Anyone from Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia or married to anyone from the region?

[SweetFudge]

Hi,

I'm Bruneian Chinese and have been living in the U.K. for over a decade bar annual and long visits home. Married here and am expecting first baby end of August. I've posted on and off on MN and I'm curious to see how many of us are from the region or married to/have partners from those countries. Of course, getting to know you all will be the bonus.

Hi Rojak,
Sounds like you're really settling well. Which school did you decide to put DS in? Glad you've found and apartment - so many things to do when going to a new place eh?

I'm landing on 17 November, and return to UK on 15 December. Would love to meet up with you and/or OldNewMum ~(or whoever else is in Sg at that time!)

Grrr, this stroller thing is bugging me, it's now between the Maclaren Triumph, Chicco CT0.6, and maybe even the Combi Dash. Typical Singaporean I am, so kiasu, gotta make sure I'm getting the best stroller possible (and to the detriment of my sanity!)

Btw, if any of you want me to you stuff from over here, let me know.

Hello! I'm orginally from Malaysia and my husband from France - I've just discovred this website whilst deciding which double pushchair to buy!

I'm expecting baby #2 and cannot afford the cost of a nanny or pay the childminder to look after 2 kids... we're considering hiring a domestic help from Malaysia (soooo cheap!!) who could look after the 2 little ones and do all the cooking/cleaning/ironing... but not sure how to go about it. Is it difficult to get a work permit and is it expensive? Has anyone tried it?
Thank you so much!!
jessie

You guys!

It's 6.30am and you are all making me drool thinking of laksa and chicken rice. Evil! I'm Chinese Malaysian (from Labuan), married to a brit and expecting our first child in April.

Am very excited to find this thread. And hungry!

hi Rojak,
Was just scrolling back on some of the messages - where did you get the Stop Pic mosquito repellant from?

Oh, welcome wheeldog....I'm dreaming about laksa too

Hello everyone

I hve now got my own broadband access

No more having to go down to the pool to surf the net while trying to keep an eye on 2 kids!

We have moved into our new place, and all our worldly goods have come off the boat and it's beginning to feel like home (well like home with a lot of half unpacked boxes strewn all over)

hello Jessie and wheeldog

I see you (Jessie) caused a bit of furore on another thread asking about foreign domestic help. I don't know what the regulations in the UK are about this, however we are choosing not to go down this route in Singapore (yet).

I see an awful lot of maids / helpers out with their charges in the evening (down at the play ground) in the complex that we live in though.

oh someone asked about Stop Pic (I got it in a local health food store), I'd try one of those first or there may be online stockists too. I've also found some other roll on mosquito repellant here in Singapore at a pharmacy. It has worked fine - I just asked the pharmacist for something which contained no deet an she pointed out a selection for me. Have not found mosquitoes to be as much of a problem in Spore as in Malaysia but think this may have something to do with apartment living (perhaps mozzies cant get up high??)

I'm going to S'pore for a couple of weeks, visiting my sister who has just had her first baby. Apart from stuffing my face and seeing family, I thought i'd do some shopping (hard to resist in Singapore).

Does anyone have any suggestions of useful baby things that you can get there easily which are not available in the UK (Ah Beng vests, traditional slings, etc?). I'm looking forward to getting some maternity clothes that will fit me, though they are not likely to be suitable for the coming winter.

Ta!

Wheeldog

I haven't looked in the maternity shops here but most of the other regular shops sem to be stocking winter stuff at the moment so you may be lucky and find maternity wear suitable for the winter. I bought some stuff from a shop called Thyme in Malaysia several years back - not sure if it's available in Singapore, it was a Canadian label but it fitted really well.

I bought breastfeeding t-shirts here a few years back which I found useful for discreet public feeding - they're too warm for the tropics but would be fine in the UK, under a cardigan or something. Got the tshirts from an online shop called Moms in Mind, google them.

Hope this helps.

Rojak,
Thanks for that info on the repellant Guess I'll just go to the Guardian pharmacy or something and buy it there, if DS shows any signs of being a feast for the mozzies I come to Singapore next week, so will contact you and OldNewmummy for meet up if you guys are free?

Wheeldog,
Moms in Mind do the sarong slings, which are popular in Singapore. I bought one myself, but then couldn't figure out how to use it (yes, I'm quite thick!), and the instructional VCD they provide is very 'home made' to say the least I do have a couple of friends who say it's good though, retails for about SGD$45, can get it in the department stores or baby shops. I'll probably be a bit kiasu and get some Ah Beng vests for use next summer

Tootsieroll and Rojak

Thanks for the suggestions - my sister is getting a Moms in Mind sling, and I'll have a look at hers.

wheeldog

Tootsieroll and Rojak

Thanks for the suggestions - my sister is getting a Moms in Mind sling, and I'll have a look at hers.

wheeldog

Hi Tootsieroll

Yes let me know when you get here and we can meet up.

cheers

Hello all,

I'm fairly new to MN and have just found this thread. I'm Malaysian Chinese, 36 next month, and have a 6 month old dd with an English dh. I've lived in the UK for 7 years and I'm based in London.

