Started a company, woken up by a stereo, and still more bank forms – end of Week 9

It has now been officially 2 months we have lived here in Singapore.  Just as we get used to it, something else seems to crop up. Sometimes its good or sometimes it is the new neighbor upstairs who finally connects their stereo at 2 AM Thursday morning and blasts it for the entire building to hear. Its finding out that the construction between floors is not what you thought it would be when you can hear high-heels clicking around (Who wears shoes in the house? Really? This is Asia! Must be some foreigners.)  Considering our apartment is for sale, meaning I have to give a tour to some agent and his client once a week, you’d think for $4.2 million it would be a little better constructed! So how do we deal with it?

Well one option of course is to go upstairs and knock. Not something I usually do the 1st time it happens but we did call the 24-hour security and ask them to check it out. Not sure it helped. The second is luckily we have a nice guest room in a different part of the apartment. Pick up the pillows and let’s go! Any other ideas? I was thinking of going up in my running clothes at 6 AM each day yelling, “Steve, let’s go!”. No, there is no Steve there.  I would say since I took the stairs, I must have missed the correct floor, sorry.

Did I tell you my banking story at Citibank? Yes, I think I did. This week, the same branch called where we opened the account because I had to sign or resign a form! More signatures? It’s been 2 weeks and I still don’t even have the ATM card for this account! I do have a checkbook though. That they can mail quickly it seems. Checkbooks are funny here – it is literally 50% bigger than a standard Passport if you hold it sideways. I guess there are more trees nearby. I was called in to re-sign the US W-9 form. After going through all the signatures for the other forms, the guy finally realized I did not sign that one the same therefore…

Don’t bank at Citibank unless you have to! That would be my story. UOB was much easier and gave us everything we needed, including ATM cards with our names on it, on the spot.

Well there is always a ray of sunshine! Since there is an American from Kentucky here this week, the next 5 actually, working with my wife, tonight is all you can eat Brazilian. I think the meat is from Australia but who am I to pass that one up.

Also, it looks like I am getting a job. Granted I’ll be a contractor but it is for a former employer looking to expand their presence and partners here (the groups who actually sale and implement the product on the ground). I still get to so some project management but now mix it in with partner management and pre-sales/sales assistance. I am excited and I hope it comes to fruition.

Because the company does not have a local office, I will be a contractor which also means I have to go through some hoops with the Singapore government to be able to work. Luckily, there is a great online forum for Singapore expats that explains the steps based on who it has worked for in the past and what they did to get approval. (http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic75000-0-asc-30.html&sid=dd5e45280e95d545d5fb928525965644)

It is a little different here when you are on a Dependent Pass.  I won’t bore you with all the details but I will say…

I now am my own company! Welcome to PERC Technology Consulting!! Yes, of course I’ll have a different website for that soon. Since only two people will understand what PERC is, I’ll give you a little explanation.

My dad was a percussionist and worked in the studios in LA for movie music, think the drums in Jaws, as well as a number of orchestras around LA, including the Hollywood Bowl. He had his own company, to hire himself out, and it was called Perc. Might have actually been Perc One now that I write this. Therefore, when I was trying to think of a cool name for my company, I picked that one! Had to add the ‘technology consulting’ so at least someone would know what I do. Now I have to develop a logo and I can tell you Timpani will be involved.

Well it is Saturday morning here and time to go to the gym.  YAW has had a busy week and we need to make room for tonight’s dinner! And there is one more trip required to Ikea for a bed frame. Overall we are now pretty settled in. We have a few restaurants we go to often when we want spicy Thai or German sausages but we are still looking for a good Mexican place!

Enjoy your weekend. Next weekend will be our first out of town trip. I’ll tell you that one when it happens! Ciao.