Most people are familiar with the anxiety of receiving a single-word text, or worse — a single-letter one or a lone emoji for every reply. We all know that monosyllabic “K” means… things are not okay.

That feeling is amplified in long-distance relationships where communication is crucial — the difficulty of understanding your partner’s mood and tone through texts makes it easy for misunderstandings to occur.

Skype: every long-distance couple’s best tool for staying in close contact. While Skype calls are a great way to maintain that emotional connection, nothing ruins the mood like a bad connection.

You’ll know what we mean when you have to see your partner’s face through blurry pixels or hear sweet nothings through laggy audio.

You know you’ve nailed the long-distance thing when you throw around phrases such as “Let’s talk 6pm, your time” like it’s no big deal. Coordination schedules is taken to a whole new level, especially for couples who live in vastly different time zones. 

The hardest bit? All the sleep debt accumulated through sacrifice and compromise. Our sympathies if you’re the one who has to stay up past midnight to do a call.

Watching TV shows online have evolved into a staple in every modern couple’s routine. So it’s no surprise one of the cute little routines between long-distance partners is watching the same show at the same time, from different countries.

Admit it though: it can be quite a drag waiting to find out what happens in the next episode, if your partner isn’t available to watch it. Believe it or not, this little temptation to binge watch behind your partner’s back is an actual phenomenon called “Netflix cheating” and 46% of couples all over the world are officially guilty!

This struggle is even more real for long-distance couples, but in our opinion, the hardest part is not getting to snuggle up together on a couch for a TV marathon.

Long-distance relationships come with many struggles and obstacles, but they can be worth it if you and your partner handle them well with these tips:

• Accept that you’re not dating a telepath: don’t expect each other to be mind readers — your feelings and thoughts should be consistently and openly communicated, instead of being hidden in passive-aggressive texts.
• Add the element of surprise: don’t underestimate the power of a nice gesture, whether it’s as small as sending a postcard or as grand as a trip to surprise your partner.
• Embrace adventure together: when you do get to see each other, make every moment count by making new memories to get you through your time apart — take a road trip, go camping or even try bungee jumping!

If you’re heading overseas to study and are about to embark on a long-distance relationship, ensure some peace of mind for yourself with Global Study — it can even benefit your relationship in surprising ways!

From coverage of personal possessions such as your laptop for all the much-needed Skype calls to Adventurous Activities coverage for an extra memorable getaway when your partner comes to visit and even coverage for when the distance is too much to bear and you book a flight home that unfortunately gets delayed, who knew insurance could be the secret key to successful long-distance romance?

Find out more about Global Study here.

• Rise and shine! What time do you get up for work daily?

  A: I like to get up bright and early! I get more done before most even wake up.

  B: I get up at a comfortable time - a few hours before work so that I have time to get ready.

  C: I wake up at the very last moment and I’m always rushing to get ready.

• Who do you think you get along best with?

  A: Young, old and everyone in-between!

  B: I get along with everyone pretty well, although I sometimes have trouble understanding children and the elderly.

  C: I get along with my close friends only!

• Alright Martha Stewart wannabe, what is the best way to get a stain out from your favorite shirt?

  A: Is this is a trick question? There are different ways to get different stains out!

  B: Wet the stain with a bit of water and dab a bit of liquid detergent on the stain before throwing it into the washing machine.

  C: Just throw it in the washing machine with some bleach, it’ll come right out!

• You just found a plate of cooked broccoli from last night that you’ve not eaten. How do you make a new meal with it?

  A: I’ll work it into a stew with other veggies.

  B: Refry it with some other vegetables and chili!

  C: To be honest, I would probably just reheat it in the microwave.

• After working so hard, how many rest days do you need each week?

  A: Just a day to recharge is enough, I’m always ready to go!

  B: A two-day weekend is what I look forward to each week.

  C: I never ever have enough rest! Can we work for two days and rest for five days?

Mostly As: You are a tough domestic god yourself and can definitely take over your domestic helper’s job! Are you sure you need a helper?

Mostly Bs: You are pretty tough but you do need a bit of help sometimes. You are just like most of us!

Mostly Cs: Let’s just say your domestic helper is an essential part of your life that you should treasure!

It comes as no surprise, but being a domestic helper is really tough most of the time. We spoke to Narra, a 26 year-old Filipino domestic helper in Singapore, to find out what her challenging day is like, starting from the moment she wakes up.

“I wake up at 5am to cook breakfast and help Jordan (her employer’s 7 year-old son) get ready for school. Then I walk him to school at 7am and come back home to continue cleaning the house,” says Narra. “I’m always so sleepy!”

She then finishes her numerous tasks in the day and makes dinner by 6pm before her employers return home. It is a daily race against the clock for Narra to complete the many tasks she has quickly.

“I have to iron the clothes, climb up to wipe the windows and walls as well as cook many dishes every day. There is not enough time and I often rush. Sometimes I get into accidents because of this. My employers help me pay the medical bills, but I feel bad for troubling them.”

She leads this fast-paced and physically-demanding routine day in, day out for six days a week.

