Don’t wait.

Just leave everything behind and start a new life somewhere.

Do what excites you!

[...] in a Strange Land – This lush garden within: I’ll be leaving you … Singapore – Just Stuff: Could This Be Why; The Singapore Population is Shrinking? Part I Part II – All and [...]

The garden on the other side is always lusher

Hi, I really concur with everything that you have written. Wish I can confidently say the same thing right now. Alas I am bonded to work for this regime. Its ok, I am counting down now. Only 2 years left. Best wishes for a great future with your family. Cheers

Tim – I’m sure its a lot greener and lusher in many other places =) 人往高处走。 。 。 life is only so short, must make the best out of it rather than be stuck in someplace I don’t like doing things I hate.

sha – I’m bonded too, but we’ll get past that. Either serve out, or pay up when I strike Toto =)

Tototally agreed. I will not want to see my son to waste 2 years of his life. Leave this country is a must.

I’m turning 40 and I should have leave this place 10 years ago.

Leave while you’re still young, once you are part of the system, you are stuck.

In this “cold” country lossing your job at 40 is hard enough when you think of competing with lower pay FT is even harder.
When you are part of the system accepting a lower pay is not an option.

Quitter! You are not. The funny thing is;
Singaporean who leave are called quitter, but quitter of other counties are welcome as FT.

40s >> Indeed. Come to think of it, if those FTs can quit their countries and come over here when the going is good… when the going gets bad they can just as well quit Singapore, especially when this isn’t their homeland anyway. Many of them are just opportunists.

Many FTs studying in Singapore now are just taking advantage of the easy entry and low cost of a degree (with a 3 year bond working in Singapore and getting paid higher than their hometown salaries)… many of those I know have told me explicity before that they intend to return home or go to other first world nations like the US after their bonds.

You know what you want. You also know your dreams cannot be fulfilled here. You made your choice… a pragmatic one.
Definitely not a quitter because the decision you made is a rational, pragmatic one. Good for you.

I always admire people who dares to migrate for better pastures, in whichever way they define it.

All the best to you.

Let me add something.

We both share the same dream. I am now stuck in one biatch of a hole called NS, and have been dreaming of living in other countries (UK, USA, AUSTRALIA) for ages. I have very quixotic, very romantic dreams about living abroad. Its the archetypal picture – Countryside, breezy and picturesque, with vineyards, pristine rivers, laidback pace etc

But I have chatted up with quite a sizeable number of foreigners, and faced the grim reality that such places are getting scarcer and scarcer. Places that i have infatuations in such as the UK have gotten a disproportionate share of bad reviews, including the most recent one regarding exodus of brits to australia and spain.

Jim rogers, famous investor, also concluded that the uk of 1805, or usa of 1905 is passe. He recommends China, but china is never on my list of priority.

australia sounds like the perfect spot, but due to globalisation, and due to increase in publicity in recent years (magazines naming the top XX countries to live in, the top XX countries with best living conditions etc), the influx of people into australia has been exorbitant. Australia is the best kept secret no more. And by the time when i am truly capable and ready to set off, australia would have been converted and shaped into “one of them” – the big industralised countries with bad air, overcrowding, high vehicle ownership, bad weather, and high property prices/cost of living overall, high stress level etc.

Faced with such sombre prospects, I was thinking of europe. But europe is so damn far, and so damn foreign. Racism is still rife, and the environment there is not exactly propitious for a quintiessential asian to live in (think weather, language, tax systems as high as 40%, culture, crime).

Somehow I think with the overarching tides of unbridled globalisation gaining pace, the “pot of gold” at the end of rainbow or the little cavern behind the waterfalls does not exist anymore. there used to be a line that seperates the utopia from the dystopia, but now the line is smudged and no one can really tell the difference anymore. Countries have sort of amalgamated, or assimilated into one another, bringing not only benefits but also spill over problems such as pollution and cost of living.

That day while I was at the lobby of my condominium, I chatted up with a Brit neighbour. He was a brit citizen, left brit for aussie, stayed in aussie for 2 decades, and decided to settle down here. He gave me some food for thought, particularly this —-> “Singaporeans like you always think that the grass is greener on the other pasture. But its not true! you can go and travel around the world. And you will know. Then you will come back.” He mentioned something along the lines of greater crime rates and horrible living conditions, but I couldnt really recall the minutiae of it.

