Singaporeans in Adelaide Meetup during Easter

Singaporeans in Adelaide Meetup during Easter

hello all, Thomas Tan is organsing a lunch at Hahndorf with a few fellow Singaporeans on 7th Apr (saturday). anyone else in adelaide care to join us?


By  next Friday 6 apr, 12pm must confirm who's going so Thomas Tan can book the tables. looking forward to meeting you guys / gals.


So hurry!



Hahndorf is the oldest surviving German Village in Australia and is a popular tourist destination.  Many of the original buildings and traditions have been retained and Hahndorf's village atmosphere is complimented by a myriad  of cafes and speciality shops.


There are hotels, restaurants, galleries, artisans at work, gourmet food outlets and a wide selection of accommodation. Several wineries showcase the best of Adelaide Hills' wines a short drive from Hahndorf.


The Hahndorf township is just 20 minutes from the city along the South Eastern Freeway. Hahndorf is a short drive from Mount Barker, the Adelaide Hills' main shopping and business hub.



Link:
http://www.exploringaustralia.com.au/showplace.php?s=adel&p=92


To join simply join either of these facebook page:


Singapore Club in Australia - Founded by us
http://www.facebook.com/groups/singaporeclubau/ 

Singapore/Australia - Founded by Thomas Tan
http://www.facebook.com/groups/193346864096551/ 




Alternatively if you do not use facebook then contact us at our contact us page..
We will then put you in contact with Thomas Tan

To Singlish or not?

To Singlish or not?

Hi all, we have received some emails with both positive and negative feedback about this website using "singlish"

We would like to say that this blog is contributed by volunteers and every volunteer is free to write whatever they want. This way we can have a blog that is uniquely Singapore!

This is a place for you to connect all Singaporeans in Australia, so meanwhile, why worry, relax, sit back and enjoy the youtube video above!

If you like the video, and want to see more, just go to youtube and search for dr jia jia or click on the link below to be directed to you tube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dr+jia+jia+singlish&oq=dr+jia&aq=1&aqi=p-p1g2g-m1&aql=&gs_l=youtube-psuggest.1.1.35i39j0l2j0i5.1314l5461l0l7209l8l8l1l0l0l0l610l1286l2-3j5-1l4l0.

Looking for Singaporeans In Australia?

Looking for Singaporeans In Australia?

Hi everyone, besides email from Singaporeans in Singapore asking for advices, we have received quite a number of emails from Singaporeans in Australia about looking for Singaporeans in their state e.g. Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney etc..

So far we have been quite successful in linking up Singaporeans in Australia. We have also linked up old friends, long lost friends and new friends..

If you are looking for Singaporeans in Australia, we can put you in contact with Singaporeans in Australia!

Facebook

One of the tools we use to link up Singaporeans is by facebook. Remember to click like!


You can also find us on our facebook groups

Singapore Club in Australia - Founded by us
http://www.facebook.com/groups/singaporeclubau/

Singapore/Australia - Founded by Thomas Tan
http://www.facebook.com/groups/193346864096551/

So difficult to cook!!!

1. 
   
   
   Hi everyone! This is my first post as a guest blogger here. Thanks Merlion for the invite. I dont blog very much, but thought I might help fill up some hours of the day as my tummy gets filled.
   
   
   Just thought I'd share with readers here on how to prepare some simple western fare. Uncle Phil has got the eastern dishes covered well enough, so there is market saturation there. :P
   
   
   Let me know if this is useful and if you do try cooking it, share with us your results. On the same note, bring a foodie, I'm also thinking if its worth sharing places to eat - both good & cheap and pricey but fantastically experiential to all your senses. Let me know. Here goes.
   
   
   
   
   "So difficult to cook!! Always overcook then so tough and no taste!" That's something we hear when people talk about cooking fish. And thats what we thought as well, until a chef friend, M, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu dispelled that myth.
   
   
   Cost: $8
   
   

   Costs outside: $25-$35

   Feeds: 1

   Time: 30 minutes

   Difficulty: Low

   Shiokness: 7.5/10

   
   

   Ingredients

   300g Salmon fillet

   Fresh dill and oregano

   1 small slice of butter

   Olive oil

   Lemon

   Salt
   
   
   Here are the instructions he gave, complete with step by step pictures we took on our 2nd attempt. 1st attempt was phénoménal, because we never knew home cooked fish could taste so good. 2nd was just as good but we knew what to expect - just like the feeling you get when you return to an excellent hatted (or starred) restaurant. It never tastes as good as the first time, unless there is a significant change of menu or chef of course.
   
   
   If you are in Sydney, the Fish market at Pymont is an excellent place for the freshest seafood. Today we bought 2 piece for dinner and we paid about $15 for it. The current price is about $24 per kg. Your salmon should be of a very bright pinky colour and smell watery and not fishy; this is a sign of freshness.
   
