Comments, opinions and an occasional ramble
Why I would leave Singapore
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has acknowledged the alarming problem of Singapore’s brain drain. While I do not profess to be a talent, I profess to be someone who has given very serious thought to leaving Singapore and giving up citizenship.
Singapore is a good place to live in. The food is good, infrastructure sound, safe and it’s a global aviation hub. However, I cringe when I saw Martin See’s video, Speaker’s Cornered. I feel indignant for Francis Seow, and even more so for Chia Tye Poh. I am saddened by the execution of a Nigerian boy for drug trafficking. I am disillusioned by defamation suits by the ruling party against their political opponents. I shake my head in disbelief that there’s more interest in reviewing minister salaries than reviewing public assistance to the poor.
There many other things I can probably add on to the list of reasons why I’ve been contemplating giving up my pink IC. It seems to me that the Singapore story is becoming the story of Animal Farm. And, before I end up like Boxer, I’m going to get out of here.
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about 3 years ago
Soory – if you got a flat, the govt have your cornered. You can’t leave the matrix..
about 3 years ago
Who said so? They can’t make me NOT give up my pink IC, can’t they?
about 3 years ago
is it because you don’t wanna stay here, or rather, you don’t want your kids to grow up here, or both?
about 3 years ago
Too bad I have to endure NS first.
about 3 years ago
i was wondering………..is nus a good school……..i know its like the best in sg but it must also be hard to get it right?
id like to learn a little about the schools in sg so if u have time just email me.
about 3 years ago
Aaron, you are wise to consider leaving; best thing to do is NOT give up your pink IC but to get PR elsewhere (Singapore does not allow 2 passports but that does not mean you cannot have a Si passport and PR elsewhere).
Singapore has magnificent monuments to all the ministries and GLCs, it has some top class architecture. The hospitals are among the best equipped.
But on the human side, we lack maturity, civility, manners, humanity, consideration and a host of other qualities.
LKY calls himself a street fighter. If that is an euphemism for gangster then consider those who follow in his footsteps the same – except many of them lack the veneer that he learnt to put on and use when he choses to.
This is an extremely seductive place to live in if very rich or influential – and especially both.
For the ordinary citizen it is not so and one’s plight is hardly heard.
Make the move before it is too late, as it is for some of us!
about 3 years ago
And also, Aaron: Weren’t we told to take individual responsibility for ourselves when we are old and doddering? Do you think Singapore is a good place to retire in, then? I know for one that I am not going to retire in Singapore. And what better way to deal with it than leave? It’s not like we’re unreplaceable by foreign talent, heh heh…
My folks are also somewhat considering if they should leave after their retirement. So…what’s there left for me? Hmm.
about 3 years ago
America is a good place to live in. The food is good, individual freedoms are enshrined in statute, and it’s a global hub of hubs.
However, I cringe when I see the video of Rodney King’s beating, and the race riots thereafter.
I feel indignant for the many Americans whose access to free speech is limited not by law, but by their lack of wealth or lobby contacts.
I am saddened at how Americans celebrate success, while leaving millions of their countrymen without medical coverage.
I shake my head in disbelief that today’s Americans would mortgage the economic future of their children, to pay for their own retirement.
I shed tears for the victims of Columbine and its ever-repeated sequels, and even more tears for the society that enshrines rights which allow such tragedies to recur.
I wonder at how great nations can be so poisoned by street drugs, that their lawmakers must contemplate the creation of supervised injecting houses that whitewash drug addiction.
I fear the grass may not be any greener than the green card you contemplate.
And it is unfortunate, that your rhetoric speaks so much of the “I”.
about 3 years ago
Sam,
I think it’s a matter of both.
about 3 years ago
guojun,
Singapore is perhaps the best place to work, give your kids an education and retire, if these are all that you care about. Also, only if you are rich. If you’re not, it might be better to take your money and live like a king in maybe Thailand.
about 3 years ago
Online New Citizen,
Of course my rhetoric has to speak with “I”. I don’t have the right to speak for other people, and neither do you.
And to respond, I cringe at the video of Rodney King’s beating and the race riots thereafter, but I’m heartened at the public outrage which led to the conviction of the perpetuators.
I feel indignant that many American’s access to free speech is limited not by law, but by the lack of their wealth or contacts. I feel even more indignant that in Singapore, free speech is limited by both.
