Lessons In Moving To Singapore...

I don’t typically get too personal online, nor do I ever get into specifics & finances. But I feel that sharing this will eventually help someone who isn’t as savvy in the international moves & all that goes into renting abroad in the 2020’s. We always have painted a pretty picture of the ExPat life and I feel it's not fair to never show the ups & downs that come with this lifestyle.

This all started back in early Nov ‘22, my wife Heather had been searching for new teaching positions in Asia with our top choices to be somewhere up North (Japan/Korea), as we’ve done the jungle version of Asia and preferred something with seasons & nothing in West Taiwan (ie China). Ever since the raping of Hong Kong, let’s just say we’re glad we got out when we did.

Anywho, Heather had several interviews for promising positions in Japan and we quickly found out that living there on a single income for a family of four was going to be extremely tight. While teaching salaries are well paid, it’s the taxes that bite you. One of the biggest reasons we moved abroad was for a better education for our ladies, and teaching internationally almost always includes free tuition at some of the best schools. The problem is in Japan, you have to pay the tax on your child’s tuition EVEN if it’s free. So that’s 25-30% of a $35-45,000 tuition x 2 kids. That puts a dent in any extracurriculars, trips abroad, etcetera. With our long term plans to purchase land and “finally” put down some roots, it was going to be a much longer endeavor and we would both need to be working, which means no real family time. A Chef’s schedule is literally the EXACT opposite of a Teacher's (i.e. nights, weekends, holidays).

Then Singapore called back… With salaries that were astronomical, more than she made her first year in Hong Kong ($75K). It wasn’t the ideal climate, we still dreaded the HK humidity, but there’s SOOOO much more to do & explore in Singapore. Especially coming from the last five years where I’ve felt trapped in the house & country. I couldn’t work in Israel for 2 years as I was 1. Not Jewish & 2. Not Israeli. Nor could we even drive outside the country because everyone that borders Israel, HATES Israel.

In Albania the average salary is 350-450 euro a month. Heather was making 3000 euro, so once again… Do I choose family time, or go work 40-50 hours a week for maybe 400 euro? It was an obvious, but EXTREMELY boring choice to make. At the expense of my own mental health and well being, I’ve toughed it out for the last 5 years, but was very much looking forward to getting back to work, being creative, yet still finding the time to spend with my family.

Then there was the fun of the last offer from Singapore, which was starting mid-year as a replacement Art Teacher. Previously Heather had been promoted to Vice Principal the last two years in Albania, in which a 400 euro pay bump was nice & it added to her resume. But the toll it took on her physically & mentally, I sometimes regret the decision (as amazing as my 110% wife is). They asked WAY too much of her, dumped the workload of five staff on her & then asked her to teach Art AT THE SAME TIME. It was a “shitshow” through and through.

But this new school was asking her to teach Elementary Art. That’s it. Not AP Art with intense final examinations, no crazy art shows, no insane Albanian parents, no mindless administration issues to deal with. Just teach little kids the fundamentals and FUN of art, for over $100,000 a year.

Our first thought… What's the catch? When’s the other shoe gonna drop? We say this since the salary offer in Israel was great, but literally EVERYTHING went to shit in the first three months there. From my “non-existent” job offer from the Head of School, to housing snafus, shipment problems, vicious landlords, to full on accusations of spousal abuse from the Head of School which resulted in his early retirement. Turns out he was sleeping with the Elementary Principal on the side & his accusations to me were the final straw with the school board... So when the offer looks TOO GOOD, we’re always wary and definitely do our due diligence.