Where To Begin

[Lizby]

I thought I posted this already, but can no longer find the thread, so here goes..

My husbands family may be relocating us to Singapore. I am curious about the housing as it relates to the proximity to schools and shopping. We would need a house a little out of town because of our dog (we intend on bringing our yellow lab) but also want to be in close proximity to an international school. Is it possible to do both? Are there any neighborhoods in Singapore where many American families settle together? If so, what district do they live in.

Your input would really be appreciated. The company is willing to pay housing or a housing allowance, but I have no idea what area to begin searching.

Also what Internationl school do most America fafmilies enroll their children in?

Many thanks,

Lizby

[near the american school]

Hi Lizby, many american families choose to live near the american school at woodlands.  There are also a number on Holland Village and the east coast.

[Ex-Calif]

Welcome Lizby & Family! You will get lot's of advice about where to live in Singapore for sure.

What I like to do is draw a line on a map between my work and my kid's school.  Then if there are known spousal activities. i.e. my spouse like the orchard area I draw a line from the school to that.  Then I close the triangle and have pretty much decided we will be in the triangle somewhere.

Budget, housing needs and desires affect the final outcome.  If you truly are "suburb" people and your kids will go to the American School then Woodlands is great.  Although some spouses feel it is a bit far out from the Orchard area.

Expats are all over Singapore and you will find concentrations of them in all the major condos and living areas.  Woodlands, ebing close to SAS has a large concentration right off campus.

District 9, 10 and 11 are popular as a nice balance between Woodlands and the Business District.

[Lizby]

Thanks so much for your reply. We are truly "suburb" kind of people. My husband and I both grew up in the suburbs of Mobile, Alabama. I went to private highschool and college as did my husband. I don't consider us to be "country folk" but the idea of living in a high rise or apartment complex does not appeal to either of us. If we make this move, and it appears that we will, we will have to sell our beloved horse, goat and other animals and bring only the dog. Having room to breathe is important to us.

On the other hand, we are still negotiating the "transportation" portion of our expat package and I am not sure what will happen in that department. My husband will be working at one of the perto-chemical plants. I assume there is bus or rail service from Woodlands or the surrounding areas to Jurong if we are not given a company vehicle for him to drive. As for the school, how far is it from the Woodlands area to the SAS? Is it within walking distance? I am also curious about grocery shopping, etc. I assume I will need a car to do those types of errands.

I appreciate any advice or information you can share. Your inital response has already put my mind at ease somehwhat.

Lizby

[arnw200]

Lizby
If you haven't done so already, enroll your kids into the SAS now. Depending on the age of your kids, the wait list is long specially for teens (grades 9 - 12).

[Lizby]

I will do that as soon as we get conformation on whether we are coming or not. When does the school year begin there>

Thanks,

Lizby

BTW...mine will be in 3rd and 6th grades next year.

[Open Mind]

Singapore is a very small city/island.  Woodlans Estate - where there is a large population of americans in homes is a neighborhood, but don't expect to have much yard there or most places for that matter.  The plus side is that the children can walk to school.  

Woodlands to Jurong is quite a distance - a car would be the best bet.

The school year runs quite close to that in the states.  Next year the first day of school will be August 15th and the children will get out the first week of June.    There is a one week break in October and March as well as 3+ weeks for Winter break and quite a few long weekends.

The waitlist for your upcoming 6th grader is quite long.  There are families at the school now who have one or two children in and are waiting for that year for another.

The best advice I can give you at this point is to keep an open mind and realize that every place different.  You are possibly moving around world and into a very different culture.  The experience can be very rewarding and enjoyable but it truly depends on your outlook.  

As you are the trailing spouse, you are the one who will have to make the biggest effort to fill your time and work on new relationships.  Keeping a postive attitude will make all the difference in your family.  

Best of Luck!

[Ex-Calif]

Actually compared to some commutes in the US Woodlands to Jurong will be a snap.  Probably 15 minutes or so if you have a car.

It sounds like you haven't been out on assignment before.  The petrochem companies still tend to be pretty good about packages so I am wondering if they are "cheaping" out on you or simply your husband hasn't gotten that far in the discussions.

Waiting lists at SAS exist but there is good turn over at the mid year break (Dec 15 to Jan 8 or something) as well as the summer break when lots of families move. One of the best benefits living overseas is the schooling.  Your kids will have an absolutely awesome time here.

