My name is Pierre from South Africa currently living in Bishan, Singapore part of the heartland. We deliberately chose the area as we wanted to experience the local culture while living here.
When and how did you decide to move to Singapore? Is it complicated to settle down there?
We moved to Singapore with our two dogs in August 2011 as a result of a job opportunity my wife wanted to pursue. Settling down in Singapore took a few months as a result of the adjustment to local culture, living conditions and no experience living abroad.
Have you ever lived abroad before? How many countries have you visited?
This is my first stint living abroad. I am an avid traveller and have been fortunate to visit 20 countries as a result of my previous job and just holidaying in general.
What do you like the most about Singapore?
I enjoy the food, people and the fact that Singapore is the perfect springboard to make visiting surrounding countries very cost effective. The excellent public transport infrastructure makes it very easy to get around in Singapore.
How is/was the cultural shock? What are the main differences with South Africa, your home country?
Coming from South Africa, the thing I find the best in Singapore is the safety and super efficiency. The local culture is very different from back home and most definitely in a positive way. Singapore is however expensive compared to South Africa from a cost of living perspective. Singapore is a very small country compared to South Africa and has no real game farms and mountains.
Do you miss anything from your homeland?
I miss my friends and the cost effectiveness of red meat and wine back home. We miss being able to spend time outside to enjoy a BBQ with friends and family as the weather back home is not as hot as here in Singapore. Certain food items are also not available in Singapore and must be substituted with other products.
Any 'memories of an expat' you would like to share with us? Your best souvenir? Or maybe your worst experience?
One of the best experiences I have in Singapore is the diversity of the food and the Chili Crab must get a special mention. Since arriving here I have done some interesting trips to the many exciting destinations in Singapore. I have also done “Off the Beaten Track” visits. Apart from the normal tourist sites there are many other places to see and visit e.g. fish, organic herb and vegetable, mushroom and even a Frog farm.
When did you start your blog? For what reasons?
I started my Blog to stay in contact with friends and family back home but it has evolved over time to become a sharing platform with all of my readers all over the world. I ended up writing articles for two other Expat Web Sites and decided to share not just my experiences in Singapore but also my previous life back in South Africa.
Did you make new friends with your blog?
In the process I have made some personal as well as many online friends. The very first Blog I joined when arriving in Singapore was the Expat Blog in the hope to learn more about the country, settling in and hopefully make some new connections.
Why did you register on
https://www.expat.com and what do you think of the website?
I registered with Expat Blog to afford me the opportunity to meet other settled as well as new expats who live in Singapore. The Expat Blog site contains important facts and links that help expats from settling in point of view. Also very nice to read other expat blogs and see what new things they explore and share with the readers.
Which advice would you give to the other Expat blog members who would like to settle in Singapore?
My best piece of advice to anybody coming to Singapore is to join a website like the Expat Blog but more importantly find someone you can directly communicate with who has been thru the process and will assist you and make it a lot easier. Personally, I have taken on the responsibility to help other people coming to Singapore.
