re: the other thread. I'm still (in the background) pondering whether one just reads
the Lonely Planet one-page guide to 'what to do in 3 days', 'what to do in 5 days' etc.
I.e. That is pretty much all most tourists do. So.... to what extent and when might you do more?
you'll find plenty of expats who've barely been past Raffles Place and Orchard (that was certainly
my first stint in SG).Even if you somehow went deeper on a pre relo recce, would it 'resonate' or make
a difference to you and any decisions? hmmm.
Yes, trailing spouse, 'peripheral baggage', it's harsh. But I always found spending 3-5pm by the pool
before all the 9-5 riff-raff showed up, made it... water off a ducks back and rather a smug joy.
She will find opportunitiesif she wishes to. She just has to know that there is a huge amount of
super-qualified 'trailers', both men and women... it doesn't mean she needs to resign herself
to being some vacuous bimbo lounging by the pool every day.
Reasons to move (off the top of my head)...
- New horizons that will change your life forever.
- Get in, work hard, get paid well, save lots, use it to set you up for the future.
- The above is financially. Ditto re: a career. Use a posting like SG to get a big step ahead
on the career ladder. Small fish/big bowl -> medium fish/small bowl -> medium/+ fish/big bowl when
you go home. I.e secure a good promo to move to SG. Consolidate it while there. Take that grade/rank and
maintain if not improve it further on going home. A stint as an expat can turbo-charge the possibilities
and career path.
- You are in the mortherland of travel opportunities. You will never do a 'long weekend in Borneo' from
back home. Or Cambodia, or, etc... You will need and want your leisure time - plenty of opportunities.
On the soft side? For me the move was more accident, or chance, it just presented itself as such.
Then once I'd relo'd once the next relo opportunity came up, and again. In some ways there's 'no going back',
not once you've left the home brood for the first time. One to have over a virtual few beers
Also, although before you relo, the move might seem geographically large. But once you move it's
surprising how the distance is small, irrelevant, more just an inconvenience on the clock when you
have to call back home (etc).