A Singaporean In Australia

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The last time I checked, my hand stopped growing since puberty. So it couldn't be a growing hand and there was no doubt about it - burgers in Singapore are shrinking as you read this. I clearly remember we needed two hands to hold a burger. That was the gold standard of burgering. Today I would look silly holding a burger with both hands. What next? Holding a burger with two fingers like a tart?


It couldn't be my imagination or a result of memory loss. I noticed hawkers decided to serve their Char Siew in Wanton Mee wafer thin like beef slices used in Gyudon. I wouldn't think that was done to cater to the aging Singapore population who couldn't chomp at meat chunks so heartily like the past anymore.


Elsewhere when Tucky drove me to one of the places of our teenage days 'tea garden', he warned me drinks in Mc Donald's were no longer 'affordable.' Well, we used to buy a drink and sat down in Mc Donald's to chat nights away even before we entered the working world. Why did we feel the pain buying a drink as full fledged working adults? Because $3.10 for a small Iced Lemon Tea. I rubbed my eyes and thought I was still in Perth. What happened to 'affordable Singapore'?


The following week, I met Aku and Ah Mag for a meal in Kovan Hawker centre. I ordered Kway Zhup and was billed $3.50. Fair price these days, said Aku, though, "The guy serves a bigger portion at Lorong Ah Soo for the same price." As I rolled the few uninspiring small pieces of intestines about in daze, I hoped he was right. We were already in a hawker centre, what would the prices be in a coffeeshop or foodcourt? Surely even three-meals Balakrishnan would think thrice before commenting about affordable hawker food these days, if he knew better.


When mum asked me how many rolls of Chee Cheong Fun I wanted to eat, I glanced at the price list and widened my eyes. $2.20 for a single roll of plain rice flour sheet in soy sauce? Ok, I know it was unrealistic to expect 40 cents per roll like the past but how much money do Singaporeans need to spend to fill the stomach these days? Is it almost time to cook our own food in Singapore instead of dining out? That isn't a bad thing really, considering how many Singaporeans I met told me they wanted to migrate but balked at the idea because they couldn't cook a pea and would "die out there."


You know, I wouldn't blame the hawkers. Many of them cited high prices of food supply these days forced them into a corner with only 3 options to choose from. To increase the prices of their products, downsize the portion to maintain the same price or end their business. From the prices of raw ingredients I saw in the supermarket, I wouldn't fully agree. Supplies should be still affordable for hawkers to produce food at low prices. Labour cost remain notoriously low in global context. The remaining culprit has to be rental cost. Commercial rental cost is ridiculously high in Singapore today. In the past, hawkers were able to keep their food prices low because they did not have the same level of overhead pressure. At the very least, they broke even and earned nothing. A hawker today will lose a fortune or even be debt ridden if he screws up his venture. Many hawker stalls these days operate on a 24 hour basis in order to keep afloat, just like taxi driving.


I asked a noodle stall operator in Singapore how much he was paying to his landlord. He told me, "$6,000 a month." I estimated his profit margin to be about $1.50 per bowl and made a mental calculation. The poor chap would have to sell 4000 bowls of noodles to pay off his rental before he could start earning his salary. Assuming he worked 6 days a week, 8 hours a day, he will need to sell 18 bowls per hour in order to pay rent only, excluding other overheads such utility bills and transport. Would you expect a hawker to sell 60 bowls of noodles per hour (1 bowl per min) for 8 hours straight on? Not possible. No wonder they need to operate 24 hours to make a reasonable profit.


Even in "expensive expensive Australia", commercial rental is dwarfed by the Singapore figures. Say a lunch bar at Fremantle, considered a prime area, would require a more manageable $400-$500 a week. Perhaps that is why food operators in Perth reminds me of hawkers in the past in the sense they seem more relaxed and happier. They do not rush or bark at you. Incidentally, the only hawker that gave me a shit face and a rude attitude was actually a Singaporean who runs his stall at Spencer Village. I never ordered from him since and never again. I didn't move to Perth to take these nonsense from hawkers. I simply cannot understand why Singaporeans will tolerate bad attitude just to get a taste of the food they enjoy. No wonder it is so easy for the government to screw our butts and call us softies in our faces.
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Culture comes from the word cult. When specific practices and beliefs propagates by recognition and acceptance from a micro community level to wider society, a unique culture is developed. Bearing that in mind, the idea of building a culture is rarely fruitful unless a great deal of time and resources are put into it. Take for example, the Singapore courtesy campaigns that had been going on since I knew how to spell the word 'futile' until even courtesy bear Singa decided to fuck it and retire, the courtesy culture in Singapore remains weak.


