Singapore Expats

Always a topic of interest for people, be it the unhappy Singaporeans here on the forum and in 'real' Singapore itself, be it the expats who suffer from the heat or find the place 'boring'.

I myself am hopefully still lightyears away from my retirement (if ever), but I do sometimes reflect and think of where I would like to spend the days ahead. What country would it be and based on what criteria?

For me, it would probably be Norway or Sweden. Reason being, the nature (nr.1 absolutely), the quietness and lack of same specimen (Norway has about the population of Singapore, bit less, but is about 470 times the size of Singapore...) and its high standard of living. Same goes for Sweden.

Third choice would be New Zealand, again because of its immense nature and diversity in geography. But then again, the standard of living is not that high, and very important as well: healthcare is not easy to get when living remotely.

I realise I live in a place with predominantly no nature at all, a hot tropical climate and one of the most densely populated countries in the world. So in a few years I guess I am in for a change, quite a change when it is the way I want it to be.

What are your ideas for a country to live in after Singapore? Again, which country and based on what criteria?

Eric

Eric,

Good topic indeed.

Of course, like most foreigners, I envisage a return to my own country to some extent..... but imagining no hassles with paperwork etc, I would go to Alaska.

I think that the vastness after small islands like Singapore or even Ireland would be great.

Also - I am not too comfortable in any temperature above freezing, so I think the weather would be a nice break.

I'd go to Barrow, Alaska. Something abotu playing soccer at 4 am in full daylight that will always stick with me.

~Noel

Strange that you bring this up Eric, had this same discussion just a few of days back with a friend and hubby. I was trying to convince my hubby to give it all up and move to Hawaii. Not a very logical thought process on my part, but then, I'm never logical.

Sun, sand and the ocean, I would be in bliss. As for a job, that would be the hurdle. Quite a paradigm shift needed to carry out this crazy plan of mine. Might succeed one day! Might not...

Alaska was also on my mind actually, but a bit too cold I am afraid. Not that Norway and Sweden are that warm, but if you stay down the southern areas there, at least it is not colder than minus 10 or so.

Hawaii? Hmm... If you'd dance the whoola for me over there, I will most certainly visit you. And yes, you can then put a flower crown on my head.

For employment, the mafia is doing quite well in Hawaii from what I read, so they might have a job for you?

Eric

What do you think I am? Your personal entertainer? Hoola dance, hmm...maybe I should go for that pole dancing class, lol. I can think of better places to put a flower.

I'll join the mafia if they let me use whips and chains on people I dislike!

For me, it has to be Switzerland. I love all the mountains and lakes, how clean and safe the place is and the high living standards. But Switzerland is a really expensive place. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to afford to live there, even if I earn the equivalent in Swiss Franc.

Second choice would be Australia, near the coast. Love the access to nice beaches and vast tracks of nature. Not to mention the availability of good Asian food The downside- racism against Chinese people like me. Oh well, guess nowhere is perfect.

Eric...not quoting me this time? Is this a spring off from my 10 $ banana country thread?

Ok to the topic:

1st choice: NZ
Nature! Fjords! oops.. I mean my BF 1st...nature comes 2nd hahahahaha... Who knows Eric, we might be neighbours in a few years!!!!

2nd choice: Norway
Coz I have lived there, speak the language, worked there, many good friends there & my 2nd family is there If you are a nature lover like me, you would love Geiranger!

But if I could have my way in the next couple of years, this is my plan:
a) Own a summer house in Norway, visit there once a year like I often do....
b) Own a condo in Singapore, visit whenever I can't stand the cold of other countries
c) Own a winter cabin & a summer house in NZ, visit often during the summer and winter for some winter sports etc.

Oh, the irony... don't plan to go back to New Zealand for quite some time yet. Basically, it is beautiful (yeah, yeah) but that isn't paying my rent. Nor putting my kids through school... So we won't be heading back there without some serious wads of cash in tow. So after sitting here for a few more years yet I would think, I would like to try Dubai: good opportunities for teachers there, I hear. This is an interesting topic, and like a typical gemini I change my mind regularly, then change it back. Tomorrow, it could be Canada.

Hubby & I often have this same conversation--where are we going next or when the kiddies are grow up (I wish! )

Montana--vast open places, beautiful mountains, clean fresh air; we both have a bit of cowboy genes in us somewhere.

Tasmania--for basically the same reasons, doesn't seem to be in a rush as most other places on the main land. We won't qualify as we both have ony one head!!

As k1w1 said earlier, I'm sure I'll change my mind several times.

Eric from the Netherlands wrote:Always a topic of interest for people, be it the unhappy Singaporeans here on the forum and in 'real' Singapore itself, be it the expats who suffer from the heat or find the place 'boring'.

I myself am hopefully still lightyears away from my retirement (if ever), but I do sometimes reflect and think of where I would like to spend the days ahead. What country would it be and based on what criteria?