When is your planned move?  Feel free to email me for some ideas on what to ask for in an expat package.  I manage about 45 expats here and am pretty familiar with US expectations and what companies can do.  Sometimes the questions not asked are the ones that dissapoint later.

[bcp]

I was talking to SAS and was told that grade 6 is wide open as they have more classes. I know this will change so yes....register as early as possible! Also, being American if the grade is full, it's full. There are no exceptions. We tried last year with our fourth grader and the office said,"it's full". Went to the Canadian School and our kids love it.  Facilities aren't as near as flashy as SAS but the teachers are great and if my kids love then it's okay with me!

Good luck with the move. It can be daunting but a great adventure!

[Lizby]

Thanks all. Ex-Calif...you are right...we are just beginning to negotiate the  package with hubby's company. We have already told them that we would need them to pay for our housing and our children's education. So far they seem agreeable but nothing is in writing yet. We are also going to request a vehicle...if not two.

As for making friends, I have never had that problem. I am the extrovert and hubby is the quiet introvert. After all, he is the engineer, computer techy, chemist and mathematician in the family! My kids are young enough to adjust easily and yet old enough to appreciate the newness and the excitement of an international experience. As I am the one that will be responsible for making a lot of the small things with this move happen correctly, I am determined to learn as much as I can.

Ex-Calif I would love to be able to email you if I need to. That was a generous offer. And I will likely take you up on it if this "thing" proceeds.

As for the schools...I assume that the SAS is the best one that most have found. One fear that have is that my kids will fall behind and not be ready for high school and middle school when we return. They are both very bright and excell in math and science like their father. Will they be tested before they enter the SAS? Do most of you find that the SAS is equivalent to what they would get at their private school here?

Thanks again. You guys are the greatest.

Lizby

[Singing nnn the Rain]

If I were you I would e-mail ex-Calif, that person will know a lot.

I grew up in the foothills of California with horses and cows.  It is NOT like that here but there are BEAUTIFUL green places to visit, parks, hiking areas and some housing has a very small patch of lush greenry.

This is a wonderful place for children you childrens ages.  It is family friiendly, safe and clean and green.  Even Singapore TV is safer for kids then USA TV.  The tv is censored a little.  Most bad words are cut out of tv shows, some off color shows are not allowed and some shows even movies have raunchy bits removed, as in Cold Mountain some of the sex scene was cut out.  I like this and my teens say really they do not mind the "good" bits were cut.

Yes my KIDS LOVE SAS, we were going to stay here 2-3 years but now are starting our sixth year as the school is so GOOD.  They love it there and love wearing uniforms.  At first thought do we HAVE To.  NOW would not have it any other way.  Waiting for child to finnish High School to move back to Calif. as child said will NOT go to a calif school and would rather be a school dropout then go to cal.  See really wants to finnish High School at SAS.

HOUSING--- THis may get deleted !!!

There are old historic houses built by the british that go by different names:

Black and White Houses
Colonial Houses
British Military housing

They are very popular and in a parklike setting with lots of space between the houses.  You and the dog will love it.  BUT these house are lots of work to maintain, may be a 20 minutes walk from the main road.  But you can phone and a taxi will come to your house and pick you up for work and the SAS school bus (oh it is so nice) will pick your children up in front of your house, no waiting at a bus stop or mom driving to school.  Bus is safe good clean and there is a drive AND another adult a lady to help smaller kids with seat blets and to keep eye on kids.  So much more to say....

There is a website for the black and white houses with rental price.  Cheapest is humm 6,000. sg dollar,  Most 8,000. 10,000. sg

[T2K]

Is your husband working on Jurong Island or in Jurong?  Big difference.

If in Jurong, there will likely be a company bus that goes to the nearest MRT station.  Of course, this depends on living near an MRT station.  Still much easier to drive.

If on Jurong Island, a car is a must-have.
Forget any other option.

The central area of Singapore is great for public transportation, a car will actually slow you down.  Taxis, buses and trains are faster and easier and very inexpensive.

There are many nationalities living here.  Don't get too caught up in worrying about "where other Americans are".  It's a big world, and a lot of it is represented here in SG.  Make the most of it, don't try to recreate your life in the US.

Having said that, as long as you are willing/able to pay, there are lots of houses with great yards and greenery around.