   
   If required, descale the fish using a knife or a de-scaler. The next part is a simple but important step to cooking your fish right.
   
   
   Slice the fish skin in the middle and at the sides. This prevents the skin from pulling and curling the fish fillet which will then make it difficult for each side of the fish to maintain maximum contact with the pan.
   
   
   
   Next, season with just salt and a little mixed herbs. Of course fresh oregano and dill would be great, but if you dont have them at hand, the ones you see in the picture will do. Now, thats the beauty of really fresh fish, there is no need for much fancy seasoning. Alternative for your next attempt: Try rubbing white Japanese Miso paste instead of salt and herbs.
   
   Leave it for about 5 minutes, and drizzle some olive oil & fresh lemon juice on it and let rest for another 5 minutes.
   
   
   Heat up a non-stick pan with a small slice of butter. When the pan is hot, turn down the fire to low-medium and place the fish skin side down. When doing so, do not let the sides of the fish fillet touch the hot surface of the pan, as this will be your "done-ness indicator". Do not touch the fish at all, just leave them to cook. At this point, start a stopwatch!
   
   
   
   If you observe the sides of the fish right after putting the fish on the pan, you'll see that they'll look uncooked and still look orange in colour.
   
   
   After about 4 minutes, the sides of the fish will slowly turn pinkish, when the whole of the sides have turned pinkish (pinkiness have reached all the way to the top), it's time to flip the fillet. What you see in the picture below is at about 2 and a half minutes. Remember the stop watch? At this point, take note of how long you have cooked the fish for. (lets say 4 minutes in this case)
   
   
   
   
   
   After flipping the fish, cook for the same time as you did for the other side - another 3 minutes. But if you like your fish slightly medium like me, cook for 75% of that time.
   
   
   
   
   
   For today, we did a fillet that was well done (left pic) and one that was closer to medium (right pic). As you can see, the fish is so fresh that it flakes apart when i pressed it with my fork.
   
   
   Serve with your favorite white wine. Riesling was our choice.

More about Merlion Singa! Mascot of Singapore Club in Australia, born in Temasek Island, then Singapore, now living in Sydney!

More about Merlion Singa! Mascot of Singapore Club in Australia, born in Temasek Island, then Singapore, now living in Sydney Australia!

Hi All, as you all have already know Merlion Singa, he/she is a Mascot of Singapore Club in Australia, born in Temasek Island, then Singapore, now living in Sydney Australia!

He/she is also very computer savvy.. knows how to use facebook and tweeter!

Remember to click "Like"!!

Here are some easy way to get to know Merlion Singa, Mascot of Singapore Club in Australia, born in Temasek Island, then Singapore, now living in Sydney!

Merlion Singa's Facebook Page: (To know Merlion Singa better)
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003607890477

Merlion Singa's Tweeter page:
https://twitter.com/#!/singaporeclubau

Singapore Club in Australia Facebook Page
http://www.facebook.com/groups/singaporeclubau/

Singapore/Australia facebook page (Created by Merlion Singa's Friend Thomas!)
http://www.facebook.com/groups/193346864096551/

Merlion Singa is also on digg!
http://digg.com/singaporeclubau

March 2012 Talk cock session - Final- update -

March 2012  Talk cock session - 

Date: 31 March 2012 - Saturday
Time: 10am Onwards
Location: **Check your email**

***************update****************

Hi ........ more news about our march 31 gathering, due to overwhelming response and interest, we decided to have a "FREE" BBQ lunch for everyone.. sponsored by our members and cooked by uncle phil...

Menu:
Your typical Aussie BBQ which consist of Bread, BBQ Onions, BBQ Sausages etc Free at no cost to you.
One of our members sponsor 4kg of raw chicken wing (thanks!!)
You are welcomed to bring a plate if you wish
Please bring your own drinks


How to attend?
1. Join us as a follower, just click "Join this site" icon at the right hand side
2. If you have not email us, email us indicating how many people attending.
3. Let us know your dietary requirements (e.g. halal, no pork, no beef etc.. )
4. Wait for our email with detailed instructions how to get there.
5. Just turn up on March 31th!!!

*please email by COB, Wednesday 28 March 2012 to secure your place!
*strictly no gate crashers.

Activities (Note the change in timing):
10am: Welcome!! Setup
11.30am: Free BBQ Lunch
1.30pm: Good bye!!

Some of us are going to DFO for shopping, you are welcome to join us!

What to expect:
Purchase your Discount Village/Event movie ticket @ discounted price - no order required -
Collect your pre ordered tickets
Chance to meet you and your family
Chance to meet up with potential mahjong kakis and arrange mahjong session
Chance to meet up with your long lost friends



SEE YOU THERE!!!!