I am saddened at how Americans celebrate success, while leaving millions of their countrymen without medical coverage. I am even more saddened at how Singaporeans celebrate success, with a select group defined by a select elite able to access every available opportunity. Barack Obama would never get the opportunity to run for the highest office in this country.
I shake my head in disbelief that today’s American’s would mortgage the economic future of their children to pay for their own retirement. I wonder if it’s any better that my government always tinker with our retirement plan to achieve economic imperatives, and they are always quick to reduce our retirement funds but slow to restore it, not to mention, increase it.
I shed tears for the victims of Columbine and its ever-repeated sequels, and even more tears for the society that enshrines rights which allow such tragedies to recur. I shed tears for victims of the ISA, who were denied access to trial and kept out of public eye. At least there’s a public outcry over the shootings. I shed even more tears for the society that enshrines rights which allows detention without trial and right of hearing.
I wonder at how great nations can be so poisoned by street drugs that their lawmakers must contemplate the creation of supervised injecting houses that whitewash drug addiction. I wonder at the great nation of mine that doles out harsh penalties on drugs but doesn’t bat an eyelid in maintaining economic and political relations with the world’s second largest opium producer, Myanmar. Oh yes, I almost forgot about the “Saffron Revolution”. Surely action speaks louder than words?
The grass may not be any greener than the green card I contemplate, but at least there’s hope. I rather settle for Pandora’s box than to have no box at all.
about 3 years ago
I had a chance to stay on in Australia after I completed my master’s there, but I chose to come home to be with my aging father. When I once had to bring him to the emergency ward of Tan Tock Seng hospital, the doctor in attendance said to the assisting houseman, within my earshot, “I hate to deal with old men.” That’s when I first realised I may have made a mistake coming back.
My daughter was in her new school for a couple of days, when her application to another came through. When I asked her form teacher what we should do with the school uniform and books we had purchased, she told us we could contribute them to the needy students. She told us the school had at least 300 students who could not pay the school fees or afford the new uniform. In the same school, we had met some China students who are on scholarship and paid up to $500 monthly allowances. That’s when I realised something’s askew with the system.
Our church service is often interrrupted by reminders for the motorists not to park along the road leading to our church or risk a traffic fine, something I thought was a no brainer. Then I drove past a mosque on Friday afternoon, and realised the police may have their discretionary powers misplaced. That’s when I realised that Francis Seow’s books may have a modicum of truth.
During the Chinese New Year visitations, one relative too many asked about my stay in Australia. Would they be able to find Chinese food there. They were thinking of sending their kids over, study there, graduate, and sponsor mom and pop over. Then I realised: What a great exit strategy!
about 3 years ago
Hi Aaron,
Thinking of migration? You’re not alone. I am a Singapore citizen and a Canadian resident. However, I am still currently physically residing in Singapore, but ready to leave any time the situation warrants.
I deliberately stayed away from US because I was (and still am) not confident of its economy and politics. At the moment, Australia is looking for skilled workers and if you hurry, you may catch the boat in time.
Below is a link on my thoughts about the migration stuff. It was actually a reply to some of my associates a year ago. I put it up on my blog, because I did not want to repeatedly spam my associates with over a hundred emails regarding my migration plans then.
http://wherebearsroamfree.blogspot.com/2007/03/mass-emailed-to-aes-group-on-sat.html
Hope the link gives you an insight what are the “push” factors that made me decide to apply for resident status outside Singapore. Take note that it was written 1 year ago. I think all the issues and challenges I penned down about living in Singapore then, have magnified 1 year later.
about 3 years ago
Aaron,
That was a beautiful reply, to a typically jaded response, looking to justify the injusticies we have in here
about 3 years ago
Felicity,
The other strategy is to find out what professions are in demand, study those courses and then get hired overseas. Even those without degrees can do it if they pick the right course. Take nursing for example. There’s an acute shortage of nurses worldwide. A poly student with a diploma in nursing and a couple of years of experience is well on the way to be in hot demand by other countries.
about 3 years ago
Solo Bear,
Canada is my ideal destination.
I read your entry and indeed, those push factors that would make those who are able to migrate to seriously migration. I agree with you that every country has its own pros and cons but I want to be in a place where there’s at least hope. In Singapore, there’s hope only if you are the ‘elite’, and unless you sell your conscience, you will not sleep well at night being part of this elite.
