ABOUT ME

Woman standing beside the Louvre Pyramid in Paris

ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm J.

I was born and raised in Malaysia, but Singapore has been home for most of my adult life. I moved here for work in 2007, have lived here for more than 19 years, and was a Permanent Resident for most of that time.

Now I’m in the middle of wrapping up life in Singapore and preparing for our move to Germany. From PR renunciation and CPF closure to visa application, health insurance, driving licence conversion, kids’ schooling, and everything else that comes with starting over in a new country.

Read my journal

Historic entrance façade of the Zwinger Palace in Dresden, Germany, with visitors on the steps

WHY I STARTED GERMANY & ME

Finding information specific to my situation was incredibly difficult. I searched online, asked around, joined Facebook groups and tried to find people in similar situations, but often still couldn’t find the answers I was looking for.

A lot of the planning for this move eventually came down to my own research — endless hours spent in front of the computer, and far more work than I ever expected. When I couldn’t find a clear answer, I wrote directly to the relevant authorities or organisations, and where necessary consulted professional advisors.

Now that some of those pieces are starting to come together, I’ve realised that what I’ve learnt might genuinely benefit someone else in a similar situation. If this site helps even one person find an answer faster or feel a little less lost in the process, then all that work is worth that much more.

Read the full story

Woman standing beside a mannequin wearing a traditional Bavarian dirndl

WHY I STARTED GERMANY & ME

Finding information specific to my situation was incredibly difficult. I searched online, asked around, joined Facebook groups and tried to find people in similar situations, but often still couldn’t find the answers I was looking for.

A lot of the planning for this move eventually came down to my own research — endless hours spent in front of the computer, and far more work than I ever expected. When I couldn’t find a clear answer, I wrote directly to the relevant authorities or organisations, and where necessary consulted professional advisors.

Now that some of those pieces are starting to come together, I’ve realised that what I’ve learnt might genuinely benefit someone else in a similar situation. If this site helps even one person find an answer faster or feel a little less lost in the process, then all that work is worth that much more.

Read the full story

Historic façade of St. Michael’s Church on Neuhauser Straße in Munich, Germany

WHAT YOU'LL
FIND HERE

My Experience is where I bring everything together into one concise article, documenting the whole process from beginning to end.

Journal

Most of what I share here will fall into one of two categories.

Journal is where I share the process while it’s still unfolding. Updates, thoughts, decisions, small wins, roadblocks and the things I’m learning along the way.

My Experience