Hometown : Penang Island, Malaysia (the North)
Singapore : the South
Migration Year : October 2016
Age : 23
This decision is definitely not made in a rush.
and to make it happen, it definitely ain't easy as well.
In my case, when it happens, it happens really fast though. (of course with help) That is why when I say it ain't easy, it ain't and I do treasure this opportunity very much.
But the First question I ask myself is Do I plan to go and never come back? or Do I want to be back in future?
Answer to that : I want to come back to my home and build my own at where I belong. So I'll be back. I'm pretty sure of this.
My decisions are based on these few facts that I have in mind. Comparing among the pros and cons of leaving the North and towards the South. So, why did I go?
Timing and Age
When this opportunity arises, I was 23 of age. Sat my last ACCA examination in September 2016, I was still not aware whether I'll be passing the last paper. So, if I did not pass, I may have to work full time while continuing my studies. Am I okay with this? to be honest, I'm not because I know I'm a person who needs a 100 percent concentration when it comes to exams. But I did it anyway, why?
Because I'm getting old to not start working? Is this a good enough answer? Heh. By the way, I just started working full time in a small audit firm for about 3 months at that time, so that's not much work to do and I still could manage.
I was 23 at that time and if I pass my ACCA exam, I'll be an Affiliate where I would need 3 years of working experiences in related field in order for me to become a member of the ACCA. That's where it coincides with my decision. *A little out of topic but not* fyi, my ideal marriage is when I'm 26 of age.
My inner thoughts were," I'll go Singapore work and gain these 3 years experiences and I'll be back home just in time for me to build a happy home in my home. "
That sums up why this timing is perfect at that time. So, I did what I did.
Definitely a Pro x 2
Experience
You know what they say of your First Job right? It has to be a really good one or even better, a great one as this will make your resume looks really good for future career enhancement.
So this decision was not simply because I found any other work in the South. I did considered for quite some time of this opportunity. I did research and had asked many types of questions that I could think of. Not only did I want to know what this job offers, I wanted to know myself whether is this a good experience to gain? Will I learn something useful and put to good use in future?
Besides my own thoughts and questions I formed, I asked for advises and comments too. From family, friends, coworkers to strangers. Hah (Strangers as in I only get to know the person for that few hours of small talks and our topic matches)
At that moment of time, as I said I was currently working in a small audit firm, I enjoyed audit. However, what I realized was when I was auditing, I'm not sure of how these figures or financial statements (FS) were made other than from what I learn in my studies. (If you didn't know, audit was basically checking for errors in the financial statements where the FS were all already made) Therefore, I was really curious of the hands-on practical ways of forming the FS from the most fundamental source of the sales and purchases invoices to bank statements. I called it basic accounting.
That is why I am determined to learn the things which I am curious about. Not only that this job opportunity offers to do basic accounting, it also offers GST, payrolls, disbursements, taxation etc. So many things that I couldn't have learn if I only sticks to auditing from the very beginning. As what my mom used to said,"You have to learn the most basic to master the most complicated." I couldn't have agreed more.
Hence, this opportunity is obviously a Pro x 3.
Currency and Earnings (Travelling)
Not much is needed to elaborate in this cause everyone knows. Heh.
Anyway, just in case you didn't know, please head to Google and type in "SGD to MYR" and see what happens.
Of course I want this to be worth it since I'm flying all the way from North to South and for long term as well. For example, even if the currency is about 3 times, if you earn let say MYR3,000 here but you only earn SGD1,000 there, for me, this is definitely not worth it.
All costs have to be taken into account and what I meant is the cost of accommodation, transportation, food and of course have to have some entertainment too. Another important cost to note is travelling cost. I'm not saying the vacation type of travelling, I'm referring to the cost of flying back to and fro from home. For me, I'm quite a family-oriented person, so I definitely will thought of coming back home often.
Oh yeah, there is one important thing that I myself can be proud of. I have the habit of saving money, no matter it's a small or big amount. Heh For me, this is something to be proud of even though it's not really a big matter to someone else. Perhaps some people love to earn and then spend and enjoy it in a go but this isn't my case. So I don't think anyone who knows me ever heard that I said," I'm broke." or anything of that kind. I may have said expensive or over budget but never broke.
So I did a brief research on the market rate for a fresh graduate in my field at my hometown by asking around in order to know the expected rate I would feel worth it to travel that far. I'm not sure whether I'm accurate but the range is around MYR 2k or more. Thus, I set my expected salary to be SGD 2,500 at that time.
An instant, it feels like SGD 2,500 is approximately MYR 7,500 *eyes sparkles* which is a huge amount for a fresh graduate my age but I assure you it is not. Though it is enough as of now. As the rental itself in the South is ranging about SGD 500-800 per month so probably after you deduct all the living expenses, there wouldn't be much left.
If there is some left, let say SGD 500 for savings in comparison with MYR 500 saved if I'm in hometown, of course you can see the difference there already. But bear in mind, I plan to be back, therefore, savings in SGD will seem to be more attracting and not to forget if planning for vacation right? Currency 3 times more, like a dream come true leh! However, if you plan to remain in Singapore, then that will be a slightly different story.
So, this probably is a Pro x 3 too.
Home
My definition of home consists of the overall big picture of my home island which means everything in it. This will be quite a list to elaborate but I think basically everyone can get a picture of that without much explanation. (A small picture to imagine : Family, Relatives, Friends, Food, Public Holidays, Area, yes Area too and I can go on forever)
Anyways, fyi I'm a fond of attachment (not even sure if that's a word for that) but to summarize it basically, I will get home-sick even though I've never been away from home before, I know. So the only thing at that time which is the first main 'Okay, I'll think of it' for me to migrate to that far a place is I have someone there, le sister. If not, this idea wouldn't even have crossed my mind. In addition, I'm currently attached to someone and he has yet to see any opportunity to be there with me yet, though he has plans to. (I think he is attached to me as well. Heh)
So, even how much I see this or persuade myself otherwise, this is without a doubt, a Con x 7.
CONCLUSION
Sums up, Pros = 8 while Cons = 7
Current year : May 2018
So I believe you're clever enough to know where is my current location as of now.
If you aren't paying any attention and decided to just scroll down to this very conclusion, (as Arthur Bloch said,"A Conclusion is the Place where You get Tired of Thinking") then let me tell you, I'm currently in the South, happy and healthy but not wealthy just yet. Hah.
This ends my product of boredom.