Meanwhile other cultures have been popping up like mushrooms as if Mother Nature intended them. When Tucky and I was greeted with interesting artifacts on tables in Tanjong Pagar hawker centre, I was told by the wise Tucky not to send them to the floor with quick flick of my hand. After all Tucky was a friend of 20 over years and often knew what was going on in the mind by looking at my devious expressions. As opposed to me, Tucky had been a city worker since he started his career and were wise to the Ways of the World in the city, such as shortcuts to get around quickly by foot or car and of course, the culture of reserving a dining table by marking a table of choice with a personal artifact such as a packet of tissue paper straight out of a pocket full of bodily aroma, a staff pass with a grinning photograph of the owner or a water bottle, sometimes with a lipstick mark near the neck. That completes the marking process, just like how my dog used to mark his trees and lamp posts by lifting his hind leg and injecting his DNA around. Unfortunately, unlike the dog marking process, the human way doesn't allow overwriting. Only the owner is allowed to remove his mark when he is done with his deeds. That was why I was warned against the fun act of flicking artifacts off the altars, to avoid dealing with vengeful wraiths that will be summoned to punish atrocious men who dare to walk into the shadows.


Elsewhere I spied upon a group of ladies who brought along their fancy drinks only to be warned by the gate keeper with a stern, "No outside drinks allowed," warning. The keeper was needlessly rude, telling off group loud enough for surrounding patrons to hear. "The sign over there written big big you never read!" She justified her hard stance by highlighting ignorance was not an excuse. Thou who fail to comply shall be treated like children. I couldn't but wonder the effectiveness of tactless approach. The ladies ended up hiding their drinks out of sight and took sneaky sips whenever they thought no one was looking. The shop still received no revenue for cutting out illegal beverage sources. What they achieved at most was reminding patrons to hide their drinks right from the start the next time, to avoid the humiliation of being singled out. If the keepers were to "give face" and tell their customers how they also can provide those drinks with a competitive price and free ice with a little bit of humor, there might still be a chance that the patrons would return the "face" by being paying customers in the future.


If so, that made me wonder could there be a better approach than to tell Singaporeans straight in the face that they commit more crimes or that they are bigots without taking time to figure out the reasons behind-the-scenes like the way the keepers simply couldn't see their products were just too shitty and overpriced that getting substitutes elsewhere was simply a rational reaction and that putting up signs was simply a case of barking up the wrong tree. The endless propaganda to convince Singaporeans they are the problem seems to be a lazy attempt to solve a knotty issue without understanding why Singaporeans are the way they are and who and what made them that way. 


Only time can tell if force feeding the Singapore society with cheap labour that seems to be rejected by system so far, will bring forth happy or tragic endings. That will depend on whether the system makes the people or the people makes the system in Singapore. Singapore as we know it today will be probably the first country to attempt to continue to grow by devaluing a certain set of skills so that a competitive edge can be created by offering cheap labour. So far this approach appears sustainable only by expanding the range of skills to be devalued. It will be interesting to see how this will turn out. We are going through a intriguing period of our history.
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There was an old school joke I read on the internet. It was a screenshot of how a student answered his English composition that asked of him to write a mock letter from a Chinese coolie who went to Singapore some 6-7 decades ago to his family in China. The amusing part was that the student wrote the letter entirely in Chinese, whether he or she did that intentionally or innocently and the funny part was how the teacher who set the question would have realise his stupidity as he wouldn't be able to give a mark for that attempt on a English composition. Whether or not the student took role-playing a bit too seriously, technically he wasn't wrong, for no Chinese coolie would have written and sent a letter back in English. That was a classic illustration of real life. Everyone has to follow the rules, no matter how stupid they are or pay the price to be different.




A friend of mine and I had a debate a few years ago. His stand was that it is an absolute must to install an air conditioning system in a house in Singapore. My stand was that it is a luxury and not a need. The points he put through were not convincing because one wouldn't simply justify a want as need easily. He eventually mocked me (behind my back) for installing an air conditioner at my place. He didn't get the point. Neither did I say it was wrong to go pursue a want nor did I say an air conditioning system was an unaffordable luxury for most Singaporean household. He took it personally and thought I was criticising his decision and reacted by defending the indefensible. The air conditioner remains a want, not an absolute need in Singapore. The same goes for the car, though it is fast redefining its status to the affluent Singaporean community. Not surprisingly, the particular friend drives a car and thought it was an absolute need as well.


To be fair to him, the level of "need" varies widely from country to country. Obviously, an air conditioning system is even less of a need in the city of Perth, even taking into account of the fiery Summers days that occurs 3-4 months each year. In comparison, Singapore weather makes us fudge - sticky and moist - all year round and trust me, I know how uncomfortable it is to be a a walking slime.


The weather of Singapore will never change for the better. These are the rules. As far as I'm being concerned, fighting the rules of life is futile, not even with a walk around solution like the air conditioner. I have to make a decision between waking up hot, sweaty and sticky despite a fan on full blast or waking up dry but sick in an air conditioned room. Either doesn't seem appealing to me. Before long, I found the familiar feeling or chronic weariness overcoming me within a few days in Singapore. To make it worse, the neighborhood was still well alive at 10pm, bright lights, exciting sounds of activities and all. I wondered again why so many Singaporeans I met mentioned "dead Perth" with disdain. My good estimate was that I would be as dead as Perth in no time under my previous Singapore work regime and lifestyle in those conditions. If anything, a peaceful environment for good rest is much more of a need than a car or an air conditioner in Singapore but it costs higher than the best luxuries around to obtain. I didn't understand what I was trying to point out until I discovered my Perth life so I wouldn't expect most of you to understand what I'm driving at. It is best for you not to know if you don't.


