experiences of living in Singapore with 3yr and 1yr old boys please - good and bad welcome!

[2quokkasandapeartree]

Ok dh may have a good job offer in Singapore and just want some feedback, on what it's like. Everything from weather, schools, living arrangements, food, expat life etc.

Also ds1 has ginger hair, and when we stopped over in KL everyone was touching his hair and pointing and looking at him. Will this be an issue? Ds2 has blonde hair, so he will stick out alot as well (but not as much as the gingernut)!

hi! we are relocating to singapore in january. had a visit to find schools, house, etc back in october/nov. it is FABULOUS. you have no worries and i mean NONE. the lifestyle out there far exceeds the quality here tbh. healthcare is second to none, schooling is great - lots of international schools, and a great british school, where we have dd's name down when she is 3. she is going to a preschool beforehand, of which there is an abundance. seriously dont worry. my dd has strawberry blonde hair. your ds might stand out a little, as being unique, but there are so many expats of every nationality that he wont be regarded as spiritually unique or anything like the middle east regard him. only concern might be safety in the sun really! you'll love it. feel free to email me anytime and i can give you whatever info you might require as best as i can, regarding lifestyle, etc. i'm q excited. when we found we were going i cried for days. now i can't wait. its so CLEAN!

OOh that sounds fab. I'm australian so used to the heat and sun! I really want to move as it will be closer to my family - 5hrs to Perth . Think it will be a good time for the kids as they are young. Will you be living in an apartment?

Hi

We moved to Singapore from Belfast in October. DH is Irish and I am Malaysian.

We have settled in really quickly and very well, despite my initial reservations.

Weather is similar to KL but this time of the year is the rainy season so a bit cooler and less humid.

Food - choice is great and eating out is affordable. Grocery shopping, we can get most of what we would use in the UK at the supermarkets - some very well-stocked expat supermarkets although you will pay for the privilege. M&S is here and stocks soups (tinned), sweets, crisps, chocolates and wine! Meat eg. lamb chops, roasts etc is expensive.

How old are your kids? Lots of expats in Singapore so blonde / ginger kids don't stand out as much as they would in other Asian countries, but have found that people like coming up and touching the younger kids (on head, on face etc)

We live in a condo with facilities (pool, gym, playground), we did consider a house but because DH is traveling a fair bit and we don't have a social circle yet, felt it would be easier for the kids to make friends within condo-setting. I've also met other mums by the pool and at the school my DS goes to.

Schools - International ones - there're quite a few to choose from, Tanglin Trust follows a British curriculum.

Also do a google for Singapore expats and you will find a number of fairly useful sites.

Tax rates are very low and I think we have a pretty good quality of life here atm.

There's also the Australian School if you wanted your kids to have an Australian education.

Have just re-read the thread title and see your kids are 1 and 3 - expect them to patted on the head and coo-ed at a fair bit (esp the younger one). Not sure if this is just an Asian reaction to kids in general.

Rojak, like the sound of the aussie school!

Rojak, growing up in Perth (WA) where there are lots of asians, and they all used to touch my hair (blonde). I didn't mind the attention, but not sure about the boys!

DD can be a bit funny about being touched, sometimes she squirms away into her buggy and turns her head away, other times she happily waves.

Friend's DS (2) just growls!

There are LOADS of Australian expats in Singapore.

Oh NO NO NO NO and NO.

You are not moving. And that's that.

(but if you do, I am coming to visit)

For lots of info find the Singapore expat chat site (don't know the name - something like "expat singapore") my dsis swears by it

kept this under your hat Qokka! poor level of comittment to allotment is all i am saying!

a) you aren't allowed to go, Uwila and I will tell customs NASTY thinks about you!

b) if you do go we are DEFINATELY visiting.

the "relocate to NZ" conversation started again in our house this w/end too.........

expatsingapore.com

we're living in townhouse style homes in a small complex. here

but are loads of superb apartments available. we just didnt like the highrise type so went for here. great facilities on most.

Message withdrawn

PC and Uwila, I'll let you know how much the spare room will cost! God you can't keep anything quiet can you.

Not sure I could live in a high rise and dh would be the same so need to see what townhouses are like and how expensive the houses are.

Thanks for all the info guys

"God you can't keep anything quiet can you."

Not when you post it on the internet. Duh!

you know what I mean!

Talk to the hand.

stop fighting!

spare room rates will, i hope, be negotiable in exchange for gifts from teh UK of things like Branston Pickle etc?

mind you, if there's an M&S you'll be right for most things!

I WANT TO MOVE OVERSEAS!!!!

yes well, I have to convince dh that its the right thing to do. His parents are not in the best shape mentally, but this might help them wake up.

It can seem like an ideal place to live with to start with, but once the novelty of living "on holiday" wears off, it's a small, fetid, dull island.
Rents are very high atm, especially if you don't want to live in a big condo on the 10th floor. Which personally, having done two boys aged 3 and 1, I would AVOID. Yes, you can take them down to the pool, but after a while, it's pretty dull. Especially during the rainy season when the risk of lightning and constant rain makes the pool rather uninviting (and it has been raining solidly for the last 4 days).
Alcohol and cars: incredibly expensive.
Taxis: cheap but 90% are driven by men who have NO IDEA where they are going.
Eating out: food courts are very cheap, but the food is loaded with palm oil aka cholesterol. Also, you have to ask yourself, if a meal only costs $3, what the hell is in it?
Schools: not cheap unless your firm is picking up the entire bill. Start at 8am! So you get up in the dark every day. Local schools are not an option.
Weather: drives me nuts. Fine for sitting by the pool, but a bit grim for everyday. Not actually that much sun. Expect to sweat copiously and replace clothes regularly. And get very bored with your summer clothes and long for jeans and boots.
Local Culture: I hope you like SHOPPING and the cinema because there's not much else. Recent opening of new shopping centre Vivocity inspires mass exodus to Marina Bay.
World records held by Singaporeans: speed texting on handphones. Says it all.
However, good holidays in NZ and Australia are not far away. Healthcare is pretty good (well it's clean anyway). It's very safe and clean in the ex-pat areas. Singaporeans are litter louts just like everyone else. They just don't have any social security, so they pay lots of people peanuts to pick it all up.
Um..........probably been here too long!

There're some nice low-rise apartments here too or regular houses (no facilities). There is a good choice of accommodation. We picked a low rise as we weren't keen on high rises either.

Your best bet is to come over and stay in a serviced apartment for a month or 2 while you decide which area you want to live in and this will help narrow your search.

Yes, second that "taxi drivers don't seem to know where you are going" comment. Either that or they just wind you up by asking you how you'd like to get to your destination.

Yes Singapore is very small and cabin fever can set in - I'm not at that stage yet so I'm treading warily.

However Quokka, I can see why this move would make sense for you (closer to home) as we moved for this reason too (but major reason was that it's a good career move for DH)