北美 vs 新加坡生活比較 - 請假
By Anthony
at 2019-01-16T23:43
at 2019-01-16T23:43
Table of Contents
跟原po相反, 我們是在灣區待了6~7年然後舉家搬來新加坡. 目前在新待了半年.
在這裡讓我也來分享一下我們的感想.
簡單介紹一下我們的背景,我跟我老公都是軟體工程師,有兩個小孩-分別是3歲和5歲.
我們在灣區就是雙薪,來新加坡之後一樣兩個都還在工作.
生活品質--
我們有請幫傭(500~750 SGD/月),基本上打掃煮飯洗衣全包.
每天早上起床就有早餐,下班就有晚餐,衣服放進洗衣籃隔兩天就洗好燙好疊好.
買菜什麼的也不用我自己去,交代好就好.
從前在灣區,因為實在太忙,我們也有請鐘點阿姨來幫忙煮飯打掃,一個小時$20鎂,
一個星期來五天,一天三個小時,一個月就1200鎂.
而且因為人人都有這個需求,阿姨基本上說話很大聲,一副反正我不找她,一堆人要找,
所以我也不敢要求做東做西, 例如阿姨不想洗廁所, 我們也不好意思提.
從前小孩上下學(托兒所),我們兩個都要接送,現在都有校車到公寓樓下接.
從前小孩常要求我陪著玩,講故事,我因為在忙著整理家裡煮飯洗衣等等,
很常回說"等一下媽媽".
現在我回到家,可以好好陪他們吃晚餐,晚飯後我們一起玩一起看書一起畫畫.
最重要的是,因為時間多很多,我多許多耐心教導和陪伴.
我感覺我小孩都因此也脾氣好很多.
(有小孩的大概可以理解我在說什麼)
從前在美國,沒有親人,雖然有好朋友但是大家都有家庭不好隨便叨擾,
所以如果要跟老公約會只能靠請假或蹺班.
現在只要小孩睡著後,我們可以去逛街,甚至可以去看電影!
因為有幫傭,我們可以把寶貴的時間花在重要的地方上.
治安--
灣區治安越來越糟.
我們不只一個朋友家裡或車子遭小偷,包裹丟失是很常見的事.
常常就看到家附近有槍擊案,
我們在家裡裝上了攝影機,保全系統,
就算這樣,我老公出差時候,我一個人帶小孩在家還是很害怕, 睡都睡不安穩.
每天超過了九點就不敢在外面走,除非開車去商店.
帶小孩出去,不管是公園還是商場,我都不敢一刻看不到他們.
相較之下,新加坡治安好相信大家都知道.
存錢--
這個是很因人而異的.
不過以我們的例子,我們存的錢比在灣區多.
雖然薪水比較少,但是稅少很多 (~33% v.s. ~10%).
我感覺,如果有年紀小的小孩,在灣區負擔是很大的,
很多時候另外一半選擇不去工作,
因為賺的錢扣掉了稅還不見得比把小孩送去 daycare 的費用還多.
(在灣區 daycare 費用從 $1000 ~ $2700/月 都有, 生兩個生三個就更貴了)
教育--
原po談到最多的是教育,我也來分享一下我們的情況,
再次強調每個人對教育有不同看法,純粹分享:
我們對教育的想法大致上是--
* 快樂學習; 反對以考試成績來驅動學習, 反對讓小孩感受到學習壓力.
* 注重能力的發展,而非知識的灌輸.
比起傳統亞洲的教育,我們比較認同歐美式.
因此我們送小孩去在新加坡的國際學校.
我們到目前為止很滿意這個學校,
他們的教法很活,寓教於樂. 小孩也變得有自信許多.
在灣區時候,我們小孩年紀還沒到公立學校,也沒有上國際學校,所以無從比較.
但是從許多朋友分享得知,滿多灣區的學校都面臨資源缺乏問題,
因為cost of living實在太貴,找不到足夠的老師,
所以有的學校沒有美術課,音樂課.
還很常要求家長到學校幫忙教課或是當助手,還有要求捐款捐東西.
說實在雙薪家庭在這樣情況下是很不方便的.
小孩回家抱怨誰誰誰媽媽都很常來學校幫忙,
小孩放學想參加足球隊但是得有人接送... 等等問題.
我認識的就有兩個朋友,因為小孩而決定轉換工作型態
(選擇不用整天坐辦公室的工作,又或調整減少上班時間).
新加坡的國際學校選擇很多,
美國學校,加拿大學校,德國學校,澳洲.... 費用差別不小.
當然是小孩年紀越大越貴,像我們念幼稚園,一年20000多~40000多的學校都有.
玩樂--
美國的玩法跟新加坡玩法很不一樣.
原po提到美國有很多世界知名景點,而新加坡沒有.
但是新加坡的好處就在於離其他國家都近啊!
而美國要飛到其他國家,就只有加拿大跟墨西哥而已.
我有個也是從美國搬來的同事,到目前為止都還維持著他每個月一個新國家的計畫.
而我們在短短半年內,足跡也遍佈了四個國家.
其實有不只一個同事跟我說過,他們搬來這裡就是為了旅遊.
結論--
在搬來以前,我們也已經相當適應美國生活了,
很喜歡在那裡時,人與人之間的距離比較近,人們比較親切.
喜歡在自家院子裡悠哉坐在躺椅上,看著小孩玩沙溜滑梯.
喜歡聖誕節,萬聖節時跟小孩一起佈置家裡,復活節撿蛋,
沒事就去公園遛小孩...
現在想起來還是很懷念.
但是就像我上面提到,灣區生活有他的問題--治安,cost of living,教育...
當你在至少兩地住過後,就會發現沒有一個地方是完美的.
在每個不同的人生階段,會有比較適合你居住的地方.
我們選擇搬家到新加坡,一方面是為了家庭,一方面也是希望可以在不同的地方待待看.
我們到目前為止都很享受新加坡的生活.
但誰知道三五年後會在哪兒.
只是還是很推薦新加坡給大家--特別是有小小孩的夫婦!
--
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