Dark side of Singapore?

[alexparis]

hi every one,
I'm planning to move in Singapore in 1 year approximatly. I've been looking advices, tips and every thing in the forum and all seems to be perfect in singapore.
I would like to know what is not so perfect in Singapore? is there things that you don't like? is there things that you don't have the right to do and which seems to be anodyne for you (except the chewing gum...)?
thank you for your answer

Alex

[quidsin]

It can get a bit boring here, but doesn't it get like that at times where ever you live?

The weather can be a little frustrating at times. When it rains, it rains and you dare go outside even with an umbrealla and you'd drown. The heat in the summer can also be harsh, not that you cannot go out in it but you won't last long on a sunbed.

Probably the worst thing here is the TV. Hours and hours of endless rubbish and repeat after repeat - that's just my opinion but I'm sure you'll find some people who think the TV here is the best thing since slice bread.

Apart from these petty little things above, it's a great place to live. If you have a family, the kids are gonna love it...

[AngryAngMo]

the worst thing here is the TV

Compared to Europe cinema is so cheap that you can just go and watch a movie there instead of getting a TV at all

(In case you really need entertainment of this sort, there is plenty to do here and so far i barely got bored)

[pakjohn]

(In case you really need entertainment of this sort, there is plenty to do here and so far i barely got bored)

You're one of 2 people I've ever heard that from, guessing you're under 25, single and male? When I was that age I was happy anywhere that had girls.

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ft ... highlight=

Read the post above for some expats experiences regarding this subject. As with any island, you must manage your expectations.

[irvine]

Dark side huh? Speaking from my pov... strictly no offence to locals:

1. It is crowded, everywhere, and especially on weekends. Malls, buses, MRTs, supermarkets, you name it, you got it. Ok, I just don't like crowd, so maybe it's not as bad as it sounds.

2. Weekends - I find that there is not much to do, but it's probably due to the fact #1 that I happen to dislike.

3. People - the locals are very city folks. Check out the Culture Shock forum thread. And also, a read of Sun Tzu's Art of War would be good for you. Asian solution for Asian dirty tricks. Haha..

4. There are crimes even though everyone is saying this is a very safe country. Just use common sense wherever you go, and whatever you do. For example, single female shouldn't be scantily clad and walking late at night alone. People think it's ok, but really, when things happen, it will be too late.

Other than the above four I've observed, this place is generally ok.

[ksl]

Not forgetting very greedy landlords! Read every word of the contracts!

[smayrhofer]

baby products are EXPENSIVE here!

[pbez]

When you move to a new place, it all depends on your point of reference and how flexible you are. There is no perfect place in the world. Singapore is my fourth and I like it very much here. Yes, there are a few things that are not so nice like places being crowded, supermarket being way too expensive, the heat, etc. But I would say that in general the atmosphere is quite pleasant here. Last time, we lived in New Zealand for two years. But if you are to ask me about what I liked in NZ, I would say the green. That's it. The green. Oh, yes, the milk and meat were really good too. It was boring, literally the end of the world with no opportunity to grow professionaly and not many things to do. When we arrived in Singapore, we were relieved to be in a place with good infrastructure and access to theaters, museums, etc. Plus, people here are way more polite than in NZ. Anyhow, we took the best we could out of NZ and 2 years were just more than enough.
See? It all depends on your point of reference. I would just say for you to be open-minded and look at this experience as an adventure.

[Melasony]

beware of landlords or ANYONE trying to sell you things without a marked price tag.
usually when they see an expat they try to jack up prices.

however if you love sun and the party life, singapore is the perfect city.
but forget about cheap cultural artsy stuff like museums cause they're puny.

[jwc]

coming from US. car and gas are very expensive here. for the same price I paid for my jazz, i could be driving a much more luxury car back home.

this country maybe safer than their neighbors but it doesn't mean crime free. you will know what i meant when you have someone translate the local chinese newspaper to you.

[DaisyRae]

I'm a girl who likes the beach and sadly, Singapore only has artificial beaches to offer. I guess this is what I miss most from my home country.

Another thing I don't like here is that most people are kinda wordly and materialistic. But I guess this is pretty common nowadays. But I still get surprised by this fact. =/

[* Eva *]

I'm annoyed by the unreasonable fees for breaking contracts. Seriously?!? I buy an iPhone from SingTel for $508 and they're going to charge me $800 to break the service contract and another $159 to break the mobile broadband/internet (or whatever) contract. That's ridiculous.

Cars purposefully speed up when you signal to merge so you can't get in.

Cars don't always give pedestrians right of way -- even when you have a green man. Be sure cars stop before stepping into the street!

I'm shocked at how often my car is scratched. And people just leave the scene.

Sometimes it's REALLY hot outside. Then you go inside and it's REALLY cold.

Don't know how your exchange rate is doing but I can often buy things off Amazon in the US and ship them here and it's still less expensive than buying those items in Singapore.

Keep requests "within the box" to avoid disappointment.

I really do like living in Singapore though! Just need to learn to live with things you don't like just like anywhere else. Nowhere is perfect.

[shockcake]

hi every one,
I'm planning to move in Singapore in 1 year approximatly. I've been looking advices, tips and every thing in the forum and all seems to be perfect in singapore.
I would like to know what is not so perfect in Singapore? is there things that you don't like? is there things that you don't have the right to do and which seems to be anodyne for you (except the chewing gum...)?
thank you for your answer

Alex

Hi Alex, you have the right to chew gum in Singapore. It's bringing chewing gum into Singapore that is banned. Anyway, it's easy to get chewing gum legally in SG as "chewing gum of therapeutic value" such as Wrigley's Orbit (supposed to help whiten your teeth) is allowed.

The not so perfect thing about Singapore is the HOT & humid weather and it's getting crowded over here with approx 4.8 million people squeezing into this small little island.

[Callalily]

I regularly get an overdose of expressways and concrete... I live on the East Coast so quite green but it isn't enough...i miss country lanes, fields, seasons and sheep!!! There are so many advantages that this is a detail.

Good luck with the move

lily

[jpatokal]

I'm annoyed by the unreasonable fees for breaking contracts. Seriously?!? I buy an iPhone from SingTel for $508 and they're going to charge me $800 to break the service contract and another $159 to break the mobile broadband/internet (or whatever) contract. That's ridiculous.

No, it's how they can afford to give you that huge discount. Buying that same iPhone without a contract would cost >S$1000.