SINGAPORE: In the bustling heart of Singapore, where life often feels like an endless race against time, one senior Singaporean took to Reddit to ask a question that resonated with many in the city-state.
She asked, ‘What is the Singaporean version of getting away from it all?’
What is the Singaporean version of “getting away from it all”?
byu/halloumisalami insingapore
She said, “We often see ideas of escapism or ‘getting away’ from the rat race floating around, such as living off the grid, living in a van, buying a farm, joining an organisation like the French Foreign Legion or peace corps.”
But, she added, “All these are not exactly feasible or even possible for most Singaporeans. The closest thing I can think of is maybe quitting your job to start a business/ drive Grab or getting a minimum wage job in Australia/NZ. What are some ideas or legit options?”
Someone answered, “I mean the easiest and fastest would be just move to Malaysia?”
However, moving to Malaysia is not an option for those looking for a career, said another, who claimed, “You move to Malaysia to retire, not to get employed there. Unless you gonna try to start a successful business there”
One had another place in mind. “Using this train of thought, i can only think of Australia?” said the netizen. “Nearest ‘western’ culture, if they can find employment and decent location to stay its definitely an upgrade in terms of life quality (i.e. life stressors). Unless you want to join all the other Russians/ work nomads in Thailand, that works too lol”
But Australia is no longer a place to get away from it all, argued another, who said, “Australia no longer feasible since like… 5 years ago? It would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.”
A remote worker shared he’s happy with his lot: “I’m employed by Singapore in Malaysia. Life is amazing.”
Another shared, “I’ve often wanted to quit and just do volunteer work. It’s so much more fulfilling and makes me happy that I’m using my time and skills to do stuff that tangibly benefits people, and it also means I’d have more control over my time. unfortunately we live in a society and that won’t get me paid.”
Another shared he found fulfilment in giving back on the weekends: “I do it on the weekends. It is therapeutic, and I still have a living wage from my office job”
Someone who had been in the corporate grind for 12 years recalled the pay was good, ‘beyond the CPF contribution ceiling’, but he was unhappy, so he quit.
He shared: “okay, here’s my situation; i graduated and worked for 12 years in semiconductor industry. the pay is good… like beyond the cpf contribution ceiling (it was like 4900 10 years ago but even with the new update to cpf celing, im still over.)
but i was feeling miserable and bitter and very very angry all the time while working there. every little thing sets me off. i hated almost everyone in the company, i hated people outside and company. i hated everything about Singapore.”
After quitting, he started freelancing and worked in a three-man company. He has ‘good’ pay for someone with no one to support, and he’s feeling ‘better’.
He said: “I’m just doing free lance work and currently doing a long contract with a very small company (3 man org.) the people there are good people though they annoy me at times but that comes with any job. pay is okay if you have no family to support or a house loan or car loan to pay. i like simple life, hate to drive, don’t like to travel so it didn’t matter to me.”
In the end, he offered a simple piece of advice: “so what im saying is, sometimes, you have to determine what is important to you in life… (please don’t say “crush your enemies; see them driven before you; hear the lamentations of their women.”) then you try to make it work. i hope this helps.. or not.”
In a society where the pursuit of happiness often seems at odds with the daily grind, the senior Singaporean who posted on Reddit opened a timely discussion, which served as a reminder that the search for meaning and contentment is a deeply personal journey.
While there may be no one-size-fits-all solution to escaping life’s rat race, the people who shared their experiences shed light on the different paths people take. While some people strive for ‘happiness’, some have chosen to remember what the striving was for.
While Singaporeans may have different takes on ‘getting away from it all’, I guess the goal is still one thing – what you value. As a Singaporean, what truly matters to you?