A Singaporean In Australia

The house felt a little quiet without her presence. It took a few days to get used to it. Judy had gone back to Singapore and our family is alone once more. She was the first guest to occupy the room at the furthest corner of the house. Though she would not be the last, the room felt empty for now. After 6 months living with her, even my daughter and baby had gotten used to her presence like she was an additional family member. For 6 months, Judy had kept us engaged on interesting anecdotes. Although she decided to pull the plug from the initial 1-year project, she told me she gained a lot of friends and incredible experiences and memories.

Ok. I told her. Not that keen, really.

On the way out after I picked Albany from school, the burly school gardener asked me, "Are you coming tonight?"

Slightly taken aback, I brightened up and said, "Oh... yeah, we are coming."

It was kind of a bigger deal than I initially thought, judging by the turnout of parents. By 5.30pm, parents were comfortably seated, Aussie Style, in their picnic & BBQ set up. Camp chairs, foldies, mat and all. Needless to say, twenty steps behind us were a BBQ man churning out sausage sizzles. It was then I realised the performance we were going to watch was not some elite choir team, specially picked for the event, but by every single kid in that school. That meant I got to see my daughter sing Christmas carols with her classmates. Suddenly, I felt excited about the event.

Well.

I hate to bring up bad times and I apologise because I have to. Say what you like about Singapore's education. Best in the world or whatever. I don't fucking care. Needless to say I certainly do not feel my kids are going to miss out on the God's gift by not sending them to study in Singapore. If there is to be an event like that in a Singapore school, parents will get to see the best of the school in every aspect. The entrance, the sound systems, manicured plants specially brought in, elaborate decorations, indoor seats arranged neatly. Only the best of the best kids perform one of those they would have rehearsed hundred of times before. Everything had to be inch perfect, way better than the actual, usual going-ons in school.

That is what I seriously hate about Singapore - putting on a facade. It starts from young, of course. I'm sure if you are Singaporean, you will feel there is nothing wrong about putting on your best on a day that matters. I don't blame you and I don't expect you to agree with me. It is called brainwashed for a reason.

In the army back in my days, parents were encourage to visit the camps on Enlistment Day. Bunks looked super clean, probably triple cleaned by the previous batch of botak recruits on 7 extras. Smiley sergeants greeted parents with perfect English and smiled at your girlfriends. The cook house served food that looked something you would get in Jack's Place. After the parents left, I remembered thinking, "Get on with this shit," the moment our platoon sergeant relieved his tight facial muscles and turn his fake grin to his natural snarl. Why do we want to be fake as fuck? Is there something so shameful in the shadows that we cannot face one another?

In a school event like that, I do not expect perfection. I just wanted to see things in a setting as natural as possible. I want to see how my child interacts with her teachers and classmates, not a programming code on beta testing. Or worse, not being about to watch her just because she wasn't among the best the school could offer. Seriously, why would I give a damn about the best kids anyway? In fact, I would like to see how the school actually treats the worst. The teachers probably wished they could lock them up in the school garden shed or the longhouse toilet if the option is legally available. No surprise on the country level, you will see how the elites are glorified and the weakest, buried from reality. 

With rain threatening to come pouring, the school Principal did his speech. Nothing grand and fanciful. No speech notes and robotic recital. It was short and sweet, just the way it should be.


The kids began to sing. The opener was nicely done by older children. It wasn't a professional performance. In fact, it was slightly out of sync at times. What I was impressed with was the kids did not look nervous at all, despite how obvious they were under-rehearsed, in "Singapore's standard." The better thing was, they genuinely enjoyed doing it. Standing at the side of the main crowd, I managed to observe the parents. I couldn't pick up anyone texting on their phones, talking to someone or being on the phone settling "more important" things at work. The parents were genuinely attentive, interested and very supportive. Every performance was met with a rousing applause, especially the Kindy class, where Albany was in. Their performance was chaotic, fun and beautiful to watch. Nothing like watching machine cogs spinning the way I was accustomed to in my growing environment. 

By the end of the performance, parents were encouraged to grab their Kindy kids so that they would enjoy the rest of the show better and "So will we." I laughed at that, along with the crowd. I didn't know I would end up actually enjoying the event I really wanted to avoid going.

I know the Australian education system is weak, as compared to some of the countries producing top students, like Singapore. They have been harping on that. There are even talks of adopting Singapore's Way, much to my horror. Shouldn't they focus on constructing more tall buildings first, so that the children have good locations to jump from? Australians do not know their priorities. Yes - I know academic excellence here is far behind but I hope the schools do not turn myopic turn their focus solely on it. I've seen how my child interact with Judy's kids with ease, despite their big age gap. She looks forward to going to school everyday and is keen to learn. At this age, it isn't right to grind them. It is a wonder how we think child labour is wrong but grinding them with school work to late hours is right.

At the end of the day, good grades and all, are nothing but facade. When it is time to apply what we learnt and do the deed, the Singaporean young adult say they have "returned to the teacher," whereas their Australian counterpart do it. Without rehearsals, we are lost sheep. Best education in the world? I'll pass.

