If you want to work in Singapore, you should apply for a visa early on. The country is very strict and the process can take some time. I applied for my visa from our office in Singapore. However, this application was actually rejected several times without justification. After almost giving up, we made one last attempt together with our internal legal department and were successful! The visa was accepted and nothing stood in the way of my practical phase in Singapore. The whole thing took five to six months, by the way. The International Office was there to help and advise me throughout the entire period.

After my visa was accepted, I took care of the necessary vaccinations and took out ADAC travel insurance.

Even though Singapore is referred to as “Asia Light”, the culture shock was quite big at first. You should definitely find out about the rules and laws in advance, as they are very different from ours and result in heavy fines if they are not followed. Not to mention the beatings and death penalties that still exist in Singapore today. For example, chewing gum may not be sold or imported, and eating and drinking on trams, subways and buses is strictly forbidden. Dropping litter on the ground is punishable by a fine of 500 Singapore dollars. Thanks to all these laws, however, the country is very clean and really safe.

As Singapore is very small and has a good infrastructure, you can actually reach everything within one to two hours by train – and quite cheaply. If you’re in a hurry or only get home after midnight, you can book a Grab. The app is comparable to Uber or Lyft and is cheaper than a normal cab.

The weather is sunny and humid all year round at around 30°C. So if you love summer, you’re in good hands here. However, it is advisable to have an umbrella with you. Sometimes the weather changes quickly and it rains extremely heavily. Incidentally, all buildings are equipped with air conditioning, so you can wear long trousers and a T-shirt to work.

Everyone was helpful, took care of me and sometimes even worried about me. We went into the city together for lunch almost every lunchtime and I was shown the absolute insiders of Singapore. From day one, I felt really at home in my company. I could contact my “buddy” or other colleagues at any time with questions of any kind (even at the weekend) and received an answer within seconds.

This brings me straight to the topic of “workaholics”. Because work has a completely different significance in Singapore than it does here in Germany. There are fixed working hours from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm when you have to be present. If you don’t finish a task, you can stay at the company until 9 p.m. or longer. And without pay. Overtime is not taken into account. The number of vacation days is also significantly lower here than in Germany. The law stipulates at least 7 days per year, whereas my company gives 18 to 21 days.

Fortunately, the costs for my flight, accommodation and visa were completely covered by my company, so I only had to pay for the train, food and leisure activities myself. For a single person, it is definitely cheaper to eat out and not cook for yourself. The prices in the supermarkets are rather high compared to German prices. However, if you have to go shopping, you should go to FairPrice or a corner store.

If you go out to eat in the so-called “hawkers” or “coffee shops”, you will pay just around 2 to 4 Singapore dollars (approx. €1.30 to €2.70) for a meal. There are many rice dishes and soups as well as a wide range of meat and fish. Even vegetarians will always find something to eat. Alcoholic drinks, on the other hand, are quite expensive. A beer in a bar or club can easily cost S$15 to S$20.

Conclusion: If you know where the local spots are, you can get by quite cheaply in Singapore. If not, you can quickly lose a fortune.

Singapore is a beautiful and modern city where you can experience a lot. You should take advantage of this and see as much as possible. My absolute favorite is the Rhapsody light show at Gardens by the Bay!

Once you have fully explored Singapore after some time, there is still the opportunity to take great and inexpensive weekend trips. Malaysia and Indonesia are particularly good options, but Bangkok and Bali can also be reached quickly and cheaply with a two-and-a-half-hour flight.