The student in the letter told his family that he had to bath 3 times a day to fight the heat in the far south-east. I did just that and it served me better than hiding in an air conditioned room all the time. As much as I dislike to conform, one don't fuck around with the rules of life. The baths will help me through the grueling hot hazy days here, hopefully.
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I spied on a small Singaporean family seated a row in front of us on the plane. It was easy to spot a Singaporean family. It wasn't because they talked loudly and displayed inconsideration to others. On the contrary, the family was soft spoken and had two well mannered toddlers with them. In comparison, little Albany was too active for my preference that night.


A little side note about Albany's travelling record. It has been a nightmare travelling with Albany so far. During her debut flight barely few months old, she managed to sleep most of the journey away. We were required to pick her up from the plane cot and held her in our arms during landing. Several toddlers and babies began to cry due to the discomfort in their ears caused by the sudden change in atmospheric pressure. Then it happened. Baby Albany let out a lungful of her trademark wail. Between a hiatus, the plane went silent and everyone turned to look in our general direction to check out what happened. Even the toddlers and babies who stopped crying at Albany's sudden shriek. It left me slightly red faced.


Her second trip was a nightmare for us. It was my most painful flight experience to date. By then Albany was a young toddler who could hardly speak beyond a few words. It was just one of those nights where she wouldn't settle down and every atom around her seemed to annoy her to no end and everything that used to work had no effect on her. She cried the entire flight away. I was so exhausted but couldn't sleep a wink, holding on to a wiggling unsettled toddler who would cry even louder if we put her back to her seat. Such an experience made me extremely skeptical about my reasons of returning to Singapore for a visit. The key was to spend some time with my parents but it dawned on me right there that flying them into Perth seemed like a better idea instead.


Back to the Singaporean family, I couldn't help but note the differences in between our parenting methods. The children were subdued by their electronic screens throughout the flight. Both of them displayed remarkable skills with their note pads, far surpassed Albany, who could barely do more than random jabs on the screens because of her limited exposure to such technologies. As a result, Albany's attention span towards the notepad was much shorter and she grew restless quicker than the other toddlers.


Another key identifier of the Singaporean family was the manner they could summon their objects of need by simply waving a few finger movements in the air as if they were casting some mysterious arcane spells. With three fingers curled to depict the letter 'C' and a slight twist of the lady's wrist, a bottle of water appeared in her hand within seconds. Two fingers on each hand seemingly pulling a piece of string in the air yielded her a piece of straw for her drink. All these magic made possible with the support of a darker skinned south-east Asian woman. Meanwhile, the father of the toddlers remained seated throughout the entire flight without lifting a finger to attend to his children. Food and beverages were served for him as he read his newspapers like a boss. I stared at him in awe as Albany crawled onto me for yet another hug.


Fortunately, we managed to make Albany sleep this time and she had a good nap for 1.5 hours. The spacious Scoot plane also left me enough leg room to adjust my posture. There was even enough space (though barely) for Albany to lie down for her nap, a contrast to the previous nightmare on TigerAir. We even arrived at Singapore almost 30 minutes earlier than scheduled. Throughout the flight, Albany barely gave us any trouble and we could even afford to steal some rest along the way. That was the best flight we had with Albany so far, no doubt about it.
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When Singaporeans think migration, what do they really think? Is this about getting the fuck out of here, to just about anywhere, or is there more to it? My friend Duchess M is an Australian PR, not yet employed since her move to Perth 2 years ago and she spends approximately a quarter of a year of her time in Singapore over a several flights a year. In comparison, I have been flying back to Singapore to visit my parents at least once a year for about 10-14 days each time and I know Singaporeans, such as Winking Doll and Mr S, who will never return to Singapore in almost any circumstances. So that made me wonder if emotional ties define the level of term "migration".


Migration is loosely regarded as a person or family moving out of their current country of residence to another, assumedly having obtained a permit to work in the new country. Prior to my move to Perth, I used to view the approval of a Permanent Residence application as a clear intention to migrate. I am not so sure now. After all, a Permanent Resident is technically a longer term work visa that needs to be renewed like its counterpart, albeit at a differing set of requirements and duration. Think buying several "single trip" mrt tickets as compared to an "Ezlink" card. Better deal or convenience aside, they basically get you to the same places. That probably addressed my amusement of knowing many Australian PRs who never left Singapore until the validity of their visas are ran down to their last days against meeting people who refused to leave Perth despite what got them there legally in the first place were long expired. I came to realise migration as we commonly know it, lies in the state of mind, not on a piece of document and certainly not the actual physical whereabouts of a person. For all you know, his or her heart never left.


