ppl living in overseas.. replied by Arapahoe @ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:03:07 +0800

Arapahoe — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:03:07 +0800

Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:

Your question has been asked before, but since everyone else is chiming in with their experiences, here is the Reader's Digest version of mine:

I have lived continuously in the US since '88, when I came here to pursue an undergraduate degree.

I travelled a great deal within this country during my time as a student. One year, in an act of complete spontaneity fueled by wanderlust and an impertinent sense of youthful adventure, my American roommate and I took the summer off, jumped into his car and spent seven weeks on the road driving across the US. By the time we were done, we had put 8000 miles on his car and driven through 34 of the 48 contiguous states. We had literally driven "from sea to shining sea" and thrown in the Gulf of Mexico for good measure.

The people we met and places we visited really opened my eyes to what this country was all about and had to offer. It was a trip of a lifetime and left an indelible impression on me: I wanted in on the American Experience.

After acquiring my undergraduate degree, I proceeded straight into the university's graduate program. As the completion of my studies drew closer, I began to feel ill at ease with the prospect of giving up the freedoms I was enjoying and returning to the confines of Singapore. Partly on a whim but mostly out of deperation, I sent out job applications to a number of IT firms throughout the US in the hope that one of them would be willing to jump through the legal hoops to hire a foreign national.

Barely a week before I was due to fly back to Singapore, the HR manager of an IT firm up in Minneapolis called, asking if I could drive up there for an interview. It was a five hour drive to get there, but we had the interview the next day and I was offered a position the following day, with the company agreeing to handle the legal paperwork with the INS.

I got my green card a few years thereafter, and recently traded that for US citizenship.

As for living conditions, if you have read some of the other threads here, you'll know that winters in Minnesota can be... challenging. However, the other three seasons more than make up for the occasional harsh winter.

I do not miss the crowds in Singapore. It was bad enough back when I left in '88, and I cannot imagine how much worse it is now, what with the government opening the floodgates to unchecked immigration.

Unlike Singapore, the pace of life here is not dictated by the overriding need to make enough money to afford a car, condo and country club membership. You are not viewed as any less of a person if you do not live in a big house or drive a luxury automobile. You can live life at your own pace and enjoy the freedom to pursue whatever hobbies and interests you fancy.

I like it!

Hey you came the same year I did. Jun 88. But i return back to SG after graduation.

ppl living in overseas.. replied by Meia Gisborn @ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:57:40 +0800

Meia Gisborn — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:57:40 +0800

Originally posted by wului99:

espically where u are living in a foreign country...what made u migrate there and how is yr living condition there currently...as in the standard of living, pace of life etc..

Your question has been asked before, but since everyone else is chiming in with their experiences, here is the Reader's Digest version of mine:

I have lived continuously in the US since '88, when I came here to pursue an undergraduate degree.

I travelled a great deal within this country during my time as a student. One year, in an act of complete spontaneity fueled by wanderlust and an impertinent sense of youthful adventure, my American roommate and I took the summer off, jumped into his car and spent seven weeks on the road driving across the US. By the time we were done, we had put 8000 miles on his car and driven through 34 of the 48 contiguous states. We had literally driven "from sea to shining sea" and thrown in the Gulf of Mexico for good measure.

The people we met and places we visited really opened my eyes to what this country was all about and had to offer. It was a trip of a lifetime and left an indelible impression on me: I wanted in on the American Experience.

After acquiring my undergraduate degree, I proceeded straight into the university's graduate program. As the completion of my studies drew closer, I began to feel ill at ease with the prospect of giving up the freedoms I was enjoying and returning to the confines of Singapore. Partly on a whim but mostly out of deperation, I sent out job applications to a number of IT firms throughout the US in the hope that one of them would be willing to jump through the legal hoops to hire a foreign national.

Barely a week before I was due to fly back to Singapore, the HR manager of an IT firm up in Minneapolis called, asking if I could drive up there for an interview. It was a five hour drive to get there, but we had the interview the next day and I was offered a position the following day, with the company agreeing to handle the legal paperwork with the INS.

