typebug
Canadian expat in Singapore
Forum posts
64
Contacts
4
About me
Canadian
Lives in Holland Village
Speaks English
Registration: 18 November 2010
Public transportation in San Francisco
If you live in the downtown core or close to a Bart station you can survive without a car. The West side of SF, the Sunset and Richmond areas are on a bus system which is annoyingly unpredictable. You'll feel like a bit of a hostage over there ... Read More
Rent a flat or a house in San Francisco
In the bay area Craigslist is where everyone will post apartments and homes for rent as well as roommate requests. Landlords often like to have a lease. 6 months to a year is pretty average. They will need a damage deposit and first and last ... Read More
Banking matters by myang
Hi every one, I will like to ask a question... I am a Singaporean and I am currently working in Amsterdam. Last month I used my DBS visa credit card to pay for some bills in Amsterdam. My intention was to pay the bills using money from my DBS ...
There are many levels of banking and some people get quite good exchange rates if they have accounts that are specially set up for international banking. If you plan to stay where you are for a while I'd look around at how many branches of HSBC or ... Read More
High schools in Singapore
Hi Juanie, You should probably visit the various public schools on a look\see visit to get a feel for which ones are decent. From what I've seen, you'd probably also want to have a few international schools picked out as back up. Schools tend to be ... Read More
Organize your move to Singapore by Julie
Hi all, we invite you to share your experience about moving to Singapore. Here is a list of questions which might help the ones preparing their move to Singapore: What would you bring and what would you leave behind? Is it a good idea to ...
I really regret not bringing wine with us. It's relatively easy to pay a flat rate on the duty and bring in cases when you move. Much easier than lugging in bottles in your bags every time you fly in and out. Read More
Public transportation in Singapore by Armand
Hi all, What do you think about the means of transportation in Singapore ? Is the network of means of transportation well developed? What modes of transport are available? Do you use them? How much is a fare? Are they relatively ...
There are two iphone apps I can heartily suggest to anyone new to getting around Singapore. The one for transit is called Iris and it lets you see when the next bus is arriving at the stop you are standing at. Very helpful if you aren't sure if you ... Read More
Is there any decent outlet mall in Singapore? by eune8988
Hi, guys- I used to like to shop at the outlet mall in the U.S. It's cheap, but has good quality, you know. But I cannot find any outlet mall in Singapore. :( Is there anyone who has idea of outlet mall??? Help me.
The Americans I know here aren't all that enthused so set the expectations low. ;) I tried all the recommended places and gave up. I shop online and ship all my clothes in which even after shipping costs is way cheaper and better quality than ... Read More
Moving to Singapore -Nanny-
I haven't done this yet but I do know there are a ton of expat moms who blog but they don't seem to stop by the forum much these days so you might want to seek out some of their blogs. Most of them can be reached fairly easily by email. Read More
Do you believe in LDR (Long Distance Relationship)? by SiameseCat
A friend of mine recently gave up the opportunity to work overseas because he has a girlfriend here in Singapore and he doesn't believe in long distance relationship at all. Another friend of mine (Singaporean) has been in a long distance ...
You might notice that most of the positive answers so far are from expats. If you live abroad you learn to cope with living away from people you love anyway. I think most expats are in jobs that require a lot of time away from their partners. (For ... Read More
Girlfriends wanted ^___^
Hi there. Try searching for Singapore Expat Women on facebook. There a small group of just us girls gathering on there. Read More
Formalities to bring your pet in Singapore by Julien
Hi all, What are the formalities and paperwork required to bring your pet in Singapore? How long do formalities & paperwork usually take in Singapore? What are the relevant authorities to contact? Which vaccines are compulsory? Do your ...
I would check out this post from fellow 大咖福利影院gers Jeffrey and Flora who did this last year. http://www.jeffreyandflora.com/2011/08/faq-exporting-dogs-to-singapore.html Read More
Rent a flat or a house in Singapore by Christine
Finding a place to live is a priority when settling in Singapore. Your experience will be of a great help for the members who want to settle in Singapore. Therefore, we have prepared some questions for you: Which kinds of accommodation are ...
We arrived unaware that everything is done through agents here. We thought an agent was something for lazy people so we set out on our own and called up landlords about properties for rent. No one would call us back because we didn't have an agent. ... Read More
Travel Insurance by Bocaraton
Does anyone know of a travel insurance company that does annual travel insurance that is reasonable in price for a couple?. Many thanks.
We do a lot of active and adventure travel and have taken out policies through World Nomads (underwritten by BUPA) which covers most things we do. That said, most expat policies are good in any country so if you already have that, you don't need ... Read More
Just wondering where people live? by honeyapple
I'm considering studying in Singapore after my few years in the middles east and I was just wondering, where does everyone live? Do you expats live in suburbs like Simei and Tampines? Do you have friends you stay with? Where do they live? And what ...