What I expressed could be very much reflected by the attitudes of the Singapore counter staff I had to deal with for my administration needs whenever i return to Singapore. From time to time I would be asked about my employment or residing status (you just have to trust the government agencies to be, erm, interested) I observed how I received a different reaction when I said I migrated to Australia as opposed to I was based or stationed in Australia for work. For the former, I received chilling stares as if I just spit at Mr and Mrs KFC's portraits on the wall behind them in their presence. For the latter, they gave me a pleasant smile as if they meant 'welcome home'. From my perspective, there is no real difference in the terminologies used. If a person is consistently outstationed so much so he spends more time overseas than his country, will you consider him migrated? After all, human migration is simply defined as physical movement by humans from one area to another.


As mentioned earlier, I believe the real way to deem a true migration lies in the state of mind. There is a difference when someone tells me, "I'm going to Singapore," and, "I'm going back to Singapore." Note how someone who spends 20 years in Australia and declared, "I'm returning home for a vacation." Whereas others walk out of the airports of their respective Australian city and thought, "It is great to be home again." I believe most Singaporeans can resonate with this easily. They can sniff out which "Singaporean" standing on the podium staring blankly at the rising of the crescent and five stars will soon return to "motherland." They can pick out who are set to stay and grudgingly accept who they are in eventuality.


If we think about it, it works the same way at the other ends of the shores. How we can be easily read out there just like foreigners cannot escape our eagle eyes in Singapore. What message you give the hosts of your adopted country will shape the manner you will be treated. It isn't about the colours of your papers or even the weight of your purse.
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I wrote The Broken Dream some time ago to warn future Singaporeans against diving blindly into the housing market with the old rules in mind. It was not to be mistaken for my disappointment about the housing situation in Perth. They are two different matter altogether. Besides, you would not imagine I needed 3 years in Perth to know what is going on here. I may not be the smartest guy around but I'm not dense. In fact, I wrote that for those dear countrymen whom appeared to be so. I sure hope I was wrong and my remainders weren't necessary.


If we put housing stuff in Perth aside and just focus our Singapore housing market, the public housing sector in particular, I believe a vast majority of the population still believe in the old "Housing price will always go up," mantra. Or at least, in the "long run." Sure, if your "long run" refers to a span of 2 decades, where housing demand will be heavily boosted by our liberal migration policies to fulfill the goal of increasing our current population to a ballpark figure of 6.9 million or even 10 million, if murmurs were to be believed. Perhaps in such a situation, housing prices will really continue to increase steadily. However to expect the value of a HDB flat to triple like some of our parents' flats is foolish because such a phenomenon will never happen again in my lifetime. In fact, we should be happy if we could get back all the interests we paid to HDB or the bank when we sell. Any real profit is a bonus.


I'll reiterate what I mentioned in The Broken Dream. Yes, of course a house will make a good investment if you sink an entire shipload of cash into it. Your house will give decent returns either by capital appreciation or income yields over the years even on a weak housing market. It is a totally different story if you take a huge loan to finance the house, based on cut throat interests incurred due to how much longer it takes for our generation to repay the debt in full as compared to our parents' generation.


As most of us know the power of compounding by now, we will be well aware how dangerous it will be to have that working against us. So thread carefully my friends. I'll leave you with some professional writings about housing basics from a Singaporean, an ex-teacher, who moved to Perth in 2010 and had been working as a business banker since. Hope you will find it as useful as I did.


GUEST BLOGGER
Jay
21 September 2014


Hi, I’m Jay and I got in contact with Nix as I wanted to contribute articles about property purchase and ownership in Australia. I often get asked by Singaporeans and our Asian neighbours about getting a loan, when to buy, what’s required and a whole lot more, so I am using Nix’s blog to help share what I know as I felt it tied in with many of his articles.

The information presented here are of my own personal views and experiences. Please do not take it as Gospel.


Buying vs Renting

One of the first things a migrant needs when they first arrive is accommodation. If you do not have the luxury of staying with family or friends, then finding a rental is the next best option. Some lucky migrants who can afford it, may look to purchasing a property when or even before they arrive. However, not all of us are that lucky and we have to take the steps to home ownership in Australia apart from learning to settle here.

In Australia, there are numerous rental properties that come on the market every week. Depending on which state you are in and suburb location, the rental rates can also vary significantly.
In Perth itself, the rental rates can range from $300/week to $600/week for a decent 2 to 4 bedroom house. If you have the dough and want to be close to the city or beach or both, then rents would be above $1000 a week at least. Though  you may be able to get studios and 1 bedroom apartments for $400-$500/week. I can’t say much for the other states, but go on www.realestate.com.au and you can do your own research.

