SarahMay/Qiuling: well, i'm quite indept. 5 yrs ago, I managed my entire wedding, reno and honeymoon myself cos my hb was then working abroad too
I've many friends like Qiuling who spent their pregnancies alone (sometimes with an elder tod in tow) in SG while their hbs are working overseas. Overseas, there are even more expat wives whose hb travels weekly in their city of posting that they hardly get to spend time with their wives anyway. So to me, there is little diff whether or not I live in SH or in SG lor...
Was visualising with hb last nite if I had to move back to SH and be a tai tai till my EDD...Concluded that I'd need to factor in airfare (SIN-SHA = $1K+/-) per month to see my TMC gynae (I've already signed up package with him). I'd be watching cable tv at home, going to the nearby eateries and supermarkets myself, chitchating with my ayi (maid) daily, going to the condo's pool and gym occasionally, while my hb is travelling all over China as usual...
Hmm, I think I'm better off living in SG with my weekly tonic soups from MIL, weekend feasts at my folks' place, SGD monthly salary + CPF in SG, welfare benefits, monthly cab fare of $700, readily available healthcare at TMC, friends and colleagues to keep me occupied, shopping for maternity clothes at high street stores as and when I want, eating laksa and char kway teow at my own freewill, etc.
In SH, where there is an estimated population of 20mil, I'd be avoiding the malls in the weekends.
If he really can't get his transfer approved (cos he is pretty high level and 'indispensable' in their China office), then he'll just hv to take 2 weeks leave to be with me lor
Bo bian...