Here's my first post when I reached Paris
15 June 2019, I landed in Paris...
And 6 months later, here's the post couple of days after I moved to Houston.
17 Jan 2020, I moved to Houston...
It's been quite an interesting experience.
Can't say it's good or bad, I'd just say it's interesting.
And yes, of course I'm biased cos different people experience a similar experience differently depending on circumstances.
I would say we are in a unique situation compared to the locals.
Firstly, we are living quite well. Many things are subsidized or covered by the company.
Then our lifestyle is also different, as we tend to be home-bodies, so we don't go out much. Thus our expenditure is probably lower than a local here.
We try to shop at cheaper places, not where the usual expats shop.
I mean... I used to get free food in Paris, and in Houston, I'm going to Walmart, which supposedly has cheaper food but lower quality compared to other supermarkets, whereas most expats would shop at the "Cold Storage" equivalent.
(Note: Lower quality means that the stuff is of a lower grade relative to other supermarkets, doesn't mean the meat is old or bad. It's like NTUC vs Cold Storage. One would say that Cold Storage has better quality and more expensive options than what is available at NTUC.)
I try to take note of how the locals live...
It's somewhat, same same but different.
Everyone is working, same like in SG. Everyone is trying to make a living, pay rent, entertainment, etc.
People are willing to spend on entertainment. Which is very similar to SG.
Eating out is more expensive in Paris and US compared to SG. So since our "hobby" is eating, it's not really good for us, we end up eating a lot more at home.
However, if your interest is in other things, travelling, museums, cars, trekking, many other things, then there's a lot more other forms of entertainment in big countries.
You just have to pay for it. There's really a lot more things to do, if you want to do it.
Eating out is only more expensive to me, cos I'm always comparing against home, SG.
So I feel "heart pain" when I have to pay US17 for a set for one person or €17 for one person.
And that's already on the cheaper end.
BUT to the locals, this is normal prices. So they just eat it as per normal.
In SG, it's like eating out at SG$17 for one person. It's not cheap, but that's pretty normal for a bowl of ramen.
Paris or Houston, US$17 or €17, is normal to them, but to me I see it as SG$24-SG$27.
However, due to the expense of entertainment, or lifestyle, I find that people in Paris/Houston don't really carry branded products. Or maybe I don't see much of them.
Whereas in SG, we see it all over, in the MRT, at work, everywhere.
Considering their earnings, tax rate, cost of living, eating out and entertainment, there really isn't much left to save or buy luxury products.
Somehow, in SG, many people are able to indulge in luxury items.
Folks in Paris and US really respect their summer season. They really take time off to go on vacation. It's common to have people in Paris take 3 weeks off, and in US, they will go to the beach or other states during summer.
I suppose that's similar to SG and the June/Dec holidays, where parents take their kids overseas.
Generally, life is similar, it's what I'd expect of any developed country. People work, most of their basic necessities are settled, they earn money for entertainment and play.
Western countries emphasize very much on the individual.
They really live for themselves. I'm not saying they are selfish people as individuals.
Rather, it's like the way they reacted to COVID.
Even if the Government tries to enforce rules, they will tend to want to do what they want to do. Until Government really enforces it strictly, then they will listen.
I would think in SG, or Asian countries, people are more civic minded.
Most of them move out when they are fairly young, so they start making decisions very early in life. It's a different way of living. The idea that... you can do anything you want cos your parents aren't watching you all the time. It's different.
They can party all they want, they have to earn money, they are responsible for their own lives.
So they have to think and decide on what's best for themselves and what they want to do and how they want to live.
This is a problem when the Government tries to tell them what to do, aka wear mask, stay at home, they don't want to listen to it, cos they are so used to living their own lives.
People are more involved in the politics in Western countries.
They talk about it. Quarrel with family members, protest, etc...
In SG... well... we all know... people just complain with each other but nothing is done.
I also learnt that we actually need very little things in life. In both Paris and Houston, we hardly unpacked our stuff from the boxes we brought over. Cos we really don't need much. We already packed very little stuff, just 13 boxes, which is considered very little when relocating.
However, even though we packed little stuff, we needed even less.
Just some clothes and furniture.
Other stuff like toiletries, groceries, can be bought as we slowly use them. A lot of things, we imagine we need, but actually, we don't need and don't use much.
How do I feel about living overseas?
This is a very interesting question.
If I look at it from the point of an expat, or immigrant who is leaving my home country for greener pastures.
Then I would probably just keep my head down, work, earn money and live my own life and try not to get involved with too many extra things.
Basically just do what I want to do and ignore the politics, racism, whatever.
It's highly possible especially for immigrants who are leaving their home country for more opportunities.
Which is what many immigrants do.
But for me, I don't think I'd like to live in western countries in the long run.
Both Paris and Houston are very livable cities. Expensive, but with financial planning and everything. It's still a good standard of living.
