Not So Pretty Singapore

Any given city cannot be perfect and exactly the way you want it. If it’s livable enough, it’s good enough. Though there were numerous difficult times where I wanted to give up, pack up, and return home, I tried to keep a positive mindset because an opportunity like this doesn’t come by to many. The experiences you go through on a foreign soil will become one of your most valuable assets. It’s like education- as you get older, you really start to see the gap in a person’s perception and character from those that went out of their comfortable boundaries to those that didn’t.  My dad is my role model/mentor and he really supported my studying and working in different cities in my early 20s (though I may have been immature then as any other 19~22 year old wanting to party with friends back in my hometown), because I may not have the chance once I’m married with kids. How lucky am I then, that I met a guy just like myself, who’ve experienced the same, saw the same, and brought me here to Singapore?

So having said all that, I love Singapore and feel blessed by the opportunity to spend our first honeymoon years here (We try to think of it as an extended honeymoon). So I am in no way “hating on” the country as I write the list below because there are bound to be annoyances and frustrations at each city. But these are the things that upset me at times and poor husband has to deal with my “why did you move me here” rant… but I don’t mean it and he knows it. 😉 So here it goes:

1. Local Banks

It took three hours to set up an account at a local bank. They ask for everything and anything, from income statements to passports, for a debit card (yes, not a credit card) where I’m taking out my own money I’ve put in.  I hate to be mean but I thought I had my share of people who lack common sense in America (cable call center reps! *shaking fist*) but some workers here were… really slow. I thought I had just got unlucky, but when you inquire about something they either answer with something I already know, direct me to someone who directs me to someone who directs me to someone, or one nice rep actually told me to look online for details, when I physically visited the branch so I can find out more in-depth info about it.

Crazy security. Internet banking is not as easy and efficient as America, with just a sign on name and password. If someone hacks into my account, my US bank refunds me promptly without much hassle. In singapore, it’ll probably take years before they refund you anything. There is a security number generator you must carry around in order for you to sign online with an extra code, or it texts your phone, but it’s another frustrating step in trying to access your account. In order for you to pay your online bill or set up automatic payment, it’s also not as easy as logging online and putting in your account and routing number. Many steps and approvals had to be made (1 month) in order for this to be enacted. Or you have to individually add their name and their account number in your bank account, for example, to buy something online. Online purchases are the same way- when we were trying to buy our flight tickets to bangkok, it did not go through because they said they need SMS verification to our phone and our cell number wasn’t in the system. We told them we had provided our number when we made the account, and the only response was that it was not in the system and that we’d have to go to the branch and put it in, before making the online purchase.  After much frustration and headache, it is finally properly working now…

2. Weather

It’s hotter than hot. There’s not a day I that I don’t turn on my airconditioner at least for few hours. I prefer warm weathers like California, but it’s also very humid and rains at least once a day. But New York didn’t have that great of a weather either (hot and humid, cold and rainy) so I guess I can’t complain.

3. Cars

Cars are a luxury item here. Cheap Honda that would cost $15,000~20,000 in America costs $110,000 or more. While I do understand that government taxes heavily on cars to keep down its number in a small island-state, I think it’s unfair to the residents that only the rich are able to afford one. This is the urban planner in me talking again, but congestion pricing (A fee that is higher under congested conditions than uncongested conditions, intended to shift some vehicle traffic to other routes, times and modes) is only fair when it’s in the affordable means of its citizens. For instance, any Singaporean would be able to pay $5 extra to take a taxi during rush hour if they choose to. It’s in their means. However, most car prices here are not in their means for many, because the government charges twice or three times more than the actual cost of the car.

I feel there are numerous different strategies that LTA (Land Transport Authority) can work to limit the number of cars without only basically allowing the rich to be able to afford one. They can go by the fair lottery system where the option to purchase is given to a selected number of residents each year, or perhaps via priority selection, where it is given to those that truly need a car, e.g. handicapped, have kids, long commute hours to work.  In any event, I think it’s pretty frustrating that the car prices are just ridiculous. We intend to buy one once we have a baby, but I think I’d feel horrible spending 150,000 on a car that I could’ve bought for 50,000 anywhere else in the world.

