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Are Singapore Expat Packages a thing of the past?

Despite a widely held belief that international financial services professionals are employed on expat packages, new research has revealed that this perception is far from reality.

An overwhelming 83{95a2435e1d5758f6d9d5615cfe8f4203fd5bccff0e058dcf69a7b31d3a698e0b} of overseas professionals based in Singapore say they have never been
employed on an expat package according to a recent survey from leading careers website
eFinancialCareers, which polled over 1,000 employed bankers and finance professionals based in
Singapore.
“A common misconception exists about the prevalence of expat packages in Singapore but our
survey shows they have almost become a thing of the past. In recent years there has been a
definitive shift away from them.” said George McFerran, Global Sales & Marketing Director at
eFinancialCareers.
He added: “financial services firms are becoming increasingly cost conscious and Singapore’s status
as an attractive place to live and work has also been a key driver. It is a leading financial centre
where professionals can develop their careers in a safe and enjoyable environment, meaning expat
packages aren’t needed to attract talent. The recent focus to proactively develop the Singaporean
talent pool could mean we see the already small number of expat packages further diminish.”

The research suggests that the move away from the expat packages could have a positive impact on
company culture. As 62{95a2435e1d5758f6d9d5615cfe8f4203fd5bccff0e058dcf69a7b31d3a698e0b} of Singaporean financial services professionals think that expat packages
cause friction in the office and 55{95a2435e1d5758f6d9d5615cfe8f4203fd5bccff0e058dcf69a7b31d3a698e0b} of them believe that foreigners are receiving preferential
treatment in the work place.

McFerran concluded: “there is a clear disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to
the number of overseas professionals that are on expat packages. Employers that are transparent
with their workforce and clearly communicate that expat packages are not the norm will stand to
achieve greater office harmony. This is a crucial part of building a positive corporate culture and is an
increasingly valuable retention tool.”

About the Survey
The eFinancialCareers Career Trends Survey was conducted between April and May 2014. The survey
polled a total of 1,142 employed bankers and finance professionals based in Singapore. Respondents
were asked about their career satisfaction and aspirations, and where they would want to work, if
given the choice, and why.

About eFinancialCareers
eFinancialCareers, a Dice Holdings Inc. service, is the world’s leading financial services careers
website, and the place to go for financial careers and talent.

www.efinancialcareers.sg

Benefits of Sleep and Exercise for Your Children

Avondale Grammar School’s Assistant Principal and Head of Preschool and Junior School, Maria Lindblom, shares some tips to keep your child fit and alert at school.

The importance of sleep and exercise for children
As most parents are aware sleep and exercise both play an important part in the well-being of growing children. Physically active children tend to be better organised and more motivated, and well-rested children are better equipped to learn and therefore achieve more academically. Maria Lindblom, Assistant Principal and Head of Preschool and Junior School at Avondale Grammar School, shares what impact sleep and exercise can have in the classroom.

Why is sleep important?
Children have busy days at school, attending afterschool activities, completing homework and playing with friends. By the end of the day, their growing bodies need a break. Sleep allows them to rest and get ready for the next day.

Not only is sleep necessary for your body, but it is important for the brain too. Sleep is vital for brain development and function as it affects behavior, memory, mood and learning. Not enough sleep can lead to behavior problems, decreased attentiveness and short-term memory and inconsistent performance. Children who are tired during the school day may have difficulties to stay focused, listen to and follow instructions, think and therefore learn.

How much sleep do children need?
All children are different and some children need more sleep than others. As a guide the University of Michigan Health System recommends infants require between 13 and 16 hours of sleep. While toddlers need about 12 to 13 hours and children between 5 and 11 years of age require 10 to 11 hours.
Researchers have found that children who have a regular bedtime performed better at languages, reading and maths than those who went to bed at different times. Scientists at SRI International, a research institute based in California, found the earlier a child went to bed, the better they performed at school.

