Mass exodus

[Lisafuller]

Starbucks in educational institutions are also slightly cheaper than the stores outside. Just walk in and buy and you enjoy the price.

A pity the school canteens had to raise their prices twice this year. Once before the Ukraine war, and another after. 6 years ago I could have 6 pieces of yong tau fu with noodles in school for only $1.80. Now it’s almost $3. Still cheaper than outside though.

As is the case with bubble tea stores. My daughters JC had a Gong Cha in it - granted, the menu was a little smaller but most of the classic bubble teas were offered, with nothing over three dollars. I guess any big chain subsidizes when they move into schools. I think this is the case with hospitals too.

[MOCHS]

If it’s a university where anyone can walk in, no one bats an eyelid. For polys, maybe it’s stricter. Before covid, there were always random tour groups of young students (10 years old) touring university campuses.

Hospitals shops have no such “discounts” for being in a hospital. I know because I’m located beside both a hospital and an institution. Only hospital staff get discounts in some hospitals stores after showing their staff card.

[malcontent]

If it’s a university where anyone can walk in, no one bats an eyelid.

That has been my experience. I have visited NTU canteens for lunch literally hundreds of times over the past few decades. Just imagine you are a visiting lecturer… no problem!

[MOCHS]

During the pandemic though, the uni I worked at was super strict about visitors and canteens could not sell food to visitors. The hospital on the other hand, had no such policy so I always told my vendors to grab their food from the hospital instead of school.

Now the restrictions have been lifted and anyone can dine in. Pain in the butt to find a seat during lunch. Gotta compete with the students, uni staff, hospital staff, and outsiders for a space to eat. I do have my own container for takeaway but I prefer to get some sunshine & fresh air instead of being stuck in the air-conditioned office all the time.

[rajagainstthemachine]

Havent posted in a while, but just wanted to get my thoughts out on this topic
There is an exodus of the traditional expat population from the west, only to he replaced by the hongkong expats and bankers and the mainland chinese

These two in particular are pushing up property prices and COE rates too i think, HK bankers will be ready to pay whatever $$ for a car

2022 assessment of Singapore

Pros:
Strong SGD : only real reason for me to work here
Good public transport infra
Good internet and mobile connectivity

Cons:
Exorbitant rentals
Bad/disgusting food - the standards have dropped big time, i hardly eat out anymore and cook at home
No entertainment- no discos,no vibrant nightlife that southeast asia is known for
Expensive spas massages and basically any wellness services due to high cost of employing workers
Women - gold diggers,fake and shallow
Poor retail - malls are all cookie cutter, You see one ,you’ve seen them all
Air travel hub: not as attractive as before, Air tickets are getting more and more expensive



Personally for me, the last 2 years were depressing, Apart from the fact that i can earn more here, i don’t see a good enough reason to stay on here, canada australia Uk all seem much more attractive
Plus after staying 10 years+ in a country with PR i feel its a wasted investment in this country
Had i spent those years in any other country,PR or citizenship is guaranteed.

[malcontent]

I hear you Raj, my recent trips to the US really drove many of those points home. Visiting my friends there… despite earning less and having a higher tax rate, they have so much more than me, both materially and lifestyle-wise. Covid really amplified this reality. The way I described it to my friends back there, it’s like living in a box. And although I’ve explored and discovered more than ever on this island during the pandemic, there is only so much that can be discovered (and rediscovered) on this red dot.

It has started to make me cringe every time I hear people give safety as the reason they want to stay here. I just went to the US twice without incident, and it shouldn’t be a surprise - I’ve never encountered any incidents, even back when I lived there. Crime rates in the US have actually been on a long-term downtrend since the 80’s, something you’d never know from the media. The recreational opportunities there are almost limitless. Life is short, I highly recommend living it while you can.

[NYY1]

.....
It has started to make me cringe every time I hear people give safety as the reason they want to stay here. I just went to the US twice without incident, and it shouldn’t be a surprise - I’ve never encountered any incidents, even back when I lived there. Crime rates in the US have actually been on a long-term downtrend since the 80’s, something you’d never know from the media. The recreational opportunities there are almost limitless. Life is short, I highly recommend living it while you can.

I don't disagree with the first part of your paragraph, but what you write in bold/underline is factually wrong. They've been increasing for the last decade or so, even before the COVID related spike. The rates are still much lower than they were say 2 or 3 decades ago though, and by avoiding certain areas one can try to control things (to some extent, i.e. don't put yourself in bad spots).

