Cost of commute!

To find the actual travel cost visit https://mrt.sg/fare. Key in from place and to place and you will get to know the cost of travel? But the question is, is that your actual cost of commute?

Most ignore the time they spend for travel and never assign any weightage to it! Let's consider this scenario about 2 rooms that are available, assuming both rooms have same facilities and furnishing, just the locations are different!

Room 1 : Near Upper Changi MRT - Rent - 900$ - Commute - 46 mins - cost 24$ approximately per month.

Room 2 : Near Novena MRT - Rent 1100$ - Commute - 15 mins - cost 36$ approximately per month.

Room 1: Total cost/month - 900 + 24 = 924$ & travel for 46 min one way

Room 2: Total cost/month - 1100 + 36 = 1136$ & travel for 15 mins one way

Given this scenario, from my personally experience, I have seen most tenants, who choose our co-living space opt for Room 1, because they get to save 212$ every single month! However, if the choice is Room 2, then one can save 31 mins one way, approximately 1 HR/ day! (22 working days so 22 hours)

With an extra 1 hour a day... what can you do more?

1. Sleep a little extra (either wake late or sleep early)

2. Eat a decent breakfast or cook your own dinner!

3. Exercise or

4. Meditate or

5. Spend more time talking to your family!

How much value do you want to assign to this 1 hour in terms of dollars? I leave it to you to come up with a value, so you can find the actual cost of commuting!

Is 212$ saving equals 22 hours per month?

For me it is a big NO! I will choose a place closer to my work, and pay a little extra than paying less rent and commuting for long duration.

What are your thoughts?

Fine City. How to Stay on the Right Side of the Law?

So, you’re an expat in Singapore, walking down the street having just chowed down on your favorite choco bar. Looking around, you don’t see a garbage bin in sight. You might think it’s OK to discard your wrapper then and there - just this once. It’s just one small wrapper, after all. However, don’t be surprised if you get slapped with a steep $300 fine by a police officer.

Despite its modernity, Singapore is still officially and legally a conservative country. On certain issues, its laws may even be viewed as authoritarian by outsiders. That being said, as a guest of another country, the least you can do is respect and obey their laws. The last thing you want to do is land in legal trouble, especially in a country that’s not your own. To keep safe, and make the best of your time in Singapore, it’s in your own interest to make yourself aware of these laws.
Singapore: Weed and the law
Marijuana, Weed, Cannabis, Ganja, Hashish, Grass. Whatever you want to call it, the “green wave” seems to be gathering momentum all over the globe. Even big-name celebrities like Mike Tyson are getting in on the action, opening a 400-acre weed ranch in California. So, you might be thinking that as a modern country with its fair share of expats, Singapore must be lenient on the green stuff too. Maybe, you’re thinking of getting your own hands on some, or following in Mike Tyson’s footsteps.

Not so fast. There’s no room for uncertainty when it comes to Singapore’s stance on weed. In fact, Singapore’s Misuse of Drugs Act is one of the strictest in the world.

Usually, especially in Western countries, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. However, when it comes to drug enforcement in Singapore, it’s more like “guilty until proven innocent”.

Punishment for any related crimes can be as high as $20,000 fines, 10 years in prison, or the death penalty. To remove any gray area, even Singaporeans caught using drugs outside of Singapore can face a fine or jail time. You can find the complete Misuse of Drugs Act here as well as the prescribed limits for punishment. To give you an idea, possession of 500 grams or more of Cannabis could land you the death penalty. If you’re coming to Singapore, also be aware that officials have the right to administer random drug tests.

Where does Singapore stand on other issues?

LGBTQ rights
Officially, homosexuality is illegal in Singapore and same-sex relations or marriage is not allowed. Overseas gay marriages are also not recognised. However, ‘officially’ seems to be the operative word here. Lionel Yeo, who serves on Singapore’s tourism board, has said LGBTQ visitors are welcome in Singapore. While illegal, the laws generally aren’t enforced and many believe it’s only a matter of time before they are repealed. Gay establishments also operate freely within Singapore, and it’s not hard to find one with a simple Google search.

Prostitution
After what you’ve read so far, you might be surprised to know that prostitution (in certain forms) is legal in Singapore. That puts Singapore in the company of a number of European and a couple of Asian countries on this issue. In a practical move, Singapore decided to regulate the industry, instead of criminalizing and driving it underground. As a result, there are government-related brothels where workers are required to have regular medical checkups and carry health cards.Despite this, there are still some unlicensed and illegal establishments offering these services, such as karaoke bars and massage parlours. Public (or online) solicitation is also illegal as well as male-to-male prostitution.
Other laws in Singapore to be aware of
Aside from the hot-button issues above, there are some smaller offences that could land you in a bit of hot water as well:

• Selling chewing gums.

• Annoying someone with a musical instrument or singing obscene songs in a public space

• Smoking of duty unpaid cigarette

• Blocking someone way

• Spitting in public (do we even need a law for this one?)

