If you are planning to make that big move to Singapore for your job, or simply as a digital nomad looking to explore Southeast Asia’s gems, here are some things for you to consider to make your move a little more seamless.
Preparing to be an expat parent in Singapore involves a combination of logistical planning, understanding the local culture, and ensuring the well-being of your family. To help ease the mental load on you and your family, here are some steps to help you prepare:
Research and Understand the Culture:
With Singapore being a melting pot of culture, there are many nuances to local culture here in Singapore. For starters, no emphasis is placed on one particular race’s special holidays. For example, in Singaporean schools, the major holidays of all four major races are celebrated equally, with decorations and cultural activities being celebrated in schools.
Food is a huge part of local Singaporean culture, so be prepared to visit one of Singapore’s many bustling hawker centres. These food establishments offer a wide range of food from many ethnicities. For many Singaporeans, the way to our hearts is definitely through our stomachs!
Familiarize yourself with Singapore’s cultural norms, traditions, and customs. Understanding the local culture will help you and your family integrate more smoothly.
Education:
Explore the education system in Singapore. Understand the different schools available, including local, and international schools offering specific curricula (e.g., IB or British curriculum): plan and secure school enrollment for your children well in advance.
In Singapore, public schools are available for you to enrol your children in. However, you might not be privy to the same level of subsidies as the average Singaporean citizen, but never fear! School fees for local Singaporean schools are still much less pricey than their international counterparts.
If the quality of education is of concern to you, Singapore has the highest achieving students in international education rankings, with its teenagers coming top in tests in maths, reading and science. For parents who keep an eagle eye on curriculums around the world, Singaporean public schools are renowned for their competitive and cutting-edge lesson plans and examinations.
For parents who would rather enrol their children in one of the numerous international schools in Singapore, listed below are a few schools by area!
For parents in the west area, Dulwich College is one of the options, offering enrollment from toddler age to children in Year 13. For those up north, the Singapore American School in Woodlands offers enrollment from preschool to Grade 12. Last but not least, parents in the east side and central locations can look into enrolling their children in Etonhouse International School, which has branches open in Broadrick, Sentosa, Thomson and Orchard.
Cost of Living:
Understand the cost of living in Singapore. This includes housing, schooling, transportation, and daily expenses. Create a budget to ensure financial preparedness for your new life.
While Singapore could be seen as quite a pricey city to live in, it does seem like a fair trade-off when it comes to calling one of the safest cities in Southeast Asia home.
However, with competitive salaries for expats coming to live and work in Singapore, as well as the multitude of company benefits available for you and your family, adjusting to life in Singapore should be a breeze.
If you do need extra help with crunching numbers, the team over at SmileTutor has included a handy budget calculator to take your mind off the tedious calculations!
Network and Connect:
Reach out to expat communities and forums in Singapore. Connecting with other expat parents can provide valuable insights, advice, and a sense of community.
On Facebook, there are plenty of online groups for expat families to connect, and share tips on adjusting to Singapore, and resources for maintaining connection to their home countries.
Singapore has a wide variety of foreign grocers, speciality shops and restaurants that might be unique to you and your culture- most of which are just a quick Google search or Facebook ping away!
If you want to immerse yourself more in local culture, you might want to check out hobby groups in your area, like cycling and walking groups, or enrol your children in sports or arts programs outside of school to meet more like-minded parents!
Singapore has a wide range of parks and pockets of nature studded around the city, which is usually home to various hobbyists of all ages. For those who frequent morning walks in the park, you might become no stranger to groups of all ages indulging in a range of activities, from the usual roller-blading and cycling to even Tai Chi!
We hope that this article has provided some insight into preparing for your big move to our sunny city state! If your family or anyone you know might be struggling with an educational transition in Singapore, our team of tutors is only one click away.
At SmileTutor, we cater to all sorts of syllabi, from local school examinations to preparations for a wide range of international school exams, like IB and IGCSE examinations.
We wish you all the best in your move and a warm welcome to Singapore!
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