For now, I shall plan to do a higher degree overseas and see if my current belief is justified by my overseas stay. If it is, there’s a good chance I’m not coming back.
about 3 years ago
city hop, n u’ll realise everywhere is pretty much the same.
bt the thing is, is ur wife willing to leave this place w u forever?
about 3 years ago
IceSnow,
We’ll be spending a few years together abroad and we shall see how by then. At least we are in a better position to make a decision then, after having stayed out of Singapore for an extended period. We’ll probably need to sit down and talk it through. She’s been around the globe alot more than I have so maybe it’s not that hard to convince her to live overseas.
about 3 years ago
Awww….I felt so nice when I read your words, Aaron. I am American! Not to say there aren’t problems in the US, but I am very happy and I like my country very much. Americans living abroad have to put up with nonstop criticism and commentary about how evil our country is. Every Singaporean who has complained about how bad my country is to me must somehow imagine that he/she is the first one to let me know. Having been hectored so many times about the same shallow things, I’m glad that someone actually has something nice to say about the US. I would also never stay in Singapore for the very reasons you mentioned. All those guns in the US make our government fear the people. I am free to criticise my government, burn my flag, and talk about how stupid Bush is. Bush can pull my Ruger semiautomatic pistol out of my cold dead hand before I will ever allow my government to treat me like Chia Thye Poh. Gosh, it sounds like I just threatened the US government. Yet for some reason, I just don’t feel scared at all…I think it’s because I know my government will respect my constitutional rights.
about 3 years ago
It’s absurd to compare the pros of one country against the cons of another.
The US is a country of extremes so if one is hard working, better educated or enterpreneurial enough, life can be amazingly comfortable. That said, the ones on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum live practically in a Third World state.
Singapore is smaller, and by nature it does not have as divergent a social spectrum.
The question is what are the long-run prospects of being in Singapore versus migrating abroad, with presumably the US, Canada and Australia being the countries of preference?
Singapore by any measure is a country that has overachieved. The law of averages and (lack of) resources suggest it should not accomplish what it has achieved to date. When does it revert to the mean, ie. max out? Maybe it’s the current generation with China and India becoming economic giants… perhaps it’s the near future when larger neighbors are forced to confront global economic realities and become more competitive… maybe the current generation of administers of the country’s wealth and future can no longer adequately confront challenges. Then what? Singapore is a “price taker” as the head of the MFA said recently. Perhaps given our constraints, a coherent strategy neccesitates continued central control on every social, political and economic front, or at least continues to be a good justification for such belief.
On an absolute level, Singapore is a fantastic place to live. For the vast majority of peoples who do not have the mobility to migrate, Singapore is a dream especially compared to peoples elsewhere around the world who similarly lack the wherewithal to move beyond their stations.
For the ones who do have a relative choice to move abroad however, it is hard to begrudge them their opportunities if they feel that they can provide a better life for themselves and their families. Presumably those that do move are the ones who will fall in the middle to upper income strata of their new homeland.
about 3 years ago
Gasp! Aaron you…QUITTER!!!!
Eh, why you never invite me to your house for CNY ah?
about 3 years ago
Well, I think I understand what you mean, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it is “absurd” to compare countries to one another. In fact, comparing Singapore to other countries helps it improve. Americans do it too by the way…we complain about how the trains are better in Europe, how the Japanese are more polite, how there is less crime everywhere else. Well, I am only a teenager but just get so tired of hearing some Singaporeans always telling me how nice Singapore is and how bad America is. I’ve been doing some comparing on my own, and I think everywhere has room for improvement.
about 3 years ago
FO,
I’m planning the sequence of housewarmings leh. Our usual bloggers/gamer kakis’ visit is still in the works. Part of the reason is because I’m still honing my culinary skills to whip up a storm.
I’ll probably send an email out soon. Next week’s my mid term break so I’ll be more free to cook. I’ll drop everyone an email soon.
about 3 years ago
Aaron,
Thanks for the reply. I think we can agree to disagree here.
Among these issues:
* You see the positive side of public outrage in the race riots following Rodney King’s beating at the hands of white policeman. I see it as a tragedy of race relations, and an avoidable one.
* You see a problem in how some elite seem to have more opportunities than others. I see this problem in all countries, from Communist to Capitalist, but I see more opportunity in Singapore for the hardworking sons and daughters of humble backgrounds, regardless of the colour of skin, or creed, or religion.
