Bugaboo Cameleon 3 (2015 classic) vs. Uppababy Vista 2015

We own three of everything for Brevi, and this is NOT IN ANY WAY meant to come off as showing off, as it wasn’t by choice. (so no judgemental moms pls.) Because we aren’t merely “visiting” Korea and the US but actually staying there for weeks to months at a time, we felt it was necessary to buy separate baby items for each countries to save ourselves the trouble of lugging everything around. It sucked buying three of everything, but it also meant I have the opportunity to try out the other close competitor products that I couldn’t narrow down in my baby item search. This review is for baby strollers, which is every mother’s most talked about baby item! note: this isn’t a tech review, you can find specs of these strollers at youtube channels and other websites. It’s just an honest review of the pros I saw in each stroller after having used it for a year.

From the popular and the highly rated strollers in all three countries (listed at the bottom of post), we narrowed down our choice to Bugaboo Cameleon 3 (for Singapore) and Uppababy Vista 2015 (for America) because of their SMOOTHEST push. I am pretty petite, at only 100lbs, so it was important for me that this presumed heaviest deluxe stroller had an extremely easy push, preferably with one hand.  We bought, tried and tested both strollers on our own baby for over a year before writing this review and I can confidently say that YES, both are extremely smooth, and as most reviews state, they are extremely well made! it’s funny that I CANNOT bother pushing a market cart anymore after I’ve been spoiled by the stroller’s easy push around the market and just throwing everything down the underseat basket.

side note: For Korea and for easy transit between airports, we got an umbrella stroller (Emotion by Babyhome, more on umbrella strollers in another post!) because there was no way we are taking deluxe strollers on flights.

Moving Your Pet to Singapore from the US

Hi everyone!

This is my dog Milk 🙂 I bought her when I lived in New York and raised there till she turned 1, brought her back to Los Angeles when I moved back, and is now moving again to a whole new continent, Singapore! Thought it’d be as easy as just hopping her on the plane and flying her back, but we realized there are soo many procedures to follow. Some joke saying it’s best to just buy the dog there if you can.. but for most dog owners that’s just not an option.

They require the dog to be quarantined for 30 days unless you follow a very strict procedure that has to be carefully planned out six months ahead, which then can be lessened to 10 days.  It’s pretty confusing on the website so I’ve summarized it below:

The main site you should navigate for all the info:
http://www.ava.gov.sg/InformationForTravellers/BringPet/

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For those coming from the United States other than Guam and Hawaii,
you are CATEGORY C. 

You have two options, C1 and C2.

C1: If you follow this criteria, your dog can be quarantined for 10 days only.

C2: if you follow this criteria, your dog will be quarantined for minimum of 30 days. yes, 30 days-_-

Having my dog quarantined at a random station isn’t an option for me, so for those who are in CATEGORY C and following C1:

1. Apply for quarantine space from Sembawang Animal Quarantine Station at least 3 months before your pet’s landing date. The spaces get booked up quick! You can apply at this email address: AVA_Import&Export_Animals@ava.gov.sg and by filling out and attaching this file.  http://www.ava.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/67D6343A-72E3-4083-9440-995C6C591B8A/23635/Quarantinereservationform_new_June2012.pdf.
   You’ll hear back from them in approximately three days. For any other required documents regarding rabies/titer test/microchip, you can send to them after you submit the application form.
2. Here’s the confusing part. C1 requirements are as follows: 
   (1)     The dog/cat must have valid vaccination against rabies using an AVA-approved inactivated vaccine at least four (4) months prior to export. This refers to a valid primary vaccination and/or up to date booster(s) according to the vaccine manufacturers’ recommendations. The dog/cat must have a blood sample taken and tested for acceptable rabies antibody levels at least one (1) month after the above vaccination and within six (6) months prior to export.
   (2)     Following the date of sampling for serology, the dog/cat must be vaccinated again. This additional vaccination must not be less than one (1) month prior to export.                                                                                              So to state it simply, your dog needs to: a. get her first/booster rabies shot at least four months before their arrival date. ($20 + office visit fee)
   b. after at least a month, get titer testing. Results can take up to 2 months. ($200)
   c. one month before your dog’s arrival date, get ANOTHER rabies shot. No matter how the test came out. ($20 + office visit fee)
3. 30 days prior to your pet’s arrival date, apply for the Import License from AVA by visiting the website listed here:
   The owner or his agent must apply for the import licence by submitting an online application through AVA’s website (www.ava.gov.sg>e-Services>Animals&Pet Sector>Licence to Import/Export/Transship of Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics) 30 days prior to the arrival of animals. The Application and Acceptance for Quarantine of Dogs and Cats at Sembawang Animal Quarantine Station (SAQS) must be attached to the online application form.
4. After C1’s requirements are completed, obtain (a)  a veterinary certificate (in accordance with the attached template) bearing a date not more than seven (7) days prior to export, signed by a government approved veterinarian of the country of export and endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the country of export,describing the age, breed, sex, colour, markings or other points of identification of dog/cat and certifying to the effect that you completed C1 requirements. Vet certificate – international cost: $65
5. Finally, you have to notify your arrival!  The owner or his agent shall contact the Quarantine Office as stated in the Import Licence at least five (5) working days before the arrival of the animal.

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Yep. It’s so complicated and expensive! Most dog owners will find themselves spending $500~1000 to relocate their pet to Singapore. Hope this post helped those who are confused about the process.

Here are service and fee charges:

First Post! The intro

Hi there! I’m Angie and I’ve started this blog to mark the start of a new beginning, and share with you my experiences in planning both the Korean and American wedding. The year 2012 has been a year of much changes for me and I can barely keep up! My career’s been finally kicking off after graduating from my masters program, I am happily engaged to my wonderful fiance D, and I’m moving far far away! We’ll be tying the knot in Seoul, Korea, we’ll have another American-style reception in Orange County, California (where I grew up), and after that, we will be flying with one-way ticket to Singapore! Map check. Singapore? What? Never in million years thought I’d move there. In any event, we’ll kick off our new married life in the land of the Merlion for a happily ever after.

I’ve gotten so many questions on which venues and services I’m using for my Korean and American wedding ceremony, so I thought I’d share it with you by creating this blog because I, too, have found so many useful information from other bloggers in my own planning process. Both Korean and American blogs out there are filled with so much information and I hope that I can also be resourceful to some. I was a research associate & project manager in my previous job, so I guess this is where my planning nazi-ness comes from. I hope that in the process of researching and sharing my experiences on this blog, I will capture the big and small joys that these upcoming events and changes will bring me. Thanks for reading!