*****************update***************
At this stage we do not expect a huge turn out, however if you come to our tok cock session, these are available:

• Limited number of Discount movie tickets for Village/Events/Greater Union @  discounted pric. (while stock last, no pre-order or pre-payment required)
• You can also pre-order other discount tickets for other cinema/attractions/ticketek,,, etc available here : http://singaporeclubau.blogspot.com.au/p/club-benefits.html  and collect it on that day (Pre payment required unless prior arrangement has been made) Pre order via contact us page
• Chance to meet you and intro or refer  you lobangs which our members may have

Location is still being finalised.. will let you know asap when we confirmed.. thanks!!!



**************Discussion about  venue..***********************
Hi all the date for the monthly talk cock session is coming soon,  we have run out of ideas for location already..

Anyone got good suggestion, can yolu please post a comment at this page with your suggestion..

We hope to get a place with...

• Many free parking
• Toilet facilities
• Near to shops that sell food and beverage or near to BBQ pit with fresh water supply

Thanks!!

2012 Easter Weekend Plans Part 1

Initally, i just wanted to getaway from the awfully boring, quiet countryside in adelaide, take the opportunity to spend some time with my friend who is studying in sydney.

Yet i forgot that the shopping paradise is closed on easter friday and sunday. I wanted to catch up with a forum friend K, but his family will be in sydney during the weekend. DANG

After talking to my friend moments ago over the phone and to and for sms with merlion *RAWR* there is a few things i can do on Friday, 6th of April, 9am after landing in kingsford T3.

-Sydney fishmarket
ITS OPEN!! Not a lobster/crab/prawn FAN but i feel uberly guilty to have oysters and red wine for breakky. Not that i have not done it before, in fact i used to have oysters for breakky with red wine almost every Saturday during my stay in melbourne where i stayed 10 mins walk from victoria market. It has been a encouragement routine for me working ever so diligent on my assignment throughout friday for 20 hours non-stop; and i would knock myself out after my oyster breakky in my comforty apartment. I just had my Annual blood test done, my LDL & HDL level isnt as good as it used to be when i was 24. Age is creeping on me like a grim reaper.

-Yum Cha
Is there any goot ones around metro-area that is easily accessible via public transport on Easter Friday?

- Hoopla festival at darlington
Starts at 11am. Apparently the Outdoor performance is free, each indoor performance is from $5-$10 for 15mins-30mins.

- Easter Royale Show
I had something similar in Adelaide, which is the Royale Adelaide show. I was told that this Easter show is MUCH larger and majestic compared to the country-style show held in Adelaide. then and again, i am not very good in walking standing for over 1 hour due to my exisiting medical condition. Plus, the rides and games aren't free. Entrance Fee for adult is $36 each, i should be able to get a discount ticket from my colleagues in sydney office but the RIDES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. $8 -$20 per ride. And you would have to Q with 1 hr or longer for popular haunted house 3D ride. Although the perks for me would be free tasting of antipastos and wine at the food section tent. Coming from Adelaide, i am actually quite numbed by the numerous free wine tasting. Yeah, I am spoilt for choices when comes to Wine and mettwurst.

-Bondi Ferry
Never been to Bondi. Love the beeches

- IMAX 3D
Merlion suggested that. I think why not, since i am so suaku, work only no play. I should take this opportunity to relac relac and see what is so special about IMAX.

-Girls only shopping (during the day)
I mean guys can come along, but we can meet for tea and meals, afterward free and easy for shopping for different gender. We can go to few places...chatsworth/chatswood and city, any sydneysiders want to correct me on this? I ish need to go to a "high crass" tai tai shopping complex to get my stuff before returning farmers' land in the down south.

-FRENCH
Anyone who are a big fan for french food? any recommendations? There isnt any french cafe/resturant in South Australia. And i have never tried french food before.

-Easter Sunday
MAHJONG anyone?? Poker bridge pun boleh!

Anyone lonely souls want to join me on this easter freazy!? REGISTER NOW!
The moar the merrier. *RAWR*

Papa and Mama Lau Kok Kok Liao...

My son reckons he has the dumbest parents in the world when computer and electronic goods are concerned.