* You worry about tinkering with retirement plans, in the face of ageing population crises around the world. I fear more the government that will not speak the hard truths, that will pay and pay out, that will use my children’s and grandchildren’s as yet unpaid taxes to fund a broken welfare system.
* You shed tears for the power to detain without trial. And I can see how you might shed these same tears too about Guantanamo. Perhaps I am selfish, but I wonder how much the value of freedom of handguns is, to the mothers of the victims of gun violence.
* You ask if maintaining relations with Burma is hypocritical. But a little island is not going to bring regime change when superpowers still are happy to keep relations. And I ask whether it is a greater hypocrisy to legislate symbolic sanctions that do not work, while letting one’s countrymen grow addicted to heroin, and cocaine, and a dozen other street drugs.
Francis puts it well — if you are rich, if you are bright, if you are entrepreneural, then your prospects in America are good. But the poor of Singapore still have it better than the poor of America. And even the average of Singapore have it better than the average of America.
I do agree with you that it’s a good idea to spend some time overseas. Whatever decision you make about where to make your future (not to mention your old age and your children’s futures), it’s important to do it with your eyes open.
The Singapore Dream has imperfections amidst its silver linings, as does the American Dream. But overall, I’d still choose Singapore.
Perhaps that makes me a dreamer, too — but I think it’s a dream worth fighting for, to make even better.
about 3 years ago
Online New Citizen,
Of course we can agree to disagree!
We come from different perspective and it’s hard to convince each other the “rightness” of our positions. I would choose the Singapore Dream with you if Singapore has the First Amendment equivalent. Unfortunately, that still seems far away.
Thanks for the effort in making such thoughtful replies. It’s been a pleasure exchanging opinions!
about 3 years ago
Witty exchange of comments and retorts between Online New Citizen and Aaron. Very entertaining indeed.
Still, I am inclined to agree with Online New Citizen
about 3 years ago
Canada is awesome; it’s like the US done right. They even use metric units, like the rest of the Civilized World. (I mean, seriously, Fahrenheit!?) I’d be there if only they had more career prospects for me.
I believe that Singapore *isn’t* the best place to work, educate my (hypothetical) children, or retire. It’s too expensive to live in now, and has a really, really small job market that’s physically *far* from all other reasonable job markets for the highly educated set, and has an education system that places far too much emphasis on rote learning.
I’m not sure I want to have my children grow up to be frogs in a well.
about 3 years ago
Singapore is a terrible place to work if you believe in working for a job you are passionate about.
The best place for engineering/R&D is still currently the US. The best place for business varies(parts of North America and East Asia). The best places for finance again varies. However, none of them include Singapore. You want to make it big and do something real, get out of the island. You want to just “get by” and live a predictable life, stay put.
about 3 years ago
Regarding the poor in Singapore vs the poor in the US… notwithstanding that it’s somewhat of a tangent to this thread since the poor in both counries do not have the mobility to easily migrate abroad or that Singaporeans uprooting to the US are economic migrants who end up at the lowest end of the social spectrum there.
BUT, do the poor have it better in Singapore or in the US?
If we are referring specifically to prospects available to someone found in an impoverished situation who is willing to put in the effort, my view is that the US provides vastly broader and deeper opportunities across all fronts especially in education. Again, it boils down to choices which is much more varied in the US – and the large variety can be both fantastic and delibitatingly confusing.
Where Singapore is better for the average poor is more the social aspect of things. Because Singapore is a smaller place where values tend to be more socially uniform, you tend not to have the equivalent of ghettos or small town myopia which tends to trap many of the poor in the US. Breaking free of the confines of these insular environments oftentimes are not as easy as it seems – despite the opportunities made available – because of peer influences or the lack of proper role models and guidance.
So overall, would it be preferable to be poor in the US or in Singapore? Tough question. If one is a refugee – I guess some Singapore migrants can be considered economic ones – and is prepared to work hard so that my kid can get the best opportunities in life, undoubtedly the US is better from my perspective. The sheer number of successful graduates I know from Ivy league type schools who landed as poor migrants from China, Eastern Europe, Africa, etc. is testament to that.
If one instead merely wants to live off the fat of the land and have a cushy existence, and are not worried about being impoverished, then more likely Singapore is a safer, better, cheaper and more comfortable place to be in that state, since presumably all the other lofty ideals of personal freedoms, foreign policy, egalitarianism are much less relevant.
about 3 years ago
Daniel,
What Singaporeans see of the US is what the media tends to report. The reverse is also exactly true.
