Right, 2 years ago I moved from London to Auckland, New Zealand through a job opportunity at work. I have a good lifestyle and a good job etc, positives and negatives as always.

My employer has come to me and offered me the option of moving to Singapore, for what could be considered a life/career changing role.

How do I go about making a decision like this? Taking up a great opportunity and *potentially* sacrificing a dream lifestyle.

BTW have 2 boys, 2 & 4.

Hmmm for me unless the life changing role enabled me to take lots of long and extended holidays in fun places not sure I would.
The but part of it would be if it is a time limited role. If it was something you could do for 1-2 years and then head back to NZ at a much better level then it might appeal.

PS Left Hobart Tas, this time last year to come back to the UK for mainly career reasons and Hobart is way nicer than Auckland 😉

As nice as Singapore is, I wouldn’t want to live there. NZ on the other hand…

Hmmm for me unless the life changing role enabled me to take lots of long and extended holidays in fun places not sure I would.
The but part of it would be if it is a time-limited role. If it was something you could do for 1-2 years and then head back to NZ at a much better level then it might appeal.

Long term it would probably provide a much better retirement $$$. Short term prob not a huge difference, we as a family make the absolute most of where ever we are, be that London or Auckland and enjoy every day of it. My drive for leaving London was to do something different.

In my current organization, unlikely to be able to return to NZ. The market here cannot really support high-end positions – it’s a little country 🙂

As nice as Singapore is, I wouldn’t want to live there. NZ on the other hand…

Fair point – forgot to consider this is a mountain biking forum!!!

As nice as Singapore is, I wouldn’t want to live there. NZ on the other hand…

And Auckland isn’t the bit of NZ most people reckon it is 😉

In my current organization, unlikely to be able to return to NZ. The market here cannot really support high-end positions – it’s a little country

That it is, career wise I could have ended up in one of the big state capitals and for me that wasn’t close to being the same thing

Just swap on dream lifestyle for another…..who said life was about just “one” dream??

And Auckland isn’t the bit of NZ most people reckon it is

Auckland as a city is definitely pretty crap and some of the neighborhoods are terrible. But trust me if you live in the right place it is pretty hard to beat.

Yeah was over there quite a few times for work, I meant it’s not the South Island 😉

If the same as now then go for it…if it genuinely is. Life experience and living around the world is fantastic for all ages as it provides different cultures and scenery.

I love Singapore.

As a place to visit for a few days on business. Nice hotels, great transport infrastructure, amazing food, lovely people.

I get bored after about four days though. It’s all just a little too sterile. That’s great if coming from Hong Kong or China, where chaos reign, the easy pace of life is lovely. However, if I’m going the other way, after a few days in Singapore I find myself longing for the lunacy of the Red markets, and a big night out in LKF.

A great place, but I don’t think I could live there. However…if the money and package is right for you, it’s another great experience. Education for your kids is excellent, as are opportunities for sport etc.

Nothing is forever, so go for it. If it works out – great. If not, well try something else.

Bit like mountain bikes. You buy one because you reckon it’s the best ever, ride it a bit then buy an new one. Which is the new best ever. On and on it goes. Each change allows you to assess and value the next one in a better way.

Having moved about and changed countries / jobs / careers more than most people change their tyres. I can tell you that eventually you realise a “dream lifestyle” is mostly a dream. Dreams change and they are not real life.

A wealth of different experiences in life is way more beneficial / satisfying than chasing one dream.

My last memeory of Singapore was a bar full of dancing girls, bowls full of dried anchovies and chillis, and a waitress that topped up my beer every time she went past.

Hope that helps.

Having lived and worked in Singapore, I would be holding onto NZ if it were me. Don’t get me wrong, Singapore is a fabulous place and a great life but its for a limited time. The living costs are high, renting is at London prices plus some for a decent place, schools are private (local schools are over subscribed) and quite a cost per year. You would need to factor this into your salary or get accommodation / education put in as add on’s. One of the reasons we left was because our second child was coming to school age and it was going to be a struggle to cover 2 school bills.

I’d not hesitate to go and live back there again, but as I said it isn’t long term, you cannot settle and invest there like you can in NZ. The biking is limited, mostly road based although there are a couple of off road areas springing up. I guess you also have to like humidity 🙂

Short term, do it but get a good package to make it comfortable, long term I’d be staying in NZ. If you want further information on living in Singapore let me know.

As mentioned by others unless they pay you much more Singapore is only for very short stay (with one child).

I lived in singapore for a year when I was in year 5 at school… so a slightly different perspective.. I loved it but I’m very thankful we left. Mountain biking can happen but is very average. The city certainly lacks a lot that drives me.. you’d probably either spend a lot of time at country clubs or going over to islands off Malaysia.

Having also been to NZ for 8 weeks… I’d stay put. The people are great, the country is great and has a relatable “vibe” to us brits and mtbing adventures and easy going people are all over.

If it was the choice of NZ or Canada… then I’d maybe think on it!

@ericemel – PM me if you’d like to chat. I lived in Singapore, with a MTB and family (two kids) for about eight years. Happy to chat about the upsides/downsides of living and working in Singers with family and MTB considerations.

Pretty much echo what @oop_north says – Singapore is EXPENSIVE. Especially with a family, especially if you are not getting a full expat package (schooling, etc). Just something to keep in mind. On the other hand it is a great place for family, and a great experience.

What’s the famous Dalai Lama quote?

“Man.
Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present;
the result being that he does not live in the present or the future;
he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

Thanks guys – actually some great advice. Basically going to wait and see the package and make an informed decision from there.