Why is exercise important?
Children who get plenty of exercise have a better immune system which keeps them from getting sick. Physically active children tend to have stronger bones and muscles compared children who have an inactive lifestyle.

Encouraging your child to be physically active will provide them many benefits including:

Emotional well-being meaning that they feel happy, relaxed and sleep better
Improved concentration skills and ability to manage stress
Developing gross motor and fine motor skills and coordination
Building social skills and making new friends as they participate in team sports.
According to the National Association for Sports and Physical Activity School age children need at least one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise daily, as well as several periods of physical activity of 15 minutes or more throughout the day.

To help keep your child fit and alert for school here are some simple tips that parents can follow:
Eat a variety of healthy foods

  • Drink milk and plenty of water
  • Exercise and stay active
  • Get plenty of sleep
  • Limit screen time (such as television and other digital devices)

For more information please visit www.avondale.edu.sg

7 Useful Tips For Parents To Encourage Their Children To Become Independent Thinkers

“It is widely agreed that children should be taught how to think, not what to think, in order to be successful twenty-first century learners and citizens. Avondale Grammar School’s Assistant Principal and Head of Primary and Middle School, Charlotte Humphrey, shares with parents useful tips to help teach children how to think?”

  1. Encourage patience and persistence, with so much information and misinformation available online, student’s need to understand the importance of ‘fact’ checking. As a parent, model the habit of asking questions such as “How do we know this is true?” and “Why should I agree with this opinion?”
  2. Check the reliability of a website or reference book. Ask: Does the URL have an official suffix such as .govt, .org or .edu? When was the information posted or published? Are the sources stated? Is the spelling and grammar correct? Is the author an expert? How can you tell? Is the information the same or different on other trusted sites?
  3. Copying and pasting information is not thinking, and students need to know that they will never gain good grades by doing this. They must be able to demonstrate understanding, ask them: Can you summarise what you’ve just read (i.e. break it down into the main ideas and a few simple examples)? Can you explain it in your own words? Get them to practise this skill aloud.
  4. Ask a mixture of factual and inferential questions. Watch, read or listen to a news report with your child, or read a thought-provoking story together. (Before you start, think about the child’s prior knowledge of the topic and choose something that is neither too hard nor too easy, because the brain is stimulated by challenge, but inhibited by threat.) Talk about what you’ve read. Start with the facts: Who did what? Where? When? How? Then move to higher order thinking skills and ask Why? How can you tell? On other occasions, try asking the inferential questions before the factual ones. Some children prefer to start with ‘the big picture’. Beware of asking leading questions, such as “He shouldn’t have done that, should he?”
  5. Encourage your child to wonder, and to ask more questions, for example, What if…? Find out whether they can make connectionsbetween the text and people, places and events from other stories or real life. Ask: Did this remind you of anything else you’ve seen, heard or read? Why?
  6. Some children demonstrate their thinking best through creative activities. Active, artistic children can be encouraged to share their knowledge and ideas with you through drawings, models, dance and role play. Any opportunity for enthusiastic review and reflection is worthwhile. Ask: Can you draw that? Can you show me? Can you act it out? Always include plenty of talk.
  7. Children who become good thinkers learn to look at information from different perspectives. Try using the strategy of ‘Thinking like a/the…’ this can open minds, develop empathy and discourage children from generalising or rushing to judgement about others. For example, in the fairy tale Cinderella, suggest your child tries thinking like the sisters, rather than thinking like Cinderella. Might there be reasons why the sisters behave the way they do? Your child may still reach the conclusion that the sisters are ‘the baddies’, but along the way you are likely to have a very worthwhile discussion about the wider issue of how people should treat each other.

For more information please visit www.avondale.edu.sg/thinking-thinking

White Lodge visit Jamie’s Italian

Eighty-eight children from White Lodge Kindergartens descended upon Jamie’s Italian VivoCity on Friday 16 May to celebrate Food Revolution Day. For those unfamiliar with the campaign, Food Revolution Day is celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s day of global action to keep cooking skills alive – this year the focus is getting kids excited about food.

