The good things in my life right now are:

  1. My family
  2. My dog Snoop
  3. My friends and my social life
  4. My job

How would I feel if that last thing fell off the list? That’s something that I will be contemplating in the coming months. Let’s start from the beginning …

I interviewed for a job in Perth that I thought I would stay with for at least 2 to 3 years. A few days before I started the job, I was told that the company was bought by a bigger company based in Melbourne. Over the following months, it became clear that the emphasis and infrastructure will be concentrated in Melbourne.

Several colleagues are already firmed up to move over east. The company may still have a presence in Perth but I would imagine my job will no longer exist, at least not in Perth. And I’m most certain that I will not be moving. Which is a shame because I really like the job. I’m fitting in really well and the people are a great bunch to work with.

The main reason for me not moving is that giving up the three things in life that make me happy now, for the same amount of pay does not feel like a good exchange to me. Unlike a job, those things are not easily replaced. If I’m unhappy with my life, I wouldn’t think twice about moving. But I’m not.

Perhaps I can be a little bit more ambitious? Although a career and money may allow me to continue living, they don’t define my life. I’m not money hungry and I’m not a workaholic. Should I be? What for when I’m already happy?

Perhaps I should expand my horizons? I don’t feel the need to though. I had been to Sydney and Tokyo on work trips before, and I’ve seen the way friends and family work in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The Asian worker bee mentality is not for me. And Sydney life is hectic compared to Perth. When I was there for work, I was tired out just from the commute. I know I’m probably spoilt by the lifestyle in Perth but I don’t feel ashamed to admit it - life is good here!

Perhaps more career growth and money over east? Not true anymore. Perth is the Australian boom town now for at least the next 20 years, with China buying our natural resources a big reason for it.

And I’m an urban person at heart. No matter which city I’d land in my lifestyle will probably be the same anyway: work, socialise, and party. Which means I’d end up doing the same things in the same kind of environments. So why move when I’ve got all of that sorted out here?

Did I write all this to convince myself that my pending decision is the right one? A little maybe. But it’s more to preempt the questions that some people will inevitably ask. Oh, and if you say that moving away from Perth will give me a better chance of finding a girlfriend, you either don’t know me very well or you haven’t been reading this blog long enough. ;)

p.s. I love holidaying in your cities and I’m not dissing them. But living and working are completely different things from holidaying.