Hi There, It's true, the private condos can be quite expensive though lots of students (especially grad students) live in them and there's a very wide range of prices within that category. I've never met any Expats who live in HDBs. Foreigners are ... Read More
you guys moved here with a job waiting(canadian in singapore) by bebetomate
Hi guys! I'm not Canadian but my boyfriend is. Specifically a diehard Canucks fan! :D He plans to move here soon, but I was just wondering if you guys moved here with a job waiting or you moved here and started hunting for a job? Thanks!!
As far as I know in order to obtain a visa for more than 30 days he needs to be employed before arrival unless he has a dependent visa (is married to someone who is working here who is able to financially support him). Read More
New in town.. From the land down under mate!
If you go to a pub in Holland Village you can't help but meet Aussies! I live in an almost all Aussie Expat estate near there. We have the busiest BBQ area in town. ;) Read More
Health care in Singapore by Yud
Hello everyone, One among the various issue that many expatriates usually raise is [i]Health Care[/i]. So, I think it would be very interesting and helpful to start a topic about [u]Health[/u]. > So, can you please list some of the private ...
I've just spent a few weeks doing research on insurance companies with decent expat policies for Singapore. Here are some of the better options I looked at. BUPA (the Worldwide Health Options (BWHO) Plan). For prospective parents but you need to ... Read More
Good & Reasonable Accommodation by Bharatsamant
Hi Guys, Can anyone suggest a nice decent hotel not to fancy, but should be clean and safe and easy access to the transport. I would like to visit SG for a weekend. Thanks in advance cheers Brat
Try Agoda. I have been using that site for finding deals on a trip I'm planning right now. You could also check on Zuji. Rates in Singapore tend to go up and down a lot. Sometimes you can luck out and get a cheap nice place and other times it might ... Read More
Telecommunications in Singapore
Here are a few of my tips: Starhub is good for internet. We upgraded to the highest speed option as the basic was too slow. This is about $60. We didn't do cable TV because we found we could get everything we needed on Netflicks, Hulu and on ... Read More
Exploiting the Expat market
You know what's crazy? I think Singtel, Starhub or HSBC have been the ones who sold my address because I don't give it out to anyone. I don't remember checking off a box to get third party promotions but maybe there's no law where they have to give ... Read More
Exploiting the Expat market
Not a day goes by when I don't have a stack of unsolicited mail directed at expats shoved into my mailbox, inbox and even arriving on my cell phone. (How my address got out there, I have no idea.) Expat Insurance, Expat Banking, Expat Food, Expat ... Read More
Banking in Singapore
HSBC let us open our accounts before we arrived in Singapore and sent us our ATM cards too. I was pretty impressed with that. Our accounts in all the countries we bank in are now linked through them so a wire transfer can be done online, it takes a ... Read More
Health care in Singapore by Yud
Hello everyone, One among the various issue that many expatriates usually raise is [i]Health Care[/i]. So, I think it would be very interesting and helpful to start a topic about [u]Health[/u]. > So, can you please list some of the private ...
Hello Everybody! Anybody know of any international health care insurance for a frequent traveller such as myself? I know there are many global healthcare operations but I prefer local offices where I could get assistance for myself and my ... Read More
House cleaner typ. charges
I have found $10-$15 is more typical. Check out a bulletin board at your closest Cold Storage. Maids often will put up ads hoping to get expat households to work for. If you go through an agency it's going to be more expensive. Personally I'd ... Read More
Health care in Singapore by Yud
Hello everyone, One among the various issue that many expatriates usually raise is [i]Health Care[/i]. So, I think it would be very interesting and helpful to start a topic about [u]Health[/u]. > So, can you please list some of the private ...
Singapore seems to have good heath care but very poor health insurance. Read your health insurance policy REALLY carefully before you complete your negotiations with your new employer. HR will probably assure you it's a "good plan." Don't take ... Read More
Speaking frankly about cost of living vs. my job offer? by Samza83
Hello everyone, I am starting to feel like I am doing a ton of the same sort of posts.:rolleyes: But please don't hold back, I am debating two other contracts besides this one (in Kuwait and Turkey, each at 2,500 a month.) I am a first year ...
well, if you're up for an adventure I think you can survive on your salary especially if you're used to being on a student budget. Groceries are a little more than you have set aside there. I think even eating really cheap stuff (rice and local ... Read More
Fun places to live ?
My husband and I are close to your age and also wanted to be close to fun things to do. We started out in River Valley but found it too quiet. We also found being downtown and in the Clarke Quay area too touristy. We settled on Holland Village which ... Read More
Bahrain to Singapore.. comparisons
Hi Ash, I hope you get some good responses. In the meantime I dug up a few of our threads we had going a while ago. Hopefully someone on here can help you with a more direct answer to your query though. Cheers -stacey This was fairly ... Read More
For All New & Potential Expats in Singapore by The Transporter
OK, this is a retry at an original post ! I would be grateful of feedback from the general expat population for the following: I have been approached by some of my own clients to start a company in Singapore that will cater to the needs of Expats ...