4. Supermarkets

Chocolate covered strawberries I made my husband for Valentines. Stawberries- $12 for 15.

Because everything is imported, market items are very overpriced and the produce isn’t fresh. Also, there are sadly no Costco, Korean E-Mart, Target, Walmart and all those big box stores that I can get a bulk of 25 toilet papers for less than $12 bucks. I miss taking giant cart around and buying everything in packs. There is Mustafa, an Indian walmart, but it’s not even close to being America or Korea cheap, and what’s the point of buying all the items? We have no car to carry it back and it takes awhile to get a cab in that area.

A personal complaint here, but my favorite Korean alcohol Soju costs $2/bottle at bars in Korea, $8~12 in Los Angeles, and around $14~16 in New York. So how is it that in Singapore, a country in a closer proximity to Korea, soju costs a whopping $25 dollars? Alcohol is expensive here. 😡

5. Education

Everyone raves about Singapore’s great public/private education. But I feel that American education is as great as you make it out to be; it’s mostly up to the type of family environment and upbringing a child is brought up in that creates a successful student. Some who aren’t “top of the class” actually get into better colleges at mediocre high schools because the competition isn’t as fierce- I know, because I taught SAT courses at an Academy. It’s unlike many Asian cultures where you’d have to go to top elementary, junior high, and high school in order for you to make it to the top school. I gasped when my mom told me about how she stood in line for 12 hours since midnight to get me into the top preschool in Korea… seriously? What would I know the difference, I’m only five.

I’m thankful that Singapore has as good education system that does not fall behind, but it’s sad to hear that expats are paying $30,000/year for their child’s education for any levels before college, or are suffering through the Asian education system where you’d have to take tests to get into good schools. (but for meeting good friends and networking purposes, I do think private schools may be a good option)

6. Housing

We’ve lived in two other ‘most expensive’ cities: Tokyo and New York. But Singapore by far is the most expensive with the least available selection, primarily due to the majority of available housing being government HDBs provided for its citizens. Expats don’t have many housing options as the number of condos are limited, and HDB looks (no offense to anyone. just an observation) like a building built in the ’80s in Korea, or buildings in a more scarier neighborhoods in America.  It’s a great accomplishment that Singapore government was able to achieve 80% home ownership rate for its citizens by providing HDB, but couldn’t they have made it a bit nicer for their citizens…?  Due to its affordable price I really wanted to like to rent there instead, but the units are so close together, ceilings are low, and many seems a bit run down. The newer HDBs made in the past five years seem decent (like the on in Tanjong Pagar going for only $600,000), but the square footage are ridiculously small and I’m surprised it’s called a ‘room’ when it’s smaller than the size of a walk-in closet in most Korean or American homes.

Our new condo- construction in progress’

7. Bad Condo Security Guards..

Security guards at my condo seem to do only three things: 1. open gates for car parking for visitors 2. tell taxis to enter whichever side. 3. sit around and stare. I’ve always had security guards in any high-rise I’ve listed in, not only because it’s safer, but because it’s convenient. They take packages for you, you can leave your keys with them for your cleaner/visitor to take, they help you when you’re locked out, the list really goes on. I’ve had awesome ones in Seoul, New York, and Los Angeles.  The ones in my condo in Singapore do neither. I’ve been locked out several times because they refused to take my maid’s keys while I’m not home, they return packages to Singpost when we’re not home (not to say Singapore postal service really sucks..), do not help you when you’re locked out, refuse to leave something for my friend/company to pick up. Why are they even there? easy money indeed.

8. Few others that I cannot write in a public blog ;P

I guess a lot of it comes down to pricing: liquor, housing, cars, and groceries, four of my favorite joys in life are much higher than I’d like to pay. But we somehow get by fine with decent amount getting tucked into savings; it’s just balancing of the priorities of your family. We bought a condo to opt out of high rents, decided not buy a car for few years, do not overindulge at markets, and will consider public education for our future kids. Other than that, Singapore is great. 🙂 Now only if I can get a job here…