Through the few months since this blog was started, I had received quite a lot of emails from strangers. Most of them are Singaporeans residing in Singapore. These folks were from all walks of life. Among them were retirees, 3 teachers, numerous guys holding professional jobs, a 17 year old girl, a nurse, a librarian, a tai tai in Perth, several couples saying 'hi', bloggers and many others.
Many of them gave me very interesting accounts of their lives, their opinions of stuffs and even their plans or dreams. There were many occasions where I was tempted to share their stories but I didn't because I felt it was rude to do so - even with no names mentioned - when someone confided in me. And believe me, many of their stories were intriguing. It was truly a mind opening experience communicating with them.
The majority of the emails I had received told me I was an inspiration or I was brave. I cringed whenever I read them because I felt I am in no position to be a source of inspiration to any Singaporean. I am only a normal 'quitter'. In fact, very often I was inspired by the people who emailed me instead. Maybe I should change my mind and start sharing the stories of Singaporeans more inspiring, more brave and more insane than me and let you guys decide for yourself.
Today I have to tell the story of MJ. Not Michael Jackson or Jordan okay. Just the initials of this Singaporean. On the 5th Dec 2011, MJ sent his first email to me with the usual niceties, then told me his crazy plan and asked me how I felt towards it. We had several exchanges with us sharing our opinions of Singapore's future. I told him what I thought of his crazy plan - crazy. Then I never heard from him after 13th Dec 2011.
Then I received an email from him last night. He told me he was carrying out the plan. With some savings, he was coming over to Perth to look for jobs without a work permit, hoping some company will employ him and apply a 457 visa for him. There is a high risk that he will (in his own words) end up with nothing, draining away his savings and jobless when he returns to Singapore if things don't turn out the way he wanted.
By today, he is in Perth soil. Somewhere. I'm waiting for his sms reply from the new number he provided me via email. This guy is crazy but you can't help but admire his guts. Most Singaporeans are risk adverse, so this one is a rare commodity. I feel proud to know such a species of Singaporean exists though in my heart, I fear for him to fail and I wish he doesn't. I hope for another time, fortune favours the bold.
If this one creates his miracle, perhaps it's time for me to pass the baton to him to blog for you. He is definitely going to be a worthy read.
soon you wont see young singaporeans in singapore...all give up citizenship...
ReplyDeletei'm wannaleavesg here at the forum! lol.
ReplyDeleteOk anyway, i agree with you that the guy is reeealy crazy! but i like his guts!Not all singaporeans are risk adverse lah lol. jia you!
i remember you. good luck for your exams. australia is fast closing its doors but i hope u will achieve what you wanted nonetheless
Deletegood luck to him. it is very tough getting a job in sydney for those without a tax number nowadays. not sure how it is in perth, but i reckon the situation to be pretty similar.
ReplyDeleteit'll probably be easier if there is someone to recommend him for the job...
Must be really hard on that guy at Perth. I think its not easy walking around with two huge brass balls.
ReplyDeleteYay, I got a mention (if only one word) in your blog *lol*
ReplyDeleteAll the best to your new friend. If he doesn't try, he won't know. It's a really brave & courageous thing he's doing. We did the same - came here without jobs or any accommodation planned, but we survived (and surviving well too, IMO) :)
u are a very important blog reader. urged me to cont blogging at the period i wanted to stop most. thus it still exists.
DeleteGlad to hear that, and thank you :) I do look forward to your posts and am glad I chanced upon your blog some months ago.
DeleteHope to meet up with you and your family someday in Perth when I come for a visit. Take care & keep well!
My friend says if you cannot make it in Australia, you will not make it elsewhere! So persevere my friend, you will make it, provided you are not fussy about the job.
ReplyDeleteMJ is following in the footsteps of our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteour ancestors came to SG with little to no money in their pockets.
i admire MJ's gutsy spirit.
All the best to you, MJ!
ReplyDeleteI wish there was something back here that we can do for him, in the spirit of networking support which Australia is now legendary for.
Once upon a time, locals here had it. It was called, in Malay, gotong royong.
Hi Alan,
DeleteIf you think that Singaporeans at home will come together and revive the gotong rojong or the Kongsi concept, just like our forefathers, who migrated to Singapore in the earlier 19th century. We could share the same benevolent among us that our forefathers found among their own communities and have a platform to meet each other and build friendship and understanding through personal contact – we would love you to come onbroad and help us to share this dream. Please support us by visiting http://singaporeclubau.blogspot.com.au/
Hi Uncle Phil, thanks for sharing the blog. It will come in handy when the time is near..
DeleteRegards.
Hi Peck,
DeleteI'm humbled by the support and interest from inside and outside the little red dot. Please help us to keep this blog going by becoming a follower and spread the gotong royong spirit to other little red dots.
Hi Singaporeanson,
Sorry mate, we are using your blog as a membership drive.Hehe
Uncle Phil, thank you for your blog invite.
DeleteI did not notice your earlier response until I double checked my Gmail on Android.
It prompts me to want to reply, every time I read a comment, but has a habit of stacking up replies in a thread, so that I can easily miss those which arrived just before the latest.