Hard to say. I think most expats get the logistical help from their relocation companies and the activities are something that we find very quickly once we arrive and get settled. Read More
Buying Electronic Items in eBay from International Sellers
GGemini, super helpful post. Thanks! Read More
Suggestions/Comments where in SG to stay for a week + itinerary by princessmia
Hi, Plan to visit SG (27Feb-5Mar,2011) tickets booked already via SG airways. Hotels/Transient not been book yet, though i check google for this one, still really confused in which place should i stay? im looking forward to take a bus and mrt, as ...
If you like the outdoors and want to avoid the commercial shopping mall inferno of downtown avoid anything in the Orchard area. I think there are some cool (and affordable) boutique hotels down in Joo Chiat which would put you right in a more ... Read More
Moving to Singapore - Need advise by pristine
Hey guys, We live in Dubai, and am considering moving to Singapore. Have a wife and an year old girl. I would appreciate any genuine advises on pros and cons of SG. Having visited multiple times, it is still best left to people who are staying in ...
Welcome Pristine, It's hard to know where to start! We really like it here and think it's a great choice if you have the job offer you are looking for. It's expensive (most things are on par with the most expensive zip codes in the US and then ... Read More
do those of you living abroad plan to return to your home countries? by ECS
I moved abroad with no specific plan of how long it would be but as things develop it's looking more and more likely that my life won't include returning back to my home country. So I'm wondering, are those of you living abroad now planning to ...
I'm not really someone who gets homesick at all but I have surprised myself over the past few years by taking that one step further. I've lost any interest in returning home to Canada. My nationality is no longer something I identify as part of my ... Read More
moving to Northern Cal from Scotland by davee
Hi Guys, I'm looking for any information people feel might help guide my decision to move to North Cal. My partner and myself have both been offered positions in the North Cal region with salaries of 80K USD each. Now I know we still have to go ...
Oh a container move is way easier than being given a certain weight to adhere to. Good stuff. It's not a bad idea to ask questions about taxes and deductions. Sometimes it really changes your take-home income. A casual conversation about how it all ... Read More
home sick
I'm in Victoria right now visiting my folks. It's cold, dark, freezing though! Can't wait to get back to Singapore now for some warmth and sunshine. Read More
moving to Northern Cal from Scotland by davee
Hi Guys, I'm looking for any information people feel might help guide my decision to move to North Cal. My partner and myself have both been offered positions in the North Cal region with salaries of 80K USD each. Now I know we still have to go ...
I think you guys can live in a decent neighbourhood on that in the East Bay, especially if you are both working. The cost of living (though most Americans will complain to you about it) is really not that high in California compared to the UK. ... Read More
help!!!
No worries, I don't think you're in any peril, you just might get fan mail. I'll send anything your way that I see in my neck of the woods. Read More
Emigrating to Canada... Need advice/opinions! by gtf7107
My fiance, myself and our 2 children (both under 3) are in the process of emigrating to Canada - East Sooke, BC. We should all be cleared to move by early next year. We will be following my sister who is soon moving out there with her family - being ...
I used to live in East Sooke. It's pretty out there in terms of proximity to work but it is beautiful as long as you are ok with a bit of a commute. The weather will probably feel much the same as England so I don't need to warn you about the rain. ... Read More
Canadians in Singapore by AmandaZhang
Any Canadians in Singapore? We should go out
[raises hand] Count me in! I'll be back in the city in February. Cheers! Read More
post-production (film/television) Internship
It might be a lot easier to go through a program rather than strike out alone (especially with all the visa stuff). I just googled and found this site internabroad.com/ which seems to list quite a few options. Read More
Social Security Number w/o work permit by kayenta
Hi! I am new to this forum and new to the US. I am doing a research project here on a B1 Visa and would like to know if anyone knows a way to get a Social Security Number (for Credit history, Drivers License...) without the typical visas that ...
I was on a dependent visa which was not work related so I couldn't get a SSN but I was issued a taxpayer ID number after we filed our taxes. This was used in place of the SSN on most forms. I'm pretty sure that they processed my driver's license ... Read More
Young couple wanting to move to California by candn14
We are a young couple aged 24 and 22 from England and Denmark. Both of us really want to move over to California as we both have been there several times and love everything is has to offer. We both have college qualifications and currently ...
My husband and I moved to California right after we got married. The Visa process is lengthy and you'll have to jump through a lot of hoops but we had a wonderful three years there. We particularly liked Northern California. San Francisco is a ... Read More
moving to Northern Cal from Scotland by davee
Hi Guys, I'm looking for any information people feel might help guide my decision to move to North Cal. My partner and myself have both been offered positions in the North Cal region with salaries of 80K USD each. Now I know we still have to go ...