Our old TV has finally died and although I know it’s time to get one of those fancy new high-definition digital and 3D televisions I’ve been hearing so much about lately, I haven’t really gone to shop for one as yet because I am at a loss. It is not so much a demise of our equipment that had dutifully delivered us so many years of some of our favourite TV programs including our morning and evening news in the family room, but I’ve don’t know quite how to replace it. Sure, we have decided we want the best that’s out there and have decided on an LED TV. We’re all set to get our new LED TV but don’t know quite where to start. To be honest, I lack the basic technical know-how with most electrical goods and can’t tell the difference between the knee and the elbow when LCD and LED TVs are concerned.
The main reason I have been spending some time on the Internet to do some homework before going to the shop is that I do not want to look like a goose in front of the salesperson at the showroom, asking the wrong questions. To better understand LED TVs, I have done some googling to look at the basic technology behind most LCD TVs. Of course, even the basic is rocket science to me. It took me the whole morning on the Internet just to learn an LCD TV is basically a grid setup in front of a light. To the savvy, the grid of course is divided into pixels and each pixel has its red, green, and blue sub-pixels. What is a pixel? I shouted this question across the room to my son. “Look up on the Internet, Dad” was his nonchalant reply. Now, I need not have to explain further, why I have to spend the whole morning on the Internet doing my LED homework. I have also learned that in order to allow light to pass through the screen a physical gate is opened allowing light to pass through. The degree to which the gate is opened will determine the intensity of the colour and by varying how far the red gate is opened relative to the blue and green gates will produce virtually any colour. As if that is not enough to add further confusion and make matter worst for me, not all LED TVs are created equal. Most LED TVs really aren’t true LED TVs; rather, they use LED backlighting. Most LCD TVs on the market today use CCFL lighting, similar to fluorescent lighting for your room. The downside to CCFL is the light is always on when the TV is on. 

In our fast-paced world of technology, what I have just learned may become obsolete in a short time. I better hurry to the shop before I turned myself into a goose.

Any Barter Trader Out there?

We received a text message from a friend, asking whether we would like to have a donation of a box of chili for the Kongsi and it will be delivered personally to our place. How could we turn down such a good offer and kind gesture? In return we sent him an invite to have a meal with us. A flurry of one line messages followed to confirm place, food and time. We finally decided to have peppery Bak Kut Teh, literally translated from the Hokkien dialect as “Pork Bones Tea”.

I wonder how many of you have noticed that my friend and I have just done an old kampong trading transaction called barter trading. It certainly isn't something new that we have invented; bartering has been around for a very long time. It's the way our ah kongs and ah mahs (grandparents) conducted their daily business and how they survived in their kampong days. Although many of our younger Singaporeans aren’t aware of this system at this present time, our grandparents bartered on a daily basis.Back in those days, people simply produced almost everything they need themselves. And what few things they didn't produce from their small vegetables plot, they procured by barter trading with someone in their kampong. On feast days or festival days, families exchanged traditional kuihs and cakes not because they can enjoy a greater variety without having to make them but it was a communal spirit of sharing among them.

Our grandparents and parents have set a precedent, and if this isn't Greek to you, then you understand that bartering is an economical and clever way to save money. If you barter an item you no longer need, you not only clear a little clutter from your house but you save money. Furthermore it helps someone else and gets something you can really use in return. It's a way of taking care of our needs and at the same time someone else's wants without spending money. As a self confessed hoarder, this is going to be a difficult task. But I am heading that direction and didn’t have much choice as my Mrs has given a dateline for me to clear the garage by springtime.

By re-educating ourselves on the right track to barter, are we able to revitalize this tradition of bartering and open ourselves up to the many resources and possibilities available to us from where you are now living.

Anyone willing to barter for my homemade chilli sambal?

LG IMAX Sydney 3D Movie Ticket Discount

LG IMAX Sydney 3D Movie Ticket Discount

Dear all members,

The Singapore Club in Australia's "Lobang King" is at work again!! This time we are very happy to bring you Discount 3D movie ticket redeemable at IMAX Sydney Darling Harbour!

The link to their website is here:
http://www.imax.com.au/home/

The price list:
Adults Normal price $20.50, you pay $ ??!! (Contact us for our pricing)


We hope to give u many more good lobangs in future!! Do keep a look out!

What is the order process?
1. Contact  us using contact us page about what ticket (e.g. IMAX Ticket) you are interested
2. Our representive contact you and arrange payment $$$ (efpos, bank transfer, etc ~wait for payment transfer)
3. Our representative purchase discount ticket on your behalf (wait for delivery max 1 wk)
4. Once our representative get the ticket via his contact, he will post to you (wait for delivery max 1 wk)
5. You get your ticket and can enjoy your movie at the cinema of your choice!!

How to order:
Just send us an email via contact us page and a representative will contact you regarding your order

Delivery (Australia only):
Will be sent to you via post (So please allow up to 2 week on confirmation of order)
Able to send to your Home address or PO BOX or office address (Free postage limited time only)

Terms and conditions:

• Most are usable anytime but unable to be used on Saturdays 5pm onwards, see their individual term and conditions on the ticket itself
• Sorry, No Exchanges or Refunds
• No Responsibility will be taken for undelivered ticket (Lost ticket in the mail etc)
• Prices subject to changes
• Limit of 4 ticket a member a week

EOI: The Bane of Arrogant Singaporeans To-Be Migrants

Hi.

My name is asingaporeanson from asingaporeanson.blogspot.com. I live in Perth. You may probably not heard of me before but I assure you I am the most cynical, negative contributor of this blog you will ever encountered. If you are interested in finding out why, which I highly doubt so, you can always read the crap here.

