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Difficult decision: Melbourne or Barcelona


sarens

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Hi All,

tomorrow I have quite an important decision to make and would like to have your views.

I am in my late thirties , not married , have been working in Berlin in the last three years (previously 4 in Melbourne) but I am now in the process of leaving the country cause I never got to terms with the depressing weather and the general coldness of the people. 
 
I have had some jobs interviews and have now two good job offers, one in Barcelona and one in Melbourne. The decision is quite difficult cause the positive and negative sides of each option are comparable.

If I chose Melbourne offer, it would be going back to my previous employer , working on the same project but with a manager role and six figures salary $$$ so bringing my career forward. Melbourne is a city that I love , I have spend almost 4 years there and they were probably the best of my life.
Moreover by going back to Australia I could renew my PR Visa for another five years otherwise I would soon not qualify for  a RRV and probably would break any future possibility to work and live in australia.
One downside is the fact that I could feel like going back to the past working for the same Project and another one is clearly the distance and soon or later I know I will feel the pull to come back to Europe and being closer to my family which considering my age and my wish to start a family could mess things up.

Barcelona offer would be a completely new job (different industry) in a big american multinational, doing something completely new is exciting  but the role would not be a real progression.However the company is very big and I think I could move up quickly given the chance.
 The salary would be much lower than Australia probably about half and even less than what I am earning now in germany. Barcelona is tempting as a city to live with sea (important for me) but I have only visited it for few days and never lived there before so not sure I would really like it. Good plus is  closeness to europe and my family. 

I know it always comes down to personal values but I would like to hear your opinions  especially if you were in a similar situation or if you have ever lived in Spain.

Thanks,

R.
 
Edited by sarens
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Both great cities IMO.

Do a pros & cons list for each, it should help clarify your thinking.

Barca may be harder to integrate into due to language (start learning catalan).  You need to compare salary with cost fo living so you are looking at the net position.  Barca will be a lot cheaper to live in than Melbourne so you may be able to afford to take the lower salary.

How important is it to you to maintain your Australian PR (and maybe get citizenship)?  Realistically, if you chose Barca, it is probably goodbye to that.

It would be awesome to be able to visit the Nou Camp regularly though.

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Guest The Pom Queen

I would opt for Melbourne although the downside is the distance from family and friends. You could go back and secure your citizenship and look at it as a temporary measure. Personally, although I love to try new things I would be tempted to go back to work for a company that I liked and knew the trade. 

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First of all thanks for all your answers with different point of views which have helped me seeing things from different perspectives.

For those of you (The Pom Queen for sure..) who are curious about my decision...well, I have accepted the job in Melbourne.

I was ready to leave some money behind and go to Spain but all in all the risk of regretting the choice was bigger than going to Melbourne.

Thanks.

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