Good luck with the negotiation and the move.

ps - One last bit of advice.  Cease using the word "hubby".  Trust me on that one.

[Kindred Spirit]

OMG, where to start.
Lizby, you say you and your husband both grew up in the suburbs of Mobile, AL. You don't say if that is where you are still living now.

We are currently living in Singapore, this is our second move here. While we are not originally from Alabama, we have lived in Fairhope for the last 14 yrs. I am sure you know right where I speak of.

Our first move here, both of our sons were of school age. Now, our eldest son is at UA/Tuscaloosa and our youngest is attending SAS for the second time. Do not worry that your kids will fall behind, even coming from private schools in your hometown, they will most probably be far ahead of their counterparts when you decide to return home. Our sons were in the Fairhope public schools as well as Bayside Academy and neither even begin to compare to the level of education/opportunities your children will experience here. They don't charge the high tuition here for nothing.....you are literally getting what you pay for, or your company, whichever the case may be.

During our first move here, we lived in a bungalow in the Woodlands neighborhood. This neighborhood is directly adjacent to the SAS campus and if you choose to live there, your children will have no problem walking. An umbrella will become part of their backpack necessities. However, unless you have a budget of S$10k+, you will not find the garden space you are looking for as regards your lab, and even for that money, you will be hard pressed to find ample yard space. By this I mean, grass, not just patio and pool.

We have a lab as well, and this time around, we chose to live outside the Woodlands. Our son is older now, high school, and it is not necessary for him to be that close to school. Although, I will say, if your kids are not keen on participating in clubs/extracurricular activities, they may find it hard to make friends if their home is in a pre-dominately non-expat area. Having said that, if they play lots of sports, etc. most of that is held/competed at SAS, and you will find yourself constantly trekking back and forth across the island to attend all of these events. Just my two cents.

It sounds like this may be your first major move anywhere, not just internationally. Be prepared for a much more condensed lifestyle than you are used to. Everything is more crowded, faster, louder, time-consuming. OTOH, if you were interested in maintaining the status quo, you wouldn't be considering this move at all.

Best of luck in your decision, post a reply and i will send my email if you want to chat more.

[Ex-Calif]

Lizby is getting awesome advice!  

Regards school, you will be pleasantly surprised.  When we came here we talked to a counselor at length.  The average SAT scores out of SAS are about 100 points higher than the US average.  College placement is in the 99%+ range with excellent universities represented.  families report their kids being "bored" when returning to the US because they are so far ahead.

Honestly, all other things being equal, a company paid education overseas is a huge benefit.

[Lizby]

Thanks...T2K..I am not sure about the Jurong vs. Jurong Island.  I will look it up and that will be important when negotiating. I need to know how far a commute it is so I can bring that to someone's attention. My only reason for asking about a predominantly American area is to get a feel for for the area. I think many  Americans get accustomed to having certain conveniences and I figured that if Americans were settling in a particular area, there must be a reason...don't know if that made sense but maybe you understand. Oh, and I won't ask about the "hubby" label..hehe.

Kindred Spirit...how crazy is that...you grew up in Fairhope? Wow...I grew up in Mobile, but lived in Daphne for a while. I wonder if we ever knew each other. That would be insane. Oh and I went to Bayside too when we lived in Daphne..great school.

As for the move, my husband's company moved us from Mobile to Baton Rouge 2.5 years ago. It wasn't that far, but I do recognize now all the things that we didn't know at the time. I also realize that an international move will be 4 times what we went through with the last move. As for the move itself...I am sooo excited. I was never the "country club" kid that my parents thought I would be. I mean I love the things that I got there...pool, tennis, etc. But the haughty attitudes of some of the members I could have done without. In the end, I grew up to learn that not everyone is like that, but at the time escaped it by being at the barn with my horse. Everyone thougt I was strange! Now that I am older, I have grown to appreciate the benefits of a club setting as one way to connect with people.

This is gonna be a strange question but here goes. I am dissapointed that we cant ship our horse. Not only would it be cost prohibitive, but I am quite sure my husband wouldn't allow it as he is not real keen on horses anyway. Having said that, are there any riding academies in Singapore that you guys know of? That would be awesome.

We will talk soon....

Lizby

[This message has been edited by Lizby (edited 28-11-2006).]