I got my green card a few years thereafter, and recently traded that for US citizenship.

As for living conditions, if you have read some of the other threads here, you'll know that winters in Minnesota can be... challenging. However, the other three seasons more than make up for the occasional harsh winter.

I do not miss the crowds in Singapore. It was bad enough back when I left in '88, and I cannot imagine how much worse it is now, what with the government opening the floodgates to unchecked immigration.

Unlike Singapore, the pace of life here is not dictated by the overriding need to make enough money to afford a car, condo and country club membership. You are not viewed as any less of a person if you do not live in a big house or drive a luxury automobile. You can live life at your own pace and enjoy the freedom to pursue whatever hobbies and interests you fancy.

I like it!

ppl living in overseas.. replied by GameGoddess @ Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:14:15 +0800

GameGoddess — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:14:15 +0800

Mmm.

I migrated because of several reasons:

1. Didn't fit into the educational/social mould Singapore tried to cram me into. Felt like a horrible failure, further reinforced by a system which never bothered about the 'rejects', just the gifted, the elite and the ones who 'made it'. Despite having talents which were never appreciated nor fully realised in Singapore.

2. Family problems. Don't you just love your typical dysfunctional SG family?

3. The weather.

4. Did I mention the weather?

Life in Melbourne, Australia:

1. I earn more than 5 times what I would ever hope to earn in Singapore even at entry level, and I am appreciated. I can talk back to my managers and not worry about being fired because my opinions matter. I don't need to grovel to my superiors, just show them my talents and do my job and everyone is awed by me when I would probably be considered some proud sh*thead showoff in Singapore

2. I'm treated as an equal. I can do whatever I want - even if I decide one day I want to be a 2 genital-transvestite lesbian no one (except maybe my parents) would really give a crap because I am still me and its my life, my choice.

3. I can study whatever I want and work as whatever i want and Australia will still see me as an asset because I'm not a homeless junkie or some live in 28 year old bachelorette living in Mommy's basement and taking money from her.

4. Houses here are beautiful - not to mention cheap. People actually are house proud, have a sense of design. Even the crappy old houses have culture and rustic charm.

Why live in a $485,000 4 room HDB flat when in that money I can get an inner city house with a beautiful courtyard furnished with beautiful furniture which I can afford because I'm not paid peanuts, and can enjoy because I'm not working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and might as well live under some bridge/park/dorm in Singapore because I can't enjoy my own house.

5. I can dictate the pace of life I want here.

One thing I notice from many SG students studying in Australia is the 'pace of life' here. They complain about how 'slow' it is.

The thing is that the last thing you want when you're studyng, is to have a 'fast-paced life'.

Also, many of them don't even explore Australia, just from supermarket to dorm, dorm to supermarket, maybe go see big landmarks (Sydney harbour, Crown Casino, etc, etc).

There's so much to be experienced. Go to the beach, try out some of the street cafes, go to the trendy districts to explore, visit the museum, attend a local function, go to the local art galleries, visit the 'local' landmarks and attractions, visit the suburbs and countryside, join your uni clubs, volunteer - so many things to do, see, experience.
Don't just mix around with fellow Malaysians/Singaporeans. Mix with all the other international crowd, with locals.

No wonder they feel bored. They want to experience 'life in Singapore' while they are in Australia - isn't it true, when in Rome, do as the Romans do?

Life in Australia is as quick or as slow as I want it to. I can work my arse off in the quick paced business and corporate circles, but if I want I can step back and wind down and no one will be after my head just because they pay me so and so dollars and want me to work doubly hard just because I'm paid so and so amount.

I can have a family and slow my life down, lead a family life, and no problem. If you're a guy, you can be a family guy, slow down in your job, enjoy life with your family.

Best thing is, because I'm the type of girl who believes lifestyle is important to me, I work hard, but I want to be able to lay back and enjoy the fruits of my labour.

I actually tried to do overtime long ago, you know, you're expected to work overtime in Singapore - its not even considered overtime. I was scolded and told to just relax, I've done more than enough of my job, I should chill out.

And I learnt, and I did.

