TEFL Locations in Singapore - Jobs & Singapore
Banking, General Facts, History, Language, Medical Insurance, People & Culture, Qualifications, Sending Money Home, Things to bring, Things to do
ESL Jobs Singapore, TEFL Course Singapore, Teach English Singapore, Singapore Guide
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Singapore is a commercial hub of South East Asia. It is home to some of the biggest business houses under the sun and the visitors to this island country will find all the biggest banks here. Some of the banks in operation in Singapore and their addressees are given below.
ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
One Raffles Quay South Tower, Level 24 Singapore 048583 Tel : 6231 8888
Agricultural Bank Of China
80 Raffles Pl #27-20 Tel : 6535 5255
AIG Private Bank Ltd
1 Robinson Rd #14-01 AIA Tower Tel : 6538 8131
American Express Bank Ltd
General Tel : 6538 4833
Arab Bank Plc
80 Raffles Pl #32-20 Tel : 6533 0055
Arab Banking Corporation (B S C)
9 Raffles Pl #35-01 Republic Plaza Tel : 6535 9339
Australia And New Zealand Banking Group Ltd
#17-01/07 Ocean Bldg Tel : 6535 8355
Banca Intesa S.P.A
9 Raffles Pl #51-01/02 Tel : 6220 1333
Bangkok Bank Public Co Ltd
180 Cecil St Bangkok Bank Bldg Tel : 6410 0400
Bank Indonesia
Chief Rep/Associate Rep Tel : 6223 2700
Bank Internasional Indonesia
10 Collyer Quay 07-08A Ocean Bldg Tel : 6226 2101
Bank of America National Association
General Information Tel : 6239 3888
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Handshaking is a warm way of greeting others regardless of racial background.
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Once invited to a home remove your shoes and also while entering a temple or a mosque.
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Leave a little on the plate when you have finished eating as it might be interpreted, as you are still hungry.
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Laws relating to littering are strictly enforced in urban areas so don't litter while in Singapore.
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Other don'ts in Singapore include no smoking in public areas including restaurants also for dropping a cigarette end in the street would lead to fine of S$ 50.
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Chewing gum in Singapore may get you arrested.
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For drug trafficking there is death penalty and harsh penalties for those possessing and using within the country.
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Those on business trip should be punctual for the appointments.
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Exchange of cards is quite common and while giving hold it with both hands.
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.It is considered proper to address by using Mr., Mrs. or Miss and not first names.
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.Don't touch opposite sex as it may not be received in a good light.
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.On the other hand don't point with your finger this is considered rude and you may use entire hand with the palm to draw attention
History
An island once known as Temasek held a legend that was to change its name
forever. According to a Malay legend, there was once a Sumatran prince that
visited this little fishing island. During this visit, he encountered a strange
and amazing animal. He later found out that the beast was called a lion. He was
encouraged by an omen that stated he would find a city upon sighting the beast.
Thus the name Singapura or Lion City was found. "Singa" meaning Lion and "Pura"
meaning city.
Moving away from the legend, the official arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 claimed that he was the official founder of this wondrous city. What now is a beautiful city that has been transformed into a political and economic country was once a tale of the rise and fall of empires and colonialism.
Having a naturally deep harbor and a shelter from disasters made the island an important asset for trading. Traders near and far came to the "port of call" to exchange goods and set up businesses. This is how Singapore started to prosper.
Although Singapore's history dates from the 11th century the island was little known to the West until the 19th century when in 1819 Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived as an agent of the British East India Company. In 1824 the British purchased Singapore Island and by 1825 the city of Singapore had become a major port with trade exceeding that of Malaya's Malacca and Penang combined. In 1826 Singapore Penang and Malacca were combined as the Straits Settlements to form an outlying residency of the British East India Company; in 1867 the Straits Settlements were made a British Crown Colony an arrangement that continued until 1946.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships launched an era of prosperity for Singapore as transit trade expanded throughout Southeast Asia. In the 20th century the automobile industry's demand for rubber from Southeast Asia and the packaging industry's need for tin helped make Singapore one of the world's major ports.
In 1921 the British constructed a naval base, which was soon supplemented by an air base. But the Japanese captured the island in February 1942 and it remained under their control until September 1945 when it was recaptured by the British.
In 1946 the Straits Settlements was dissolved; Penang and Malacca became part of the Malayan Union and Singapore became a separate British Crown Colony. In 1959 Singapore became self-governing and in 1963 it joined the newly independent Federation of Malaya Sabah and Sarawak (the latter two former British Borneo territories) to form Malaysia.
Indonesia adopted a policy of "confrontation" against the new federation charging that it was a "British colonial creation” and severed trade with Malaysia. The move particularly affected Singapore since Indonesia had been the island's second-largest trading partner. The political dispute was resolved in 1966 and Indonesia resumed trade with Singapore.
After a period of friction between Singapore and the central government in Kuala Lumpur Singapore separated from Malaysia on August 9 1965 and became an independent republic.
The Singapore Government has promoted Mandarin to do away with the different dialects of Chinese so as to foster Chinese culture. But this has not come without any reactions as some thought that the Chinese culture can better be fostered through dialects like Hokkein, Teochiu and Cantonese.
Now English has become one of the important Singapore languages as this also the global language. The government has taken several measures to promote English and this has helped Singapore to move with the times. It has helped to keep in step with the global economy.
Health care in Singapore is expensive. Everyone should take the necessary precautions to keep away from incurring costly medical bills.
Pacific Prime is an expatriate insurance broker specializing in providing overseas medical insurance for non-Singapore nationals moving to Singapore and these plans are prepared according to certain specific requirements.