• Using someone else’s Wi-Fi without their consent

• Not flushing the toilet

• Being nude in your home if people can see in from outside

• Feeding pigeons

• Littering (hey, there’s a reason Singapore’s streets are so squeaky clean)

• Jaywalking (be safe, guys)

When in Singapore, do as the Singaporeans do. Whenever you are visiting or living in another country, you are subject to that country’s laws, whether you like it or not. As a welcomed guest, you should return the favor by respecting the locals, their laws and their government.

To Singaporeans, stricter laws than most are a fair exchange for a high quality of living, pristinely clean city, a low crime rate, and stability.

Singapore also has plenty of legal activities to keep you busy, and you shouldn’t put yourself at risk just for a bit of extra fun.

Lah, Leh, Lor – What?

As an expatriate in Singapore, you must have heard ubiquitous injections of the words' lah', 'leh,' and 'lor’ in nearly all conversations you overhear. Well, congratulations – you’ve been exposed to Singlish, Singaporeans’ colloquial twist on English!

What is Singlish?

But let’s take a step back – what is Singlish, exactly? Singlish is a patois (dialect) that takes its influences from Singapore’s four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.

And you might be surprised to know this, but in 2017, 27 Singlish words were included in the Oxford English Dictionary! So, there's no reason for you not to learn some key Singlish phrases.

A brief guide to Singlish

Here are five of the most common Singlish terms you’ll hear, with Singlish conversation examples.

Lah, leh, lor

'Lah,' 'leh,' and 'lor' are all discourse particles placed at the end of a sentence. Each term serves a different purpose, and it all depends on tone, syntax, and context.

• Lah – Brings about a sense of exasperation.

  • “Just do it like that lah."

• Leh – Demonstrates a tinge of uncertainty.

  • “I didn’t know you had to do it like that leh."

• Lor – Signifies a sense of resignation.

  • “I didn’t have a choice, so I did it like that lor.”

Makan (mah-kahn)

Makan is the Malay word for ‘to eat.’ You can use this Singlish term to invite your colleagues or housemates out for a meal. For example, "Let's go makan at twelve today.”

Bojio (boh-chio)

Did someone forget to invite you to hang out? You've got to use this Singlish term on them then! It signifies disappointment and a little bit of anger that you weren't part of the activity. For example,

Housemate: “I had a wonderful McDonald’s meal yesterday.”

You: “Bojio!”

Kaypoh (kay-poh)

You can use this term when someone is nosy; it works as a verb and an adjective. For example, "Yes, I went to the bar alone. Why are you so kaypoh?” and “Don’t kaypoh lah.”

Siao (see-ow)

'Siao’ is the Hokkien term for 'crazy.’ It’s also used most frequently as an exclamation when something has gone wrong. For example, you might hear your colleague saying, “The boss wants us to work overnight? Siao!”

There are more words, but I want to keep this post short.

Tell us what other Singlish words you heard!

The Hungry Ghost Festival

Notice those red metal bins with burning paper scattered around residential  areas and housing estates? Don’t freak out on me – but you’re now shoulder-to-shoulder with countless roaming spirits. In this article, learn about the Hungry Ghost Festival also known as Zhong Yuan Jie in Chinese) in Singapore and the taboos associated with it, so you don’t accidentally bring a 'friend' back home with you!

What is the Hungry Ghost Festival?

According to Chinese beliefs, the gates of hell open every year on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar’s 7th month. The gates remain open for a month. And during this period, hungry ghosts, dead ancestors, and spirits trapped in between the living and spiritual realm wander the face of the earth amongst humans.

How is the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrated?

Buddhists and Taoists celebrate the Hungry Ghost Festival through the performance of rituals, to pray and honor the dead.

Here’s a rough guide to some of the rituals practiced in Singapore:

• The lighting of joss sticks – The lit joss sticks signal to the spirits to let them know that the items (typically food) are meant for them.

• Burning of paper items – Chinese believe that the burning of joss paper (paper money) and paper effigies (such as houses, cars, and clothes) can provide the same worldly comforts to the dead.

• The offering of food items – The 7th month is the only time of the year where the spirits are allowed to fill their bellies, which is why real food is laid out for them.

Taboos and superstitions of the Hungry Ghost Festival

While roaming spirits typically don't cause any trouble to the living, you could run into some bad luck if you do the following:

• Kicking or picking up offerings -Make sure you apologize if you disturb any offerings! While it’s not illegal, think about it: how would you like it if someone kicked your meal?

• Sticking your chopsticks upright into a bowl of food – Upright chopsticks resemble lit joss sticks. You don't want to unknowingly invite a ghost to share your bowl of fried rice now, do you?

• Avoid hanging near water bodies - Spirits are fond of drowning people; this gives them a chance to be reincarnated in a new body.

And that's it: you can finally walk past a pile of burnt paper without wondering why it's still there, even though it's been there for ages. Just watch your step – don't bring a ghost home with you! Your housemates would not be pleased, especially if they're making their beer cocktail or chowing down on a late-night McDonald’s supper!