Crazier things have happened, I believe, than what you envision your life as being. You have all my support. Don't let the rat-race chew you up, even if it may spit you out. The lack of blue-collar work for locals who might want it is definitely an issue that deserves to be looked at, as is Singapore's dogged and merciless insistence on paper qualifications.
You're getting there, at any rate. Very slowly, but with your work ethic there's no way you can actually fail.
The only way to fail, after all, is to give up. Thanks for baring this. It seems extremely personal, and it couldn't have been easy.
Thanks. With all the stories I have in mind, success is guaranteed. The only variable is how long it'll take.
With that said, figuring out how to survive long enough to get there remains an interesting exercise.