Unfortunately the US has a dimwit in the White House who has put the country in a no-win situation in the mideast and whose desperate foreign policies smack of hypocrisy… leading to the easy conclusions that American social psyche reflect such a foreign policy.
Similarly, what outsiders view of Singapore is a harsh totalitarian state whose values and elites bends to the convenience of the highest bidder or the strongest power.
Both are harsh views borne out of select factoids, the reality of which distorts what is genuine and good about peoples of both countries.
about 3 years ago
Aaron. I can only say that what’s important here is you. There will always be a lot of noises, but you are what you want to be. No one ever need to tell you to do otherwise.
.
Be it regret or happiness, it is your faith in yourself. That is all.
about 3 years ago
Do the right thing rather than do thing right. Given your displease over the current government, it will be the right thing to get out of this elite uncaring country run by disconnected and greedy coffers.
The fact that many Singaporean already resigned to their fate to stay in these tiny red dot governed by arrogant and insecure coffers already make them the “QUITTERS”. The WINNERS are those who dare to change their fate by venturing out for better quality of life. The LOSERS are those who continue to be oppressed by the fake RobinHood (RobinHood at least rob the rich to give the poor, whereas the jokers here rob everyone else, rich or poor, to reward themselves immensely, and then return tiny fraction of their ‘stolen treasure’ in order to proclaim themselves heros of Singapore.
I can’t imagine the whole world has been deceived by the oldman and his regime of useless compatriots. If anyone get his facts from the propagandic media, he just deceiving himself.
about 3 years ago
Canada is awesome. I live in the UK right now but if I had to move somewhere, it’d be pretty high on the list.
It’s funny to me how whenever this topic comes up, someone always does a New-Online-Citizen-style comparison of the social problems the US experiences – the rest of the world isn’t necessarily a carbon copy of the US, or aspiring to be such a copy. There’s a lot else out there which is different. If you’re Chinese or white, straight, male, cisgendered, foreign (so no NS), a graduate, working in finance or a big corporate, socially conservative and politically apathetic, and your main interests involve buying shiny things or being seen at expensive restaurants or bars, Singapore’s a great place to live. If you don’t fit that extraordinarily narrow profile, it’s a lot less attractive.
about 3 years ago
Elia,
We share pretty much the same opinions on Singapore regarding bringing up of kids. I want my kids to grow up in a place without ten-year series.
about 3 years ago
Sukhoi27,
Whether anyone wants to make it big or not, they should get out of the island for a few years if possible. Else, it’s really hard to compare whether Singapore’s the best place to be.
about 3 years ago
davidtan,
I dislike many things that my government does, but there are things I’m grateful for. It’s a love-hate relationship but the scales are not tipping towards the love part.
about 3 years ago
You might want to read Yao Souchou’s Singapore: the state and the culture of excess, recently published. There is one copy in the National library, reference section. Trust me, it’s worth the trouble!
about 3 years ago
Do it.
For your kids’ future.
Singapore education is hardly world-class. My son was selected for the gifted proramme but we left still.
Now, he is more motivated, more articulate and mature compared to his singapore peers.
And more importantly, we know the country is BIG enough to offer him more possibilities in life.
A city of possibilities is not good, when the city is a dot only. You only end up a smaller dot.
about 3 years ago
Dear Aaron,
I congratulate you for making the decision to leave. That is the
wisest move of all. This place is simply rotten, though others
may make use of the material aspects to try to psycho you to
stay. There is simply no human aspects in everything they decide.
Every policy is motivated by money and power or sustenance of power.
The aim is total command and control of every aspect of your life,
from the day you are born (National Service, Family Planning, Education policies) to the day you die (CPF Life and Annuity).
I have seen through this in the 70s because I was an insider then.
That is why all my children are now happily educated, married and
settled down in other countries, out of reach of this stifling and
hypocritical system and environment.
Moreover, this is not a good place to retire. When you are old,
you will be at their mercy. You won’t know what kind of other
sickening policies and scheming schemes that those schemers
will be scheming to outdo you and tie you down. Unless, of
course, if you are rich, influential and powerful, or you are one
of them, one of those will sell your soul for material gains,
one of those who have no backbones, no principles, or one of those scheming calculative parasites.