Even Jim rogers, the famous investor as aforesaid, has permanently relocated to Singapore from NY.

I still harbour very starry-eyed,fanciful dreams about living abroad. Even with the overwhelmingly disapproving comments I have heard, I still yearn to see the outside World, and will not let anything snuff out this curious flame of mine. But sometimes I wonder, for all the dissatisfaction we have, is this place still truly the most favourable place for us after all?

And finally, I can give up everything if i really want to, but my loved ones are here. And this alone can proved quite a bit of a quandary. A very tricky, very difficult one indeed.

yonanz > I have struggled for the longest time deliberating about whether the “grass is really greener on the other side”. It is very true that even the ‘best’ places in the world have their darker sides.

However, isn’t it also true that if you are really down on your luck in Singapore, the chances of you becoming a victim of crime or an accident is no smaller than when you are somewhere else (of course I mean another place with a reasonable level of public safety/security)?

End of the day, it really depends on the individual. Do you really believe that Singapore’s system is the best for you and your future family? Some people might think so, but I don’t. It’s a personal thing, and there’s no right or wrong. Like I mentioned, there are plenty of things right about Singapore. It really depends on what you value more. For example somebody who values press freedom a lot will not even think about living in Singapore.

The issue of leaving loved ones behind is also something that might eventually hold me back. The good thing for me is that besides my mother, I really have nobody else that I don’t bear to leave behind here. My siblings are all still young as I am, and we will surely have many opportunities to meet even if I leave.

Most importantly, remember that immigration is not an overnight affair. At least, one starts with permanent citizenship status, or work permit even. If you go somewhere else and eventually realise its not the place for you, your Singapore citizenship (and reservist) will still be there for you to fall back on.

All the best to you, Mr Biao.
I share the same sentiment as you. There is something seriously wrong with Singapore government, policy and strategy. It’s even worse when the so-called leaders paid themselve exorbitant salary and reap as much as possible while in power, and then asking the citizen to contribute for long term ! I think Singaporean is been made a mockery by the system and the governance here. It is not a way a human will want to live such a life given a chance, in a so-called Swiss standard of living. From the action done by the government so far, it evidently exposes the signs of desperation and incompetent leaderships that lead Singapore to next era. The golden age expound by LKY is nothing more than a vision and dream for the rich powerful elites, not for the commoners. The commoners will need to flock out even more money after all someone will need to be paid for the golden taps of the elite.

I ask myself too what’s the point of myself been highly educated if I am lacking in morality and worshipping money, notwithstanding been made dumber by the leaders here. Seriously, Singapore is a unique country where you hardly can tell the wrong from the right ! The establishment virtually broke all the business rules that one came to know in business study like collusion, monopoly, price fixing, but yet justify that it need that to stay ahead ! Well, no wonder the greatest loser is the typical Singaporean. Singapore Inc is a business entity that shamelessly leverage on goverance to generate stupendous profit that only make the greedy becomes gluttonous. A president that doesn’t even behave like one speaking for the people, but behaving like a obedient luxury dog whose neck tied by the dictator. Worse still, I yet to even get to eat the president’s tasty prata despite his undeserved million dollars of salary !

Whereas other developing countries like China, India are building own local talents as priority, our dearly-expensive leaders are extolling that FT is the future of Singapore ! Everyday, media propaganda emphasize about local talents and future, but action speak otherwise. Instead of asking what’s wrong with the system they have cultivated, they shift the blame on citizen, and herald on FT as long as it generates economy value. What they never realized that those FT who choose to become citizen will one day behave likewise like local citizen. The worse thing that happen is that Singaporean is been busted over time because those FT will get to vote one day since there is no longer a distinction between a citizen and Singapore resident (1/3 of population is now foreigner), and sure enough FT will very likely to vote the establish back to power because of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. In such a case, Singaporean’s future life seems bleak and terribly oppressed.

Be a quitter if you must if it means that your future generation will have a better quality of life. There is no point in remaining patriotic to a country that citizen couldn’t change at all for the better. Why stay in a country where liability is more than asset ?

If you are a dreamer and value individual freedom, it is difficult for you to live in a conformist society. Other than the ‘material chase’ and being ’slaves’ to the system, I don’t see what Kambingpore has to offer.

