Survived 1.5 years in Singapore so far.....
So here I am. Singapore. Singabore. Sterilepore. A clean, sanitized, regimented, sometimes artificial, tiny microcosm of the world. Antonia Kidman's 5 kids went to the same school that my older daughter WAS in. That is, until another school accepted her one year later. Familiar? Read the next point for clarification.
- Most self proclaimed expats here park their kids in a convenient school (OFS, SAIS) until the school of their choice (eg UWC, SAS, TTS etc) accepts them. That was the advice from husband's colleagues and friends who have been here for much longer. We just followed their advice.
- Australian women in Singapore flock to Zara like a pack of hungry seagulls descending on hot chips. They must have been starved on a measly diet of Witchery and Country Road frocks before this. They're beautifully tanned and wearing breezy tropical looking dresses that look like it's thrown over a swimsuit (and most times it IS).
- I'm rediscovering myself. I am often mistaken for a local Singaporean. Don't know when it happened, but I reached deep down in my childhood and out came localised mandarin & Singlish. Wait, where'd THAT come from??
- So now I'm a mum to two amazing girls. And I need a domestic helper. I NEED her! She's been with us for a year and it's a learning curve for us. I'm not a typical expat employer. Not a typical local Singaporean employer. And somehow we get along, mutually respecting each other. I look at other households and I cannot fathom treating my helper like that- because she's supposed to help me, not do everything for me! Has anyone seen Anthony Bourdain's conversation with Singaporeans about helpers (referred to as maids)? Yeah. Cringe.
- I recently turned 40 quietly. Peacefully and uneventfully. Just the way I like it.
I know that my new life is a world away from my old life in Sydney. But life is an amazing rollercoaster. Here's to what's around the next corner.
- Most self proclaimed expats here park their kids in a convenient school (OFS, SAIS) until the school of their choice (eg UWC, SAS, TTS etc) accepts them. That was the advice from husband's colleagues and friends who have been here for much longer. We just followed their advice.
- Australian women in Singapore flock to Zara like a pack of hungry seagulls descending on hot chips. They must have been starved on a measly diet of Witchery and Country Road frocks before this. They're beautifully tanned and wearing breezy tropical looking dresses that look like it's thrown over a swimsuit (and most times it IS).
- I'm rediscovering myself. I am often mistaken for a local Singaporean. Don't know when it happened, but I reached deep down in my childhood and out came localised mandarin & Singlish. Wait, where'd THAT come from??
- So now I'm a mum to two amazing girls. And I need a domestic helper. I NEED her! She's been with us for a year and it's a learning curve for us. I'm not a typical expat employer. Not a typical local Singaporean employer. And somehow we get along, mutually respecting each other. I look at other households and I cannot fathom treating my helper like that- because she's supposed to help me, not do everything for me! Has anyone seen Anthony Bourdain's conversation with Singaporeans about helpers (referred to as maids)? Yeah. Cringe.
- I recently turned 40 quietly. Peacefully and uneventfully. Just the way I like it.
I know that my new life is a world away from my old life in Sydney. But life is an amazing rollercoaster. Here's to what's around the next corner.
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