moving to Singapore with 15month baby

[CarlaL]

Hello, we’re moving from Switzerland to Singapore per end of February (me, my husband and our daughter).

I’m Portuguese and my husband and daughter are English. We’ve been living in Switzerland for around 20 years, so we are fluent in French and English (even in German, for we’ve been living in the German part of Switzerland for 7 years).

I’d like to meet other French or Portuguese speaking mothers, so if you know someone who’d be interested meeting with us, it would be great.

I have a question according baby car seat. What is the legislation in Singapore? What appends when we take a taxi with a baby?
We’re going to look for a car when we arrive, but in the mean time we will have to take the MRT, the bus or the taxi.

Thank you for your help.

Carla

[CarlaL]

Hi there, no one to tell me about traveling with a baby in a taxi?... then I suppose I can take her in my arms.

[chixchix]

Hi Carla, here I am to your rescue ..heheheh ..its ok, you can sit in the taxi with the baby on your lap.As for taking the MRT,usually if parents have a pram with them,you can bring it in easily into the train.Well, of cos it gets a bit irritating during the peak hours when the trains are so crowded.

For the buses, you can only bring in a folded pram with you carrying your child. But once you have your own car, then you have to buy a baby seat, to strap him/her.

Hope that helps.

[CarlaL]

Thank you chixchix.

Good to know about prams in buses, here in Switzerland we can take the baby in the pram without problem.

For the baby car seat we have one. We will take it to Singapore so we won't have to buy a new one.

I have another question, this time about internet. Are there any 'Internet coffees', for we won't have internet at the beginning and I would like to keep contact with my family and friends via internet.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Plavt]

Hi CarlaL,
Try this site it might help as I doubt if there are many Portuguese speakers in Singapore;

http://portuguese.meetup.com/cities/sg/singapore/

[ksl]

Thank you chixchix.

Good to know about prams in buses, here in Switzerland we can take the baby in the pram without problem.

For the baby car seat we have one. We will take it to Singapore so we won't have to buy a new one.

I have another question, this time about internet. Are there any 'Internet coffees', for we won't have internet at the beginning and I would like to keep contact with my family and friends via internet.

Thank you so much for your help.

Yes there are wirless connections in Starbucks and I believe also in McDonalds, I shouldn't worry, there are plenty of alternatives. Your condo may also have internet connection too, or you can also sign up with Singnet for the free wireless connection, which is a project for the next 3 years, I think, although you will need your Singapore ID's to register.

[chixchix]

Hi there, Internet cafes are not available too much everywhere.Depends on where you gonna stay .If town side ,there is on in Specialist Centre where John Little is.

Also, in Mcdonalds,,we always have people hogging on the free net usage.and they wouldnt bother if anyone is waiting behind.Feel free to drop more questions here .

[CarlaL]

Thank you all so much for your help.

I know we will stay around one month near Clark Quai, during this time I will look for an apartment.
I’m looking forward to be in Singapore. I love this place. And I’m sure it will also be a beautiful experience for our daughter.

I’ve been reading a magazine about preschool in Singapore, it’s quite interesting.
I’d like to go to some play groups with her at the beginning.

I’d like to learn Chinese; do you know a good school for Expats?

[chixchix]

Hi Carla,

I wont know which good school to recommend you as Ilearnt mine just by watching the TV serials that they have on TV and picking it up from there. Nevertheless, you may try this websites that I am sending to you.

http://www.inlinguaasia.com/right.htm

http://www.cambridge.com.sg/languages/languages.htm

http://www.scciob.edu.sg/index.cfm?GPID=15

I think SCCIOB is more recognised but I am not sure about the cost.

[CarlaL]

Thank you for the websites, chixchix.

[CarlaL]

a little recent picture of Kathleen


and a little video of Kathleen walking on the snow this morning
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11vbw_cimg2233

[provenearning]

Hi hi, no need to look for internet cafes... just get a laptop with a wireless modem... with the roll out of WirelessSG there are many areas that have free wireless service. Just chk the website for more details.

As for preschools, there are plenty around. It really depends on what kind you want... motessori, 'singaporean', etc.

Lovely picture of your daughter by the way... she's cute!

[chixchix]

So there is young Senorita Kathleen hahahha ..yah cute baby.. and she is making her way down to the lion city soon..

[CarlaL]

Hi everyone, here we are in Singapore... we arrived 2 weeks ago... thank's again for your help...

see you
Carla & Kathleen

[New SAHM]

Hi Carla,

Welcome to Singapore! I'm Singaporean but my husband is French and I'm taking classes right now to improve my French... not exactly French speaking but trying to! If you'd like to meet me, you can drop me a line at [email protected]. I can help you with phrases or words in Chinese but not really to hold extended conversations in Chinese as I'm somewhat rusty! We have a 7mth old baby.

I'm meeting with a couple of other mothers from the forum tomorrow (15 Mar) in the Botanic gardens, 10am at the Cafe Les Amis. Join us if you're interested! The cafe's just next to the visitor centre, where there's a taxi stand.