Whereabouts is everyone based?

QueenBling, I took dd back to KL when she was 5 weeks old and back to London again when she was 10 weeks old. She was good as gold. If your lo is young enough to use the sky cot, I would definitely try and get that as the flight attendants were very helpful with keeping meal hot for me while dh ate. I flew Msian Airline. I normally don't rate them very highly but they were pretty good when I had dd with me.

Hi Rojak,
Am in singapore now the past 3 days. Not sure when oldnewmummy was going back to UK - will give her a buzz on the email - what's yours?

Saw your post on another thread - we were at Changi beach just yesterday - DS thoroughly enjoyed himself squealing at everything, and his mother thoroughly enjoyed herself stuffing her face with sweetcorn icecream and bread hehehe

Morning all,

I'm trying to encourage people to be greener so I've started a green living blog. I've just posted some energy saving ideas for cooking on my blog. Do you have any to share? My blog's here.

I've also started a thread to collect eco-tips from MNetters for my blog. Please post any other tips you might have here.

Hi all,

Finally plucked up the courange and booked the flight back to Malaysia. We'll be going end of May, but already stressing about the car seat issue.

DH is adamant that they must have proper car seat(ie certified and safety tested). We will have a car there, so just need to either buy or rent the car seats. I rang rang Hertz in KL, but they only provide car seat with car rental.

So the question is: Does anyone know where in Malaysia we can just rent and buy good child car seat?

Another option we are thinking of is to buy from here, but obviously need to get a light one. Any recommendation from anyone?

My kids will be 4 and 2 by May.

Also on a separate issue, where would you take the kids for a fun day out in KL? I know of Sunway Lagoon, but anywhere else?

Cheers everyone!

rojak, how are you settling in singapore? haven't had a chance to read through this post since i last left it!

Hi Fez

We have settled in really well and far quicker than I expected. DS is in school and loves it (on hols at the moment but back on Monday hurray).

DD stays home with me and we meet up with some other mums and babies on a weekly basis.

I met Tootsieroll and her DS when she was in Singapore. Have also met Oldnewmummy.
If you're coming back for a holiday, let me know so we can meet up.

We are living in Siglap, not far from your old stomping ground (was it Katong Convent?)

QueenBling, are you intending to use the car seats on the flight and also in the car? or just in car?

I have found that recognisable brands of car seats in Malaysia are very expensive and you'd be better off bringing your own (airlines don't charge for this)

If you're planning on using the seats onboard the aircraft, I'd check with the airline to see your brand fits. Some airline seats are narrower than others.

You could probably just buy a cheap booster for the 4 year old and leave it behind.

I'm not too sure about kids activities in KL as we've never spent much time there with the kids. But we try to take a trip away on our own (dh, I and the kids) when we are in Malaysia (usually to one of the beach resorts) so that it feels a bit more like a holiday for DH as well and not just an "extended" visit to the inlaws .

hi rojak, glad to hear you are settling in well. so what do you get up to in singapore then? have you sorted out childcare?

nope, wasn't a KC girl. did go to a convent school but that was in malaysia. somehow, not the same kind of rep

Fez, my days are fairly mundane, school runs, making breakfasts, skivvying round the house, grocery shopping (haven't had ANY time to do any other sort of shopping!!), making dinner (or buying dinner quite often), resident entertainer to the 2 year old DD.

No have not sorted out childcare. Looked at one today for DD but not suitable and am going to look at another tomorrow which won't take her till she turns 2.5 years (in April).

oh yes, I meet some other mums for coffee once or twice during the week (mums with other 2 year old appendages).

I'm not complaining though I'm knackered by the time the kids go to bed, I really don't miss feeling torn between trying to get to work on time and getting the kids organised etc

What sort of rep have Katong Convent girls got then? I drive past the school at least twice a day!

oh I forgot to mention that occasionally in the evenings, I do some writing (freelance) as I'm meant to be doing tonight as have a deadline for tomorrow morning (but it's hard to get motivated!)

How're things with you Fez? Do you need a food parcel yet? I have found some Walkers but also discovered Waitrose multipacks - they're not bad - fairly close in texture to Walkers and M&S has been good for sweets (percy pigs for me and the kids, wine gums for DH)