Children today are the first generation predicted to live shorter lives than their parents, with obesity and diet-related illnesses rising at an alarming rate, often due to overreliance on unhealthy convenience foods. There’s never a better time to make our kids more food smart! By educating children about fresh food in an engaging way on Food Revolution Day, Jamie and his team hope that they will have a better understanding of where food comes from, how to cook it and how it affects their bodies – thus more likely to make better choices and lead healthier lives.

The kids, all aged between five and six years old, had a fun-filled, educational morning as the team at Jamie’s Italian VivoCity led them in food-related activities. They explored the beautiful textures, aromas and taste of fresh herbs at the restaurant’s terrace, guided by Rob, an urban farmer from Edible Gardens. They played games and discovered fresh vegetables of the most vibrant colours, with varieties ranging from red and yellow beetroots to fennel and celeriac. They learnt what goes into making a classic Pomodoro sauce, tasting gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, freshly grated parmesan and homemade focaccia. Jamie’s Italian’s Head Chef even demonstrated how easy it is to make fresh pasta!

At the end of the day the children brought home a pack of fresh pasta, together with a Jamie recipe card, so they can cook with their parents. After all, the aim for the day is to get kids around the world enthusiastic about cooking good food from scratch. Jamie himself broke the record for the biggest ever cooking lesson, streamed live to classrooms around the world. A total of 119 countries took part in Food Revolution Day this year, and Singapore is proud to be a part of it.

Iswandy Amir, General Manager of Jamie’s Italian VivoCity, said: “We had so much fun celebrating Food Revolution Day with the kids from White Lodge Kindergartens, and we hope that this is the start of bigger things to come for the campaign in Singapore.” Jamie’s Italian Singapore also hopes to continue working with kids and the community – the team has also worked with Tanglin Trust School, donated their time for a charity dinner at Assumption Pathway School, and has upcoming events with Nanyang Polytechnic and Westview Primary School.

From the Archive: The Ex-Pat Wives Prayer (1979)

December 1979 – Oh Heavenly Father, look down on us your humble ex-pat wives who have flown from our countries of origin to live as dependents in an alien society. We beseech you, O Lord, to smile kinndly on our frivolous occupations – the macrame, the bridge and the flower arranging – for we can do no other without the work permit.

Give us this day the will to chatter incessantly to complete strangers at cocktail parties, to remember the names of complete strangers at cocktail parties, and to strike up instant friendship with the wife of the Chief Executive of our husband’s company. Grant us the strength to repeatedly escort visiting company wives (during the U.K. winter months) to the Jurong Bird Park and Mandai Orchid Gardents. Guide us to the convenient U-turns when we have strayed left not right, help us to pick the correct traffic lane, and to deduce the meaning of signals from dainty little hands.

Help us to carefully drive offspring to Brownies, football practice, birthday parties, ballet lessons and discos without complaint every afternoon of every week. Deliver us from collisions with Mindef lorries, from falling into drains and from standing barefoot on cockroaches in the dark.

Forgive us, O Lord, for complaining about the humidity, about lonely evenings when husbands as carousing in the Borobudur, about the lack of Morecambe and Wise. Forgive our husbands for not remembering the correct wearing apparel for the Tanglin Club – lest we be denied access. We humbly accept, Lord, the “wrong number la” phone calls, the dog which bark in the night, and all the ants.

We rejoice in the good schools where the children are happy, for pleasant, energetic amahs, for the greeness and cleaness, for empty parking spaces outside the Mandarin Hotel.

Give us the insight to appreciate a developing society which is a success. Help us to find friends amongst the local people, and to welcome them into our homes and lives. And, Lord, when at last we return to our homeland make us wiser, more tolerant and richer for having experienced Singapore.