Being who I am and for my first post in this blog, I should start off with bad news. If it had been already discussed, I apologise but I will repeat it since bad news is my kind of thing.

First, the fundamentals. It is a bit lengthy but I have kindly highlighted what you need to read.

******

The Department of Immigration will introduce a new SkillSelect System on 1 July 2012. It will no longer be possible to apply directly for certain types of visas. Instead applicants will need to first lodge an Expression of Interest (EOI) and only the best candidates will receive invitation to lodge their applications.

The following types of application can only be lodged through SkillSelect after 1 July 2012:

• Skilled Points tested visas such as independent, sponsored and regional Sponsored; and
• Business Skills Migration

Some employer sponsored visas can applied for via SkillSelect, however this is optional and it is still possible to apply directly rather than through SkillSelect:

• Employer Nomination Scheme - ENS
• Regional Skilled Migration Scheme - RSMS
• 457 - Business Long Stay

How SkillSelect will apply to Skilled Points Tested Visas

For Skilled Points Tested visas, Expression of Interests will be lodged online.

To lodge an EOI, you must have completed your skills assessment and your English language test (usually IELTS).

You also may wish to obtain a nomination from a state or territory government prior to lodging an EOI as this will improve your chances of getting a nomination.

Processing of EOIs

Every few months, the Department of Immigration will review the EOIs which have been lodged, and issue the best candidates with an invitation to make an application for skilled points tested migration.

If you are nominated by a state or territory government and meet the current pass mark, you are very likely to be issued with an invitation.

Otherwise, there will be quotas for each occupation. The people with the best points score will be issued with an invitation. So people with more work experience, better English scores and higher qualifications will have the best chance of getting an invitation.

Time Limit to Apply after being Invited

Once you receive an invitation, you will need to make your visa application within 60 days.

If you are unable to apply within this time, your invitation lapses. If you are invited once, there is no guarantee that you will be re-invited later, and in any case you can only be issued with a maximum of 2 invitations before your application is removed from the EOI system.

In other words, you need to be prepared ahead of time to make sure you are in a position to take up the opportunity when it comes your way.

******

Why is this happening? Well, unlike Singapore the famous leg spreader, Australia is clamping her legs as tight as possible, leaving only enough space for ventilation. Basically Australia is saying, *"Knn, you alibaba kias, I'm shutting the door, kiss my arse."

*Like a Sir Translation: 

The quality of migrants is not satisfactory. We need to improve our immigration screening measures.

So basically anyone who is more eligible than you will jump queue and get the visa approved first. And you, stay behind until god-knows-when. This is bad news for migration agents and worse news for the average Singaporean migrant wannabe.

Worse, when you are lucky enough to be invited, you need to apply it in 60 days. If you are rich enough to hire an agent, congratulations. If not, you'll find it a pretty stressful challenge to do it all and keeping the application error-free, especially so if you have family and dependents.

These days I still read cocky Singaporeans stating things like, "I think I am eligible but don't feel like migrating yet but probably will do so and apply in a few years time." Heh. I'll love to be there when they realised they haven't been updated of this new set of guidelines.

So wake up and smell the coffee. Australia does not love you anymore. Times have changed and the cheese have been moved. 

Keep your "So what, I don't want to be there anyway," comments in the pocket because we are generally not interested in people like you. The blog is designed to help people who genuinely wants to be here to contribute to their adopted country and countrymen. 

I wish all potential migrants the best of luck.

Freebies/ Giveaway - See below for location

Freebies/ Giveaway - See below for location

Hi All, the Singapore Club in Australia now also have a "Free Corner", this for members who wants to give away some useful things to other members. or for members who have something to give away to others.

All freebies are good and working but we not are garang guni hor, so don't use as a dumping ground ok!!

Freebies available:

• Sydney 

1. 1 x Unit of used DickSmith SD Set top 

If you are interested in this any freebie in this list, please send an email to us via the contact us page and we will put you in contact with the doner so that you can collect it from them directly. 

If you have anything are still useful but too "sayang" to throw away, please send an email with a photo of the item to us via the contact us page and we will put it up for you here.
(We have the right to reject to put up any freebies  here if it's not deem to be useful to our members)


Thank you all kind Singaporeans!!

Ladies Only Shopping Trip

Ladies Only Shopping Trip (Sydney)

Dear All, We the Singapore Club in Australia recently founded a "Ladies" department, the main purpose is for ladies (single or married) to get together without any distractions and do some shopping in Sydney together.

The main rules of the shopping trip:

• Ladies only  (Single or married, all welcome!)
• Strictly No Husband, No Boyfriends can come along
• Strictly No Kids, No baby can come along too

If you are interested in this ladies shopping group, please send an email to us via the contact us page and we will put you in contact with other Singaporeans ladies in Sydney who like to shop!!. 