For me, it would probably be Norway or Sweden. Reason being, the nature (nr.1 absolutely), the quietness and lack of same specimen (Norway has about the population of Singapore, bit less, but is about 470 times the size of Singapore...) and its high standard of living. Same goes for Sweden.

Third choice would be New Zealand, again because of its immense nature and diversity in geography. But then again, the standard of living is not that high, and very important as well: healthcare is not easy to get when living remotely.

I realise I live in a place with predominantly no nature at all, a hot tropical climate and one of the most densely populated countries in the world. So in a few years I guess I am in for a change, quite a change when it is the way I want it to be.

What are your ideas for a country to live in after Singapore? Again, which country and based on what criteria?

Eric

BRAZIL!!!
in my beach house at Canoa Quebrada

I do not need to think twice to answer that

We hope to 'retire' at our place in the US. Not so glamorous as some of the other suggestions-- but it suits us: it is a very rural, very 'crunchy-granola meets the New Yorker' kind of a place. We love the lake and the silos. The cows and the white steeples dotting the landscape. Gorgeous.



Because its one of the least populated US states, there is a lot of wide open spaces, and so much to do outdoors: mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, skiing, etc... The whole place has small town feel - church suppers, town meetings, strawberry festivals.

And I get to drive a big pick-up truck, Heaven.

Again very strange as we were having this conversation the other day

We thought of Canada but apprantly the immigration laws are very strict & it is difficult to get into.

Sapphire I have a friend who lived in Hawaii & she said that there is a lot of gangs & violence out there.

i'm ambitious like Ling2. will keep an apartment here to come home to. other than that, will divide my time between:

south africa (cape town) - talk about space! awesome safari drives, wild wild nature, extremely friendly people, good casinos, great golf - animals free to roam across the fairway! and with the rest of africa as a backyard to explore.

england (cornwall) - love the coast, love the crashing waves, love the unending beaches, love the foliage, love the nice english houses, love to have afternoon tea with friends, love the slow, gentle pace of the lovely retired folks.

thailand (koh samui or krabi or phuket) - for the beaches and great diving! the people are so gentle, pace of life is relaxed, enough tourists to have entertainment on hand if needed, tropical paradise...

italy (assisi) - for some reason i feel at peace whenever i step into this little town. it would be a great place to retreat to whenever things start spinning out of control. probably a good place to grow old and prepare to move on.

Finish our 1st year uni, transfer to Victoria, Melbourne Australia - because it was where we first met, and where he proposed to me holding both my hands in his.
Finish our degrees, get married when I turn 22 - because we'd have been waiting 6 years as wet-behind-the-ears, happily engaged twosome.

Get a car, mortgage a house, get our puppy (by then she'd be a doggy) over to finish up our happy family.
Then, go crazy eating Nepalese food at Gurkhas (one of our frequent haunts when we were younger) at Lygon Street, pizza at Lambs, Pancake Parlour at Jam Factory, visit our lecturers and old friends who had predicted we'd be in love.

I remember fondly when I was in class, my fiancee, then a good hang-out buddy and friend, sat with me for the umpteen time. I suppose the teacher must have noticed that everytime he came into class he's plop right beside me and we'd chat right through class, laughing and throwing spitwads at our classmates, joking with our classmates together, and when class was over, I'd zoom right out of the class and he would follow right behind chasing me and asking me, "Why do you always disappear after class?"
We were laughing over some dumb joke while she was lecturing everyone over something important - then suddenly, she shot us this look with her scary blue eyes, "Shabu (of course, my name here), are you in love with (my fiancee's name)?"
Everyone stared at us, with muffled laughter and suppressed smiles, and everyone went "wooooo" and punching my fiancee's shoulder and grinning at us with naughty expressions with the "I told you so" looks.

Then...one day, I had to return to Singapore. I told him, "I have to leave tomorrow.", over the phone.
He went, "WHAT?!"
And suddenly, my door bell rang.
That moron had been right outside my apartment calling me all the while. He revealed sheepishly he'd drop by my apartment after work all the time and call me using the payphone outside my apartment, because with "40 cents you can talk all you want", or just walk pass the place hoping to see me - since I was under the eagle eye of an older sibling and very much the "good girl" type who'd go straight home (more or less..hehe) after school, and not go out alone.
Oh, the memories.
But anyway, he did follow me, and we swore together we'd make our home in Melbourne, where I felt the first feelings of unbridled freedom, acceptance by people around me and whom I met for being who I am, appreciated for not being some robotic Singaporean who somehow has to ace his "A" levels and be a picasso at the same time - I can't do that.

So that's how the story goes...and I hope it'd have a happy ending in Melbourne. We'd travel the world, working (like how some of you guys are working in Singapore) and experiencing new cultures, but finally, we'd settle down and have kids - in the place we love and felt more at home than in anywhere else.

Apologies for the big sob story above. I couldn't help but just gush about it.

Nice story actually, Shabu-Shabu. Mine is similar but different countries. Hopefully settled in Europe.