Many Australians themselves rent for many years before buying. Most young couples would not have the savings for a 5% deposit required by most lenders to buy a house. With the median house prices in the Perth metropolitan area at $550,000 (www.landgate.wa.au) , that’s a $27,500 minimum savings a first home buyer must show in their account for  3 months, and their income must be able to service the loan about on top of their existing liabilities.

Similar to rental rates, the cost of a house here depends on several factors. So if you are not fussy and willing to live about 30-45 minutes from the City Centre, there are many beautiful 4bedroom homes for sale from $450,000 to $600,000 on a 400-550sqm block. If you want something cheaper and a little smaller, then an hour away, you can also get 3bedroom homes for between $350,000 to $450,000.
However, if you want to buy close to a premium public school or within 15 minutes from the city, then you would be lucky to find anything under $750,000. Or if you have the financial capacity to do so and can wait, buying a block of land and building is also a good option.


Renting
Pros
·         Fixed payment (at least for the term of the rent or until the landlord increases it)
·         In most cases, the landlord is responsible for maintenance (unless stated). Example : water heater running cold, cracks on wall, etc.
·         No council rates to pay (Similar to HDB conservancy or condo rates) which averages from $1500 /year
·         Getting a house close in a desired location otherwise unattainable via a purchase. Example : close to a good school, close to city

Cons
·         Regular inspections if the property is managed by a property manager – usually every 3 months
·         Payment of bond (1-2 months worth) – when the lease has ended, if there are maintenance issues which are your responsibility,
·         Restrictions on what you can do to the property – put nails up for pictures, etc (depends on lease contract)
·         The main thing is the ‘loss of income’ – as most people say that Rent money is dead money – In other words, you will not see that money again.

If you are new to the country, it will not be easy getting loan from the banks for a new home purchase as you will need to show savings, sufficient income and stable employment. (More on this later.)
So renting when you first get here is the best option to get a feel for the area you are in, get to know your suburbs, places to go, work and school locations , etc, before deciding on where you may want to buy or build.


Buying
Pros
·         It is likely you own your own flat, condo in Singapore, so I will not go too much into home ownership benefits.
·         The property is yours – what you pay to the mortgage is for your own home
·         The usual benefits of building equity, having an asset, and potential growth over time

Cons
·         If the loan is on a variable rate, your mortgage repayments can change when interest rates change.
·         Other fees to pay : council rates, building insurance, etc
·         Obviously you are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of your property


Scenarios

I am a PR, been working in Australia for 6 months or more, have savings and buying my first home in Australia.

You can borrow up to 95% of the purchase price through the main banks or 98% through a government linked lender call Keystart.
Generally I would recommend a minimum 10% deposit as it gives you more lender options.

You need to show:
·         A minimum of 5% of the purchase price of a house saved/held in a bank account for a minimum of 3 months.
·         PR Visa – for application for First home owners grant (for stamp duty waiver and grant of $3,000 or $10,000)
·         Full time or part time employment.
·         And ability to service the proposed loan based on lender policies.

You can :
·         Buy established
·         Build
·         Buy off the plan

Important to note:
If putting a deposit less than 20% of the purchase price, all banks, except Keystart charge a Lender’s mortgage insurance (LMI) on top of you base loan required. LMI basically a cover the lender takes to protect the LENDER against a loss should you default on your repayments and to cover the risks for lending your more than the standard 80%. DO NOT confuse this with mortgage protection insurance.
LMI costs vary between banks and insurers and also dependent on the loan amount and purchase.

First home owners grant:
·         Stamp duty waived for established properties up to $430,000
·         $3,000 grant for established properties
Or
·         $10,000 grant for construction


I am a Australia PR, but still live and work in Singapore (but intend to move over soon)
You can still purchase a property here, but the income assessment would be different.
Some lenders would also require a full 20% deposit.

The other points are similar to the above scenario.

If you are unable to prove that you are returning/arriving to live in the property, then it is unlikely you will be eligible for a grant. Which means you need to come up with the stamp duty.


I am a Singaporean, No PR and want to get a loan from Australia to buy a house for investment
You will need :
·         Payslips and IRAS tax returns proving income – banks here like Singapore Income, but they do not take it at 100% as exchange rates must be taken into account.
·         Proof of 20% deposit + stamp duty (non-residents will not be able to get above 80% loans)

You can purchase
·         Newly built houses (not lived in)
·         Buy a house and land package (liaise with a builder who get a block of land for you and you can decide on the house you want)
·         Or an Off the plan home (full turnkey house where everything is provided)

You cannot purchase
·         Established properties – Unless you have FIRB approval www.firb.gov.au


The final decision is obviously with you. Everyone has their own preferences and maybe renting for the next 5 years is better for you. Or maybe your have sold your property in Singapore and want to put a large deposit down for a new place here right now. In any finance decision, the best person to know what works is yourself.


I hope this gives you a rough idea. Other articles to come
·         Building vs buying established
·         Variable or fixed rates?
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Araluen Botanic Park

17 September 2011. A day I may not forget in a long while. That was the day we landed in Perth. After a private teary moment I shared with my mum over my final phone call, I took the most sombre flight in my life. Jen and I held hands and spoke little throughout the flight. She could be sleeping but I wouldn't know, as I was lost in my own deep thoughts. 