There are extra benefits in policies like maternity coverage, emergency evacuation and repatriation, dental treatment, out-patient consultations, alternative medicines, complimentary therapies, and specialist consultations; you can be assured that an international health insurance Iran plan will give you the coverage that you need.
For more information on these policies click on http://www.pacificprime.com/countries/singapore/
The people of Singaporehave a unique and fascinating culture that has been shaped by thousands of years of history. Their culture has been influenced by many other civilizations: the ancient peoples that once inhabited the land, the Chinese, the French, and most recently, the Americans and Russians. From all these outside influences, and centuries of war, oppression, and hardship, they have formed, and maintained their culture. The people of Singaporeare hard working and feel strong ties to their families. They are well versed in the arts, and have made several contributions to the world of literature. Aside from their painful history, the Singaporeese people have a culture and many customs, all their own.
Singaporeese is the official language although other languages such as French, Chinese, English, Khmer and tribal languages are also spoken. English is common in larger cities and is taught in schools. French is also spoken in various parts of the country. With an 88% literacy rate, the national script in Singapore is Quoc Ngu. The script was introduced by European colonists, and utilizes the Roman alphabet.
Singaporehas a very rich culture that has been shaped by many different civilizations throughout history. Through many long struggles, the Singaporeese have created their unique culture. Only half of the people of Singaporebelong to organized religions, religion, and the beliefs arising from religions play large parts in the lives of most Singaporeese. The Singaporeese are often superstitious and believe things must be done in a certain way or the family would suffer. Ancestor worship is also a common practice. There is a small alter in many homes, where people burn incense, have food offerings, and pictures of their deceased family members. Religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, animism and Catholicism are part and parcel of the people's lives.
Singaporeis an extremely food conscious culture. The ingredients and styles of preparation are distinct from both China and other Southeast Asian countries. This defines Singaporeand Singaporeese. Singaporeese food is comparatively low fat and high in carbohydrate. Cooking was traditionally done over a fire, so common modes of preparations are boiling, steaming, barbequing and frying. A popular Singaporeese meal is the 'pho' noodles, which is basically noodle soup, topped with beef, chicken or fried fish occasionally.
The best way to send money to your home country from Singapore is to use the Western Union Money Transfer. Western Union has offered its customers electronic money transfer for over 150 years. Money is available for collection just minutes after it is sent. Senders and receivers can go to one of the 235,000 locations world-wide to collect or send money.
For more information you can click on www.westernunion.com
One should bring updated copies of the following documents:
• Academic certificates and work history
• Birth Certificates
• Divorce settlement and documents
• Driving records
• Guardianship affidavits
• Income tax returns for the last three years
• Marriage license
• Medical and dental records, including inoculation records
• Passports
• Trust agreements
• Wills
Shop - Shopping is one of the favourite activities of locals as well as tourists to the country. The city has a great shopping experience to offer to people. With over 250 malls all over the island, one can find a wide range of products. Orchard Road is known to be the epicentre of shopping in Singapore and is surely a treasure trove for shopping maniacs.
There are also traditional ethnic market areas such as Chinatown, Arab Street, Little India and Geylang Serai. These areas cater largely to their respective ethnic communities.
Eat - Singapore is known to be a city that never stops eating. As a result of the city’s ethnic mix, Singapore has a wide range of culinary delicacies to offer. Local delights such as satays, pepper crab, roti prata are bound to satiate any food lover’s appetite. One will also be able to find a wide range of international delicacies such as European, Australian, and American food. The city’s top restaurants are comparable to any restaurant in a world class city. However, to really experience Singapore’s street scene and dining at its best, indulge in hawker food which offer delicious food at reasonable prices. Some hawker centres worth visiting include Lau Pa Sat, Glutton’s Bay and Chinatown Food Street.
Jurong Bird Park - If you are looking for a quick break from the busy city life of Singapore, then the Jurong bird park promises to give you absolute tranquillity. This bird park has the best aviaries in the world, being home to about 9000 birds over 600 species. There are interesting exhibits and bird shows about every half an hour. Apart from being a tourist attraction, the park is also a conversation and breeding area.
The Singapore Zoological Gardens & Night Safari - This is an open concept
zoo with more than 3000 animals and over 290 species. Like the Bird Park, there
are great exhibits, animal shows about every hour. A full day including a tour
of the Night Safari is needed to fully experience the animal kingdom in
Singapore. Singapore holds the World’s first night zoo of its kind. The Night
Safari is set in 40 hectares of secondary jungle adjoining the Singapore Zoo and
exposes animal life after dusk. See a myriad of nocturnal animals, from fierce
predators to timid forest dwellers, in their natural habitat under subtle
moonlight.
Sentosa Island - Sentosa Island which means peace and tranquillity in
Malay is a one-stop tourist destination, which has lots to offer. There is an
Underwater World where you can walk through a tunnel underneath a large
aquarium. The island also has some beautiful, pristine beaches along with other
attractions like the Dolphin Lagoon, Butterfly Park, Songs of the Sea show,
Sentosa lunge and skyride. A trip or stay in Singapore is never complete without
visiting this all encompassing tourist attraction.
Qualifications
Teaching qualifications and experience, though helpful, are not necessary to
teach ESL because the demand for teachers is so high and most conversational
English teachers in Asia had none when they were hired. Although schools look
for teacher training and experience, they often cannot find it and other schools
prefer no training and experience, preferring to train you in their own proven
methods. Most important is a helpful, friendly attitude, reliability and
sincerity. Government schools and many private schools ask for a college degree
(any discipline will do), however many conversational English teachers have no
degree because the demand for instructors is so high and the attitude is that
any native English speaker can teach one's own language. Those with
qualifications and/or experience often make more money but are in short supply,
hence the demand for amateur teachers.
