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Should I move to Singapore?

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SelinaSelina
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Should I move to Singapore?

Post by SelinaSelina » Sun, 29 Jun 2014 5:39 pm

Hello I'm a 29 year old British female (Indian roots) working for a large U.S investment bank in London and have been offered the opportunity to move to Singapore.

Naturally I'm excited about the proposition I've always wanted to experience living in another country but I have three main worries:

1. I have no friends and family living in Singapore, so I'll literally know ZERO people. How do you make friends again from scratch?!
2. I'm going to miss my family
3. I've never been hugely independent will I be able to cope?


I have to make a decision by tomorrow and I keep changing my mind!

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Wd40
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Post by Wd40 » Sun, 29 Jun 2014 8:48 pm

You work for an investment bank and you actually have the time to make friends and socialize? Make sure how your work hours will be in Singapore. Once you are here, your concern might actually be the opposite. :P

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JR8
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Re: Should I move to Singapore?

Post by JR8 » Sun, 29 Jun 2014 9:22 pm

SelinaSelina wrote:Hello I'm a 29 year old British female (Indian roots) working for a large U.S investment bank in London and have been offered the opportunity to move to Singapore.

Naturally I'm excited about the proposition I've always wanted to experience living in another country but I have three main worries:

1. I have no friends and family living in Singapore, so I'll literally know ZERO people. How do you make friends again from scratch?!
2. I'm going to miss my family
3. I've never been hugely independent will I be able to cope?

I have to make a decision by tomorrow and I keep changing my mind!
Welcome to the forum! Good stuff, I was the same age as you first time I got posted to SG too, also with a large US InvBank (via Tokyo). Great opportunity.

1) simple. Almost all of us begin in these shoes. Yes ahead of time you wonder, but it sorts itself out. You socialise via work. Then you socialise via social nights with groups like this here, then with neighbours, and so your friends/group extends. Pretty soon it all comes together. Meanwhile you'll be working all hours God gives, so you won't be at a loose end.

2) Yes, but on the flip-side, they should be excited for you, and the opportunities it will bring to your growing career. Plus, they will have a place to come and stay, and you can show them around etc. It's only a temporary move, and everything about it should be a positive (incl for them). Remember, even at your darkest hour: Home is only 12 hours away.

3) This is a c30*30 mile island. It's the easiest place I've ever lived. Even English is the main/everyday language - what more could you ask for!? Every question you haven't even thought of yet, is already answered (likely, several times) right here in the archives.

If the $numbers, and position are good, - yes we all have our qualms, that's healthy - but really, it sounds like a positive move for you.

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Post by CaptainBullus » Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:30 am

^+1
JR8 has pretty much nailed it there. IMO you'll always regret what you could've done rather than what you did. Also...

1. What hobbies interests do you have? From the research I've done there's pretty much a club/association for everything in SG. OR is there something you'd love to try but haven't? I'm looking forward to giving Dragon Boat racing a shot.

2. Skype/Facetime plus you can enjoy planning vacations with your family when they come to visit. Also, you've got the whole of Asia literally at your door!

3. Now's the time to change that!

Seriously, there's probably not too many other world cities where you'd feel so familiar and yet so exotic. Best of luck and hopefully you'll make the right decision.

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JR8
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Post by JR8 » Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:28 am

^ +1 good points too :)

@SelS
Just wondering, are they asking you to relo to a country you've never even visited? I knowing IB is pretty hard-boiled but that would be unusually hard-boiled IME.

The reason I ask is prior to a relo, IME you get an exploratory trip, say 2-4 days, to 'meet the team', shadow future colleagues for some time, spend an evening or two out, get some down-time to have a bit of a look-around town etc. It's their chance to sell you the offer, and only after the trip do you have to make the final decision (though it probably wouldn't be welcomed if you declined it), at least you have a basic idea of the who/what/where/how of where you're headed...

Just a thought...

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rajagainstthemachine
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Post by rajagainstthemachine » Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:05 pm

Hi Selina,

1. There's a huge Indian community here, you're never too far away from making Indian friends, however be warned you'll get your fair share of sleaze and perverts too.

2. Almost everyone who moves here to start a new life misses their family, but obviously you knew this was a decision you had to make sooner than later, maybe you can plan to visit your family once in a while

3. I don't think you'll have a problem with being independent and being in Singapore, in fact it might give you the freedom to make more choices with respect to finding accommodation, setting up living arrangements,transport.
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

SelinaSelina
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Post by SelinaSelina » Tue, 01 Jul 2014 7:43 pm

Hello,

Thanks for your kind responses and helpful tips ï

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the lynx
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Post by the lynx » Tue, 01 Jul 2014 8:19 pm

[quote="SelinaSelina"]Hello,

Thanks for your kind responses and helpful tips ï

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JR8
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Post by JR8 » Tue, 01 Jul 2014 8:35 pm

Good stuff! ...And so your journey begins :) :cool:

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Post by CaptainBullus » Tue, 01 Jul 2014 9:22 pm

Congrats, good luck with it!

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Post by ysogrumpy » Sun, 24 Aug 2014 11:23 pm

Good luck with the move. Did the same from the US and never looked back. Singapore and Asia in general is an exciting dynamic place/region that offers a tremendous career opportunity.

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