Living Singapore for a single woman

Singapore is one of the best (and safest) places to live in the world.

valesan wrote:

is it really damp all year?

Yes, tropical humidity of over 90% r.h. all year round. You will sweat a lot. Paper, other organic materials and almost anything else ages fast - laminate your important documents in plastics or leave them at home, and avoid leather or anything that can mold (it will!).

valesan wrote:

does the island really get closed by a clould of smoke from Indonesia burning wood?

This happens every few years for a few days, when forest fires in Indonesia get out of control. But in general the air is cleaner than in most cities of this size.

valesan wrote:

but my major concern is that it seems a really difficult place to integrate if you are a woman and single and wanting to build a family (sooner or later I would like to!! :-) apparently it is hard to integrate with the locals and the expats all go there with a family.

Being a multi-racial society, Singapore is an easier place to integrate than most others.
Singapore is also more gender-equal than most places, definitely more so than anywhere else in Asia. Intercultural couples are common. Western men tend to prefer Asian women. I have seen a few of the opposite constellation, so it is possible, but rare.
You have to keep in mind that intercultural relationships are more challenging and require more effort (not just in the beginning!) than "normal" ones. They also more often fail. But I personally enjoy the additional variety and life enrichment and wouldn't want it any other way.
There are many single expats, as generous expat packages paying for the whole family are getting rare. They might prefer Asian women, though, which seem for many the main reason of being here. There is a lively dating scene, though.

Hi Beppi
thank you so much for your fast reply!! you are confirming what I heard about Asia a lot and good to know about the multi cultural environment!
have a nice day
valentina

I was a single woman who came to Singapore for a project (I'm an international TV Producer) a few years ago and I'm still here long after that project has ended. So no, it's not hard to integrate at all. The city has a lot to offer to extroverted singles who like to have fun.

It is very easy to make friends in general but I personally find it easier to mingle with other expats/foreigners than the locals obviously because you have more in common with them being in the same boat. Expat wives are a different group though. The women who tag along with their husbands/boyfriend are a lot more shutdown, I find. Since most of them don't have any career to speak of, it's harder to relate.

As for the weather, a bit hard to acclimatize to the scorching heat and humidity especially being someone who sweats a lot, but with most apartments/condos equipped with a huge pool and Singapore being a short trip away from many beautiful island resort destinations, it's not really that big of an issue.

hi Vale

i'm a British male, just arrived to Singapore (only yesterday!).  keen to meet new people and make new friends!  so let me know if you're interested in meeting up for a drink at some point!

here's my email address: [email protected]

thanks!
Zed