By Nadine Hoskinson, the ANZA First Edition of December 1979 (first published in the BEAM)

Pete Murray concert an Absolute Winner

The Wave House with its tropical vibe on sandy Sentosa beach was the perfect venue for the sounds of Pete Murray. Openers the Sam Willows, a local indie quartet comprising of siblings Narelle Kheng and Benjamin Kheng together with their friends Sandra Riley Tang and Jonathan Chuaas got the night off to a good start with a strong performance.

At intermission a band of well-built local sufers blew in impressively, ripping up the waves to entertain the crowd & take advantage of the wave machine situated dynamically and directly behind the stage.

Pete Murray thrilled his fans and won over some new ones over the nearly two hours he spent on stage. Highlights included his signature songs So Beautiful, Better Days, Opportunity, Always a Winner, & Free.

Throughout the evening he bantered & engaged with the audience, fleshing out the backgrounds of various songs. He explained he wrote Ten Ft Tall in memory of a friends’ wife who died tragically young. Beautiful was written after his encounter with some very pretentious people at a party in Brisbane. He also made a point of urging the audience to avoid having regrets in life before playing Opportunity.

To the already roused crowd’s great amusement towards the end of the concert, a group of thrilled fans were invited on stage by Murray to compete in a dance off. Needless to say the crowd delighted in an encore and Pete Murray and his band seemed to genuinely enjoy entertaining the crowd here in Singapore.
From all accounts we came away ALL feeling like winners!

 

This article was written by an ANZA member who won tickets to the concert on Saturday 17 May 2014 in the ANZA Pete Murray giveaway.

Expat Cancer Support Group

The CanHOPE Expat Support Group meet on alternate Friday mornings between 10 and noon at The British Club on The Windsor Terrace. The meetings are small, friendly and informal and a chance to have coffee and chat with other people who have been touched by cancer, be it themselves or a family member.

People attending the meetings may be newly diagnosed and going through treatment or several years post treatment. We regularly have speakers to talk about different topics and the topics are led by what the group members want more information on. In the past we’ve had oncologists doing Q and A sessions, yoga, talks on reiki, medical insurance, diet, menopause and genetic screening.

The group are a wonderful support to one another and share information, tips, experiences and even the odd joke. CanHOPE is the charity arm of Parkway Cancer Centre and they support the meetings. People attending do not need to be using Parkway Cancer Centre, we are open to everyone. Membership of The British Club is not necessary.

Jackie Green is an oncology dietitian and runs the meetings on a voluntary basis. If you have any queries about the group or would like to attend a meeting, please email Jackie: jackie@thefamilydietitian.sg.

www.thefamilydietitian.sg
www.canhope.org

The Supermarket Hierarchy

Food shopping in Singapore can be a challenge, so no wonder the locals favour eating out at the hawker markets.  In general, the supermarkets that look and feel more like a Western supermarket will cost you the most and those that loudly yell “you’re living in Asia” will cost you the least. No single supermarket will stock every item on your shopping list and every individual store from each supermarket chain carries different products. 

Marketplace – this is the top-tier of Singapore supermarkets. It’s owned by Cold Storage but shopping here will cost you the most amount of money, although they do carry more imported products than the other supermarkets. 

Cold Storage – the Fresh Food People! Now, where have I heard that before? There are more Cold Storage supermarkets throughout the “expat areas” of Singapore than the other chains. Though they carry a decent amount of imported products and have a reasonably wide variety of brands to choose from, there is still less choice than a regular Australian supermarket. The stores range from very big at Jelita to cramped at Chancery Court. There are also a few CS Specialty stores that are smaller gourmet shops that don’t carry a full range of products dotted around the main area of Singapore.

Fairprice Finest – the top of the NTUC Fairprice tree. The stores are typically large, spacious and well-lit, with a good variety of products and prices that are far cheaper than Cold Storage. To me, the fruit and vegetables at Fairprice is better quality than those at Cold Storage but most times I visit I forget that you have to get them weighed and priced in the produce section and not at the checkout!  For produce items (and some dairy items such as cheese) the pricing is typically per 100g, not per kilo, so be careful as you could find yourself paying $10+ for a lettuce.