If you really want to leave, leave as early as possible. Make hay
while the sun still shines. Don’t wait until your heydays. It would
then be too late and extremely difficult to get into any country
because of their acceptance points system. Moreover, you also
need time and energy to curve out a niche for yourself and your
family at the new country of choice. That means the younger
the better, to be able to adapt and adopt, and be accepted by
others over there. You need time for acclimatisation and
assimilative into their society. You need time for members of
your family to get use to the new place, environment, and society.
Never expect everything will be rosy. Always expect for the worst. Then when things are not to your liking, you will be able to ride
the storm well. If you expect everything to be nice and rosy,
then when there is the slightest hitch, you start to regret. And
once you start to regret, the down-hill drift will gather momentum.
And you will find yourself back to square one, back to where you came from, back to the place called SICKapore again.
So, go by all means. As fast as possible. But be psychologically
prepared! Always tell yourself: “Whatever your way, no matter
how difficult it may be, things will turn out good at the end!”
That is the spirit you must build into your whole family, right
from the start; not wait until you start to encounter problems over
there.
I fully support your decision. Keep this blog open when you are
there so that in case you have any problem, you can write it here
and we can help you out whatever possible.
Cheers and have a nice day!
New Sunshine.
about 3 years ago
Hi Aaron,
Don’t procrastinate. Once you start having a kid, you might think otherwise about going. Once your parents are too old, you have another ‘burden’ where uprooting will be difficult.
Sell your house, just go while you are young. For experience sake, for new change in lifestyle sake. For freedom sake.
I was on the verge to decide whether I should go to AU when my PR was expiring. I had a well-paying job in SG, my house loan was
about 3 years ago
Hi Aaron,
Don’t procrastinate. Once you start having a kid, you might think otherwise about going. Once your parents are too old, you have another ‘burden’ where uprooting will be difficult.
Sell your house, just go while you are young. For experience sake, for new change in lifestyle sake. For freedom sake.
I was on the verge to decide whether I should go to AU when my PR was expiring. I had a well-paying job in SG, my house loan was less than $100k, I had good savings, my daughter is growing up in kinder and we seemed to have everything made out.
Singapore dream, that may turn into a reality nightmare as I can foresee. While the good dreams are there, you’ll find it difficult to leave. However once it’s nightmare, you’d wished that you had made that choice. At least try it once.
Both missus and I chose to drop everything and head down south to AU. We have never looked back since. There will be challenges, but if you have the survival mentality and wiilling to take risk, you’ll enjoy the learning process.
Now I have an even better paying job than what I had in SG, and I actually own a landed home, not some 100m feet of virtual air. I can see my daughter growing up and there are lots of open spaces and places to go as a family.
However, you CANNOT and MUST NOT compare Singapore with Australia. Each has its fair share of good and bad.
All said, there is only one thing that you will never have in Singapore:
CHOICES.
You may not think it’s a big deal but you will once you leave your comfort zone. It is indeed what they call freedom. You decide what you want and how you want it.
Cheers,
Kaffein
about 3 years ago
Well, I’m a Canadian who recently arrived in Singapore for a research contract of 1 year at Biopolis, and I’m very pleased to read such great things about my home and native land.
I spent time (14 months, again, doing research) in California, and now I’m here in Singapore. My experience of the world outside Canada is somewhat limited, but I can definitely confirm that, after you’ve lived in a country like Canada, the United States definitely sucks at the social level. Health care… social security… the poor being so poor that they have to resort to criminality.
As far as that is concerned, Canada has socialised health care and a good social security net. Albeit at the expense of pretty high income and sales taxes, as people would comment, but everything comes with a price.
Aaron, all I can say is that, should you move to Canada, I can personally guarantee that you’ll feel as welcome and safe that I have felt for the past 2 weeks in your (hot, sweaty, sticky and humid) very welcoming country.
And I think your studies path makes a lot of sense. In retrospect, although I did my Ph. D. in Canada myself, that’s more or less what I’m doing: while doing post-doctoral research, I got a taste of the US and Singapore. Then, I’m free to decide whether it’s a plane ride home for good, or elsewhere…
about 3 years ago
Been in Canada for 8 yrs. My whole family is in Singapore. And loving the way Canada is, including the lovely weather.
The only challenge is to convince my brain-washed parents to even visit me in Canada.
It’s about time everyone knows that Singapore is a “Communist” country.
I will urge others to leave. Come to Vancouver. No lack of “local flavours” and atmosphere. You get better weather and social care. so what if Canadians pay more taxes.
