Yep, some great points made especially by cherry girl.
I just would like to add, you might need to manage your expectations though. Despite, Singapore’s push to be Asia’s creative hub, the mindset for design is still remarkably Asian.
I think it will be a long while before Asia can move to a level as the west in terms of how it will treats and deal with its designers.
In terms of working like a slave, lets be realistic here. A design consultancy in Asia and in the West is no different. If there is a job or work that needs to be done, it has to be done. Design work is about budgets and time lines, this is a fact of life, no matter which part of the world you are from.