My Life Abroad: I decided to move to Shanghai and raise my kids there

Our living situation

Credit: Right outside our apartment in the Former French Concession Area at Fuxing West Road in the autumn

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Our living situation in Shanghai has been a blend of familiarity and novelty. We live in a 150m2 two-bedroom rented apartment in the Former French Concession area, and the monthly rent is about SGD4,000. I think this is considered slightly below average as our apartment came unfurnished. The expat community in Shanghai is huge, and living situations vary greatly depending on the district, as well as the type, size and age of the housing, and whether housing allowances are provided for.

Rentals can range from SGD2,000 to well over SGD10,000. Many expat families we know stay in gated developments like ours – much like the condominiums back in Singapore – where there is better maintenance and security.

We also have some friends who choose to live in charming old lane-houses to fully immerse themselves in the hustle and bustle of the local neighbourhood. Our neighbours can make a two-room apartment fit a three-generation family of five, and still manage to have space for a mini vegetable garden!

A day in my life

Credit: Summer camping with our friends. Songjiang District and Changxing Island in Chongming District are two camping sites I’d recommend.

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My work day starts with sending the kids onto the school bus, then having a big cup of coffee (or two). As a design architect, I juggle multiple projects, manage my team of eight, meet with clients, and visit project sites. Work life in Shanghai is not that much different from Singapore except that the industry is very competitive, deadlines are usually very tight and the work pace can therefore get very daunting. But no matter what, I always make time for a mid-day bubble tea break – it's a must!

People might think that working and living in Shanghai means all work and no play. Whilst it’s true that working hours are generally long at about 50 hours per week for my industry (only counting the hours one physically clocks-in at the office), and the use of WeChat for work has blurred the boundary between work and life, the adage “work hard, play hard” really rings true here. People will still manage to find time for leisure and recreation, as well as pursuing their hobbies and passions.

Credit: Camping mid-winter in the vast outdoors on the outskirts of Shanghai.

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As long as the weather permits, I usually spend weekends outdoors, because I really love to soak in the sights, smells and sounds of the city. When the kids were younger, our weekends were mostly about exploring and trying new things downtown. Whether visiting a museum or park, going on a food tour, or just wandering around the city, there's always something new to discover. Now that our kids are a little older, we go on cycling trips, or drive out to the outskirts for camping trips.

Staying connected to our roots

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We keep in touch with fellow Singaporeans by attending events organised by the Singapore Global Network (SGN). I also make sure my kids know all the classic Singlish phrases like "lah" and "can lah", and we celebrate all the major Singaporean holidays, from Chinese New Year to National Day. I cook chicken rice and laksa on a regular basis and we are very fortunate to have a wide choice of Singaporean restaurants and home-based chefs here in Shanghai, so our children are no strangers to hawker fare like fried carrot cake and char kway teow. And of course, I always keep a stash of kaya and Milo in the pantry for those homesick moments.

Credit: A house party entails homemade Singaporean comfort food such as laksa, bak kut teh, chicken rice and fish head curry for our friends

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We also travel back to Singapore at least once a year, usually during the Lunar New Year period, and sometimes during the summer school holiday. Of course, there are times when I miss my family and friends back in Singapore, but thanks to technology, it's easy to stay connected. And when I'm really feeling homesick, I just whip up a big bowl of laksa or order some bak kut teh – it's like a taste of home!

How living abroad has caused her to appreciate the little things in life

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I don’t know if it’s being in Shanghai or just growing more mature with age, but I've learned to appreciate the little things in life, like the joy of discovering a new noodle shop or successfully navigating the public transport system without getting lost. Sure, there are challenges and frustrations that come with being a full-time working mother in a large city, but I have made so many good memories and meaningful relationships here that I would not trade for anything.

Living in a foreign country means being constantly exposed to different ways of living, habits and culture. Meeting people, both locals and expats, from all walks of life, I have come to appreciate how diverse China (and the world) is and that is very humbling for me. So I have grown to be more open-minded and less critical, to let go and not be affected by things or people that I have no control over, and to be more adaptable and patient.

When we first moved to Shanghai, I thought we’d just be here for a couple of years. But over time, my husband and I have both built our careers while the kids have literally spent their entire lives here. The city has become a place of comfort and familiarity, yet there is still so much space for us to grow and develop. I can see ourselves staying here for the foreseeable future. That said, I have also realised after eight years here, that we can create a home wherever we go (cliched but true)! So I am keeping an open mind and seeing where the future takes us.

Follow Jingyi and her family’s journey on Instagram and TikTok at @mrsmarboro.