American's Moving to Singapore - Things to Know

Things to know/check for when you are looking for a place to live:

~You don't have to live in the Orchard Road area.  Some people love it.  Some would rather live in other places.  You will adapt no matter where you are.  Agents see American's and think you want to live next to the shopping strip. It is not necessary.  No matter where you live on the island - it is small and getting around is easy.

~If you want a larger size condo ask for it.  For some reason they start showing you the matchbox sizes.  They do have bigger ones for the matchbox size prices - but you must be persistent.  Tell your agent exactly what your 'dream' place is and see how close you can get.  By being up front with the agent, you have a better chance of getting close to what you would like or at least giving the agent a chance.  So many people I know got sick of looking and just accepted, then found out they could have asked for different, but just assumed it was 'this' or nothing.  Don't assume.

~Be sure you have an oven (my friend found out the hard way she didn't have an oven; she went to bake in it.  It was not there.  You often have to negotiate for one.)

~Be sure you have hot water in the kitchen.  Again, if you don't know, you won't ask.  If you want it in your washer - check for it there too.

~Dishwashers are an option and often outside (you read that right) or on the countertop (you read that right too)  (I see you laughing)
~If you need a patio be sure and look for one.  We had one we thought was suitable, until we put a 3x3 table and bbq pit on it, then we couldn't move.  They look bigger barren.

Things to know:

~There are 'mosquito police' here. Do not have standing water in any flower pot, puddle, container or dish inside or outside. You will be fined.  They do check your balconies and toilets - in some places very often. Just ask my friends. They knock, enter, search, fine (if any offenses are found) and leave.  Regularly.  Flush your toilets once a day - and don't forget the maids toilet in the bomb shelter.

~Ground floors get mosquito fogged - of course it is outside, but if you have breathing problems...  

When I say fogged, I mean fogged:

~Don't be so desperate for a TV/phone that you go with the first company you see -we contracted into a service and found we were stuck with one that is a pain in the last. We just paid them $200 to get out of a 2 year contract that my husband signed nearly 2.5 years ago.  It conveniently renews for another 2 years without notice.  Research, research...

~We bought a Vonage box and brought it over for phone service.  We can call our family at home just like we lived across town on in another state like we always did (when living in the states) (we dial 555-1212 for a call to the city our phone service used to be in!) for just a few dollars a month.  When we heard about the Vonage box, we called Vonage and found out we could indeed do this.  All that was required was we had to have a states mailing address.  I used our daughters.  We also brought a states cordless phone to use. Get Vonage or a comparable phone service so you can call home.  Be sure and check out the FAQ's on the link above.

~Get Skype or google chat or some free video chat; it was not necessary for us to get the Skype you pay for, we just had our kids download it.  We get to talk to our kids/grand kids through the computer and actually get to see them at the same time.  What.  A.  Wonderful.  Invention.  You do have to have a camera on your computer or purchase one.

~Most TV here sucks; at least that is my experience.  I am not sugar coating it.  Some shows are several seasons old, others you don't get, some you watch 14 brazillion of the same show for one week over and over, and you get Chinese TV.  There are a few new shows, but don't count on 'your' show being here.  You cannot get the major USA networks online here:  "The program you are trying to watch is not available in your geographic location" so don't be under the mistaken impression you can watch it on your computer.  Our solution became the Sling Box.  We had to place the Sling Box in our son's home with a DVR to save the shows to, then we brought the Sling Catcher with us.  He has to have super fast internet speeds and we have to be patient and realize if we want to watch any good TV at all or see news from the states we have to bite the bullet, have less quality TV than we are accustomed to in the state and be happy.  Yes, it is expensive.  Yes, it is worth it.  You record the shows just as you would on a DVR and then watch them at your convenience here in Singapore.  The only difference is, the DVR is sitting on a loved ones entertainment center in the states and you are controlling it here.

You can get CNN and Fox News, but it is censored and not all the time up to date.  Portions are.

Also, if you buy American products here they can be here today and gone tomorrow.  My theory is that the stock ran out, that means the next container of stock has not been opened yet and it is sitting out there waiting for someone to find it.  When they find it, they restock all the shelves on the island.  When things appear, they appear island wide, and when things disappear, they disappear island wide.  When you are desperate, you post on facebook to your Singapore friends exactly what you are looking for so they can look at all their stores.  If you are lucky someone comes up with it.  We scratch each other's backs here. 

Singapore has one of the best transit systems in the world.  I am impressed with it - and I bet you will be too.  Don't be afraid to use it - it is amazing!  Remember - it is a little island and you can't get off of it without knowing... lol... if for some reason you do get lost, walk outside and put up your arm - a taxi is appears right before your eyes.  My favorite ones are the Comfort/City/Limo cabs.  Most are safe drivers and don't use their cars as bumper cars.  Just my opinion, now you make yours...

Get to know THIS site for mass transit commuting.  It is awesome!

One of the funny things we learned are that shish-ka-bob sticks are satay sticks in Singapore... just so you know... 

And that should get you started... if you have any other questions, I should be able to answer for a bit.  Singapore changes with the tides, what may be good for now may not be in a year.