You can also look at the number of incarcerations and incarcerations per capita; they dropped before the crime rates started increasing again. One can make their own conclusion about whether the decline in incarcerations is related to people behaving better or if justice policies impact the crime statistics.

[rajagainstthemachine]

No concerts either, when they do its usually washed up bands or the k pop j pop crap.
@malcontent - cant tell you how refreshing it feels to be in a country where you can just drive to the mountains or waterfalls and camp out for a few days
The pandemic has made me reevaluate my outlook in life, $$ is no longer a motivator, new experiences, hobbies, fitness etc all seem much more pleasurable than sitting in an apartment taking endless calls and ordering grab food

[Wd40]

No concerts either, when they do its usually washed up bands or the k pop j pop crap.
@malcontent - cant tell you how refreshing it feels to be in a country where you can just drive to the mountains or waterfalls and camp out for a few days
The pandemic has made me reevaluate my outlook in life, $$ is no longer a motivator, new experiences, hobbies, fitness etc all seem much more pleasurable than sitting in an apartment taking endless calls and ordering grab food

And yet, the year is 2030 and Rajagainstthemachine is going to come back here and say the same thing except, he has spent 20+ years here and how much more boring it has become and how much he wants to get out of here. Come on man, stop whining, vote with your feet. If you had a choice you would have made it already, if not, beggars can't be choosers.

[rajagainstthemachine]

No concerts either, when they do its usually washed up bands or the k pop j pop crap.
@malcontent - cant tell you how refreshing it feels to be in a country where you can just drive to the mountains or waterfalls and camp out for a few days
The pandemic has made me reevaluate my outlook in life, $$ is no longer a motivator, new experiences, hobbies, fitness etc all seem much more pleasurable than sitting in an apartment taking endless calls and ordering grab food

And yet, the year is 2030 and Rajagainstthemachine is going to come back here and say the same thing except, he has spent 20+ years here and how much more boring it has become and how much he wants to get out of here. Come on man, stop whining, vote with your feet. If you had a choice you would have made it already, if not, beggars can't be choosers.

Nice attempt at mocking me, instead of realising peoples intentions have changed after covid
I actually have, I’m giving it one more year until my pass expires, in between now and then I’ll try one more pr application, Whats changed is I have a new born baby (son) and if that doesn’t come through its bye bye
I Already have a Canadian work visa valid for 3 years which is convertible into a pr and citizenship after just 6 months of living in canada
Not only that my company being US based does have roles open in Canada, i can just move internally quite easily

What changed my thinking is the birth of my son, I would like to give him the passport of a country that can help him succeed in the future.

And fyi Im not a beggar,I’m a chooser baby

[NYY1]

.....
It has started to make me cringe every time I hear people give safety as the reason they want to stay here. I just went to the US twice without incident, and it shouldn’t be a surprise - I’ve never encountered any incidents, even back when I lived there. Crime rates in the US have actually been on a long-term downtrend since the 80’s, something you’d never know from the media. The recreational opportunities there are almost limitless. Life is short, I highly recommend living it while you can.

I don't disagree with the first part of your paragraph, but what you write in bold/underline is factually wrong. They've been increasing for the last decade or so, even before the COVID related spike. The rates are still much lower than they were say 2 or 3 decades ago though, and by avoiding certain areas one can try to control things (to some extent, i.e. don't put yourself in bad spots).

You can also look at the number of incarcerations and incarcerations per capita; they dropped before the crime rates started increasing again. One can make their own conclusion about whether the decline in incarcerations is related to people behaving better or if justice policies impact the crime statistics.

Just for the record...

https://crime-data-explorer.app.cloud.g ... rime-trend

https://crime-data-explorer.app.cloud.g ... /crime/shr

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2 ... ince-1995/

[Wd40]

No concerts either, when they do its usually washed up bands or the k pop j pop crap.
@malcontent - cant tell you how refreshing it feels to be in a country where you can just drive to the mountains or waterfalls and camp out for a few days
The pandemic has made me reevaluate my outlook in life, $$ is no longer a motivator, new experiences, hobbies, fitness etc all seem much more pleasurable than sitting in an apartment taking endless calls and ordering grab food

And yet, the year is 2030 and Rajagainstthemachine is going to come back here and say the same thing except, he has spent 20+ years here and how much more boring it has become and how much he wants to get out of here. Come on man, stop whining, vote with your feet. If you had a choice you would have made it already, if not, beggars can't be choosers.

