I was offered a job in Singapore, and in UK. It was always my dream to work overseas, and I chose that job over the one in Singapore. However, it is a nightmare and I hate working here. What do I do?

It depends on what is your goal. some people prefer to work in other country as there is more freedom while some people prefer to work in singapore as it is your home country.

Hi Anon,

Your sharing sounds familiar.

Here's my piece of advice.

No, you are not stuck.

Submit your resignation. Fly back to Singapore. And start a new professional life back home.

I speak from personal experience btw. What sucks the most is to believe that you are stuck when you've got more options than, say, 97% of the world's population.
And since this question was posted in 2018, I wonder whether the author took control of her/his situation.

Cheers,

Pascal

On Tech Blogging Hiatus at www.launchers.asia

I once was in the situation where there was a job prospect in New York, but I turned it down despite a much higher salary because of several reasons:

1. Savings: After deducting tax, rent and general living expenses, I would have no savings at all. This did not make sense to me, as my goal was definitely wealth accumulation.

2. I had no desire for the NYC lifestyle: Unlike my peers who probably thought it would be glamorous, I had zero desire for the city life in NYC. In fact, when I saw so many homeless people sleeping on the streets (and even outside the Apple store), I immediately thought about home.

3. Being close to loved ones: I do remember that when I flew to NYC for interviews, I could sense that my parents weren't too excited about it, even though they did say that they were supportive/I should go for such opportunities.

So, I would say to consider the following factors:

• Have you given yourself enough time to settle in? It could be a temporary feeling of regret, and you might grow to love London.
• Have you given yourself a timeframe for London?
• What are your options when you come back to Singapore? In any case, Singapore will always be home, so there is some comfort in knowing that.
• Perhaps you can find a Singaporean society in London, and you never know, that might reverse what you think of London!

All the best!

What is it that you hate? Is it something that definitely will not happen if you’re working in Singapore?

There’s bound to be some cultural differences working overseas, have you given yourself sufficient chances to adapt to them?

Also, do you think you’d be able to just bite your tongue and work the needed hours then just spend the remaining time for self-care? Even in Singapore I know there are people who absolutely hate their job, but are just in there for the money or stability. Do the necessary then live your life however you want after office hours.

But if after some time (maybe beyond 6 months) and you still feel really miserable, maybe you should come back. And if you need a constant source of income, pls make sure you have a job offer in SG before returning.

Really nice to have you on Seedly even while you’re overseas!