Life is so much better, I'm happier. I'm more myself than I ever was. I don't need to care about 'status' like in Singapore, aka "who got better paycheck, who got better car, who got latest handphone"...WHO CARES?

I find that I am more confident because I'm encouraged to be myself, to speak my mind, to be a go-getter.

Food's great, weather? SWOONS! Wonderful!

The only thing I miss in Singapore is the cheap and easily available food. I also sometimes miss my old friends, but many of them are moving to Australia so what can I say? :)

ppl living in overseas.. replied by jetta @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:36:41 +0800

jetta — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:36:41 +0800

Originally posted by Arapahoe:

where is here?

Ah Ben's in Canada.

ppl living in overseas.. replied by breytonhartge @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:16:20 +0800

breytonhartge — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:16:20 +0800

Originally posted by jetta:

As for pace of life, not as fast as Singapore. Shopping's wonderful here.

Shopping here is not so good, but thankfully I have ebay...

ppl living in overseas.. replied by breytonhartge @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:12:58 +0800

breytonhartge — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:12:58 +0800

I definitely make more money that I would have in Singapore for now... and quality of life is much better, the produce is fresh... hmmm.

ppl living in overseas.. replied by Arapahoe @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:03:35 +0800

Arapahoe — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:03:35 +0800

where is here?

ppl living in overseas.. replied by ben1406 @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:43:33 +0800

ben1406 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:43:33 +0800

Originally posted by wului99:

espically where u are living in a foreign country...what made u migrate there and how is yr living condition there currently...as in the standard of living, pace of life etc..

to those who are thinking to particular country..where would it b and y?

just asking..is Japan a good place to settle down

lets see, current condition..

i make more money here than i would in SG.. standard of living for me is pretty good, can't compare when i was under my parents shelter but that's my parent's house, not mine.. pace is amazing here.. I like !

ppl living in overseas.. replied by ben1406 @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:40:26 +0800

ben1406 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:40:26 +0800

Originally posted by Arapahoe:

at least you don't go starving.

I was in a foreign land and order local Beer it came shrimp.

here at the portuguese pubs it comes with shrimp and nuts !

ppl living in overseas.. replied by Arapahoe @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:09:00 +0800

Arapahoe — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:09:00 +0800

at least you don't go starving.

I was in a foreign land and order local Beer it came shrimp.

ppl living in overseas.. replied by jetta @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:30:16 +0800

jetta — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:30:16 +0800

Er... this question has been posed many times before.

As for Japan, I lived there for 6 years. When I lived there, I hated it. Now that I'm not, I miss it. You must have a working knowledge of the language first before attempting to live there, IMHO. I went there knowing maybe 10 words? I learnt more from watching TV. I can't hold a conversation but I know how to order food. I didn't like living in a Japanese house though. No insulation or not much. Ice box in the winter and an oven in the summer. I wouldn't mind going back for a couple of weeks though because the food is fabulous!!

I'm in California now. Haven't really decided if i like it here or not. Only because I keep comparing to the other places we've lived in. If only we could have a little bit of this and a little bit of that all melded together, that would be perfect. California is one of the most expensive states to call home and one in 7 Americans live in this state, so you can imagine it's pretty crowded. I'm in Southern California and the weather's pretty nice. We don't get a whole lot of rain and then there's the once a year fires. Being so close to Mexico, we have to pay higher insurance rates because when cars get stolen they are usually taken across the border.

It's not very scenic here and the beaches here are nothing to sneeze at. Real estate here is very pricey, 6th most expensive in the nation so life here is tough. Education is so-so. Govt Arnold is implementing budgets cuts and education is badly hit. Many principals, teachers, councillors, janitors and others have been let go.

As for pace of life, not as fast as Singapore. Shopping's wonderful here.

ppl living in overseas.. replied by wului99 @ Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:14:12 +0800

wului99 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:14:12 +0800

espically where u are living in a foreign country...what made u migrate there and how is yr living condition there currently...as in the standard of living, pace of life etc..

to those who are thinking to particular country..where would it b and y?

just asking..is Japan a good place to settle down

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