“It is sometimes very tiring to have only one rest day a week. Sometimes I don’t even have a rest day because my employer needs extra help. This makes me fall sick easily, which is troublesome for my employer because they have to find someone to help for the day,” Narra admits sheepishly.

Narra is not unique in her situation; many domestic helpers in Singapore lead the same, intense lifestyle depending on their employer’s family’s needs.

But as an employer, what can we do?

The wise Sun Tzu once said, “treat your men as you would your own beloved sons, and they will follow you into the deepest valley”. Similarly, you should care for your domestic helper’s welfare to enable them to do their job efficiently and without fear of accidents or falling sick. This way, they will feel valued and more motivated to do their best for you.

MSIG’s MaidPlus is a great first step in making both your domestic helper’s and your life easier and less stressful. MaidPlus has an enhanced medical coverage (which even covers dengue fever and TCM treatments!), and includes personal accident cover of $60,000, hospitalisation and surgical cover of up to $15,000 and reimburses your fees for finding a temporary replacement helper when your domestic helper is hospitalised. It even has coverage for your domestic helper’s personal belongings should something untoward (such as a fire) happen at home.

Find out more about MaidPlus today and make life a little easier for yourself and your domestic helper!

Sources¹https://www.mom.gov.sg/documents-and-publications/foreign-workforce-numbers

Do you hear this phrase in the office all the time? Start paying attention, because it's just as important to keep a paper trail for your insurance and document important events and information. 

If you need to change or cancel your travel plans due to an illness, make sure you get a written confirmation from a doctor to confirm that your illness was serious enough to warrant changing your travel plans. Lost your luggage? Keep calm and get written confirmation from the airline you flew with or obtain a police report. 

If you've damaged your belongings while taking public transport overseas, get a Damage Irregularity Report from the transport operator. For overseas robberies or lost items, file a police report immediately and have it translated when you submit your claims. Pro tip: try to obtain the receipt or credit card statement showing the cost of your lost or damaged items. This ensures you get compensated fairly, even when insurers have to apply a depreciation rate on your items. 

We've all done it. It's pretty harmless to procrastinate studying for exams, but it's a whole other matter to procrastinate tasks related to insurance claims. 

Don't get complacent just knowing that you have coverage - not taking extra note of the requirements could be costly mistake. For example, when filing claims, TravelEasy® customers are advised to seek medical treatment within 72 hours of returning to Singapore, to qualify for medical coverage if the injury or illness wasn't treated overseas. Similarly, for lost or stolen items, your police report must be made within 24 hours upon discovery or theft. 

This sounds obvious enough, but understanding your coverage is much more than just knowing what you're covered for. Before buying the policy, take 10 minutes of your time to properly understand the parameters of your coverage. 

For example, don't just buy a policy because it has flight delay coverage - find out how many hours of delay it covers first! If you're considering an uncommon travel destination, don't be too quick to assume your policy covers all countries. Check the list of countries covered first and if there are any known events currently affecting coverage. 

It's great that your policy covers lost belongings, but that doesn't mean everything you own is covered. Refer to your policy document for an extensive list of specific possessions that are covered and the maximum amount it will pay for. 

Lastly, get your definitions right! For policies covering "adventurous activities", find out what exactly that entails. For example, if you're climbing a mountain, your coverage may only extend up to a certain height. 

Buying travel insurance is a good first step in taking care of yourself. So take it one step further by understanding the policies you buy, in order to fully maximise its benefits. 

Voted Best Overall Value for Travel Insurance in Singapore 2019 by Seedly, TravelEasy comes with extensive coverage for a wide range of needs: cancelled and delayed flights, loss and damage of belongings and medical expenses. You also enjoy access to a 24-hour emergency helpline that can also advise you in a medical emergency. Find out more here. 

Matthew and Stephanie are meticulous and organised by nature, so it's no surprise the newly engaged couple had the renovation schedule for their upcoming home planned to a T.

Things started fine but it wasn't long before signs of trouble started appearing. "Looking back, I realise it was gradual. So maybe that's why it took a while for us to realise things were going wrong," Matthew reflected.

Tardy workers and last-minute changes eventually became workers who didn't show up at all, and in some cases, lying about their absence, as well as constant delays. The interior designer even texted at the last minute on several occasions to ask for deadline extensions.

To top things off, further delays were caused by sloppy work. "The tiles were slanted and it looked really horrible with gaps everywhere," Stephanie recalls her frustration. Eventually, the couple had to insist on a redo. All of this resulted in a total delay of nine months!

Looking back, Matthew and Stephanie concede that they could have been firmer in their dealings with the contractor. If you're faced with slipshod craftsmanship and terrible work ethic, do not be afraid to put your foot down and stand up for yourself. It helps to go into it with a clear idea of specific deliverables you will not compromise on (example: the final date of completion for all renovations).

Shirley couldn't wait to turn 35 - and finally purchase her first property. As a first-time homeowner, she wasn't sure where to start and was grateful when an acquaintance recommended her contractor.