Nice attempt at mocking me, instead of realising peoples intentions have changed after covid
I actually have, I’m giving it one more year until my pass expires, in between now and then I’ll try one more pr application, Whats changed is I have a new born baby (son) and if that doesn’t come through its bye bye
I Already have a Canadian work visa valid for 3 years which is convertible into a pr and citizenship after just 6 months of living in canada
Not only that my company being US based does have roles open in Canada, i can just move internally quite easily

What changed my thinking is the birth of my son, I would like to give him the passport of a country that can help him succeed in the future.

And fyi Im not a beggar,I’m a chooser baby

Why do you want PR and live forever in a boring place? You have the choice of going to Canada right? Then go man. Why still continue to whine here? That is exactly what I meant, vote with your feet. It doesnt take someone 10 years or even covid to realize if the place is for them or not for them. Give me a break, please!

And I am not mocking you, just urging you to be honest to yourself. I am nobody on the internet, so anything I say doesnt matter anyways.

[rajagainstthemachine]

And yet, the year is 2030 and Rajagainstthemachine is going to come back here and say the same thing except, he has spent 20+ years here and how much more boring it has become and how much he wants to get out of here. Come on man, stop whining, vote with your feet. If you had a choice you would have made it already, if not, beggars can't be choosers.

Nice attempt at mocking me, instead of realising peoples intentions have changed after covid
I actually have, I’m giving it one more year until my pass expires, in between now and then I’ll try one more pr application, Whats changed is I have a new born baby (son) and if that doesn’t come through its bye bye
I Already have a Canadian work visa valid for 3 years which is convertible into a pr and citizenship after just 6 months of living in canada
Not only that my company being US based does have roles open in Canada, i can just move internally quite easily

What changed my thinking is the birth of my son, I would like to give him the passport of a country that can help him succeed in the future.

And fyi Im not a beggar,I’m a chooser baby

Why do you want PR and live forever in a boring place? You have the choice of going to Canada right? Then go man. Why still continue to whine here? That is exactly what I meant, vote with your feet. It doesnt take someone 10 years or even covid to realize if the place is for them or not for them. Give me a break, please!

And I am not mocking you, just urging you to be honest to yourself. I am nobody on the internet, so anything I say doesnt matter anyways.

I already told you what my plan was quite clearly I’m not whining, I outlined the reasons of my decisions
Also singapore pr is useful to start a business, Another thing which i have considered.
This is why I’m inclined to stay for another year and give it an another application shot
Makes sense?
Also my job is pretty good, I like what I’m doing in my current role, i cover Asean, so the work is not just related to singapore but 6 other countries, staying here still allows me to travel once in a while. My aussie boss is also thinking of moving me to Sydney, so all good headaches to have so I’m taking my time and not because wd40 says “vote with feet”

[NYY1]

.....
Personally for me, the last 2 years were depressing, Apart from the fact that i can earn more here, i don’t see a good enough reason to stay on here, canada australia Uk all seem much more attractive
Plus after staying 10 years+ in a country with PR i feel its a wasted investment in this country
Had i spent those years in any other country,PR or citizenship is guaranteed.

.....
The pandemic has made me reevaluate my outlook in life, $$ is no longer a motivator, new experiences, hobbies, fitness etc all seem much more pleasurable than sitting in an apartment taking endless calls and ordering grab food

Nice attempt at mocking me, instead of realising peoples intentions have changed after covid
I actually have, I’m giving it one more year until my pass expires, in between now and then I’ll try one more pr application, Whats changed is I have a new born baby (son) and if that doesn’t come through its bye bye
I Already have a Canadian work visa valid for 3 years which is convertible into a pr and citizenship after just 6 months of living in canada
Not only that my company being US based does have roles open in Canada, i can just move internally quite easily

What changed my thinking is the birth of my son, I would like to give him the passport of a country that can help him succeed in the future.

And fyi Im not a beggar,I’m a chooser baby

I already told you what my plan was quite clearly I’m not whining, I outlined the reasons of my decisions
Also singapore pr is useful to start a business, Another thing which i have considered.
This is why I’m inclined to stay for another year and give it an another application shot
Makes sense?
Also my job is pretty good, I like what I’m doing in my current role, i cover Asean, so the work is not just related to singapore but 6 other countries, staying here still allows me to travel once in a while. My aussie boss is also thinking of moving me to Sydney, so all good headaches to have so I’m taking my time and not because wd40 says “vote with feet”

It's not good enough here and Canada is more attractive? Or, it is good enough, so good that you will try to get PR one more time?

I think what wd40 is saying is you have Canada available. Take it if you think it's better.

[smoulder]

^ it seems like a case of "it's terrible because they won't give me a PR but if they do, I will change my mind".