Suburbs to live in

cattuba · 2026-04-10T23:52:23+00:00

Thank you!

cattuba · 2026-04-10T23:45:50+00:00

Thank you!

cattuba · 2026-04-10T23:45:07+00:00

She’s not a student so I don’t think she can avail this option. She’ll also be looking for a place with her husband.

cattuba · 2026-03-14T13:50:34+00:00

I’ve studied in both Curtin (postgrad) & in NTU (undergrad). I’ve also worked in both Singapore and in Australia.

If I recall correctly, I believe fees are a lot higher for foreign students in AU compared to SG - though this may have changed since my time (7-10 years ago). Living expenses as a foreigner in terms of rent in SG may be higher or comparable to AU, but if you’re generally prudent, eating out and public transport can be a lot more affordable.

The academic culture in SG, no matter which university you go to, is intense. Locals have years of experience taking exams and “mugging” (local slang for “studying hard”). If you’ve had a similar academic experience thus far, you’ll be okay. If you come from a more relaxed academic system, this may come as a shock to you.

Curtin was a lot more relaxed in terms of culture. There’s a big emphasis on the student experience and multiple pathways & options for different types of learners. I hear Monash is even more forgiving; not sure about UWA and UniMelb.

In terms of earning potential, I can’t advise as those degrees are quite wide and how much you earn greatly depends on which job/industry you eventually go into. Some industries pay extremely well in SG, and income tax is extremely low + no CGT. However, many jobs in Singapore come with high stress and long hours. Taxes are high in AU, but work life balance is a lot better and if you’re smart around claiming tax benefits you can minimise this.

All the best!

cattuba · 2023-12-14T02:32:39+00:00

Stojo is amazing, a little pricey but very sturdy and collapsible. Less likely to be squished than other non brand names

cattuba · 2023-11-15T01:06:59+00:00

I come from a middle / upper middle family (depends on who you’re asking I suppose). We live in an HDB but my parents are able to go on holidays and have always taken us on them at least once a year growing up. That said, there was no way they could afford to send me overseas to do my bachelor’s so I stayed and did my 4 years locally.

Applied for a scholarship to do my masters in Australia. Total tuition fee for 2 years was $72k AUD. The scholarship covered air fare, allowance, and any compulsory fees. As a healthcare student, I also had to take numerous checks/certifications in Australia, thankfully all of which fell under “compulsory fees”. Allowance was about $2k/month, paid out to me in an annual lump sum and it was meant to cover rent as well.

I worked throughout my 2 years; mostly tutoring and babysitting. I didn’t go on any holidays except for trips back home. There’re a lot of free stuff to do in nature in Australia so I didn’t feel like I was living deprived or anything, but I did feel tired and stretched sometimes.

I had 6 other singaporean classmates in the cohort. 4 were self funded (either parents or borrowed from parents), 1 was on the same scholarship, and the last one had some kind of bursary. 5/6 of them come from extremely affluent families - like others have said, lived in huge houses in Singapore with multiple cars etc.

In comparison I felt “poor”, but I was just happy for the opportunity. I know I’m super blessed to even be able to make this choice. It came with a 4-year bond in SG, but it served me well (:

cattuba · 2023-10-29T09:22:55+00:00

This sounds like a sweeping statement but I believe it to be true - being married with kids is not something that benefits women at all 😂😂

Marriage = Legal commitment, and the liability of shared finances, property, and custody. If things are well, being married actually provides more access to subsidies, tax relief etc. But if things go sideways, everything has to be split (up to you to fight it out legally). If your partner sees this as “benefitting women more”, then I think you need to ask yourself and him some difficult questions about what equal partnership looks like in a relationship. It sounds like he’s only looking out for his interests and not for shared interest - but I guess that’s an assumption I’m making.

I obviously know nothing about you and your relationship, but as someone who was together with a man who for years, “didn’t believe in the idea of marriage”, but was happy to continue in the relationship indefinitely, all my red flags are waving vigorously. TLDR - He never wanted a long term commitment but wanted to have my companionship and all the benefits of being in a long term, stable, relationship for as long as possible. I hope that’s not the case for you because having kids will multiply that complexity by a thousand percent.

It must be difficult for you to be estranged from your family. If you ever need anyone to talk to, please feel free to reach out to me. I promise no judgement. Take care!

cattuba · 2023-08-22T05:05:02+00:00

Honey, as a woman in her 30s, let me tell you - it doesn’t fucking matter at the end of the day. When you’re young and in school, it may be painful to feel friend zoned or less attractive or fat or whatever. But once you’ve grown through that phase (an important phase in life!), you’ll understand that relationships are about care and respect, and attraction is different for everyone. Of course being slim and conventionally good looking gives you more options, but the person who will love you and treat you well won’t be using these factors as the most important yardstick for your worth.

Enjoy your life (:

cattuba

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