That was a leap of faith, no doubt about it. I felt neither fear nor excitement, just wondered hard what would be. I was hopelessly lost in Singapore and wished I could find myself elsewhere. I wanted to experience something different, something new and preferably but not necessarily better. I was prepared for a rough trip but expected a fair trade in return. Yet how could a broken man gauge a trade when he knew not what he wanted? Perhaps there was beauty in naivety, seeing how it led me on a wild ride. Three years have passed since. What a ride it has been.


On many lazy Saturday afternoons, I would sit at the table sipping hot green tea while reading a book. During my distracted moments, I couldn't help wondering how I would live my life those while if I did not leave Singapore on that defining day. Would I be holding the same job? Would I be view my Singapore life in a much more positive light/ Would I enjoy fatherhood as much? Would I have died from cancer already? The questions were limitless but the answers were obviously, null. 


Like I mentioned many times before, the 'what ifs' only exists in the mind. In reality, life is but a linear progression. You will never be better or worse off due to a different decision made previously because only nothing but that single decision will be made at every moment that leads to the next. No matter how little one can do to bring forth big changes as an individual, we are still the masters of our own fate. If you don't believe you have the strength to make impact differences to you life, try drawing a straight horizontal line. Then draw another line that deviates in a 0.01 degrees angle from the first line. That is probably out the human limits to perform. Even if you use a drawing software on a computer, you will see a set of parallel lines because the differences are simply too small. However once you zoom 500% into it, you will see a clear deviation between two lines. Extend both lines long enough, the differences will be apparent even to the naked human eye without the need to zoom.


Thus the will to change must weather the test of time before any meaningful difference can be notable. One must be patient enough to nurture the seed of change in the mind in order to watch it bloom. I have to constantly remind myself because my next goal is much further away from my reach than Perth 3 years ago. If you have in mind to do something similar to what I did, always remember opportunities wait for no unprepared man. Even if you have absolutely no idea where to begin or what to do, you have to maintain your 0.01 degrees angle long enough till one day, the big picture will be so obvious you will wonder why you couldn't see it before.



Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Milestone: Breaking Even
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Month 7
Milestone: Renting a House
Milestone: Landing a Permanent Job
Month 8
Month 9
Month 10
Month 11
End of Year 1
Month 13
Month 14
Month 15
End of Year 2
Month 27
Month 33
Month 35
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Hi asingaporeanson, 

I have been following your blog for a long time and I'm loving it!  Thank you for starting such a great blog!!

I have been toying with the idea of moving out from S'pore for the longest time but never have enough courage to move forward with my plan.

After years of contemplation, and now in my mid-thirties, I don't want to waste anymore time being part of the rat race, engaging in meaningless conversations with family and friends on nothing but work, promotion, remuneration, material possessions etc.  I really have no wish to conform to the norms and lead a life that others think is right in their opinion.
But sadly, after scouring through the SOL, my occupation is not in demand at all. I have a general business degree with nearly 14 years of administrative and sales support experience. 

Now, I am thinking if I should do a career switch to preschool education, work for a couple of years in this industry and use it as a ticket out of S'pore.  But I know there's also a possibility that it might be removed from the SOL even before I have gained enough experience.  

I would like to seek for your advice.  Do you think it is a going to be a wise move to switch career?  What other possible options do I have to make the move to Australia?
Sorry for the lengthy email... I hope you are not annoyed by it.  

Thanks,
the confused one



Learning to love what we fear
Hey XJ,


I was unemployed in Singapore for almost 9 months in 2008. Alas, the months had became a flash in the mind. I wish I had made myself write down my thoughts back then, as the different feelings that I experienced would have been far richer than the content you found here so far. My unemployment came on the back of quitting my decently paid cushy job in a statutory board. 9 months was a long time in unemployment, in Singapore terms. As I found out later, it is common for people to take a year off their careers in Australia. They call this a gap year and the social stigma for such a practice is tremendously lower as compared to Singapore where it is almost a sin not to stay in employment, a liability to the nation. My family, girlfriend and my friends probably thought I was crazy and they definitely felt I was irresponsible and disappointed in me at some points, if not the whole time.


The reason why I brought my grandfather story out was that a few sentences in your email gave me some flashbacks of those days in 2008, where I spent a bit of time thinking about what have been in your mind for years. 


And I felt you.


The most lonely thing about my unemployment wasn't about walking the the parks aimlessly when my peers were working, churning out the gold coins when my purse got lighter by the day. It wasn't about having lunch with only my dog while everyone was having theirs with colleagues or business associates. I found out that one of the most fearful thing in life was acquiring strong perspectives that not a single soul around me could relate to; and that I could only go on in quiet torment wondering if it was just depression. I found out years later it wasn't.


