Can't help with the schooling......
but do bring shoes / sandals (comfortable) and any of your light weights, loose cotton clothing...... more so if you are larger. My husband is considered a very normal size (in Australia) wears 33 jeans, has very slim legs, weighs about 72kg. yet he cannot buy jeans or slacks to fit him.... the thigh area are far to slim.
We are going back to Australia next week for afew days of shopping and the things we bring back everytime we go 'home' is:
Raw Almonds.
Australian Sultanas.
Salada Biscuits.
Lattice Biscuits.
Lge cans of RED salmon.
Rock Salt.
Splenda (sugar replacement)
Custard powder
Blue Vein Cheese and all King Island Cheeses!
Nurophen Plus.
Jeans.
bathers.
Lavazza coffee.
Glucosamine caps.
anyway....the above is just to give you an idea of what we can't get here and if we can (like Glucosamine) it is VERY expensive.
We take two suitcases and one is returened full of all of the above!!!!
A lot of Aussie Expats bring back wine and meat ..... vac packed etc.
Someone mentioned that it did not matter where you live as Singapore is a small Island......it does matter and matters BIG TIME.
Singapore is small and you can get around quickly and cheaply, but you have to think about LIVING here. You get 'cabin fever' if you have to stay in and look at 4 walls everyday..... you need to live where you can meet other people.
Someone also mentioned about electrical appliances.... we brought our toaster, but gave away everything else..... now I wished we had brought the Grill (George Forman type) as these are not available here at all.... you can get a small sandwich maker with a choice of about 3, but that is it.
Certainly bring over a couple of long extension plugs ..... the type that you can plug 4 (or more) items in and only one into the wall.
Keep in mind a lot of apartments here do not have ovens ....some do not even have stoves ...... we live in a
condo that is just over 2 years old and has all the mod cons like pool, gym etc etc..... but we have NO OVEN and we have NO HOTWATER to the kitchen either .....these are extra at our expense if we want them.
BBQ's are VERY expensive here ..... if your company is paying for your move, put yours in. Or, buy a small one and have it shipped over with your things.
Also a lot of apartments do not have balcony's..... we do and it is quite rare. we did not know this till we got here and people were surprised we have a very large balcony.
If you take prescription medication..... bring 6 mths supply with you. Ask your GP to write up the script and add the words REG 24 on each one. This allows you to get 6 mths supply on the one script (cheaper for you too!!!) put them all in a small box to be shipped over along with copies of your script. But also get another lot to bring with you as you don't know how long it will take before you get your things out of storage.
I use a lot of photo gloss print paper and that is cheaper in Australia too..... yet the printer cartridges are half price here.... so you win some and you lose some!!!
Hope the above helps a bit.
Leone