Fairprice Xtra – the shopping experience is basically the same as Fairprice Finest but they also stock electronics, homewares and a small range of clothes. It’s not Kmart but it’s the closest you’re going to get to it in Singapore.

Fairprice – Fairprice have the largest number of stores of all the supermarket chains in Singapore. Regular Fairprice stores are not as spacious as those branded Finest or Xtra. They have a reasonable range but the organisation is a little haphazard? Due to space constrictions I assume many stores here (and Toys R Us in particular) don’t have a stock room, so stock in boxes is often stored on the shop floor making getting around the store an obstacle course. But Fairprice will save you money! For Australian readers think Bi-Lo.

Giant – Giant is also broken up into 3 different tiers, similar to Cold Storage and Fairprice. Until recently they operated “hypermarkets” but they have since acquired the Shop n Save stores. The Giant Hypermarkets are BIG! They have a huge produce section where you bag your produce and take it to the weigh and pricing section before proceeding to the checkout. They stock a large range of groceries, electronics, homewares, clothes and sporting goods. If you’re Australian it’s kind of like a down-market Venture with a Franklins attached. Giant Super just carries groceries and is typically quite crowded with not many imported Western products, but its prices are cheap and it’s good for a basic shop. There are also a few Giant Express stores for a quick top-up.

Sheng Siong – I’m going to be completely honest here – I’ve never shopped at Sheng Siong but I believe their prices are rock bottom! I can’t say any more than that as I’ve never been there.

Where I choose to shop really depends on both my shopping list and my mood. I typically choose between a couple of different Cold Storage outlets or Fairprice Finest. My choices are also dictated by neither of these brands selling durian.  
There are items that I like that I just can’t get anywhere but Marketplace (diced fruit in small containers for school lunches, spring to mind) so if I want them I have to accept the cost and buy them there. My local Fairprice Finest only stocks iceberg lettuce, so if I shop there I know I will have to go to another store (even just a different Fairprice Finest) to buy a different variety of lettuce. Grocery shopping here takes thought and forward planning!

If you’re new to Singapore you just have to give yourself time to figure out the supermarket thing. I promise it will get easier, just not as easy as it was at home!

This article was originally published in December 2013 and has been modified for the ANZA Guide to Singapore.

About the Author
Kelly Jackson-Nash is an Australian expat living in Singapore with her husband and two daughters.  Kelly and her family moved to Singapore in 2011.  Kelly hopes to see and experience everything about Singapore before their time is over. Kelly has her own blog at http://ourbigexpatadventure.wordpress.com/

Member Benefits: How much can you save?

I just worked out that I saved $310 using my ANZA Membership in the last year: $168 savings on entry to Go-Go Bambini for playgroup, $84 on a case of Chandon, $40 at The Butcher and $18 on tickets to Disney on Ice.

With our other great discounts you could save even more. We have up to 30{d2c05350095ed942d62ca1635aad234a702e9575e5f9632e6c89e76dec25dfbf} off your bill at restaurants and bars: Burlamacco, Dallas, D’Bell, Harry’s, Hog’s Breath and the Prince of Wales.

10{d2c05350095ed942d62ca1635aad234a702e9575e5f9632e6c89e76dec25dfbf} off concert tickets for André Rieu and Pete Murray.

Save on meat and fish with discounts at The Barbie Girls, The Butcher, The Fishwives and The Swiss Butchery.

Get fit and well with discounts at Orchard Clinic, Core Synergy Studio and Gym and Tonic.

Decorate with discounts at Ni-Night and John Sullivan Design.

Read up with a special subscription offers from Expat Living and Harper’s Bazaar.

