Here’s the thing – I’ve spoken before about the expectations in Singapore when it comes to work hours. It’s not uncommon for me to be in the office until the early hours of the morning. With our constant strive for excellence and our career aspirations, finding the right balance between work and play is not necessarily a simple task.

One of the most critical things to remember, is that spending time with our loved ones is not merely being there when dinner is served – every moment should be cherished. Herein lies one of the beauties of Singapore – just as in many Asian cultures, having a meal together is a time for bonding. I can quite happily sit there and listen to what my (almost 4-year old) son learned at kindergarten. His Chinese lessons are so well advanced now that dinner time can even be a whole new learning experience for me. I enjoy hearing about the new  variety of food my wife is giving  to Casey (our 9-month old boy), how many nappy changes he went through and the bargains that she may have...

Anyone who has lived in Singapore for more than 5 minutes can tell you how important food is to many here... Food is arguably one of the most commonly discussed subject outside (and inside) of work.  Given the wide variety of delectable choices available at extremely reasonable prices, it’s no surprise that ‘makan’ (Malay word for ‘consuming food’) is one of the most popular pastimes in Singapore’s rich culture.

For a foreigner moving here, it does not take long to get familiar with the best places to satisfy the taste-buds (and stomach). .

Whether you’re into Chinese, Indian, Malay, Singaporean, American, Australian food or any other country’s native cuisine, you are sure to find it here. And I am talking about authentic dishes that truly represent the culture from which they come from.

Now here’s the trap for the new-comer, and one that many of my friends and colleagues, including myself have all fallen...

Following on from my previous article about my experiences of working in the Singapore corporate world, I wanted to expand somewhat on one key aspect – that of the commute to work each day. Let me start out with a very quick disclaimer – my observations are in no way a criticism of the wonderful country that we have decided to call home. :p I have written before about my theories on why traffic in Singapore can sometimes be perceived locally as ‘bumper to bumper’ and even downright frustrating (this is especially true during the peak-hour periods). The most important take away from this, is that based on my observations, compared to other major cities and countries across the globe, very rarely do Singapore expressways experience what could be considered serious congestion.

Smooth Traffic: That's me in my family sedan OK, so before...

I often receive emails asking me for advice on living and working in Singapore. Some of the most common questions are around how different the office environment is compared to what I’d been used to previously; what are the expectations in relation to working hours; how easy is it to integrate into an environment with such a diverse mix of cultures and nationalities; and what was the motivation for picking up my entire life and planting my roots in a completely foreign land to advance my career.

Well, let me start with the background. After having worked in a variety of roles and climbing ‘through the ranks’ in a large US-based multinational company, both in Melbourne, Australia and Shanghai, China, I was approached by another well-respected and large MNC and global brand in regards to an opportunity that was to take my career to a new level. The regional/global role was originally to be based in Melbourne. However during the recruitment and interview process, the (logical) decision was made to locate...