East vs. West

There is no debate about how banking in Asia makes Europe look not just antiquated, but entrenched in the dark ages. Unlike my experience with HSBC in London (where it took the "post" with the relevant paperwork 3 working days to make it's way through the building to my relationship manner because the scanned copies weren't good enough in this day and age), I've been told it'll take 10 working days to set up my account here and have a welcome package ready for me by then. We shall see.

My Employment Pass (EP) takes longer than I thought but my HR assures me it's just the new year rush. Hmmmmm. I need that to be able to open a bank account. I draw money for my goodwill deposit on the flat from London, and hope that EP happens sooner rather than later, because I now clearly need to have local funds to lean on.

No sign of the EP but instead, there's a fat envelope on my desk. My curiosity turns to bewilderment.... it's a debit card, and a second envelope holds the pin. Hmmmmm. Curious. So now I have a card for an account somewhere on this island with no money in it. The next day offers up a cheque book. I blithely offer to write cheques to people who have bought concert tickets for me. This could be fun (notwithstanding potential punitive assessment by the State for bounced cheques).

I am now in possession of weapons of spending with no backing. How very classic 21st century American.

P.S. - My befuddled query to my Indian relationship manager yields a surreptitious call (apparently sending anything in writing would contravene the Geneva convention, 3482 RBI regulations, and rock the Singaporean government on its heels) with details of my new bank account, customer number and local relationship manager. So much for dire warnings that HSBC here wasn't good!