Thank You for Your Support

Ever since the birth of this brain child was announced through Facebook and linked to Uncle Phil's, we have been inundated with emails pledging supports and questions on how to become a Kongsi member. If you have not received a reply to your enquiry, please bear with this old Singaporean uncle who has under estimated the speed of the cyber highway and obviously still cruising along at 60 km instead of the 110 km. I better pull to the side before I’m charged with road hogging and for not answering those pressing emails in time. Anyway, thanks for your support and emails. As mentioned in the first posting, we are a group of Singaporeans who came together and started this blog with an aim of helping those who have just arrived in Sydney as migrants or students who are expecting to live and study in Australia for an extended period. Since we too have been through the same journey with our own family we understand only too well what difficulties they need to overcome. 

Please give me some time to organise this blog, so that this website is designed to provide any red dot interested in migrating or currently living in Australia an information meeting point. Hopefully, it will come with many forums to discuss all things to do with migrating and also a great place to share your migrant tales and knowledge with other red dots about Australia especially to those who are recently approved Australian migrants, or those who have applied to immigrate to Australia.

Qantas Grand Prix Sale - Good Lobang!

Qantas Grand Prix Sale
Sale ends 11.59pm (AEDT) 21 March 2012, unless sold out prior.
Availability is limited.

Dear all, somebody just tell us this good lobang.. to Singapore $399 one way by Qantas..  seems cheap to me?

If you are interested do go to the website to take a look.. by the way, Qantas do not sponsor us and we just intro this lobang to you because we think it's a good deal!

Link:
http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/international-flight-specials/from-sydney/economy/global/en?int_cam=undefined

Singaporeans in Brisbane - Meet ups

Singaporeans in Brisbane - Meet ups requests

Hi all, although you know that we Singapore Club in Australia is based in Sydney, recently we have receive a few email request from Singaporeans in Brisbane asking about meet ups, gathering etc in Brisbane.

What we can do is to keep a list of your email address and link up everyone who are in Brisbane, that way you will know who exactly are in Brisbane and have meet ups or gathering at your own conveniences..


You are also welcome to join in the facebook groups to know more people!!

Singapore Club in Australia Facebook group - Created by us
http://www.facebook.com/groups/313304015390607/


Singapore / Australia Facebook group - Created by Thomas Tan
http://www.facebook.com/groups/193346864096551/

To utilise the Brisbane email group service, please send an email to us via the contact us page and we will put you in contact with other Singaporeans in Brisbane.

Our Vision: The Singapore Club in Australia

Our Vision: The Singapore Club in Australia

Hi all, we have received some more questions about why we are doing this, we have received many encouraging support from fellow Singaporeans who share our vision and we really look forward to one day we can have our own club house. Which is simply named, the Singapore Club in Australia

Many a times we have drive along the congested and  haphazardly planned streets of Sydney, we often have to passed by many clubhouses from many different communities in Sydney, they includes the Russian, Croatian, Austrians, Slovenians,etc. Even our northerly neighbour, Malaysia has something called Malaysian Hall which provides cheap accommodation for Malaysian students in Sydney! So where is our Singapore Club house??

We hope to provide a meet up place or a club house for all Singaporeans, ex Singaporeans, expatriates or ang moh who has worked in Singapore before but came back to Australia.

In order to achieve this.. We hope to have a physical club house or at least a kopitiam which we can call our own... where anyone can turn up any time to talk cock or have a quick meal or beer or a  nice cup of kopi-o.

The club will have the following...

Dining facilities in the club:

Bar

In this club house, there's a fully stocked and licenced bar which will serve your typically tiger beer on draft, Tsingdao beer for uncles or cocktails for our younger ones.

Singapore Restaurant:

Since we are in Australia, typical Singaporean food, that taste like Singaporean real Singapore food like Laksa, Hainanese chicken rice, are hard to find. Most of them have been customised to Australian taste buds. For E.g. the Laksa in Australia are typically "Curry" noodles... or do not have the "Laksa" taste that we are all so familiar with.

Compiling the picture has made me hungry and I am sure without naming the food above you would  know exactly what they are!

This restaurant will also be a showcase for Singaporean food and will always welcome everyone including local aussies.

We might be able to hold some entertainment like inviting your favourite pop star to perform in our restaurant!

Kopitiam:

Although we like good Australian coffee from  Gloria Jeans, or your local coffee stall outside your office etc, some of us prefer our favourite cup of kopi-o, We hope to recreate a true "kopitiam" in our clubhouse, with food served like laksa, prawn mee, hainanese chicken rie.


Services for new migrants in the club

With this physically club house, we will have established our presence and we will be able to do what we are currently doing and will be able to do much more!
We hope to provide a one stop service for everyone which may include the following

• The club house might also be able to offer job opportunity for newly migrants in search for a job 
• JP services for certifying documents if there is a need
• Temporary accommodation for students who are in need of a night's accom due to unforeseen circumstances.