We were happy expats in the Bay Area for three years and think you guys will love it. However, as far as salaries go, it can be tricky for someone at this stage of things. At my husband's company they offered people relocation packages only if ... Read More
Russians in Singapore
I know there is a Russian club in Singapore and I certainly hear a lot of Russian spoken in expat areas. Try some of the other forums online too. I'm sure you'll find people to connect with who can give you some advice. Read More
help!!!
Hi Elina, careful posting your email and photo. You might get some creepy emails from guys on here. The rest of us aren't very creepy at all! Hope you find a place to live. Read More
Singapore information needed by Nims
happy holidays. Can you lovely people tell me what it like to live in Singapore for an expats.I want the good,ugly and inbetwwen experience please thanks. What the cost of the folowing: If I was living in ok area in a two bedroom house or ...
Hi Nims, It really depends on what you feel is "decent." We looked at two bedroom places all over the city in October and saw a fair amount of range. The ones under $3000 a month were far from areas we wanted to live and some of them were just ... Read More
What would you pack if you did your move to Singapore over again? by typebug
Now that we're here in Singapore there are a bunch of things we wished we'd packed (and a few we wish we hadn't). What would you pack if you were going to do your move over again? I wish I'd packed: Kitchen gadgets Running Shoes Refills for ...
I saw more bugs in California than here. We have lived in two different well maintained buildings and really there was never an issue. In a landed house I've heard you need to be diligent with pest control. I actually haven't seen a mosquito yet ... Read More
Ovens in Apartments by art23
How come many of the Apartments in Singapore do not have ovens to cook in? We are moving there soon and are wondering why??
You will find most places have little convection ovens built into a random cupboard. They are tiny but work ok to heat things up. Lots of expats buy the little ovens you can get at appliance stores. They are small so don't pack any baking trays that ... Read More
What would you pack if you did your move to Singapore over again? by typebug
Now that we're here in Singapore there are a bunch of things we wished we'd packed (and a few we wish we hadn't). What would you pack if you were going to do your move over again? I wish I'd packed: Kitchen gadgets Running Shoes Refills for ...
Pack your kitchen stuff but leave behind anything for a full size oven (assume your oven will be the size of a microwave). If you're got small kitchen appliances like immersion blenders make sure they are ok for 240volt and then just get cheap plug ... Read More
What would you pack if you did your move to Singapore over again? by typebug
Now that we're here in Singapore there are a bunch of things we wished we'd packed (and a few we wish we hadn't). What would you pack if you were going to do your move over again? I wish I'd packed: Kitchen gadgets Running Shoes Refills for ...
Totally! We did a little go-round with our group of expats here and everyone had a little mental list of things they wish they'd brought. Thought it might be fun to have a running list on here of people's suggestions. If someone had warned me my ... Read More
What would you pack if you did your move to Singapore over again?
Now that we're here in Singapore there are a bunch of things we wished we'd packed (and a few we wish we hadn't). What would you pack if you were going to do your move over again? I wish I'd packed: Kitchen gadgets Running Shoes Refills for ... Read More
Should I register as a sole proprietor?
Thanks Big Diesel, I'll keeping poking around for more info on this before I take the leap! It sounds like it might be easier to just leave my billing set up overseas and deal with all the taxes there. Read More
Nervous about moving.... by betsy09
Hi I am an Irish woman married to a New Zealand man and we are currently living in London. We are looking for a change and my husband wants to go back to NZ. We have lived in Auckland before and I hated it. Wellington is somewhere we are ...
This is interesting to read. We actually turned down a job and relocation here when we did some research on the place last year. I realized that my line of work doesn't exist here and that the size of the city would greatly limit any opportunities ... Read More
Comfortable wage for Vancouver BC
I agree with Namala, if you live anywhere near the fun things to do in the city you'll want to be making above 75,000. You will likely want to own a car too so you can enjoy all the surrounding things to do like skiing and visiting the parks and ... Read More
Anyone knows any good bluegrass bars in Singapore? by JosieQ
Anybody knows any bar that plays great bluegrass music in Singapore? I've been asking my colleagues and friends but they don't seem to listen to bluegrass here. Google seems to have no answers too. I really love bluegrass and would like to see ...
If it makes you feel any better we've been wondering the same thing. We like to go out and hear live folk, bluegrass and indie rock. Thus far we've visited some promising looking pubs but found the music is like a 12 year old's ipod playlist! We ... Read More
Should I register as a sole proprietor?
I have some very small consulting jobs being offered to me from previous co-workers overseas. I've looked through the paperwork online for registering as a sole proprietor here and it looks fairly straight forward. Are there are other dependent pass ... Read More