The last week

Okay so a little behind the eight ball but what can you do?

We arrived in Singapore last Thursday (April 1st).
After a week of wakening up at 4am we have worked through our jet lag and all is good.

Quick Facts about Singapore
- 137 Kilometers north of equator
- Tropical climate, warm, humid year round
- Population 4.5 million
- East to West approx 50 km in length
- North to South approx 25 km in length
- I now live here.
- I am currently un-employed
- Dim Sum everywhere (Les you would be in heaven)


THE UPDATE:

We are currently living in a hotel till the 15th of April. As far as living in a hotel one can not complain. The service staff are all extremely polite and always say "Good day Ms Gorkoff" "Good Evening Ms Gorkoff" "How was your outing Ms Gorkoff" ect ect it fantastic really...........Unless your Mike who they have taken to calling Mr. Gorkoff.
I for one have no problem with this, Mike on the other hand has tried to tell them on numerous occasions that he's Mr DeBruijn but they haven't been able to grasp this concept so at last he is Mr.Gorkoff and has now taken to answering to it.


Renting has turned out to be an interesting learning experience. It’s almost like buying a house.

Step 1 - You need a realtor.
Our realtor Helen (aka Evelyn from two and a half men) was provided to us through KPMG. Although it’s been entertaining to say the least, it took Helen a while to figured out that I'm a "lady of leisure" and like being driven around the city - it like a free sight seeing tour........


Step 2
As mentioned your realtor takes you around to see place, if you like the place and want to move in you need to place an offer.

Step 3
Negotiation's over the actual rental/rent occurs and your realtor and the realtor representing the apartment drawing up a minimum two year contract.
Within the contract you negotiate, when you will move in, what day you will pay rent, what items you would like the landlord to "furnish" your apartment with (i.e. fridge, stove, furniture), what if any repairs to the apartment you are responsible for vs. the landlord both at present and in the future and any diplomatic causes (i.e. if you break the lease before two years is up what is the agreed upon penalty will be). You also have to put down two months rent, give the landlord a copy of your passport, employment pass and a letter from your employer. On top of that there's the whole paying of the commission to the real estate agent which is equal to one months rent for a two year lease. If the rent is below 2500 a month then the tenant is responsible for paying the agents commission above then the landlord is responsible. Once this is all done the landlord then takes all of the offers that were made and decides on a tenant.

Bottom line - you better like your place you are stuck with it for two years ;)

Now after a week of looking and over 20 apartments later. Yesterday we found a place to live!!! and will be signing the papers on Monday. We are moving into what I like to call Dual Boca Vista (for all you Seinfeld fans) however the locals refer to it as Riverview Place. Apartment is spacious......Pool/Gym/Location rock! Pictures to come......

Mike's weening off the Canucks seems to be going well as he has newly become obsessed with Asian TV. Mike has taken particular interest in Asian soap's and a reality game show called Ninja Warrior.......don't ask.

Going to pick up our "white cards" or better know as our E-passes tomorrow. This means that we can open a bank account, work legally in Singapore and get cell phones. Yippeeeee
Also looks like Mike is going to have to do some work in Indonesia..........as a lady of leisure it’s been agreed upon that I get to go too!


Mike has to work tomorrow........I think the pool is looking nice.
Pictures to come...

Cheers
Risha (aka lady of leisure)