I went to the US - a silly hair clip that'll sell here for $3.90 was being sold there for US$12.90!! I was 
Prices on general merchandise can vary widely at the retail level in the US. If you are willing to sacrifice convenience and shop around a bit, you can usually find good deals on consumables. Substituting generics for "name-brand" items at the supermarket can save you a bit on your grocery bill as well.
But if you really want to save money, especially on "big-ticket" items like home electronics, your best bet is to shop on-line. Prices are usually significantly less than buying the item at a retail store, and in most instances you do not pay sales tax. And it's getting to the point where almost anything can be purchased via the Internet. My most recent car and most of the firearms in my collection, for example, were acquired that way.I agree! I was stunned when I walked to a bus stop in Charles Village in Baltimore, Maryland, and sat there and waited... and waited... and waited... and I was the only one there for almost twenty mins then when someone else finally walked by, I asked and realised that their buses have schedules one and the next one won't arrive till about 45 mins later! Wah! Like that means that an arthritic ol' lady would have to plan her trip out of the house to the bus stop way in advance because if she misses her bus, she might have to wait more than an hour for the next!!
Singapore is small and hence easy to cover with a comprehensive public transport network. Not so here. Unless you're living right downtown in a major city with semi-decent public transportation, it's almost a given that you need a car to survive in the US. The distances require that.
Also, the public transport there doesn't cover a lot of places. You really cannot survive in the States without a car!
I love being driven around but I guess when I migrate, I'll have to learn how to drive quickly, and get myself a car not too long after too. Otherwise, it'll be work-home-work-home.
Too bad the public transport network isn't as great... it's quite fun being able to read or do whatever else you wanna when you're on the bus / train.
Minneapolis/St. Paul, like many other major US cities, does have a fairly decent public transportation network which was recently augmented by the addition of a light rail system. The trains and buses don't run as often as the ones in Singapore, but what they lack in frequency, they make up in punctuality. If you need to use public transportation to move about, you'll have to schedule your activities around the bus and train timetables. As a matter of fact, my daily commute involves driving to a nearby "park and ride" lot and jumping into an express bus that takes me downtown.
MG -
Rhonda, with your versatile nursing degree and invaluable nursing work experience, most countries would welcome you with open arms, almost a open door policy. You could elect to reside in any part of the world, having that option is a luxury. What are you waiting for?
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MG, I've been to both Walmart and Target! In fact, I'd bug my friends to drive me there and I'll spend a long long time just wandering about! Those were pre-Carrefour days! hehe! In Tulsa, I also spent a lot of time just wandering aimlessly in Sam's too!
They do have stuff that's relatively 'cheaper' but still, when it comes to variety, nothing beats the shops here.
It's just something I know I'll miss. I'm afterall a trinkets mynah! (I read as a kid that mynahs love to 'steal' trinkets and incorporate them in the nests they're building! ) -
So the walls of your house are lined with stolen items???Originally posted by Rhonda:It's just something I know I'll miss. I'm afterall a trinkets mynah! (I read as a kid that mynahs love to 'steal' trinkets and incorporate them in the nests they're building! )
MG -
Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:So the walls of your house are lined with stolen items???
MG
Funneeeee!!! -
haha... MG... you must really understand a girl's mind to know that not all accessories / trinkets can be found in Walmart / Target mah! Putting myself into Rhonda's shoes, I don't think that the stuff they sell at these megastores can compare to what I can find on one of those pushcarts in, say, Bishan Junction 8. Lovely, lots of variety to choose from, and sooooo cheap, too!
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Actually, Rhonda, if you like trinkets, you might want to try the Sunday markets at places like St Kilda. You'd probably have to wake up early, though.
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Yeah! Yeah!! *bounces up and down in seat! That's precisely what I'm thinking!! Trinkets, baubels, and the like, there's nothing like those small stores here where you can dig and unearth 'treasures'!Originally posted by SydneyLibrarian:haha... MG... you must really understand a girl's mind to know that not all accessories / trinkets can be found in Walmart / Target mah! Putting myself into Rhonda's shoes, I don't think that the stuff they sell at these megastores can compare to what I can find on one of those pushcarts in, say, Bishan Junction 8. Lovely, lots of variety to choose from, and sooooo cheap, too!
