I have been back in Singapore for almost a week now. A part of me is glad to be back while the other half is kind of upset. The funny thing is though when I came back, it felt like I had not been back in Singapore for a long time. I felt like a newbie again in a new country which was very weird at first, but it did not take me long to fit straight back in again. During my three weeks back in the UK, I was asked many questions. Many of the questions from people were the same and I repeated myself every time. However I did not mind, because for me it was good catching up with people telling people my stories and obviously I kept bragging about being the face of allield health in Singapore :). The down side were, there were many more of my family and friends who I did not get to see, so this in post I am going to answer questions that were most often asked by people.
1. How is it working in Singapore and what is the department like comparing to Hull?
I enjoy working in Singapore, I work with a great bunch of staff and my boss and seniors really look after me. The work load as a whole is about the same, the only difference in Singapore is we have a lot of x-ray rooms scattered through out the hospital. Each room dedicated to certain areas and types of patients with radiographers to go with it, even radiographers in theaters are stationed in a room in theaters. The humour is different to that in Hull but it still does not mean we do not have fun and boys will be boys no matter where they are from, when it is quiet on a night we do check out girls in A&E and facebook lol. The department is willing to spend money when it is needed, if we need a machine we will get it unlike the NHS but that is due to mostly funding. There is no middle management and we do not have the constant pressure of budget cuts. My boss is really good, really looks after me and bonds well with his staff just like my previous Superintendent Alison. Even though he is the manager of the whole department including all modalities, he works very hard and always makes time to bond with his staff.
2.What is the pay like?
My pay when converted back to pounds sterling is more or less the same, with the exception of the bonuses I get in a year. Comparing to living cost I think I do get a decent wage, I actually save more in Singapore even after conversion. I ain’t going to tell you how much I get paid, you just have to come over here and find out :).
3. What is it like living in Singapore?
I do not want to go into this question too much because I had mentioned it previously in my blog. I thought it would be like living in London but safer, however I can not really compare because I had never worked there. I only see friends who work and live in London and it seems like it is just constant work and no play. I am most likely wrong and it is just the profession that they are in, but I find the home/work life balance in Singapore is good. I work both office hours and shifts really manageable, giving me plenty of time to hang out with my friends and on my hobbies such as muay thai and photography. Food is cheap, shopping is acceptable I think, electronics is reasonably priced however when you buy electronics such as laptops and cameras, you get so much freebies with it which to be honest makes it cheaper than the UK :). Alcohol is expensive and it is just casual drinking out here. I think my liver had fully recovered before going back, I was actually scared that I would not be able to hold my drink once back in the UK but I did without embarrassing myself too much :).
4. What was all the hype about being the face of allield health and how did I find the experience?
Again to find how I had my fifth teen minutes of fame, please go back a few blog post to read how I got into it and check out the link. It felt weird seeing myself on the side of buses, MRT billboard, news paper and even on youtube. I had to admit I was not impress that they had to dub my voice into more of an American accent even though I spoke with my British/Yorkshire accent lol. I found the whole experience fun, a bit embarrassing sometimes because I do get recognised a little more in hospital. I am glad I did it while I had the chance and a big Thank you to my boss for giving me the opportunity. Maybe I will get scouted and people the face of a big company advertising chicken rice or chilli crab lol, but for now its back to normal for me am afraid.
5. Am I glad to be back and what did I miss?
Well of course I am you fool lol! Sheffield and Hull was my home and seeing everyone again was brilliant. I had fun reliving my previous life in the UK while getting drunk and enjoying the banter. I missed the British food and home cooked food. To my Singapore boss, it is not just fish and chips even though I did miss it. There is also Yorkshire Pudding, bangers and mash, greasy pizza and other fat food like doner meat. I tried tackling the Wicker meal but my stomach has shrunk and I am not the same as I used to be. Family and friends were even disappointed in me, my grandad laughed at me for eating so little now. I put on weight after my trip but it was well worth it, especially with all the good food at home as well and it was worth it lol.
Finally 6. Can I see myself staying out in Singapore?
In a way I can, but at the same time I can see myself going back. I have another 2 years of my contract so guess you will have to watch this space and see.
There were many more questions, however I can spend all day writing them in my blog and this post would be too long, so may be next time. For those I did not get to see, there is always next year and I will try and meet up with you or you can come out here lol.
TRicky