I can appreciate what goes through your mind at the current stage as I went through years ago. Have no fear, just follow your dream. I told myself once ‘my ancestor moved out of China without knowing where the next meal come from. Here I am, educated and equiped with skill, should I be fearful?’.

Terms like ’safety’, ‘racist’, ‘discrimination’ and the like are all thoughts that put doubt in ones mind. I have personally not experienced. Of course, I have been called a ‘Chine’. Yes, I am. So have I called others ‘a pom’ and ‘a wok’. Well, they are not meant to be uncomplimentary. In fact, Victorians are less of a racist than Singaporeans.

I agree with you, ‘life is short’, so make good use of it. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than ‘peace of mind’, ‘relax’ and ’stress free’. You will soon realise what Singapore is, if you take a step out and look back inside. To quote what my son said to me after visiting Malaysia and Singapore, ‘Thanks for taking me out of the stressful and impersonal society’.

The government plans for the long term and the citizens look only at the short-term gains.

That’s why. Never be a politician of an efficient ruling party. It’s never worth it.

“The government plans for the long term and the citizens look only at the short-term gains.”

If government really plan for long term, then the leaders opt to option and stake their future and asset on the future of Singapore if they are to be respected. What I see today isn’t hopeful with leaders reaping as much as possible from taxmoney and public asset first to themselves. This alone indicates that they aren’t hopeful and confident of Singapore, the very country that they are paid millions to manage and lead !

Plan is futile if it doesn’t take into account the dynamism of the changing world. The Singapore plan we have today and tomorrow is just plan for the sake of having one. Until we have accountability and responsibility from the so-called leaders, whatever plan they produce is nothing more than superficial vision. They still received their ridiculous salary even in idle time and failure. We should know better because that how a brain-dead corporation with management disconnected with the real world works generally.

“citizens look only at the short-term gains.”
With rules and regulations that change so quickly and easily as changing underwear with no resistance from the public, who wouldn’t want to reap the harvest as fast as possible ? Who want to be left behind with the remaining carcass ?

david 12> you reflect my sentiments exactly. I know somebody who works in ICA. she told me that FTs are given PRs and citizenships at higher rates than before. The gov[’t always tells Singaporeans not to be racist or resistant towards FTs… however it does not even consider the feelings of those who have been replaced by FTs in their jobs.

If it’s a 10 to 20% population of FTs, maybe its still acceptable. However, 1/3 of the population is really too much.

Do they even know what some of the FTs are saying behind their backs or amongst themselves? They are mocking Singaporeans. The other day in NUS, I overheard some PRC staff talking among themselves about how NUS embraces FT rather than employ locals. Look, NUS doesn’t even value their own graduates more than FTs! How can I bring myself to put my future into a place like this?

SKL> you’re probably somebody whose been there and done that already. I hope I can be like you one day and have my kid say the same thing to me.

As for racism… I’ve heard about students from Europe and the Americas come to NUS on exchange and feeling shocked at all the racism and racist jokes going around, even by the lecturers. I agree racism exists everywhere, but we are guiltly of it ourselves. Think of it. Regardless of which race we are, at some point in our lives I am sure every one of us have had negative feelings, whether said or unsaid, about another ethnic group.

me> “government plans for the long term”. I am not sure what you meant by that. Is it for long term benefit to the country and its leadership, or long term benefit to its people? Its people are suffering from higher-than-apparently-reported inflation levels, FTs taking away places in schools and workplace, overly competitive society, high housing prices, etc. While the leaders are ’suffering’ from huge payrises and yet still says their salaries are below private sector levels. What a huge sacrifice they are making. Like anybody would seriously think so!

By bringing in a new generation of FTs indebted to the government for giving them the opportunity to study cheaply in Singapore and then work in high paying jobs (than in their hometowns), the gov’t is actually garnering support for their future elections when these FTs eventually become citizens.

So think again. The government is indeed planning for the long-term – but for who? For the native Singaporeans, or for the new generation of Singaporeans aka FTs? And who are they doing all these for at the end of the day?

“citizens only look at the short-term goals”. I, for one, don’t. I am sure many other people don’t. Short term goals are only stepping stones to longer-term ones.

In any case, why are we perceived to be only interested in short-term goals? I would think the answer is similar to Maslow’s theory. If we are unable to satisfy our lower-level needs (i.e. hunger), we will not even bother to think about higher-level stuff like safety or self-actualization.