Services for Singaporeans living in Sydney

• Meet up place for all Singaporeans in Australia
• Mahjong sessions
• Cooking lessons
• Singles meet up and much more
• Mother Tongue language classes

Have we forgotten other Singaporeans in Other states of Australia? - NO!
We have not forgotten you.. we would like to thank you for your support since day one and  we hope to bring this club house to your state in the near future too


We hope you share our vision, and hopefully one day, we will achieve our goal. Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement so far..

Mahjong Anyone? -Interest Check - Sydney NSW

Mahjong Anyone? -Interest Check -  Sydney  NSW or surrounds

Hi All, we have receive some email queries about having mahjong session or keep a database of mahjong kakis.. .  We think that this is a good idea!

We will organise one if there's good response.

If you are interested in attending the mahjong session meetup, can you please contact us via the contact us page?

Please let us know if you just interested to attend and your location and whether you have a mahjong set /mahjong table at your house and if you are willing to open your house for our members to attend.

Thanks!!

Share your funny experiences as a new migrant to Australia

I can certainly remember a few!

I pulled into a Manual Cash Wash station.  A$8 to A$10, ok lah.  Cannot compare to Singapore's cheap labour S$3.  In Singapore, we have the Banglas lined up systematically washing each car and here I had been waiting 10 minutes already ... still no one came.  I then realized, Manual Car Wash means you wash the car YOURSELF!  Alamak, still got to pay so much.  I miss my maid!

The word "ta" is commonly used by Ozzie friends and the cash out chicks.  I was wondering why they keep telling me "bye bye" even before I could finish what I want to do or say.  Ooohh, ta means thank you!

I wasn't used to people calling me "Love" too but now I kind of like it! ;-)

I can't stand it at first when I have to say and listen to "How r'ya" so many times a day.  Some do not seem so sincere anymore.  They speak as though they have a barb wire clamped on each side of their jaw!  More and more, I find myself using the OZ terminology occasionally mixed with some Singapore slang, which drives them just as crazy.  "I need to do a U-e lah"; "Let me have my breakkie first, ok or not?";  "Alamak, I am becoming spoofier!"

Tell me a few funnies, ok?

Singles only meetup - Sydney NSW (Interest Check)

Singles only meetup - Sydney NSW - Interest Check

Hi All, we have receive some email queries about having a Singles only meetup.
We think that this is a good idea!

We will organise one if there's good response.

If you are Single and interested to attend the Single's only meetup, can you please contact us via the contact us page?

Lake Macquarie is only a short distance from Sydney, located between The Central Coast and Newcastle.

Lake Macquarie is only a short distance from Sydney, located between The Central Coast and Newcastle.

Recently, we invited our favourite uncle, Uncle Phil, to join us for a fishing trip on Lake Macquarie. The main idea is to get him away from busy Sydney onto a more idyllic location which Australia is famous for.


The lake itself is the largest coastal saltwater lake in Australia, over four times the size of Sydney Harbour.



View Larger Map

Arriving at Lake Macquarie is easy from Sydney. Just head north and find your way to the F3 Entrance at Wahroongah (near to Hornsby) and take the freeway. Travelling on the F3 freeway from Sydney will have you arriving in 90 minutes!!

For east Lake Macquarie (Swansea, Belmont, Charlestown) take the Budgewoi Swansea Charlestown exit and use the brown and white signage.  For west Lake Macquarie, take the Morisset, Toronto or Cardiff exits and use the brown and white signage

The lake is 24 km long and has 174 km of foreshore, with it's beautiful bays and beaches.
The eastern side of the Lake Macquarie Area border the Pacific Ocean with it's long sandy beaches.
On the western side Lake Macquarie adjoins the Watagan Mountains.
The Lake Macquarie region offers opportunities for Fishing, Swimming, Water Skiing, Surfing, Boating, Hiking, Horse Back Riding, Wine Tasting and much more.


Read more about the lake here and what it can offer here:
http://www.lakemacquarie.com/
http://www.visitlakemac.com.au

Uncle Phil has a nice time cruising on the lake on our boat, and thanks to his blessings and the luck that he bring with him, we have a good catch! We brought home 5 fish! However, our total catch of the day is 10 but we need to put 5 back into the lake! :(

In his own words, this is one of the best trip away from Sydney that he had, "plan also can't plan until so good!"

Singaporeans in Brisbane Contact

Singaporeans in Brisbane Contact

Thanks to the generous helping sprit of Singaporeans,  We at Singapore Club in Australia is happy to bring you this good news!


Although most of us are based in Sydney at Singapore Club in Australia, a fellow Singaporean residing in Brisbane, Queensland has been kind enough to be a contact point for Singaporeans who have questions regarding Brisbane or Queensland!! 


