No, this is not an article on the World Cup!
Ever since we "announced" our intentions to work in Singapore, we have had very varied responses from people we know. We've had "Don't go! All the people that goes to Singapore NEVER returns!", "Why Singapore? Could it EVER be better than Australia?", "Great for you! You can have a maid now!".
Different reactions evoke different emotions from me. This is an article to share my heart about all this "Moving to Singapore"-thing.
We have
thoroughly assessed our pros and cons about moving. The main motivation behind the decision to go is the pure and simple reason, "why not?". We are young, the girls are young and we have found them very adaptable. Alex has also been seeking an opportunity to get back into the finance field of IT as that's the stable grounds for his field at the moment.
Mind you! we DID NOT seek out the job, the job sought us out! As Christians, we believe strongly that GOD timed this for us, for our future, for our growth. We can easily stay back here, slowly eat into our savings, struggle with finance, be stuck in a dead-end job, have less time at home with the kids and eventually have a break down in our family life.
We've been told that (by people moving to Singapore from Australia) Singapore does not necessarily work you harder than here in Australia. (Some might "work" longer in order to give a perception of working
"harder"!!) Every level of stress is self regulated and not necessary worse off working in Singapore. We were assured with Alex's new company that they fully support young families and are happy with work-from-home situations when needed. We are thrilled to know that the furthest point in all direction of Singapore is about 45mins by commute. This is half the commute time of Alex's current commute time. So, we are looking forward to seeing more of daddy!!
The cost of living in NSW (the most expensive state in Australia) is really making life quite tough for everyone. We are not exempted from this struggle. Our hard earned nest egg is depleting at an alarming rate and with Alex taking up his recent job, we found that the pay standards has declined greatly. In effect the ins and outs of our month (as tightly as we can budget) is not equal. It's in the RED! Singapore taxes are lower.The pay is higher and even with upkeeping our present townhouse, we worked out that we will be able to save.
Then, there's the cultural issues. My girls will get to see their "relatives" a bit more, they will be exposed to multicultarism, pick up a few extra languages as absorb some hardworking ethics. I am drawn to these, as much as my girls are all CHINESE looking, they are
Aussies at heart and I am not denying the struggles ahead. It's a short term struggle. It's well worth it and in Alex's famous last words, "If we all end up hating Singapore, the years of enjoying the cheap food there will be well worth it". So there, we officially decided to go to Singapore because of the FOOD!
I AM NOT GETTING A MAID!
I am the maid! My role will forever be with my kids. I will only take a cleaner when our funds can support us. I am not and have not been seeking help. My hosue may not pass the "House and Garden" magazines but it's a home. I love my time at home with the girls, as a mom, as a wife and as a servant of Christ. My role is to help my husband save money for our future (Prov 31), not spend it!!! Now, I am thrown in the deep end of organising our lives here AND there for the girls and us. I am honestly feeling that I got the short end of the bargain. There's schools to consider, the cultural aspects of things, Mathena's upbringing and preschool years to toss about and, there's the option of homeschooling. Then, there's where we will live, where we will fellowship and who do I contact. There are so many things I'd like to preserve in my girls that I'll be battling in Singapore. I am fully aware of the challenges ahead. I am not strong enough to go through this. I need my Lord all the way. HE has given us the peace and direction with this decision. HE has been opening and closing doors for us all throughout the last month. He is more real now than ever before.
If we are needing anything, it's prayers, it's GOD's protection, it's lots of logistic smoothness and Grace! We will fly off 6th July 11.30am from Sydney. Talk later!
