A day in the life of an expat – month two

I’m already one month(!) in living in Singapore and it’s been interesting to see how I’ve adjusted into a new routine. Here’s a snapshot of my day today.

7am – Wake up.

7:30am – First meeting of the day is a call with the global team based out of Denver & San Diego. Working across time zones can be tricky but having these internal syncs is incredibly helpful as we’re able to get immediate responses to our questions.

9:30am – Lighting contractor shows up to check out my flickering room light. Turns out nothing is wrong with the light; it’s just not compatible with the preset dimmer on the wall. I am told to only use the remote to change the brightness (yes, the light is remote-operated).

10:30am – Walk to the client office at Marina Bay Financial Centre. On paper my commute is short but when you factor in time waiting for the “lift”, it doubles. First world problems.

11:30am – Eat lunch at the “canteen” aka the cafeteria. In the salad bar today the roasted eggplant is labeled as zucchini when really it should be “aubergine”. Still delicious! I’ve also been eating watermelon every day and am still not sick of it.

12:30pm – Drag my team out to Marina Bay to take a photo for the company website. It’s quite hot on the walk back but one thing I’ve noticed in Singapore is that people don’t talk much about the weather because it’s always the same. Instead we complain about how cold the air con is!

3Q Singapore team

4pm – Meet with the tax firm that will be handling the tax equalization while I am on assignment. I learn about how the Singapore tax year is paid in arrears and how if you try to leave the country with an overdue tax notice, you will be stopped at the airport. They do not mess around here!

5pm – Pick up letter during mail hours at our coworking space. I am offered a brownie and get invited to the Delegate birthday party on Saturday. There will be free food so I am tempted.

5:30pm – Drop-in for a weight lifting session at Platinum Fitness. Gyms here are very expensive and I miss paying $65 a month for Chicago Athletic Clubs. I started a free trial through ClassPass Singapore and used 5 credits to book this drop-in session. The monthly subscription is S$59 (~$43) for 25 credits, which would be about $8 a drop-in session, cheaper than a full-time gym membership.

Some things don’t change, like me being one of two ladies lifting weights in a gym full of dudes.

Platinum Fitness gym

6:45pm – Treat myself to dinner at Amoy Street Food Centre. Taking my time to explore and try food at hawker centres is one of the best things about living in Singapore, versus visiting. I see black bean sauce on a menu, which tastes way better than it sounds and is one of mom’s signature dishes, so I order it. So shiok! (That’s Singlish for delicious/good.)

chicken in black bean sauce

8pm – Stop by FairPrice for some groceries. I buy peaches, cauliflower, maitake mushrooms (the cheapest item at S$1.50!), and frozen gyoza for S$14.

9pm – Write this blog post.

There you have it! 

The first two weeks: highs and lows

A lot can happen in two weeks. A lot has happened in two weeks.

Singapore has been full of adventures so far! Overall I’m enjoying life here, particularly the food and walkability of this city-state.  I’ve been busy getting logistics in order but hope to share more blog posts once things simmer down. For now, here are the highs and lows of my first two weeks.

Highs

  • Registered for my employment pass – I can now legally work in Singapore!
  • Signed a lease for a condo unit! Apartment tour to come once I actually move in…
  • Met up for dinners with a former colleague I haven’t seen in 4 years, a freshly new expat couple I befriended at the gate in Newark, and a colleague’s older sister who happened to be traveling in SE Asia.
  • This sunset. Wow.
  • Ate a lot of…Japanese food. I’ve been staying in Clarke Quay and discovered the nearby Liang Court mall has loads of Japanese restaurants. So far I’ve eaten unagi, ramen, udon, and sushi. Lots of Japanese expats live in the area; that’s how you know it’s legit.
unagi hitsumabushi style @ Unagiya Ichinoji
unagi hitsumabushi style @ Unagiya Ichinoji
  • Booked tickets to Taiwan in August to visit extended family and reunite with my younger sister before she starts her fall semester in Shanghai.
  • Seeing the gorgeous Singapore frangipani tree for the first time, which looks exactly like a magnet I bought at Daiso (Japanese dollar store).
Singapore frangipani tree
Singapore frangipani tree

Lows

  • Learned of the many things you cannot sign up for without your physical employment pass, which I do not have yet. This includes utilities & Internet, a bank account (I’ve made three trips and learned of new required documents every time), Grab (the Uber of SE Asia), and my Gardens by the Bay resident membership.
  • Everything is on the left!
  • Being drenched in sweat after a nighttime run.
  • Every document needs to be printed and signed in person. No joke.

Other thoughts

  • People are nice here but in a polite way, not a Midwestern go-out-of-your-way-to-help way.
  • Word of the day: chope. It’s how Singaporeans reserve their tables at hawker centers by leaving a pack of tissues behind. It’s also a popular app used to make restaurant reservations.
  • NFC readers are everywhere, notably contactless credit card payments. The US is behind!

Every day I learn something new and my experience gets a little better. In the next two weeks, I have much to look forward to: moving into my new apartment, my first visitor, and a birthday trip to Chiang Mai!