You are a true shopper too, SL! -
Prima has this range of ready-to-eat instant food sold in the fridge section of 7-Eleven's that's pretty good! So far, I've tried the Mee Siam and Mee Rebus. I think the Mee Siam's really nice, for instant food! There's even a whole hard-boiled egg inside!
There's also Dodo Fishball noodles on sale at Cold Storage and 7-Eleven's. Not bad too! Just add water and pop it in the microwave oven for about 2-3 mins on High and voila! The Laksa is also pretty delicious! If you buy a handful of bean sprouts from Cold Storage and pre-cook them a little before throwing them into the Laksa, it's nicer!
Hungry! Hungry!! -
Originally posted by Rhonda:
Garage sales and flea markets?
[b]dig and unearth 'treasures'! [/b]
My colleague makes her find and put them up on ebay!!!
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The Other says she says she misses hearing tales by NSFs on how they siam duties and chao keng, not to mention their "ahem" ways of making money in camp.
She misses hearing smatterings of English and less than perfect English on Ch 8 drama serials, where actors try their darndest to sound "kentang" in their characterisation of Westernised personalities but fail sordidly only to prove that being local is still natural behavior to themselves.
She also misses the strong existence of an old-boy network which causes grown men to vehemently defend a school they were in 20 yrs ago over a small issue of name-calling. -
Which year was that?Originally posted by coolger03:was in aus for study...
think i only miss the food, my family and frens...
and having a mom at home to do all the housework... -
But of course!Originally posted by Rhonda:Yeah! Yeah!! *bounces up and down in seat! That's precisely what I'm thinking!! Trinkets, baubels, and the like, there's nothing like those small stores here where you can dig and unearth 'treasures'!
You are a true shopper too, SL! Why else would I be attempting to save up by bringing my own lunch to work everyday? So I can have more $$ to shop when I'm back! -
Ahhh... me too! Me too! I also miss hearing the DJ's voices on the radio.... good thing now can listen to Class 95 & other stations via the Internet, but still, the streaming isn't too good, sometimes play halfway, the music suddenly stopsOriginally posted by LazerLordz:The Other says she says she misses hearing tales by NSFs on how they siam duties and chao keng, not to mention their "ahem" ways of making money in camp.
She misses hearing smatterings of English and less than perfect English on Ch 8 drama serials, where actors try their darndest to sound "kentang" in their characterisation of Westernised personalities but fail sordidly only to prove that being local is still natural behavior to themselves.
She also misses the strong existence of an old-boy network which causes grown men to vehemently defend a school they were in 20 yrs ago over a small issue of name-calling. Low bandwidth, methinks! So nowadays I prefer to listen to Light & Easy's station for continuous-flowing music It's less annoying! -
Food...seriously... people from some countries are *obviously* born without tastebuds...
i *always* smirk to myself when i see food labelled as "very hot". Pussies the lot of them. -
Ya, USA - crazy litigation culture.Originally posted by oxford mushroom:Afraid that is due in part to the high litigation rate in US and everyone is practising defensive medicine. It's also coming to Singapore now, including the need to get medication from pharmacies. The pharmacists are saying that doctors are earning money from the medicine and now the Ministry is planning to ban doctors from selling the medicine. Hope we don't learn the worst from the US.. -
Yeah man, show them some sambal belachan, gags you even while you cook it.Originally posted by lwflee:i *always* smirk to myself when i see food labelled as "very hot". Pussies the lot of them. -
No kidding! Here in Minnesota, most of the "natives" are of Scandanavian and Norwegian descent, and have next to no tolerance for spicy foods. Traditionally spicy ethnic foods, like Szechuan and Indian fare, are severely toned down at restaurants around here to accommodate local tastes. Consequently, eating out can be a rather bland experience...Originally posted by lwflee:Food...seriously... people from some countries are *obviously* born without tastebuds...
i *always* smirk to myself when i see food labelled as "very hot". Pussies the lot of them.
MG