Singapore Day not in Dubai

Above picture from ST April 26, 2009

The government threw a party costing $6 million dollars for overseas singaporeans in London. It must have been a very good party. Singaporeans even travelled from the continent to soak in the fun and the recreated Singaporean atmosphere. It was clever too. If you can get the people to laugh at the ERP gantry, how angry can they be to pay the ERP charges?

As a realist, we cannot expect the same in Dubai but eventually I believe they will do the equivalent of London in Shanghai or Beijing. Why? If you come to Dubai, most of us just want to make our money and go home. In Europe and the USA, singaporeans there might not want to come back. Therefore you double your efforts to keep up your link with them. Create some event to remember and if possible even smell like Singapore. Actually Singapore doesn't smell any more. It used to, and very badly too when I was a kid. She has come a long way.

If you ever get an offer to come to Dubai to work, make sure that they pay you very well. You are likely to get into situations that cost you plenty here. Some have regretted coming here as a result. E.g., with more than 20 years experience on the road in various countries, I had to cough up quite a few thousands equivalent of SGD, not to mention time to take driving lessons, and the most ridiculous driving test to drive on Dubai roads legally. Fortunately that has recently changed, but as always they will find something else to burn a hole in your pocket. We could have bumped into another such scenario, but that is another story.

I am editing this post because earlier I forget to add that we do organize events for Singaporeans in Dubai but it is almost always a non-government initiative and of course from our own financial resources. The government helps us economize by opening the consulate grounds for such events. It is a good start but will it stop here? May be they will do better at the Abu Dhabi side. The embassy was involved in organizing a driving trip to Al Ain recently.