So you’ve taken the plunge, accepted a new job in a foreign land and can now tick being an expat off the bucket list. Congratulations!
You’re about to leave everything familiar behind and exit your bubble of security – a thought filling you with both excitement and anxiety (but let’s face it, mostly excitement).
Whether you’re away for a year, or you’re in it for the long haul, make the most of your new found expat status and embrace your home away from home.
1. Things you would never do in your home town? Do them here.
Moving countries is extremely liberating. Think of it as a clean slate, a chance to meet people who know nothing about you and an opportunity to do things you’d never consider doing in your local city:
– Go to a bar or a restaurant alone. This may sound intimidating, however that’s only because it’s not what you’d usually do. Pull out your notepad and pen (if you don’t want to feel totally alone), order a Singapore Sling and take in the scene. Sometimes venturing out on your own leads to the most random adventures – you never know who might approach and ask what you’re writing about.
– You’ve tried online dating, but what about online friending? You’re in a completely new city and your besties are thousands of miles away. We coordinate so much of our lives through the internet these days, why should making friends be any different? Jump onto an expat meet up site, like Expat friends in Singapore, or join Facebook groups such as Expats World Singapore to see who is organising a fun night out or daytime activity. And the best part is, everyone you meet is in exactly the same boat as you.
2. Step off the beaten track.
Sure, you naturally want to tick off all the iconic landmarks and tourist attractions when you get to Singapore – but don’t forget, you live here now! Impress your friends and family when they visit and show them all the hidden gems that won’t be overrun with tourists:
– Grab some lunch in hipster town Tiong Bahru – one of Singapore’s oldest neighbourhoods
– Head down Haji Lane and embrace your inner fashionista
– Try your hand at prawning in Hai Bin
– Drink in the 360 degree views of the city at bar 1Altitude – the highest viewing gallery in Singapore
– Have dinner on cloud 9 and dine 100m above sea level in a cable car
3. Eat like a local
Eating like a local will help in more ways than just educating your palate – it will help your bank balance too.
If you stick to foods you’re used to (like mum’s roast dinner or spag bol) you’ll end up spending mega bucks in the supermarket.
For bargain hunters, the best places to get your produce are the wet markets – plus they’re great areas to experience Singaporean culture in all its glory. The biggest establishment is Tekka Market, with 284 stalls of culinary goodness to choose from.
If cooking’s not your forte, or you simply want to enjoy some delicious food on the go, head to a Hawker centre – these are food courts in the form of markets.
Arguably one of the best in Singapore is Lau Pa Sat, situated in the heart of the financial district. Open 24 hours a day, this is a great place to taste of the foods Singapore is famous for, in an extremely picturesque setting.
4. Get bitten by the travel bug
Singapore is a great place to be based if you have a love for exploring.
Jump onto Skyscanner to bag the best deals and if you can’t decide on a location, filter your destination search to ‘everywhere’ and see what pops up.
For a 4 day weekend in February 2018, you can find return flights from Singapore to the following countries for under $200 SGD*:
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- Jakarta, Indonesia ($83)
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ($94)
- Phuket, Thailand ($137)
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ($129)
- Manilla, Philippines ($181)
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5. Take control of your new currency
You’re now earning the Singapore dollar, so how do you make sure you’re getting a great rate when you transfer money home?
WorldFirst are international money transfer specialists, who can help you with competitive exchange rates and seamless transfers 24 hours a day. For clients making personal currency transfers, we won’t charge you a fee either.
Speak with a WorldFirst currency specialist to get started on +65 6805 4380 or visit us at https://www.worldfirst.com/en-sg/
Disclaimer:These comments are the views and opinions of the author and should not be construed as advice. You should act using your own information and judgement. Whilst information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions and estimates constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. Please consider FX derivatives are high risk, provide volatile returns and do not guarantee profits. We have no commercial affiliation with any organisation or commercial interest regarding the venues mentioned in this article. The information is only provided as gathered and should be verified before, using your own judgement. *Although World First has prepared the Information contained in this website with all due care and updates the Information regularly, World First does not warrant or represent that the Information is free from errors or omission.Whilst the Information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the Information. The Information may change without notice and World First is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.
*Flight details recorded on 04/10/17 from Skyscanner at 09.00 AEST