I wouldn't say moving out of Singapore made me a happier person. It might be just a coincidence or maybe not. It could be blogging, the only avenue that has been allowing me to vent my deepest frustrations somewhere, not really intended to be read by the public and it was never my wish to find agreement. For example, when I wrote about buying a house in Australia may not necessarily be the wisest decision under certain circumstances, it got me the familiar skeptical and disbelieving responses.


If you wish not to conform with societal norms and be your own woman, the toughest challenge you have to face is yourself and I'm dead serious about this although this advice may sound absolutely useless to you at the moment. For technically you can be in Australian soil by next week if you enroll in a course in TAFE or other course provider with a few thousand dollars. You will be granted a student visa that allows you to work for 20 hours a week in your school term and no limit during school holidays. If you work hard enough, it will be enough for you to fund yourself through the entire course, or the next course and the next course if you wish until you feel sick of it. If you select your course wisely and strongly driven, you should find employment here. In my opinion, Australia has no reason to reject a qualified and highly motivated worker in the workforce.


I am not advocating you should do the above. Instead, I painted a scenario of personal challenge and it is up to you to prove how much you want to break out of the Singapore conformity cage. Scenarios are up to your creativity, as some may even suggest in jest to find a Aussie guy to marry. At the moment, do not get too focused on legal boundaries of possible options. From someone who is on the other side of the turf, getting here isn't the biggest challenge but whether you can live with yourself from this point. And that, you'll have to be true to yourself and decide.
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Hi

Read your article my wife highlighted.

We're from Singapore too and we just got our WA sponsored visas late last year with relative ease.

But now getting job is proving to be a little more difficult.

Do share any tips you'd have for getting job there.

We are planning to move late this year of earlier next year.

Cheers!

Sheikh





Dear Sheikh,


Unfortunately I didn't have much job seeking experience to offer good advice. Out of all the Singaporeans I came to know here in Perth, I was the only one who found my job in the most in an uncanny manner so it might be hard for others to replicate. So I can only offer my 2 coconuts worth from my observations of what the others did. I hope there are some reading this who are willing to contribute your secrets in completing your respective perilous quests of landing yourselves a job. For an inspirational story about job hunting, read the story of one of my mates here.


Before I go about this, I have to comment about your comment about job hunting is proving to be more difficult here. I am not sure on what basis you come to this conclusion but take it from me, just discard this mental barrier and focus on what you have to do because it does nothing for you except to hold you back further and prove yourself right.


I'll share with you the standard items.

  1. Job links - You've gotta take a look at the list our Singaporean daughter Seianko compiled here. Among the list, you'll find leading job websites such as seek.com. That may be a good place to start off if you have nothing on the plate now.

  2. As you did not suggest what kind of jobs you will be looking for, it is difficult to pin point some avenues closer to your targets. Obviously, many 'simpler' jobs will not even be listed on the Internet. You may find some on the local newspapers or sometimes only on community newspapers. If you are looking for a high level job, companies may even bypass the Internet and rely on headhunting agencies instead. So, be sure to target a particular industry or sector so that you can start researching the most probable sources to find job links.

  3. Be assiduous. When you are jobless in a new country, your job is to find a job. Go ahead and take a few days or even weeks off to enjoy and adapt to the new environment if you wish but once you are ready, get your head down and treat job seeking as your day job. From this day onward, it's shape up or ship out. Set up a job seeking time table and stick to it religiously. Be disciplined, accept no compromise.

  4. "Aussify" your CV. Try reading this to get an idea.

  5. Write a customised cover letter for a particular job. While this is a really annoying chore, consider it as a courting process. A guy who uses the exact approach for every single girl he encounters will end up with only his right hand on Christmas Eve night. Unless your marriage was arranged, you know exactly what I am talking about. So apply the same nimbleness to your job hunt.

  6. Cold calling. My friend Stephen got his new job by calling his old school where he received his training for a chat. It gave him an opportunity to find out the situation in his school as well as a chance to update his potential employer his current status and qualifications. Stephen found out that there was no vacancies by the end of the call. In a couple of weeks' time, Stephen returned to Singapore for a visit and received a call from the training centre. He was told that they were expanding and needed someone as the role of a trainer/lecturer. An interview was scheduled as soon as he returned to Perth and he clinched the job. It isn't uncommon to do cold calling in Australia. Some even turn up personally in companies to hand their CVs over the counter. These 30 seconds impressions may last longer than we expect.

  7. Approach companies directly even when no vacancies are listed in their websites. If you are experienced in a particular field and can offer plenty to their company, tell them explicitly in your cover letter. Or better, email their COE and give him a critique about his company's products and give suggestions to improve their product or services. Meet up for a chat if there is an opportunity.

  8. Networking. Different strokes for different people so choose your poison - joining religious groups, cults, brotherhood, bikie gangs or just go fishing, whatever that you feel comfortable with. Hey but once you are in, don't forget to ASK. If you are too shy, just wear a T-shirt declaring, "No Job to Tithe" God will deliver.