But without having done her own research on the company, Shirley soon found herself paying dearly for the mistake. The contractor was often rude and spoke brusquely to her. On-site visitations were usually an unpleasant affair with many corrections needed. Shirley recalls having to point out uneven wall corners ("They looked so ridiculous and warped!"). As a self-confessed non-confrontational person, Shirley found this to be a double unenjoyable experience.

This started escalating when the contractor started going back on his word and demanding payment for services he had previously said was complimentary, such as patching of holes in the walls. He also started feigning ignorance about the timeline agreed on, in a bid to stall for time.

On hindsight, Shirley now says she should have ensured all correspondence was done in black and white via text or e-mail. If the agreement is verbal, she suggests doing a recap via text after.

Rizwan and his family of four were moving house and had purchased a resale flat. But before moving in, Rizwan was keen to give his family their dream home. So he engaged a contractor to renovate it and took a fairly hands-off approach when it came to supervising the work.

That's why Rizwan was shocked to visit the apartment a mere week before the agreed completion date and find the entire place in disarray. Debris, uninstalled panels and furnishings, and loose wiring were everywhere.

Upon confronting the contractor, he was asked to pay an extra $5,000 to complete the job, even though the family had already made full payment! After pursuing legal action, Rizwan eventually learnt that the company was in dire financial straits and had even vacated its office. The court case was drawn out for a long time and in the meantime, Rizwan ended up having to fork out extra money to hire a new contractor.

A crucial missing step was doing his due diligence first: even if it is through a recommendation from a trusted friend or family member, don't neglect your responsibility to find out more. Look for online reviews before hiring anyone. Some trusty websites and forums to try are Qanvast, RenoTalk and Hometrust.

Getting your home ready for living can be a long, tedious process. But don't let these horror stories deter you from building your dream home. Make all the money, time and care you've invested into your house worth it with sufficient protection.

With Enhanced HomePlus^®, your home sweet home enjoys coverage of up to $270,000 on household contents, belongings and... renovations (of course!) when they are affected by events such as natural disasters and theft. Find out more about Enhanced HomePlus here.

The Joker Stairs may be a touchy issue for New Yorkers in the Bronx, who have expressed mixed feelings about the spike in visitorship. Thankfully, DC fans can always check out this alternative location nearby, without disturbing the peace of the neighbourhood.

Embark on a New York location tour of the various locations featured in the critically acclaimed Christopher Nolan film The Dark Knight Rises. It's an incredibly fun and immersive way of picking up surprising trivia about the settings of your favourite scenes. For example, did you know that the entrance of Wayne Enterprises is actually Trump Tower? You'll also discover that the JP Morgan building at Wall Street was transformed into the Gotham City Stock Exchange where Bane launched a memorable attack.

Heard of "Tolkien tourism"? This phenomenon of Lord of the Rings fans travelling to places of significance in the fantasy book and film series has its own name - it's even contributed to a huge rise in New Zealand's tourism numbers. With a new TV series adaptation of it in the works, now's a great time to revisit the wonderous universe of Middle Earth.

Daily tours are organized to take you through instantly recognizable locations such as the Shire, home of the hobbits. It also offers opportunities to explore nature as you visit Kaitoke Regional Park, an enchantingly gorgeous locale featured in the films.

Plus, get a closer look at the magic of it all with the Weta Cave Workshop Tour, where you discover the processes, props and creativity behind the films. Feeling more adventurous? Hop on a helicopter for a tour with a bird's eye view of vast, stunning New Zealand landscapes featured in the films, such as River Anduin and the Southern Lakes.

Most people think about Seoul when they talk about South Korea, so it may come as a surprise to know that one of Marvel's biggest hits filmed some of its scenes in the city of Busan!

Drop by Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea's biggest seafood market, for some fresh finds - and soak up the atmosphere of the starting point of one of Black Panther's exciting car chase sequence, where T'Challa's car crashed into a poor vendor's stall, with squids flying everywhere.

Let's not forget that jaw-dropping slo-mo explosion on Gwangan Bridge, stretching over 7.4km and brilliantly illuminated by thousands of colourful LED lights. Cruise along it on a leisurely drive at night for the optimal experience.

Arguably one of the most successful TV series in history, Game of Thrones finally ended with its last season this year. The massive scale and budget of this HBO masterpiece allowed for scenes to be filmed in a wide range of exotic places from Iceland to Spain where numerous locations were used.

But the ultimate must-visit for fans is Croatian cities, Dubrovnik and Sibenik. Paved with limestone and surrounded by towering stone walls, they offer the picture-perfect setting for many key scenes in Games of Thrones. This includes the intense Battle of the Blackwater, Queen Cersei's buzzworthy walk of shame and the mysterious land of Braavos. Dubrovnik is even the location of the Red Keep, home of the Iron Throne!

Visiting the filming location for your favourite movie of TV show is a great way to add some excitement and glamour to your holiday. But don't forget to give yourself protection that's fit for the stars with TravelEasy^®.

With coverage extending to most countries worldwide, the sky's the limit. Plus, enjoy extensive coverage with over 50 benefits, including emergency medical evacuation, delayed departure and even entertainment tickets! Find out more here.