I was googling for answers to Australian migration details before I stumbled upon your blog. It's been a great read so far, and I've mostly been jumping around your entries. It's really inspiring to see how far you've gone from 2011 till now.

Like you said, every migrant has their own unique circumstance which makes them consider moving. I've had my doubts about belonging to the system for a long time, but recent events this year really forced me to just push ahead with my own self-fulfillment instead of always thinking about my responsbilities - to my family, to my country, to my friends (the limited few who aren't even Singaporean to begin with, but Southeast Asian).

I don't really want to talk about the recent events because that will only makes me depressed. But maybe I'll share about the other details about myself that may give you a better picture - I'm 24, graduating from SMU Accountancy in the next semester. Didn't get any job offers from my previous 2 internships. 

I don't have much savings, I saved most of what I earned in NS but it wasn't much. I ate mostly at cookhouse, did not go clubbing or blow money on anything really except time on computer games. I have about $10k worth of shares. I don't owe anything to anyone for my university fees - I was on a bond-free university scholarship. So at least I'm debt-free (yay?).

I've been to Perth back in 2006 with my brother. It was the earliest memory I have of travelling. And the thing I remembered most fondly of was the night sky. I've been hiking in other countries trying to find the same thing, and honestly the only place that came close was a different part of Australia - Tasmania. Something about the scale of the starry night sky just makes me feel at peace. I also enjoyed the weather and the friendly people who would say hi to me when I went for my morning jogs. I've also been to Sydney and Melbourne in 2015 for a study trip, and I must say I didn't like the city very much. Of course, 10 years is a long time and Perth might have changed drastically since I last visited so it's good to check with people who are actually staying there.

Well, if all the hikes I've been to taught me anything, it is that I don't need many things to be happy. Sleeping in a freezing tent getting blown by strong winds after an arduous 15 hour hike up and down Iceland seeing nothing but sheep, I felt more at peace than I ever did in my 24 years in Singapore. The thought of staying with my parents until I'm 35 and eligible to qualify for my HDB flat abhors me. I do not want to live off my parents. Call it pride, ego, whatever. I want to be independent, to be able to take care of myself and anyway the relationship with my parents have not been too good after recent events.

Anyway, it's hard to reduce my life story down to one paragraph or two. I've deliberately left out details of my family because I don't want to talk about it to a total stranger. After my long-winded cock-and-bull story, I finally get down to my questions about applying for the Skilled Independents visa (Subclass 189):

1) If I get a visa via Subclass 189, do I have to work under that chosen profession? Honestly, I chose the profession back in JC days because of the job security that it offered. Now that I no longer need that job security, I found that being an accountant is really not for me. I fall sick all the time in office environments and feel miserable throughout my internship periods, even if the people are great.

From the Immi website, it only states the the visa allows me to "work and study" in Australia. Not really sure where the boundaries are set. Seems a bit strange to vet applicants under Skills and not compel them to work using that skillset, similar to using DSA to apply to Secondary School, and then not enrolling in that CCA.

Anyway, I'd very much like to undertake a trade occupation apprenticeship if I succeed in my visa application. The only problem is I have absolutely no experience as mechanic, engineer, or fixing things in general. The only thing I fixed in recent memory was my bicycle tyre and chain which dropped out. I know you also had a similar starting point, so I'm curious as to how you managed to convince employers to take you on despite the lack of any background knowledge.

2) Do I need working experience for the Skills Assessment? Will my accounting degree from SMU be enough? I am afraid I will not pass the Skills Assessment test administered by CPA Australia or any of the other accounting bodies. Unfortunately, after 4 years of study, my accounting knowledge is really bad even though it is enough to pass with an average GPA. Additionally, my understanding is that work experience is generally required to be a certified accountant. If you know of any accountants who successfully migrated to Perth under this scheme, putting me in contact with them would be a great help.

3) How much money would you estimate is required to move/settle in Perth? I understand the visa alone costs almost $4,000 now. Additionally, things like buying a second-hand car ($1,500 - $3,000 based on your blogposts) and putting down deposits for housing rent (2-3 months? About $1,500?) and having a safety net (for food most importantly) while doing the job search is necessary. All that being said, I am single, have no children or real relationships to worry about, and my parents are financially stable. Ideally I hope to remit a portion of my salary to them as it is my responsibility, but they do not require me to supoprt them. But I want to hit the ground running when I begin the move to Australia, and thus am going to work and save as much as I can in Singapore to hit that goal as soon as possible.

Well thanks for reading this long email. I don't think I've typed any email this long before, but since I'm asking for advice for such a big complex move, I would like to be as thorough as possible. If you're too busy to reply, then thanks for chronicling your journey. It's been a really informative read to see your trials and progress as a migrant. I should be able to scrape through and make the move happen if I want it badly enough anyway. I like to believe that when there's a will, there's a way.

Hi R,

Straight to the point.

Q: If I get a visa via Subclass 189, do I have to work under that chosen profession?

A: No, because this is a permanent resident visa, unlike a pure work permit (Subclass 457) which may require you to work under the profession qualifies you for the visa.

