Laura02:

Ah ya! Got the dates for thanksgiving wrong. Thought I'd booked the weekend just after! Oh well, can't be helped. Airlines n hotel already paid for. Cannot change coz it's the cheep one. Will just have to \"enjoy the atmosphere\". I'm got a vacation apt at SGD700 a week for 6 pax (fr relative). Thanks anyway. Will try bookit for domestic flights.

That's a pretty good deal. You can enjoy Thanksgiving there.

Not sure if their domestic flights is any cheaper if you don't book with the hotels. But no harm checking.

pixiedust:

:goodpost: May I have both your permission to add the above quotes to the Petition thread ?


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=21969

Haha. But I think the petition is for primary school education. Not sure if what I said is relevant. But go ahead if you think that helps.

lovejoypeacce:

rosemummy:

[All the best to your girl. 2-3 months is quite ok actually. There're many ways to keep in touch. If she's going only next year, she should be turning 16? A little young, but not that young. My girl was 16 when she started uni in US.

No, she will turn 15 next year.

I think should be fine. You still have a couple more months to prepare her.

lovejoypeacce:

Yes, the facilities are really first class and I am not referring to private schools either. Some of the public colleges I visited have recording studios, a news room, a fully equipped kitchen and sewing rooms for those interested in Food and Fabric and even an automobile repair workshop for kids to tinker cars if their interest are in this area!


Classes are indeed capped at 25 max and individual counsellors are assigned to each student from Year 11 (sec 4) so that proper course/university guidance is provided each step of the way.

Other than the fact that my child and us have to be separated for a while (although we plan to have her back for hols - every 2-3 months, there is a 2 week break), there is really nothing that she can get out of the system here that she cannot get from there.

All the best to your girl. 2-3 months is quite ok actually. There're many ways to keep in touch. If she's going only next year, she should be turning 16? A little young, but not that young. My girl was 16 when she started uni in US.

2ppaamm:

Good to hear and thanks for the updates. I too visited some schools for the gifted here and I am seriously shocked by their standards compared to Singapore.

I have sent my children to 'independent' schools in Singapore and though some of my kids were on scholarships, I understand most children sending kids to RI, ACS(I), Nanyang, RGS, SCGS, etc etc, don't. So most of us pay like thousands every year (excluding tuition) for Sec school/JC if we want to send our kids to 'good' schools.

My younger daughter managed to skip 2 levels to be placed grade 10 in the gifted school here from Sec 2 (Independent school) in Singapore. For the same price (which includes tuition if your child needs), the class size is max at 25, a whole 6-storey building for 150 students. The government sponsors everything else to nurture these high ability students. Now I start to wonder what happened to our tax money in education. Even in the GEP, we don't get such facilities. Recording studios, green rooms, personal practice rooms, university courses etc. Just like our international schools in Singapore that I have visited (not your ACS International/SJ International), but the international, international schools.

Where have our taxes gone? Even in the independent schools where the kids are equality high in abilities, we are looking at 40 per class, and facilities that are shared with a thousand others. Sad.

There is much to learn from our neighbours down south and other true first world countries. What are all those reserves for, if we don't nurture our young, whether they are our brightest, or they need our special assistance to make it. Surely, with our resources, we can turn even our most academically challenged kids to great economic contributors through a more embracing education. Our system has gone too lazy and fat to do these things, by simply claiming and making everyone believe that our education system is the best in the world without solid proof, and forcing everyone to conform or succumb or leave.

My sentiments exactly. Just baffle me how we can spend so much money giving out scholarships to foreigners while doing so little for our own children. I believe every child has the potential to succeed, even if it's not in the traditional areas via the university route.

Laura02:

Emelyn:

[quote=\"Laura02\"]Hi!

I'm planning to travel to Orlando this Nov too. I've booked Sin-Houston on SQ. Then we're taking a domestic flight to Orlando. The price difference makes it worth the trouble, since DH insists on travelling long-haul on SQ. I'll remember to give enough time between connecting flights.
And I've been told that that the US immigration is a lot more friendly in Houston, than in either LAX or NY.
We're doing a self-planned, self-booked free-n-easyholiday. Does anyone have any advice on renting a car there?
Thanks!

Hi Laura02,

Have you booked the all the tickets ? Erm... can share sha outletre how much?
Also, you plan to sight-see in Houston ? Where are the good places to go to ?

Cheers !

Hi Emelyn!

Sure. The tickets for two adult & 1 Child (including taxes & surcharges) cost SGD 6763. I expect to pay approximately USD 400 per per pax for the 3 hr flight fr Huston to Orlando.

I'm going free n easy, so the list of places I'd like to visit are : Disneyland, Lego land, Key West, Cape Canaveral, ... and ... er ... stop by every factory outlet on the way

Cheers![/quote]Try http://www.BookIt.com.

You can book the domestic flights, accomodation and car rental in 1 transaction. Should probably cost you around S$1k per person, all in, for a 2 weeks' stay. Much cheaper than booking everything separately.

LOLMum:

for a junior trader, $10k per monthly is not a dream. broker with commission earns more too.

I'll be rather surprised if any firm take in a fresh grad and pay him $10k a month before he proves himself. If it's commission, it's possible.

jtoh:

No news on the $20K a month one. I suspect he's a mature student with prior working experience.

That's a real mystery. If it's a mature student pursuing his first degree, his prior working experience is unlikely to be in a senior level. Not sure how any firm can justify paying that.

jtoh:

So all is revealed. The New Paper today wrote up on two of the top earners from NTU's 2011 grads who are earning approx $12K.


Both were working while studying at NTU; both had their own businesses. One runs Science Hub, the other has an online store.

Didn't read TNP, but I thought the $12k from running his own business was mentioned in the earlier report? Running one's own business is different from working for a salary. There's this girl who run a blogshop (I think it's called ohsofickle) and making that amount or more when she was in secondary school.

Still wondering about the $20k a month working in the financial industry.

jtoh:

So all is revealed. The New Paper today wrote up on two of the top earners from NTU's 2011 grads who are earning approx $12K.


Both were working while studying at NTU; both had their own businesses. One runs Science Hub, the other has an online store.

Didn't read TNP, but I thought the $12k from running his own business was mentioned in the earlier report? Running one's own business is different from working for a salary. There's this girl who run a blogshop (I think it's called ohsofickle) and making that amount or more when she was in secondary school.

Still wondering about the $20k a month working in the financial industry.