I still rather live in Asia. Maybe I'm racist. (Racism cuts both ways, I could be the racist one thinking that westerns are racist.)
I don't particularly feel at ease living in western countries.
As I said, I haven't encountered much/any racism when I was in Paris or Houston, but when I'm in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Japan, I feel at ease. Also, people have mistaken me for locals in all those countries mentioned. Yes, there were Japanese in Japan who asked me for directions and I was like... errmm...
I could buy a small house in US and buy a car... probably a better standard living than what I would have in SG. Groceries and utilities are cheaper too. So if you're talking about emulating a "rich" Singapore style of living in US, it's possible. Cos it's now possible to buy all the stuff that's affordable in SG.
And yet I have concerns about my security. US is safe... well safe enough, but SG is abnormally safe. So I'd rather stay in SG. Even if I wanted to migrate to US, I wouldn't buy a house, cos it's not safe. It's easier for people to break into a house than an apartment.
Personally, I think if I don't have friends and family in SG, and if I was a westerner, for example a Singaporean staying in SG, or American staying in US, or French staying in France.
Then there's minimal difference between staying in SG, US, or France, also assuming there's no language barrier in France.
For a person born there, to live like a local, there's minimal difference.
Many people say this is better, that is better. Well, yes and no.
There is sufficient work life balance in all these 3 countries. Based on my past experience with work, and seeing my wife and friends. Things are ok. Even in SG. It's not like people have to work insane hours. (Except auditors)
There's a bit more freedom when taking leave in France, cos to them, it's their right to take leave. And it's normal to take long leave to go on a long vacation. So in summer, many things in France is working really slowly. And yet life goes on, it's a bit inconvenient, but not the end of the world.
Basically, if you just keep your head down and, study, graduate, find work, work hard, save, invest, then it's probably no significant difference in any developed country.
I would say, it's like ... a car...
Most cars have an engine, 4 wheels, seats, windows, air con, radio etc... The basic things which make a car a car.
But some people like a sporty car, some like family cars based on needs, some like fuel economy, some like electric, some people install their own sound system. So end up, there's many different types of styles and cars and preferences.
And I think, living in countries it's like that.
Most developed countries, if you want to work, live, eat, survive, it's pretty the similar.
But like cars, there are differences, and there's difference in price and some countries are deemed "better" than others.
But it's still a car... and for many developed countries, I think it's the same. They are livable.
So for living, I think no real difference
For retirement, now, I think maybe that's a different story.
For this, I think it depends on multiple factors.
For me, racism is still a factor, I won't want to retire in a western country.
But let's say race isn't a factor, and friends and family isn't a factor.
As a local, is it better to retire in US as a local, or France as a local, or SG as a local?
I do think for Americans and the French, there are options of moving to a cheaper state. For example, one could work at New York and move to Texas for retirement. Same as in France. There are options.
For Singapore, there's no option for Singaporeans. Property is cheaper at certain areas in SG but not cheap. Overall standard of living is the same almost everywhere in SG. The cost of living doesn't change, cos it's the same city.
Whereas when someone moves from New York to Texas, their dollars will go further.
Same as from Paris to maybe Normandy.
One very interesting observation I had after 1 year, is that I have almost forgotten about Paris now that I've stayed in Houston for 6 months. Paris just seems like a distant dream.
I don't feel much connection to it anymore. Just a bit of fond memories when I look at past pictures.
I don't really want to go back to Paris to live there for any long period again.
However home is still Singapore. I want to go back. Even after 1 year, I think about home a lot. Maybe it's cos of friends and family, or maybe the food, or maybe there's a lot of things I miss in Singapore. Walking in the malls and stuff like that. Even the malls in Houston doesn't give me the same sense. Maybe I'm just more used to SG. I suppose that's what I means to have roots in a country.
BUT... Maybe I haven't had enough experience yet. Currently, I've only lived in SG and western countries.
What if I had the opportunity to live in maybe Taiwan, or KL for a long period? Maybe I would come to a different conclusion. Maybe roots wouldn't be so important cos I'm nearer to SG, and the overall environment is more Asian and I might feel right at home there.
Hmmm that would be interesting. I wonder if my wife has opportunities to relocate to Malaysia or Taiwan. That would give me better insights on things. Cos maybe I'm just not used to things cos I, personally, feel that I'm a minority and I may be subconsciously having some resistance to the western countries.
So I think to have a more complete understanding of moving overseas, I think it would be good to experience other countries as well. And maybe developing countries as well. Like Thailand or Indonesia...
But I wonder if that would ever happen.
I'm half half about the idea. Cos I think it would be interesting cos I get to live and experience differences. And for me I like to learning experience. But yet, I'm tired of moving and I miss home.
I miss my old routine and just doing the usual stuff and hanging with friends.
Always thought it would be fun moving overseas, but in the end, I just wanna go home. LOL
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