Why we love Singapore?
The Travel Opportunities
Singapore is a travel hub for Asia, with thousands of flights coming in and going out of Changi Airport. Living in Singapore gives you the opportunity to even have weekend breaks to exotic travel havens like Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia. Flying to these countries is very cheap, with the likes of Air Asia and Tiger Air offering the bulk of the cheapest tickets.
The Diversity
The soul of this small country lies in its incredible diversity: people from every walk of life can find a reason to love it here. This is reflected in the space-age skyscrapers in the Central Business District, the historic shophouses in the neighbouring Colonial District, red lanterns in Chinatown, dense jungle in Bukit Timah, and the artificial sands of Sentosa Island. Living in Singapore can be a different experience every day.
The Career Opportunities
More and more multinationals are making Singapore their choice for setting up their regional, and often global headquarters. Singapore’s strategic geographical location, excellent infrastructure, stringent intellectual property protection, good physical and trade connectivity, and easy access to global talent allow global companies to meet the growing demand within the region, and worldwide
The Food
The food in Singapore is a major draw. There can’t be many places in the world where the food gets this good, or varied. There is an eatery out there for every budget. From noodles at one of the many Hawker stalls to fine dining at some of the top (and most expensive) Western and Asian restaurants in the world. The Chili Crab is a must-try for all who visit and live in Singapore. Check out our Dining in Singapore section for more.
The Social Life in Singapore
With such a large volume of foreign workers in the same boat, Singapore is an easy place to meet like-minded expats. This makes social life in Singapore extraordinarily vibrant. There are many networking events on in Singapore every week. They run monthly social functions in top venues in Singapore and are a great place to meet new people. Another option for meeting people in a similar situation to you (and from the same country) is to look up your country’s Chamber of Commerce. There are often both social and networking events frequently organised by some CoCs.
If you play sport you’re already sorted: be it tennis, golf, rugby or anything else there are tons of clubs to join and all treat their members extremely well. Also, this is an excellent way to do some networking. There are also a number of social clubs available to those willing to pay.
The nightlife in Singapore can be as hedonistic as you choose. From beach clubs to sky bars, Singapore has it. Find out more about nightlife in Singapore
The Weather
Leave your woollies at home because you’re not going to need them out here. With a year-round temperature range between 23 and 31 degrees, the weather is also a big motivator- just another thing that makes life in Singapore easier!
Living in Singapore is Safe
Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world, mostly down to it’s incredibly low unemployment rate (around 2%) and the city-state’s harsh judicial system. It is also extremely clean. As for the transport system, Singapore has an infrastructure, with an efficient bus and train (the MRT) systems, and an abundance of taxis which are very reasonably priced. Healthcare in Singapore is world class. Peace of mind is something you’ll have in daily life in Singapore- more than most cities, if not all cities!
Acknowledgement : http://www.gatewaysingapore.com/moving-to-singapore-guide/5-reasons-for-living-in-Singapore/
Friends, Festival and Fun
with so many ethnic groups living here, there’s always a festival to celebrate together all-year round of our cultures
Chinese New year
Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year’s Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the “Lunar New Year“.
The source of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Traditionally, the festival was a time to honor deities as well as ancestors. Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius,Philippines, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations of its geographic neighbours.
Acknowledgement : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year
Image : http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/lunar_new_year_2012/bp1.jpg
Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Eid al-Fitr (“festival of breaking of the fast”), also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, Bayram (Bajram), the Sweet Festival and the Lesser Eid, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is a single day during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. This is a day when Muslims around the world show a common goal of unity. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies based on the observation of new moon by local religious authorities, so the exact day of celebration varies by locality. However, in most countries, it is generally celebrated on the same day as Saudi Arabia.
Eid al-Fitr has a particular Salat (Islamic prayer) consisting of two Rakats (units) and generally offered in an open field or large hall. It may be performed only in congregation (Jama’at) and, has an additional extra six Takbirs (raising of the hands to the ears while saying “Allāhu Akbar”, literally “God is greatest”), three of them in the beginning of the first raka’ah and three of them just before Ruku’ in the second raka’ah in the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam. Other Sunni schools usually have twelve Takbirs, seven in the first, and five at the beginning of the second raka’ah. This Eid al-Fitr salat is, depending on which juristic opinion is followed, Fard (obligatory), Mustahabb (strongly recommended, just short of obligatory) or mandoob (preferable).
Muslims believe that they are commanded by Allah, as mentioned in the Quran, to continue their fast until the last day of Ramadan and pay the Zakat and fitra before offering the Eid prayers
Acknowledgement : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Fitr
Deepavali
Diwali or Divali also known as Deepavali and the “festival of lights“, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year.The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India, the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife–husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister–brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
Diwali is an official holiday in India,Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji and Pakistan.
Image : http://blog.tourism.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DEEPAVALI2.jpg
Acknowledgement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
Christmas
Christmas is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by billions of people around the world.A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide, which ends after the twelfth night. Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world’s nations, is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians, and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.
While the birth year of Jesus is estimated among modern historians to have been between 7 and 2 BC, the exact month and day of his birth are unknown.His birth is mentioned in two of the four canonical gospels. By the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25,a date later adopted in the East, although some churches celebrate on the December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which corresponds to January in the modern-day Gregorian calendar. The date of Christmas may have initially been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after early Christians believed Jesus to have been conceived, or with one or more ancient polytheistic festivals that occurred near southern solstice (i.e., the Roman winter solstice); a further solar connection has been suggested because of a biblical verse identifying Jesus as the “Sun of righteousness”.
The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pagan, pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, Christmas music and caroling, an exchange of Christmas cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly. In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christ kind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore. Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.
Image : http://c.tadst.com/gfx/600×400/christmas.jpg?1
Acknowledgement : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
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