I arrived in Perth during mid Spring. 17 September 2011. A date I may not easily forget for a while. Somehow, the years slip by. Have it really been 5 years already? Back in the Summer of 2011, if you asked me what I thought I would be in 5 years' time, I would have honestly tell you I didn't have a clue. I was grinding metal at work in tears on hearing my dog died in Singapore, just months after I left. My wife was heavily pregnant by Summer and my daughter was due soon. I didn't know which would go first, my job or my body. There wasn't a more uncertain period of my life till then. I wouldn't be able to tell anyone what would happen to me in the following month, let alone the next 5 years.

The journey was never a bed of roses. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be, for some at least. The same rules apply anywhere in the world. Some has it good, some not so much. Though life has became more routine and stable, it remains uncertain for me. I never felt settled, though I can say the same since Day 1 of my working life in Singapore. For one, I cannot tell you where I will be in 2021. I hope I am alive and well to tell the tale by then.

Just when I think I am beginning to know the place well enough, this Summer has been extraordinary cool. "Har! Don't speak too soon," my wife would go. No. This one is something different. Being out in the open so often, I am more sensitive to the surroundings than her. This Summer will be one interesting one, notably different from the past five. It may be one that we can expect a reprieve from those hellish scorchers we experienced so far. Rainy days are extremely rare during Summer in Perth yet we have already see 3 days out of 12 with some rain. We will still experience a couple of hotter days of course. It is Summer after all. However, this one should be noticeably more comfortable to cope with.

I have to take the opportunity to get the landscaping done up. There are simply too many items on the task list to dwell. I have to starting cross them out quickly, so that I can focus on the things that really matter. It is already my 6th Summer here. I have to make haste.

Within 20 seconds, the advertisement was gone. It was free and it could delight a girl, should I expect otherwise?

I managed to catch hold of the seller's number before the ad was gone. I sent a message expressing my interest anyway. By the end of the day, I received a phone call from the seller.

"It is still available. When can you come today?" No sorry, Madam. I had already reached home, there was no way I would go through that peak hour traffic to Fremantle to pick that up and sacrifice my family time.

"I'll do it tomorrow morning before work," I offered.

"Fine."

At 5.30am, I was outside her place figuring out how to fit that into my car. It was bigger than what I imagined it to be. The real problem was, it was filthy like hell. More like a nightmare for another girl. I wondered for a while if that was why the first buyer stood the seller up. Still, a free item was a free item. Singaporean Mum, M, exclaimed when she saw the picture I sent her, "Wah, just buy from Ikea lah, $100 only. This kind maybe got bugs."

Hmm. Ok. Some advertisements did appear on some websites I go to after the conversation, confirming that Whatsapps is definitely selling information of our conversations to clients.

To be fair to "Kitchenette from Silent Hill", none of these models shown in the advertisements (left) are comparable in terms of functionality. Kitchenette from Silent Hill was dual faced, meaning you could play it from both sides. It was also higher and bigger than some of those models. Miss V - the only encouraging person regarding this - told me how much she loved that retro version compared to the modern ones. Ok, I admit it wouldn't cost more than $200 to buy a similar used model in decent condition, if I could find someone selling it in Perth in the first place.

Anyway, that wasn't the point. If I promised someone I would collect it, I would. I had to either dump it somewhere else if I found it unsuitable or restore it so that it might actually delight a girl. In this case, my daughter.

As if I didn't already have enough on my hands, I decided to try to restore it to usable condition. I told Singaporean Mum, that would be my ticket to heaven, since I was saving Earth, while sinful people like her consumes. >:)

It was surprisingly lotsa work. A rusty steel circular hollow. Rust removed and sprayed white later on. A broken clock hand to replace. New wheels were installed in placed for that dodgy old one and another gone missing. Components was taken apart to be cleaned, repaired and disinfected before assembling again. I took it home and Jen said she could do another clean as well as repair some of the tiny component that was worn or lost. By weekend she added a sink and I added a missing shelf in the oven compartment. All that was left was a tap, which I would find something suitable when I have the time.

Albany was delighted and fussed over her kitchenette. I asked her specifically if she mind it being obviously pre-owned. She didn't mind it a bit. Perhaps little kids have less expectations compared to the adults. Who are the real spoilt brats, I wonder? Maybe watching how both her parents put in so much effort in refurbishing it, she saw it differently? It may not be possible to dissect the thoughts of a 4 year old cleanly.

The reason why I am writing this is that I hope one day my daughter grows up to read and understand the intentions behind my effort to transport, dismantle, repair, clean and upgrade a toy that I can easily splash the cash to obtain while drinking tea at home. You wouldn't have guess the pissed poor peasant of Perth could actually afford it, would you? I may be able to buy the toy, but not the opportunity to tell my child a story. I hope she will receive this message one day in the further future.

Daddy will go the full lengths for her, with or without easier options available. If she is to find a man to take care of her in future, he shall be one who caters to her actual needs and not a mindless diamond splasher. If the man is unwilling to walk the miles for her like her dad, he is not worth it.