Okay, we can't afford a house, we are pushing our budget to get an apartment (with facilities) and really, no agent is keen to take us to have a look at the public housing (it's half the price minus the privacy, security and facilities).
We had two days of going out on the suburbs of Singapore. We spent a total of 4 hours yesterday afternoon and 3 hours today, while my dad juggle the afternoon with the girls. We saw only a total of 6 apartments and all "condominiums" with pools and gym facilities. We are happy with the quality of only 3 but totally unhappy with all the sizes and price. Somehow, these agents are bent on pushing the limits of our budget. They even took us to a brand spanking new yuppie, modern IKEA-rish apartment building so exclusive that there's only 15 tenants on it and 15 levels (one apartment per level). Most Condos have up to 300-400 homes in it. It was so "you-beaut" that it had all the state of the art stuff, deco and even a bomb shelter as part of the design. The built-ins were the "BRAND" of the season and it even had a built in tv in front of the spa bath (master ensuite) to help achieve that extra wrinkle on our skins. Did you know that the "trend" here is to have slam-proof drawers which slows right down before closing?? The apartments that had the extra space lack "lighting" and airflow. The many that were bright and good condition, were very TIGHT in space. Think 3 bedrooms and a dining/living the size of a 2-bedroom flat (in Australia) plus the mini kitchen...and you pretty much know what we are talking about (1200 sq ft)
There's more next week as the days heat up towards the end of our stay here.
My main aim this coming week, is to slip out without the girls to fight the chocker-block full city shops in search for more books to use at home. One of the things that was shown to us was the "prestigious" government/mission schools here that mean business! These HUGE mama schools are bigger than that of Wollongong Uni (very glorious and majestice in design including all the works of clock towers, fields and City Hall-like auditoriums) and is homebase to up to 1300 kids per school. These schools are located at the poshiest suburbs (where hardly any trains/ public transport goes to) and where the housing situations are mostly landed properties (Millions $$$ worth of houses and duplexes). Schools like these are offered to families within 1-2km of the area. So who can afford to live in these places? Rich people. What type of houses do rich people live in? Expensive ones which causes high rent for poor people like us!! Wow! Schools here are rated every year and they have competition from Best Maths, Best English, Best Sports etc (cleanest toilets?) Singapore prides itself to produce students of top international quality ensuring kids to enter to Universities like Harvard etc. Pppptttoooi! Spat, spew, pttthh! Okay, I've thrown up, now I can continue writing...
Thoughts to share with you all. We miss you guys heaps! Our Church family, Sunday BS bunch, Letitia's Cedars Community, Mathena's playgroup family, our neighbours, all our friends in Wollongong, our family (and Ah Mah) in Brisbane.... our girls have been thanking GOD for you guys and missing you too!
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