This means that the club is really living up to it's name.. helping Singaporeans in Australia!

Now we have expanded our reach and trying to help Singaporeans in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth!!

If you have any questions about Brisbane or Queensland, he might be able to advise. To utilise this service, please contact us via the contact us page and we will forward your questions to him promptly. 


You can also find us on our facebook groups

Singapore Club in Australia - Founded by us
http://www.facebook.com/groups/singaporeclubau/ 

Singapore/Australia - Founded by Thomas Tan
http://www.facebook.com/groups/193346864096551/ 

Prologue

I have always use the alias I.S since i started out my adventure in the Internet. That was in 1997.

I was invited by SG club from EDMW forum to start blogging my thoughts being a Singaporean residing in Australia. It was a WEIRD feeling. I always wanted to write, normally i write chinese but anyhow, quick intro about myself.

Internet always has been a interesting virtual space where you had to have the benefit of doubt while reading anything. I remembered when i first started out my adventure in "WWW." I had people asking me same question over and over again, which made me so irritated that i had to reply this :

"a/s/l please" (which denotes age sex location)
"anytime, twice a week, on the bed" (my automated reply)

:P it works and i stop receiving pranks after a while.

Enough for the gags, I am long "expired" according to Singapore standard by the men. Seriously, I've got "complaints" that if i am lucky in our oriental culture terms, i would have grandchildren in 5 years time. I currently reside in south australia, used to stayed in Melbourne for some time. I have been in Australia 4years thereabouts. By and by i will add in some stories of how i ended up being a KBW (key board warrior) in a foreign land.

I.S

Singapore Cooking Lessons...Anyone?

Singapore Cooking Lessons...Anyone?

Hi all, we at Singapore club in Australia are happy to bring you this good news again. One of our members are offering Singapore cooking lessons as part of our events as well.

Our member has been teaching cooking lessons at Asian supermarket, so it's really a rare opportunity to learn from her!

Tentatively, there is no fixed date/time for the cooking lesson yet, but if you are interested, please follow our blog and send us an email via the contact us page to register your interest.

As soon as we get about 10 people who are interested in cooking lessons, we will start to negotiate with her and organise this Singapore cooking lesson event.

To live more Simply...Waste not, Want not

I have written this posting for another forum thread but I thought it is appropriate for me to copy and paste this in my blog. Living simply has always being a personal quest and I hope to live my life as sustainably as possible and in the meantime, share with others to do the same.

Since my last balek kampong trip to Singapore in January this year, I have often wondered whether the younger Singaporeans have lost their sense of frugality. I don’t think we have, we have simply forgotten what it takes to make it a necessity again. With time being tough for many out there in this economy downturn, buying luxury goods and expensive shopping isn't a top priority but still, it is in our national psyche to focus on building material wealth and remain in the top league of consumerism. Perhaps it is a reaction to the Great Depression or the Second World War or the post war syndrome that our parents and grandparents went through. Whatever the reasons, it has definitely become a value system that has infiltrated every facet of our daily lives back home.
Living simply has become a thing of the past, and now individuals long for more and more material possessions. We are indeed consumed by consumerism. Our newly acquired standard HDB flat or private condos are no longer acceptable. We need to gut it inside out and have it renovated from the floor to the ceiling. The kitchen needs to have the latest fittings and electrical appliances but sadly never have the opportunity to be utilised and cook the family meals. Our kids demanded their one year old mobile phones to be upgraded to a slimmer model with extra features. Clever advertisements have honed in on our internalised and erroneous belief that our children will be happier if they have every material wish fulfilled. What are we telling ourselves that new is better than old, material possession is happiness?
Sadly, we are all sucked into the marketing ploy that no matter how happy we are now, we will be so much happier if we buy the product advertised.As a recession looms over us, many will be asking "Do we need to slash our food bills?"

Of course, the imminent recession is a worry for the young ones, my wife and I have been there more than once. Casting our minds back to where we have to trace every cent and experiment with cheap cuts of meat and living frugally. We had to use up leftover with something like fried rice and chicken carcasses. (after the fleshy parts had been consumed, we had them thrown back into the stock for making soup.) As a result, we are old hands (haha) and without a doubt we"ll be able to tide over this recession with our simple living and frugality again.

Are You A Traditional Kongsi?

Are You A Traditional Kongsi?

It is most interesting to know that someone in Singapore has pointed out that we are establishing a Kongsi (Chinese: 公司) or "Association (会馆 ，huay guan) here, just like our forefathers, who migrated to Singapore in the earlier 19^th century. Come to think about it, is n’t that’s a wonderful concept if we could share the same benevolent among us that our forefathers found among their own communities bearing the same surname with them. Of course, you do not need to have the same surname to join us. So, why not emulate this traditional concept and adapt it to our modern environment and business partnerships, but also draws on a deeper spirit of cooperation and consideration of mutual welfare among us?