You've got a great club going on over at the blog, and new former S'poreans should feel at home with it, especially in Sydney.
At the same time, over here I want to continue to support like-minded folks in the natural best way I'm able, even if only in words.
I welcome spontaneous, individual, small-group networking, but fight shy and get wary with formally organised setups.
This is largely due to bad experiences with large organisations, including the public service, in school, NS, at work and even at leisure.
Thank you for your constant support too! :-)
MJ emailed us too, we gave him some advise as well. Hope everything turn out good for him. Do get him to check his email again for our latest reply
ReplyDeleteHi MJ,
ReplyDeleteIf you are heading this way, there's a sofa bed in our house. Please email me.
Its not totally impossible, but its gonna be tough. I personally know a person(a German), my ex-colleage who just did that. She came here as a visitor's visa, got a job and was lucky enough to get the 475 visa(if not mistaken) and subsequently obtained her PR (with strong support from the company). But reckon it'll be one hard and epic journey.
ReplyDeletebro u are always so positive and encouraging heh heh
Delete@Ahm: that is precisely the way other non-SG'eans do it. Job offer FIRST then obtain the 475 or other work visas, then PR later on (time clocked can be from since first day of arrival).
DeleteIt's a very simple situation (catch-22), but there ARE companies that will hire on condition that one will seek proper visa's. That cuts the waiting time by a good 1-3 years.
What's stopping anyone from sending out 30-50 CVs, telling everyone one'll be in the country/town between dd-mmm-yyyy to dd-mmm-yyyy (companies here hire based on FACE TO FACE), and doing all this while clearing 2-3 weeks of annual leave in Singapore while saying you're on a holiday in Australia?
Strange hardly anyone thinks of using skype to make it easier for INTERVIEWERS to call through.
That's what makes me amused. As time go by under existing non-creative educational and lifestyle regimes imposed by Singapore, less and less Singaporeans now possess the thinking powess to sit down, think, and creatively come up with solutions to this aspect of life (migration), while asking this: how do the hordes in PRC and India (who by the way are MORE CONDEMNED than Singaporeans in many visa-related and quota-restriction aspects) get to these counties (Australia, NZ, Canada, USA, UK)?
@GA, the main issue I'm having:
DeleteI do not have relevant working experience. If those 'condemned' nationals have relevant experience, they already have an edge over me.
I know chance is basically zero and kinda crazy (or stupid) but no matter how slim the chance is, I want to try.
You may think I'm naive but I can tell you I'm desperate.
MJ
I'm curious, Ahm, what do you do? Cheers
DeleteThanks for the encouragements. Am I the only one to do such a crazy thing? I think when people are pushed to a corner, they will do unexpected things.
ReplyDeleteI used to love SGP and her govt. until I step into the working world. Nowadays I keep cursing and swearing at their policies.
Since I've no commitments, it's no harm trying my luck. I know it's mission impossible but I take it as buying toto. No buy no hope, got buy got hope.
If I don't attempt now, wait till when?
MJ
Welcome to Perth MJ.
DeleteI hope you are settling down well.
We now have quite a large group of friends here in Perth and we are still growing.
We hope you can join us some time. Let us know if you ever need any help. We know exactly what it is like to do what you just did.
I agree with u MJ and I admire your courage. Welcome to Perth. I'm sure we will catch up sometime. Jia you and good luck in job search! :)
DeleteMJ how young are you?
ReplyDeletei'm quitting my job to study so that i can qualify for 175. people think i'm crazy too. heh.
blinkywink
how about u qualify for 175 then u guys get married. problem solved.
Deletehuat ah
hahaha ... this is definitely a damn good idea to get teh PR much faster..... lol
Deleteblinkywink, I'm 29. how about u? I did consider to study but that will be 4 years, by the time mid 30s which seems too old to start a career.
Deleteasingaporeanson, is blinkywink a he/she? I'm st8 hor! of course best is find someone here to marry, fastest way to get PR and sure approve! anyone got lobang? maybe u can start such agency, sure huat big. lol
MJ
MJ: with a name like blinkywinky, what do you think?
DeleteAs for my understanding, the 175 is totally not easy to be obtained after july 2012. Details please kindly check out the IMMI website. Just a gentle reminder, just check out the website once in a while to keep you update with the requirement of migration... That time even I have submitted my application I still keep checking up to update myself so that my process is still on the correct pathway....
DeleteSo, MJ... you still continue to stick to the married idea ... hahahah .... good luck with that...
I don't dare to judge a person by it's nick. lol
Delete@Peyning, maybe I should make a signboard and write "bachelor looking for an aussie citizen/PR wife", walk around Hay st. hahahha
MJ
-asingaporeanson-, I missed out the other thing you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteYour blog has taken a life of its own.
Your lives, struggles and triumphs are in themselves inspirations for us to continue to read.
Much like what mrbrown has been doing for Singapore all these years.
So I do not see what you do here, as merely waiting to pass on the baton to someone worthier.
Of course, please don't feel the pressure to continue for everyone's sake.
But please also don't be in a hurry to judge yourself unworthy and hibernate your blog as soon as you can.
Tim Cook is not Steve Jobs.