At least I don’t have to worry if I will die in the hospital because of lack of money. That happened to my sister’s father in law. Operation in Singapore cost $25Gs. Can’t afford it and father in law sacrificed his life instead of getting treatment that might have save his life.
Seriously, I worry for the old folks in Singapore. The system will and is killing them slowly.
Kudos to Lee Family for making Singapore a “democratic” country and sucking the shitz out of everyone.
If you can’t fight them, just leave them. There is always better things to do than to sit and contemplate why you should leave Singapore. The reasons are pretty obvious, and I don’t think there is a need to contemplate any further.
A Canadian PR, Born in Singapore, And chose to live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada
about 2 years ago
Hi Aaron,
I have AU PR and have been sitting on it for the last 2 and a half years. Have finally decided to move there at the end of this year. The comments made about Singapore are all true. I am doing it for the sake of everyone in my family. You should too while you still can. I wish I hadgone earlier.
about 2 years ago
Leaving Singapore is so difficult.
I signed up for a 2 yrs masters program in Down Under just to get outta here land myself there, and it starts in a month’s time.
Just thinking of the money to be spent (AUD $52K for tuition alone) is enough to make me wanna back out.
I wished I had a time-travel machine just like that one in Back to the Future, just so I can show my wife what we would turn out to be if we stay on here.
I wished she could see the long term gains from leaving Singapore’s life behind to start a new one…
about 2 years ago
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
about 2 years ago
One word: LEAVE!
I went to college in Texas, got told to come home cos mom thought it was best. She is now regretting it and frankly, even though I do not blame her, I’d wish she was more opened minded then.
Now i am struggling to get my PR for the land of Oz and because of the economy, they have basically closed the door. What could have been a 15 month wait is now a 3 year wait.
I regretted my decision for coming back since day one. And most of the friends I had in college who are from here…. they either never came back or left after coming back for a few years.
When you have a taste of what real living is, you will realize that this is not even half life you have here.
about 2 years ago
Interesting exchange of positive and negative persuasions from different perspectives between Online New Citizen and Aaron. Very amusing indeed!
However, I am still inclined to agree with Aaron
about 2 years ago
I think all of this discussion is ten truckloads of awesome. I grew up in an average family, and went to average schools (Hua Yi SS and then NP). And very often I don’t know how my peers take what’s being placed on their plates. If you’re philosophically blunt, or otherwise don’t like to think very much, Singapore suits you to the “T”. You are told what to do and say, you get 3 meals a day, don’t ever question and you can come out to play.
I think one VERY important aspect to this discussion has not been mentioned. Many MANY friends advise that whatever choice I may make, I should not give up my citizenship, because if whatever I plan fail, I can still come back to Singapore and be guaranteed a job, and a decent life. I trust half of Singapore thinks this way.
I think, if you’re gonna dive, then give it all you got. Your (unborn) children deserve better, even if you think you don’t.
That said, I’m trying very hard to break free myself. I’m 20 and not at all rich. Can anyone advise on how best to emigrate? Currently I’m thinking of studying abroad for my Bachelor’s and stay on.
about 2 years ago
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/world/asia/16iht-spore.html?_r=1
Here’s a bunch of bullcrap of Singapore spending the last 30 years building the “ideal citizen” that doesn’t spit and litter and how Singapore’s kindness movement is a cultural success…..No one knows how much fear is driven into all these “campaigns.”
Right, Singaporeans don’t spit? Singaporean’s don’t litter? Give me a break. I have seen my fair share of spit and litter everywhere. We do have a tip top cleaning crew that is paid little to nothing to do the dirty job.
Yes, we did have COURTEOUS campaigns like Mr Lion but does it really mean Singaporeans are all courteous and kind? I think there’s a bunch of snobs in the air right now in Singapore more than before.
Forgive my rant…but this is such a big lie of Singapore being a kind city, yes, kind to tourists but definitely NOT to Singaporeans.
The article says Taxi Drivers are a good barometer of national discourse… and the driver said that these campaigns work(?) because the law makes people kind? So fear makes people kind? We need laws to make people kind? Come on….
My friend’s dad died in TTSH following a minor heart attack and had to wait at ER for more than 20 hours after trying to admit himself and telling the staff he is having a heart attack. Kindness?
Old seniors having to collect cardboards for survival, is that kindness?
I can give many more examples but I don’t want to discredit those who are actually kind. I have came across kind people but in no way is Singapore’s Kindness Standard a success.