-Where were you born?

Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles

-In which country and city are you living now?

Singapore

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I'm single

-How long have you been living in Singapore?

This is my second stint in Singapore, arriving in 2004. I also lived here for four years as a teen.

-What is your age?

I'm 37

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Singapore?

Singapore is quite a buzzing little beehive of a country. I like the climate and I like living close to the sea. Also, the people are friendly and the food is great. Last but not least, it's politically stable and very safe.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

Not really. But that was then, in 2004. I hear it's getting harder now. Although, that said, expats are still pouring in. I guess that if you're skilled, they'll let you in. Singapore is a meritocracy after all.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No.

-How do you make your living in Singapore?

I started a business with the help of an agency. I found my home using an estate agent. Both were a breeze.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

I speak a bit of Malay, not Chinese, it's too hard. But English is widely spoken here, so there's no real need to learn a foreign language. Although it does open doors when you can.

Singapore is quite westernized in a lot of ways, but there are still plenty of Asian undertones. It only makes sense to try to blend in a little, not to go too much against the grain. It will ultimately work against you.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I don't miss home so much. Holland tends to be pretty cold most of the year and there aren't as many fun locations to hop to as here in South East Asia.

I like windsurfing, scuba diving and other sea and beach sports. I also go trekking quite often in Malaysia, which has a wealth of natural treasures on offer.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I'll be staying here in Singapore for as long as I can.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I'm renting. Rents have gone up since the time I arrived here, but I feel it's still doable to rent. I've got a good deal on my condo on the East Coast, because the landlord and I get on well.

-What is the cost of living in Singapore?

It's quite a bit higher than most surrounding countries. But I hope things will stabilize from here on end.

-What do you think about the locals?

Singaporeans are quite a nice bunch. Most are OK with the foreign population.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Singapore?

The outdoorsy type of life you live here is definitely a positive, as is the food and the feeling of personal safety.

On the negative side: the lack of space, the crowds, the humidity that gets a bit too much sometimes.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Singapore?

Pace yourself. Don't rush, because you'll be spent after lunch. And don't get caught up in the material rat race. Work to live, don't live to work.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Singapore?

There isn't a lot of pristine nature left in Singapore. That's why many expats and weekend warrior types make frequent trips to the East Coast of Malaysia. This site explains all the fun things that can be done there: http://www.malaysiaseasports.com. Tanjung Resang is a great place to unwind, but there's a lot of sea, beach and outdoors activities on offer too.

Our own site, about the expat/accommodation consultancy that we run, is located at http://www.rentinginsingapore.com.sg. Esther and I assist expats who have just arrived in Singapore with finding a home and generally getting their bearings during the challenging first few weeks after arriving here. In fact, we often get the ball rolling well before our clients leave their country for Singapore, so they can hit the ground running and move into their own home here as soon as possible.

-Where were you born?

I was born in Sweden.

-In which country and city are you living now?

Singapore

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my husband and 2 children

-How long have you been living in Singapore?

Since December 2006

-What is your age?

I am 36 years old. 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Singapore?

We wanted to move abroad for a couple of years, and visited a couple of countries in Asia, and Singapore suited our needs perfectly. We had to wait a few years until the right opportunity came along. Before we moved here we had visited Singapore 4 times.

There was no doubt in our minds that it was Singapore we wanted to live in.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

My husband has a work permit and they are very strict about you having a job, you can't stay in the country otherwise. If you lose your job you have 30 days to leave the country. There are a few steps before getting the permit, but hard, no.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

We have medical insurance from the company in Sweden, that is all we need.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

Lucky for us English is the language spoken here, but since there are many Chinese here, Mandarin is also a big language, so our children learn Mandarin in school.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

Of course I sometimes miss friends and family, but we always go home for summer holidays. I miss walking in the forest, bathing in Swedens cold lakes and having a barbeque with our friends. Since we have kids it's very important for me that they have a strong connection to their home country, the expat life can sometimes be superficial. Favourite things for us to do in Singapore is: going to Sentos for a full day of activities, walking in the Botanic Garden, riding at the stable with my daughter, going for wake boarding at East Coast Park, seeing a musical at the Esplande, or just enjoying the good and hot weather:).

-Do you have other plans for the future? 

We have no plans on leaving Singapore for a while, but it's something we also need to discuss with our children. But it would be nice to live in one more country before moving back to Sweden (if we ever go back, I mean)

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

As we are not permanent residents in Singapore we can only rent our house. Singapore is a small tropical island and renting a house/apartement is quite expensive.

-What is the cost of living in Singapore?

Singapore is quite expensive compared to other Asian countries. You can eat cheap at a hawker center, but for the more western food it's expensive! Also the groceries are at a higher cost than the local, as a Swede we love cheese, but that is soo expensive here, then I go to IKEA:)

-What do you think about the Singaporeans? 

Singaporeans are friendly and socialising people, and they are a mix of several cultures among them Chinese, Malay and Indian. But as a guest in their country I think it's important that we are friendly and show respect for their different cultures.

If they are tired of expats, they hide it well. 

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in that country?

