Grass isn’t necessarily greener for those living abroad
According to AsiaOne News:
HAVING spent eight months away from Singapore, I was thrilled to be back home, though it is for only three weeks.
I was also excited that I was back in time for the Singapore Grand Prix.
While meeting friends in Singapore after having been away for so long, I saw how their jobs have become a chore, and they go through the motions just so that they can pay their bills.
Their quality of life has suffered, and many envy me for having had the opportunity to work and live abroad.
Much has been written about the advantages of living abroad, but the loneliness and difficulty of adjusting to a different culture have also taken a toll on many aspiring immigrants, so much so that some decide to return home after trying out living overseas for a few years.
I can only say that the grass always appears to be greener on the other side, but it is not necessarily the case.
- The grass is always greener on the other side!! That’s is true for all things that we are usually inspired by what we see on the television on how successful people live their life on the “flip side” and never really see how tough they had went through before really becoming successful.
(And it’s not always true if you finally move to the other side)
Migration is only for the really determined people who have strong connections to the location where they wanted to migrate. The pros and cons are as follows.
Pros:
- Can withdraw CPF Money and become king in other country.
- Cheap everything (Depends on the location)
- Finally can protest everywhere! (Depends on location of course)
- Freedom!!!! (Braveheart music comes and imagine riding a horse with painted face)
- Able to buy land and grow vegetables…(only for those inspired to be farmers)
- Able to buy big house and stay! (Super cheap compared to Singapore)
- More….(comment please)
Cons:
- Can withdraw ALL CPF money and spend it in a short time…end become penniless.
- Cheap everything including your pay (depends on your location, education & experience)
- Freedom!! To roam around like strangers to all…treated like 2nd class citizens.
- Able to buy land and grow vegetables! And paid like the rest of the poor farmers.
- Able to buy big house and stay….and drive many miles for the nearest coffee shops…argh
- If Son is above certain age…need to deposit $$$ in Singapore to ensure that he will come back to serve National Service.
- May not able to come back to Singapore to stay.
- Lonely overseas with nobody of similar language, culture, background and experiences.
- Not much local food overseas. Alamak! (Oh no!) Where is my Roti Prata, Chicken Rice, Nasi Lemak with Big Drum Stick, Delicious Laksa, Superb Steamboat, Unlimited Buffet and many more “sinful” yet delicious foods!
- May leave love ones back home in Singapore, real sad case if family members remain in Singapore including love ones.
Migration is good if he/she have good connections and have the whole family and friends living there already with similar background, language, culture, religion and more…our Singlish (lah!) that no other countries can imitate at all.
Things you won’t miss is some of the bad behavior of a small group of extra “kiasu” (scare to lose) individuals that speak louder, walk faster, rude and eat the most at unlimited buffet overseas.
Most of the people in Singapore are kind hearted and honest most of the time and fear of the law to crush down on them for the slightest mistakes.
The transition into the future is more and more people migrating to Singapore making Singapore an international state instead of pure Singaporeans with over 1 million immigrants living and working in Singapore currently.
We cannot expect all of them to suddenly know our culture and behave just like Singaporeans overnight and we should expect equal problems like more crimes of passion, robbing, violent crimes, scams, theft and others like arson, vandalizing, gangsterism and white & blue collar crimes.
In the world of tomorrow where the economy goes down, we should expect Singapore to be more “vibrant” and bustling with “activities” where more and more “mix” of people living together in Singap0re in harmony accepting each other gracefully.
The breaking point will be during economic recession which will be tough on immigrants where they cannot afford to stay here anymore when for example losing their jobs and unable to pay their rents.
Things will become very ugly when their financial goes bad and love turns sour, many China workers had demonstrated that recently on their violent crimes committed in Singapore.
However, we must be “tolerant” to all individuals regardless of their race, language, religion or even behaviors until they blend into the Singapore way of working and living.
Sooner or later the world will recognize us as one of the major cities in the world that can really become habitable for all man kind like the international gathering point of the world. The true united world to be here in the center of all international shipping & airplane delivery routes.