  9. By default, nobody will call you for an interview. Thus, never fail to contact the human resource department of the companies if you have not received a response within a week or two. This is a common practice in Australia. Don't worry about appearing like a pest because employers will rather take in an enthusiastic pest than a self entitled gentleman.

  10. Tell everyone you have a conversation with that you are looking for a job. Yes - even the cashier at the supermarket if you will. You never know who knows who and when someone is looking for someone.
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Emails 2017

Hi Nix,

I came across your interesting blog and wish to ask on your honest opinion.

Do you think it's a good idea to pay 6 months worth of house rental in advanced to secure a place to stay before we go over. Our situation makes it a little difficult to look for one in Darwin with 2 dogs that we couldn't leave behind. And we don't have a job there yet. Oh, we have gotten a 489 visa. And we are intending to move somewhere in June with our 2 dogs and an almost 2 year old kid.

Appreciate your intake on this.

Thanks a lot!

Hi Elaine,


The housing market is currently quite depressed so it should not be difficult to find rental properties. I don't think it is a good idea to pay 6 months in advance at all. You shouldn't find it a problem to get one. If you face any difficulties, let me know the details and see if I can give you ideas.


Hi,

Saw your blog while searching on Singaporean based overseas and hopeful can meet a bunch of you all if i ever go over eventually.

For myself after looking at migrating or completing the process before i do not have enough points to qualify.

Basing on my current situation, it seems since my CV is leaning towards the marketing and financial field. Which in this case seems only Adelaide and Darwin is the only option for Subclass 190.

Do you know any fellow Singaporeans based in either place?

Anyway, for me is more towards wanting a more laid back life and changing the environment. Ideal situation would be to work another 10 years before settling with a small farm land in the country in Aussie. But my worry is whether i would be able to secure a job in Aussie especially with my advance in age 38?

Lastly, any good advice for a frog in the well on his migration journey to aussie?

Many thanks in advance

Regards

Stanley

Hi Stanley,

If you cannot qualify for skilled migration on points, you will not be able to work here, unless you find an employer who is willing to hire you for your skill set and apply for a work visa for you. It is unlikely in this economic climate but may be your only chance.


Dear NIx,

Good day!

I have been reading your blog and decided to migrate to Australia.

I have been researching on how to go about migrating to Australia and unfortunately, I seem to have hit a road block, thus writing this email to seek your advice on which type of visa should i apply.

I will be turning 36 next year. BE Chemical Engineering from UNSW (Stayed in Sydney for 2.5 years and graduated in 2008). Msc in Maritime Studies from NTU (Graduating in June 2017). Currently working as a Business Development Manager in the Shipping Industry. I have also attached my CV for your reference.

I am confident of getting 60 points in the Points Test BUT my current job is not on the SOL list.

My mother's cousin is a PR in Australia and she and her family are living in Perth (I do not know whether this information helps)

I was thinking of taking part time courses in ITE in Electrical Wiring, Residential Plumbing or Air Conditioning and Refrigeration since these jobs are on the SOL list.

Any advice will be really appreciated.


Regards,
Colin Soh

Dear Colin,

First thing first, I would like to know how you qualify for 60 points in the Points Test. Will you be able to provide a breakdown ?

*Please note that if your occupation is not on the SOL, you will not be able to claim points for work experience nor academic qualifications.


Hey buddy!

Was scrolling through and landed on your site. Loved the Art of Survival; plain, blunt yet simple.

I'm a local Sporean dude and just got my PR. Currently workin on contract job and planning to move down under. I realise getting a job in Oz from Spore isn't gonna be easy. Thought of giving it a try since its been just a month. Plan B is to just move and get an unpaid internship for 3 mths. Any advise?

Kind regards,
Hi dude,

To be honest, I don't have a single clue about unpaid internship or anything like that. If you manage to get one of those, I will appreciate if you can let us know the details so we can all learn from you.


I apologise for being painfully obvious but if you find it hard to find a job in Australia from Singapore, then come here and look!


Hello,

My name is Adam and I cam across your blog about migrating to Australia. I would love some advice or experience that you can share with me with regards to my questions.

First of all, I am a US bachelor grad in Mechanical Engineering and worked in the US for 2.5 years. I am a Chinese Malaysian and I'm 25 years old by March (2017). Do you have any ideas or suggestions on migrating to Australia? The subclass 189 doesn't allow me to accumulate enough points because of my work experience did not meet the requirement of 3 years which I was told that usually the Australia immigration officer pay the most attention to. If you disagree with that statement, I would like to hear your advice on that.

The other way I thought is by studying my Masters degree there and while studying, I could think of an idea to set up a business there. Didn't research much into this path but if you have experience with this path, I appreciate a lot if you are willing to share.

Thank you very much and hope to hear from you soon,
Regards,
Adam

Hi Adam,

It sounds really simple. Choose the path of least resistance. Work for 3 years to gain your 60 points then! You'll need the funds to relocate anyway.


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