The positive aspects of living here are so many: new experiences, new meetings, the tropical weather, clean, organized and safe, the closeness to so many paradise destinations, nice food, and for us a good quality of life!

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Singapore?

If you move to another country, it's always important to be open minded, as we are guests in another unkown part of the world. Always act with dignity! And read about the laws here, since they are very, very strict here!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Singapore?

 If you want to see more of my life in Singapore, visit my blog: http://www.vitaanglar.blogspot.com.

-Where were you born?

Australia

-In which country and city are you living now?

Woodlands, Singapore

-Are you living alone or with your family?

With my family. My wife and 13-month old baby (who was born in Singapore)

-How long have you been living in Singapore?

2 Years

-What is your age?

42

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Singapore?

We decided around mid-2006, after receiving and negotiating on an offer from a head-hunting company. After spending 17 years in another MNC, it was a life changing decision, supported by the salary and package on offer, along with the taxation benefits of Singapore as opposed to Australia.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

Process for employment pass is very straightforward. Initial pass application was managed by a 3^rd party assigned by my company. Renewal process was executed by me. Only downfall is the high volume of applications at MOM (Ministry of Manpower). Application must be lodged first, then must return to collect green cards and validated passports.

We have now applied for our Permanent Resident (PR) status, which takes approximately 3-months to process. The advantage of being a PR, ranges from slightly better tax rates, CPF (pension fund) program, and the ability to buy a resale 'HDB' apartment (which foreigners on EPs cannot do). The only disadvantage is that our son will be liable for NS (National Service) when he is a teenager.

UPDATE: Pete and his family have now received "permanent resident" status from Singapore Immigration!

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Medical Insurance is provided by my company as a part of my package

-How do you make your living in Singapore? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am professionally employed by a large multinational company. I secured the employment contract, terms and conditions prior to departing Australia. I was offered this opportunity through an employment agency (head-hunting firm).

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

The most common language in Singapore is English, however many other languages are spoken – Hokkien, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and others. Singapore locals (especially in the heartlands) have a very unique style of English, often referred to as 'Singlish', which is a combination of localized English with influence from other local languages. This can still be mostly understood by non-Singaporeans with time. I do have a basic knowledge and understanding of Mandarin, and my wife (born in Shanghai, China) speaks Mandarin and English fluently.

Although many foreigners in Singapore may not appreciate it at first, once again especially in the 'heartlands' the Asian culture and Chinese influence is very strong. Therefore, to completely assimilate into society at a personal and local level, respect must always be shown to the local communities and people (this is especially true when it comes to the diversity of religion and beliefs in Singapore).

An article I have written on local 'Singlish' for Foreigners: http://www.aussiepete.com/2008/05/singlish-language-guide-for-foreigners.html

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I often miss family and friends, although we do have visitors from both of our families regularly (China and Australia). The Australian Network is readily available on television, so I am always able to enjoy my favourite pastime – watching AFL and NRL football. We love to swim and enjoy the sunshine, which is good given that it is always 'summer' in Singapore, with the weather being quite hot and humid. We also like to enjoy good food, and Singapore is well known for its diverse selection of cuisine, especially at local 'hawker' centres (food courts), where the widest variety of foods from various countries are available at very reasonable prices. It is common to eat out numerous times a week, due to the efficiency, value for money and great taste of the food on offer.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I travel every other week throughout the region for business, but try and minimize this as much as possible since my baby has been born. This is another advantage of living in Singapore, as it is quite 'central' to all the other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

Currently we are renting. We have seen the cost of rentals rise in Singapore dramatically over the last couple of years, but are of the understanding that the market is now stabilizing. The closer one lives to the central 'city' district, the more (exponentially) expensive it becomes. We live at the northern tip of Singapore near the causeway to Malaysia, at Woodlands. A condominium style apartment there in the heartlands, may cost anywhere between S$2500 to S$3500 (at current prices) per month – for a three bedroom, around 1200 square feet. A HDB apartment will be substantially less, but does not offer the same level of security or facilities (pool, gymnasium, etc).

An article I have written in relation to rising rent prices in Singapore through 2007/2008: http://www.aussiepete.com/2008/07/only-way-for-foreigner-living-in.html

-What is the cost of living in Singapore?

Apart from the quite high cost of accommodation, and motor vehicles (one must purchase a COE - certificate of entitlement - to drive a car in Singapore), most other daily necessities are quite affordable in relation to wages and in comparison to most other countries in Asia (notwithstanding most parts of China and India).

An article I have written in relation to cost of living in Singapore: http://www.aussiepete.com/2008/10/expats-give-singapore-thumbs-up-for.html

-What do you think about the Singaporeans?

In general, Singaporeans are quite caring and accepting people. Due to the fact that the economy is very much based around service and financial industries, they take education very, very seriously, which I think might put some pressure on the children, and may cause some stress.

Singapore is a very multicultural, multi-religious society, so tolerance is very important. If one reads some of the local online forums, there can be seen an element of distrust in foreigners residing in Singapore, but this really is the minority and should not dissuade anyone from relocating to the Republic.

An article I have written in relation to religious and racial diversity in Singapore: http://www.aussiepete.com/2008/05/religion-in-singapore-government.html

As is the case in many countries, if respect is offered, respect will be returned.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Singapore?

