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.

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Thank you Rosemary.

R.

Go to Melbourne. My son lives there, loves it. Left UK about 15 years ago for Oz, never looked back. Tough on parents as we get older as "its a long way!" but we ourselves realise had we gone when were younger Australia a great country to live in. By comparison Bracelona also a wonderful city but two issues - you will need Catalan and future opportunities more limited although unemployment rate not as bad as rest of Spain. On the horizon the independence issue, alos unsettling for regional economy.

Nobody but you can make this decision, but unless you speak Catalan very well your social/career progression opportunities will be rather limited. Barcelona as a holiday destination and Barcelona as a place to live and work are two entirely different things. Not that it's worth anything, but my vote would be Melbourne - you know the industry, you know the city and the Australian culture is already familiar to you - earn the extra bucks and travel to Barcelona whenever you like.

I'm out oving to Spain from Manhattan (am a UK/US dual citizen). The reason I'm relocating are many...good weather year round, much closer to UK family, cheaper living, year round ability to play sports (tennis/golf). Also having so many other European cities on your doorstep. These are important to me, so just thought I'd pass this on so you can have a complete stranger provide her perspective. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I think if you read carefully your descriptions of both places, you will see that you already know which place to choose, and just need some back up. Like others, I would recommend Melbourne, for all the reasons you mention. I lived in Barcelona for about a year, some years ago. It was OK, but nothing more. Dont forget that the two places mentioned have very different cultures; Melbourne , as you know, is a culture easy to slip into , whereas Barcelona is not, unless you are Catalan.

Regarding Catalan I wouldn't agree with others. Yes it's important for some lines of business but if you are working for multinationals languages like English/German/French will give you more advantages. You can still learn Catalan along the way and many companies offer free lessons for employees.


Biggest problem of course is that salaries in Barcelona are low compared to other European Cities and living costs/housing is expensive. I couldn't live in Barcelona myself and much prefer the Wild Coast further North but I can understand why many people love the city. Then again Melbourne can be a struggle too, even with a high salary. It sounds like the next move will not be your last anyway and just depends what you personally like. You haven't even reached half of your working life and it doesn't sound like you'd settle in Melbourne either (due to family).

Do you prefer Spanish or Australian life / work balance?
Go wherever you will feel happiest.

According to the OP's post he/she made their decision days ago. Would be nice if they popped back to their threads here and on the Oz forum and told all the people who kindly offered their thoughts which city 'won'.

At your age Melbourne for sure..the only proviso is family connections.
Good luck..

I was born UK, lived (and worked) in OZ for 40+ plus years and now retiring to southern Spain. On balance I reckon I have got things in the right order but either way there will always be pro's and con's. Good luck or buena suerte whichever you prefer.....