Similarly, if we have problems surviving in this competitive society in the short-run, then most people will not even bother to think about the long-run. It’s a vicious cycle. We are forever kept uptight, jittery and busy so we have no time and energy to really bother about higher-level issues like long-term goals, long-term effects of current policies, politics, etc.

I think that is why many Singaporeans are perceived to be apathetic towards politics. Because we have no time and we see no point to change anything in the macro environment when we are already having problems in our short-run personal lives. However, these short-run problems are actually a result of long-term planning and thats why all the more we should care.

Best wishes to you. I definitely encourage every Singaporeans, if given a chance to work and live abroad for a few years. Most of them would leave Singapore for good eventually having seen a different world with a totally different perspective. I agree with most of your points raised. However, don’t leave Singapore because of the stress and competitive nature. Leave Singapore because you are valued more elsewhere. Leave because you have a bigger platform to experiment with different ideas and create a better life for your family. Singapore is too small a place and has a narrow definition of what is right and wrong, and what it takes to be successful.

Believe me, Singapore is not stressful, there are more stressful places in the world. I worked in the finance sector in Hong Kong, New York and China and the pace of work in Singapore is slow by comparison. So slow in fact, that I would only go back to Singapore for holidays these days. I left Singapore because of the narrow definition of success and I am not valued because of the weird system that has been put in place. Singapore places premium on the wrong type of people but forget that there are many capable Singaporeans who doesn’t fit into the standard ‘mould’. Our definition of talents needs to be seriously reviewed.

All the best.

superman > Now that you’ve mentioned it, I seriously don’t feel valued by Singapore.

One example is although NUS is high up on worldwide university rankings (for reasons we don’t really understand ourselves), employers here don’t think we’re any better than many of those who went to Australia to study because they couldn’t get a place here in Singapore in the first place! But ironically, those people still get higher pay than us even though their universities aren’t any better than NUS or NTU. They get paid more just for the fact that they’ve studied overseas, nevermind the quality of their education.

Mr Biao

Wish you all the best in your plans.As only you can and should decide for yourself with faith in God or not as your preference.

Frankly, whether you are educated overseas or not, it works only for the 1st 2 years the higher pay if applicable , after that it is your competency.

Regards

I wouldn’t place too much premium on the first degree, maybe it be from NUS or any foreign universities. There will be prejudice, bias or preferential treatment everywhere you go. Heck if you go abroad, the NUS degree is valued even lower. Only in Singapore, foreign skills and foreign degrees are actually perceived to be better than local talents and degrees. Sad. At the end of the day, performance counts. And it is not too late to do something about it. My first degree was from NUS but 2nd degree was from overseas, which in fact helped secured my passport out of Singapore.

All the best!

superman > one of my plans is also to take a masters somewhere else, then use that as a means to get out. think it’ll be easier than trying to apply for a job overseas armed with just an NUS degree.

Will probably need to look for somewhere cheap, but quite difficult to find somewhere cheap and good =) I guess its a matter of getting what you pay for.

Imagine going overseas and then meeting people who find your presence annoying. Just like how you feel about the foreign workers here in Singapore.

mj > Indeed, that is one fact of life. I do have experience of going overseas and not being welcomed. I am sure it takes time and effort – on both the hosts and the visitors’ parts, for the latter to blend well into the society.

You know what, it’s great to see young people wanting to go out and live their dream lives. All the best. That part about embracing FT and ignoring locals, while I don’t agree, but that’s another story – a long one:)

This might be the best decision you make in your life.

It is always best to venture out in search of true meaning in life. I rather suffer the injustice of being labelled as a foreign worker than to wake up one day to find out that the HDB or the CPF has been readjusted .

I’m sick of it. Rising Cab fare , ERP in town area bla bla bla… if there is not so much foreign talents (mind you they are the ordinary office worker and hairdresser etc) taking up our flat n transport we would not be in this dire situation.

Hmm. I think there are still things you should be grateful for. Like, being able to go to school, being to eat and stay under a decent roof and all.

I understand that once you have your basic needs, striving for something more is common, like in Maslow’s heirarchy, but you don’t seem grateful for even the basic needs.

It’s good if you have your views on Singapore’s governance, on what you deem are its flaws and all, but you sound so harsh like Singapore isn’t even a place to live in.

Actually, I kinda wish I were you. To be so pampered that a plain porridge is too bad for me.