Migrating overseas?

[Porker]

Thailand or Malaysia will be a better choice to migrate to assuming you have sufficient $$$ to last you till you die. Bangkok and KL are good if you value city living.

 

I really think a remote private beach house along Trengganu is fantastic. You just have to do it up really nicely complete with satelite TV and broadband internet and you're good to go. A really nice fast car in the garage is excellent as well

[Spas]

I'm in Sydney, Australia right now. I'd like to provide a first-hand account of Sydney and perhaps the state of NSW. Can't say it's representative of Australia, but I think Sydney's the best place for S'porean migrants - if anyone's thinking about it. By the way, I'm not a PR or citizen here and I don't intend to get one despite it being extremely easy and far cheaper for me to do so than most S'poreans, but lil bout that later.

 

Lemme break it down.

 

Sydney synopsis:

Sydney's by far the best place to migrate to. Large asian population. Nice balance of western and asian food. Tolerant and pretty safe if u're not stupid.

 

Food:

Singapore beats anywhere la. Let's be honest. But Sakae sucks. But the Sakae equivalents here is fantastic for an affordable price. But i digress...

 

Normal plate of mixed asian food with rice at a food court is min 7bucks, but usually approaching 10bucks AUD (about 12SGD). That's the standard price. Food is very expensive compared to Singapore.

 

Work, income and taxes

Shouldn't be too hard to find a job here for a graduate. A fresh grad with Aussie degree can earn around 50grand AUD a year minimum - usually more - in the finance or accounting industry.

 

I'm not sure whether this one's true, but I've got local Asian friends who say that the top level jobs (that pays up to 150,000AUD a year) are usually for white aussies. Again, dunno whether true. Never verified in person. I tend not to believe in things like that.

 

Taxes are far higher than in Singapore. Ranging from 12-45%. That said, you earn about 25,000AUD waiting tables here (32,250SGD), but in S'pore you get around 13,000SGD. After doing the math, you still earn more in Australia. But do keep in mind, electronics, rent, food and most other daily expenses - other than cars and beer - are cheaper in Singapore.

 

Property don't need to say. Landed property way cheaper, thought rents in the city (at least here in Sydney) is more expensive than in Singapore per sq ft.

 

 

Discrimination

I know this is high on many Singaporeans minds. I really dunno why. It doesn't really matter to me. Anyway, in Sydney where I'm staying, i have faced no overt forms of discrimination in the, say, 3 years I've been here. Meaning, I have not experienced the "Go back to your country you Asian" kinda racist taunts. I have friends who've experienced that kinda discrimination but in Queensland - a whole different state and 30min flight from Sydney. Which is why I said Sydney's a good place for Asians.

 

But please mingle. There are many Asians migrants here who almost virtually don't travel out of Chinatown, don't speak proper English and don't have any non-Chinese friends. That's terrible. Be multicultural.

 

And in face of even slightly racial comments, don't cower in silence. Aussies are in-your-face. If you cower, then you'll be pushed around. The more racial they are, the more you stand your ground. They call you a chink, you shout and them, point your finger at them and tell everyone that they just called u you a chink and that they are a shame to Australia. That should make them walk away - fast.

 

All that said, my personal opinion is that Australia is still "quite" a tolerant country. But they are still more intolerant than most American and Canadian cities. Many Australians are closet racists. They don't show it, but you know they're thinking it.

 

I've seen the media here perpetuate discrimination. If there's any sign that a country is xenophobic, a racist media is just about the most glaring sign ever.

 

Don't get me wrong. I have lotsa white friends. But only a few of them I feel comfortably close with. One's an American and the other's an Aussie who likes asian girls because he feels that "aussie girls are not committed to relationships" (his own words, haha). So there you go.

 

 

Weather in NSW

First, it's not 15deg all year round. Summers are scorching hot here - hotter than S'pore though sans the sweating. Winters are nice, but gets quite cold and dry. Best time's autumn which is between Feb-April.

 

No doubt weather's way better than Singapore. Lotsa opportunity to wear a wide variety of clothes, coats, sweaters, suits and berms and tshirts in warmer seasons. And the winter here is not terribly cold like in places in Canada for instance. In the city here in Sydney, coldest I ever got for the couple of times I've been here was around 5deg - but depends where you go. City's always warmer than elsewhere.

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

You'll lead a very different kinda life here. Almost everything closes early. There are some 24/7 places because I live in the city, but to me life's pretty slow. If you love the outdoors then maybe you'll love it. But trust me, bushwalking is still just walking in the bushes. And if I'm not wrong, most bushes look the same whereever you go.

 

Shopping for girls is good. For guys it's okay. But I like wearing different suits all day when it's not summer, and switching between coats and stuff. Do that in Singapore and you'll look like you just went scuba diving with a suit and tie.

 

 

 

 

And something more relevant to MCF...

 

 

Cars, public transport and related costs

Cars are cheaper than in Singapore. Confirm. New Honda Civic 1.8litre costs around 33,000SGD. So that one really no fight. But petrol only a lil cheaper. It's about 1.90SGD per litre here.

 

Public transport no fight with Singapore (duh), but in Sydney's case, not that terrible la. Anyway, just get a car if u live here.

 

 

Why I'm still going back to Singapore

Like i said, it's really easy for me to settle down here in Sydney. But I'm not going to. Never. If u wanna know more, just ask.

 

But mostly, it's the family, friends and feeling welcomed part that's keeping me from staying here for good.

 

 

 

So hope all this helped. Any questions?

 

 

p/s: Forgot to mention. Coming to Australia for a holiday is very different from living here for good. So liking Australia after a holiday is not exactly a good gauge of it being a nice place to settle down.

 

I've been here for holiday before. Totally diff experience from me living here in the past few years. To and fro between Singapore and Sydney is quite fun though. Best of both worlds. But think assignment ending late this year. So bye-bye Sydney.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Spas

[Kezg1]

The next time if some Aussie shout that at you....Shout back " you P.O.M.E ( Prisoner Of Mother England ) bxxxxxd, you too go back to your queen, this land belongs to the ABO. (aborigines)

Been there and done that ... Btw country side people are much more friendly except there will be 1 or 2 black sheep among the lot but don't back down.

[Zanter]

Why dont move to northern Thailand, Laos, etc.. Nice Weather & things r so cheap!. I just came back from Krabi island resort. U can buy a home for $50k above Maybe more u can buy a beach front home! Everyday sun surf & sand & not so hot like here. Food so cheap. Asian food so avail. What more can u ask for?

[Billcoke]

The next time if some Aussie shout that at you....Shout back " you P.O.M.E ( Prisoner Of Mother England ) *******, you too go back to your queen, this land belongs to the ABO. (aborigines)

Been there and done that ... Btw country side people are much more friendly except there will be 1 or 2 black sheep among the lot but don't back down.

 

Me too, yelled back at them before "you bl**dy CONVICTS, go back to your queen....", that will annoy them.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Billcoke

[Tonicwater]

Thanks Spas for the sharing. Good read/info.

[Shull]

bah..i think even up north has better environment than our little island..

 

fact is, sillypore is the safest place in asia, if no on earth..but life still goes on in other countries..how come others can survive there and we can't?

[Fcw75]

Good info bro! I like to know why you never want to settle down there.