Some of us may have been fancying about working or living in Singapore, especially when it comes to the currency which is often the major reason for thinking about earning a living there. But is the reality as beautiful as the dream?
Recently, the Facebook page JB Talks shared an anonymous confession of a fellow Malaysian who works in Singapore, and in the post, he explains why the grass is not always greener on the other side.
“You see the good side but not the dark side of earning SGD”
The confessor admitted he is used to hearing praises about working abroad and earning SGD, and most of the time, his response is simple.
“You can do the same, you don’t have to feel envious.”
The other party often says NO as he’s not up to the long and hectic queue at the border between Johor Bahru and Singapore.
But how do you even survive by working in Singapore if the long queue at the border has already worn you down?
The confessor then said most people have only seen the good side of earning SGD. He did not deny the satisfaction of earning the currency, especially when you’re changing SGD into MYR, but many have not seen, and may not be able to embrace the dark side of earning Singapore’s currency.
He believes that those who have never worked in Singapore will never grasp the mental and physical fatigue of the Malaysians who work there.
“Especially if you’re traveling back and forth every day just for the sake of not renting a place in Singapore, which will cost you more.”
Eating well and sleeping well? Not really
Both eating and sleeping well are crucial to keeping us on our feet, but the confessor said that sometimes you can’t get both. His habit of not eating well has led him to gastritis, and the lack of sleep has given him a weaker immunity system.
“You’re tired of work, so you’ll just stay in on your day off.”
He then added,
‘I remember those days when I fell asleep in the train, when I had my bread while waiting for the bus.”
He then reminded everyone that if you wish to earn more, it comes with the necessity of a huge sacrifice. The harsher the environment is, the better the reward.
“You can earn SGD too. It’s just a matter of willingness to sacrifice,” he said.
“你就好咯赚新币！一块换三块咧！”有个朋友每次都对在新加坡打工的朋友这样说。如果我听到这句话的时候就会反驳他：你也是可以去新加坡做工的嘛，不用羡慕别人的！他的回答总是很经典：不要啦！现在关卡那么塞，我不tahan啦！做死人啊！听…
Posted by JBTALKS on Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Fellow Malaysians who work (and are possibly struggling) in Singapore, do you agree with his take on working there? If you’re among the dreamers who have been wanting to work there, are you up for the challenges?
Also read: M’sian Gets Rejected After Telling Woman He’s a Hawker Because “Hawkers Have No Future”
