Who are you?
I’m Poppy, a London PR girl, travel junkie, who has picked up and moved to Singapore. I also write the blog A Brit in Singapore all about my adventures and disasters living in Singapore.
Where, when and why did you move abroad?
I moved to Singapore about nine months ago. My partner moved over before me and on visiting him, I fell so in love with the city that I decided to up and leave London and join him.Are there many other expats in your area?
We live in a very local area currently (Jurong), so you see few other expats. However, Singapore is very small, and within 20 minutes you’re in the centre of town which is teeming with expats.
It’s nice to have that diversity.
What is your relationship like with the locals?
I work in PR and am one of three expats in my office. Everyone else is local. I love working with locals as I spend so much of my free time with other expats, that it’s the one chance I get to truly experience how local Singapore works.
What do you like about life where you are?
I love that I can be in Malaysia, Thailand or Indonesia by 9pm on a Friday night. I’m getting to do the travelling I’ve always wanted to do, while also furthering my career. Singapore is also a great city, full of amazing restaurants, bars and things to do, come 6pm after work, you feel like you’re on holiday.
What do you dislike about your expat life?
I struggle with not being able to simply pop home at the weekend and see my family, and the time difference between here and the UK can be a challenge when you want to talk to friends and family at home.
What is the biggest difference you have experienced between your new country and life back home?
The heat!!! I can’t even walk to the train station without breaking out into a sweat! And don’t even think about doing sports…
What do you think of the food in your new country? What are your particular likes or dislikes?
The food here is amazing. You can get a local meal for as little as $4 or spend $60 for a Western meal. Hawker centres are the place to head to for really cheap local food. The chicken satay and glazed pork are to die for, although I recently tried frogs fallopian tube which I would avoid if offered again!
What advice would you give to anyone following in your footsteps?
Just do it. Singapore is the easiest place to move to as there is such a high concentration of expats. The locals are friendly and it takes no longer than about a week to settle in.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to be in Singapore for at least another year or two, and then who knows, Milan or San Fransisco may be next on the list. I’m definitely not ready to go home.