My personal blog (Day to day events and happenings as they relate to our life, living and working overseas. Singapore news and events. Our family and our friends): http://www.aussiepete.com

Information on having a baby in Singapore / Maternity Costs / Birth Registration Process for Foreigners (NB: this is also one of our own websites): http://www.jaimezheng.com/index.htm

-Where were you born?

London, England

-In which country and city are you living now?

Singapore (in a converted British army barracks surrounded by greenery)

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my Malaysian wife, Sandy, and our newborn daughter, Olive. Our cat, Fishball, was recently eaten by a python.

-How long have you been living in Singapore?

I've been living in Singapore for eight years. Before moving here, I lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for five years.

-What is your age?
37

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Singapore?

I moved to Singapore from Malaysia eight years ago as I was fed up with the political situation and the corruption in Malaysia. I moved to Malaysia from the UK five years before that because I have a keen interest in Southeast Asia. I hold an undergraduate degree in Southeast Asian Studies, and some of my childhood was spent in Papua New Guinea, which probably instilled in me an interest in the region.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

If you have a valid job and the necessary qualifications, or if you are setting up a company and your company registration application has been approved by the relevant authorities, then it is very straightforward to get an Employment Pass and subsequent to that obtain Permanent Residency (which enables you to stay in the country for either five or ten years at a time and is easily renewable).

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

Larger companies provide healthcare; private insurance is easily obtainable here and, if you become a Permanent Resident, you will automatically pay part of your salary into a government healthcare scheme.

-How do you make your living in Singapore? Do you have any type of income generated?

I work in publishing. I applied for a position with a Singapore-based book publishing company while living in Malaysia (I didn't respond to an advertisement but contacted the company direct). Four years ago I set up my own publishing house in Singapore and today Monsoon Books (http://www.monsoonbooks.com.sg) is a well-known publisher with numerous bestsellers in the region.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

English is widely spoken and no expat will face a problem in Singapore as long as they can converse in English. I do believe the experience of living in a foreign country is greatly enhanced if you learn a local language so would encourage new arrivals to learn either Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien or Tamil but only for fun. I speak good Malay but rarely have the opportunity to use it in Singapore.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Acitivites from home?

I've been away from the UK for thirteen years and although I travel back once or twice a year I do miss family a lot. Luckily we receive a lot of visitors to Singapore from home, and with Skype (video) it's easy to keep it touch. One of our favourite pastimes is cooking and trying new food so multicultural Singapore is a good place to cook and eat out in. We love nature and Singapore is surprisingly green; there are plenty of walks and lots of flora and fauna to be seen (such as pet-eating pythons).

-Do you have other plans for the future?

At the moment, I'm happy in Singapore but I would not rule out a move in the near future.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We rent in Singapore now but, if we decide to stay another five years or so, will look at buying. Average rents for a regular three-bedroom condominium apartment in Singapore today (mid-2008) are about S$2,500 to S$5,000. I stay in a converted British army barracks in a quiet, green area with no high-rise buildings in sight. I've been here for eight years and the rent is comparatively cheap; the rents are increasing though (especially as our landlord is forcing new tenants to bid for the rent).

-What is the cost of living in Singapore?

Although it is possible to live cheaply in Singapore – by eating and drinking at hawker centres and taking public transport – we have never managed to do it! Although there is plenty of fantastic local food at good prices, Western restaurants are expensive; cooking quality Western food at home is not particularly cheap; alcohol is expensive; cars are very pricey and house prices are comparable to the UK (outside London).

-What do you think about the Singaporeans?

Singapore is pretty cosmopolitan and most Singaporeans seem ambivalent to the large foreign presence. I have an equal number of Singaporean and expat (Asian and Western expat) friends. Some Singaporeans are a little too reserved and could do with approaching life with more passion! Most expats tend to make friends with Singaporeans from their workplace, from the same neighbourhood, through other friends and as a reusult of hobbies and interests they pursue so newcomers should easily meet plenty of likeminded Singaporeans to get to know.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Singapore?

Negative: The humidity. Lack of a decent newspaper. Mistreatment of domestic help (maids). Political freedom. Expensive alcohol.

Positive: Ideal place from which to explore the rest of Southeast Asia. Easy place in which to establish and conduct business. Good mix of people (and food). Very safe.

A lot of expats complain there is nothing to do and sooner or later island fever does afflict most people but delve deeper into the country's history, society, natural environment, arts scene, etc and there is plenty to occupy most expats for their limited tour of duty in Singapore.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Singapore?

Come for a visit first and look around; don't trust what you hear from other expats … like me!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Singapore?

Islandhippy (http://islandhippy.com)– my family blog about life in Singapore.
Mr Brown (http://www.mrbrown.com) - l'enfant terrible of Singapore.
TalkingCock (www.talkingcock.com) - a hilarious satirical look at Singapore.
ExpatSingapore (http://www.expatsingapore.com) - useful resource for new arrivals.
Monsoon Books (http://www.monsoonbooks.com.sg) - another shameless plug for my own company; we publish great books on Singapore and Southeast Asia (many written by expats).