Save when you travel with discounts from Accor Hotels and Resorts, Le Meridien Angkor, MesaStila Resort, The Mulia Bali and VillaBali; special packages from Angsana Bintan, Ayada Maldives, Kata Rocks Phuket, Laguna Bintan and corporate rates at the Orchard Hotel.

Keep your eye on the website ‘What’s New’ feed or our Facebook page for new offers as they arrive.

View our Member Benefits

Fine Art Prints as a Keepsake Gift for Friends Leaving Singapore


                    ‘Shophouses’ by Clare Haxby

When expat friends, colleagues or neighbours return home after their time in Singapore, finding the right gift can be a challenge. One idea is to give a fine art print with a Singaporean theme. Kathy Chamberlain explores 3 artist options who provide a selection of their work as fine art prints. Each have very different paint styles from Derek Corke’s more traditional water colours to Clare Haxby and Diana Francis who have more contemporary styles. 

 
Clare Haxby
Since 2007 accomplished British expat artist Clare Haxby has lived and travelled throughout SE Asia . She currently enjoys working on a large scale exploring the iconic architectural landmarks of Singapore. Subjects range from The Colonial Black and White Plantation Houses to the Shophouses of Blair Road and the colourful community of Little India.
16 paintings of Clare’s Singapore Landmarks Series are available as signed  Fine Art Prints in a limited edition of 250. They are printed on museum quality A1 (594 x 841 mm) paper with embossed certified studio stamp and are artist signed. The prints are available online from Clare’s website as well as her studio) and are sold framed for $600/unframed for $350. They are nicely packaged with her marketing label and rolled in a sturdy cardboard cylinder. On request the packaged cylinder can have a gift tag with personal message attached around the print & wrapped in tissue paper.
Delivery within Singapore is $20. Paintings and artworks to be shipped internationally are done so using Fedex and are quoted on destination. Clare has open days listed on her website otherwise the studio is open by appointment.
artist’s studio: 41 Malcolm Road, Singapore 308276
phone: +65 9326 5502
email: clare@clarehaxby.com
 
Diana Francis


‘Sudden Shower’  by Diana Francis

Diana studied art in London then worked in the art world as an illustrator and graphic designer before settling in Singapore 16 years ago to work as a fine artist. 
She paints architectural scenes ranging from Rocher Road, Boat Quay, St Josephs and other well known locations and has a range of limited edition print options to choose from. Her works are printed on both canvas (either stretched or unstretched) and paper. Generally there are 2 sizing options for canvas and one sizing option for fine art paper per artwork. The range of print sizes varies accordingly per original artwork size. Pricing ranges from $280 to $1000. Diana also has Lumi tiles (stand alone perspex blocks) and a wide range of other merchandise items on her website featuring her artwork. Unframed prints come in a sealed tube.
Orders take 3 working days and her studio accepts cash, cheque, Visa and Mastercard. 
 
Diana Francis Studio
Block 43, Jalan Merah Saga
#03-76 The Workloft@Chip Bee
Singapore 278115
+65 9120 1989
email: studio@dianafrancis.com
 

Derek Corke
                  

Derek Corke a London trained artist, portrays many well known Singaporean scenes. The ones on his web site are Casting Off, Boat Quay, Raffles Hotel, Basket Shop at Arab Street, Katong Corner, Harry’s Bar, Beach Road and Emerald Hill.
Derek sells Digital Fine Art Prints in various sized Limited Edition Runs (200-480) of his watercolour portfolio as well as open edition runs. They can be purchased from numerous retail outlets listed on his website or online using registered mail, UPS and FEDEX as dispatch options. The prints vary in price and sizing and range from $18 for a single small (28 x 23cm) Open Edition print with mount to a large (58 x 45cm) Limited Edition print with mount. There are also print collections of 4 with mounts in small, medium and large sizes ranging from $65 to $350.
(65) 9730 1763
email: Wendy Shelly at  ianandwendy@gmail.com
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