Tan Zi Jie (33), moved to Bangkok in early 2015. Covid-19 delayed Tan Zi Jie’s move to Bangkok by nearly a year.
“While I’m lucky to have been born in Singapore, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to live in a big country that isn’t just a city-state, as I wanted to be able to take short trips and be surrounded by nature on my off-days and weekends. I am familiar with Bangkok, like many Singaporeans. It felt like a good idea, as I have a cousin there. But to be honest, it’s really because it’s where my job happens to be based – I’d been casually looking for an overseas-based job for several years, and this opportunity came up.
I interviewed remotely for the job and was offered the position in the middle of last. Due to the pandemic, however, I decided to only make the move once I felt it was safe to do so. I also held it off because I wanted to get vaccinated back home, and in hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise – waiting made it possible for me to settle into my new job and get to know my colleagues (virtually) before moving, which eventually made the relocation process much smoother. It’d have been so stressful if I had to start a new job and settle into a new country at the same time.
The moving process wasn’t too hard since I had months to plan and settle my arrangements. I’d been living with my parents before moving, so thankfully, I’ve been able to leave most of my things with them and only brought the essentials over. That said, living alone is definitely a big adjustment, but I’m enjoying my own space and apartment now.
Source: Her World