Moving to Australia?

I met with my PML last week. For those of you not familiar with the inner workings of my Company that is a partner who serves in a guidance role for your career. We hadn’t met before so I had mixed emotions about it. I liked my old one a lot and he had gotten me into the gig I wanted so I had no complaints. We were forced to switch from managers to partners so this would be interesting.

As we sit and talk we end up having some random things in common. His wife is from the city my grandparents have lived most of their lives and where my father was raised. The pastor that married them is the church pastor of the church my grandparents attend. I worked on the pastor’s house for a summer and knew the pastor fairly well. We talk about my goals and he asks me if I am interested in overseas travel. Of course I am, but I state not until manager because I’ve heard that it is best to wait financially.

He stops me, and says that he left his 2nd year as senior (would be next year for me) and went to Australia. Told me how it changed his life. The weird thing is that I have wanted to go to Australia or thought about it for about 5 months now. If you don’t know me that well; I’m a big believer in synchronicities which is that things happen that lead you toward the correct path. If something is right then you start to see signs.

Let me briefly go over the weird things that have happened:
• Started rock climbing found out that really good climbing/outdoor activities in Australia/New Zealand. Become interested in visiting
• Started teaching Sunday School where the director is from Australia
• Toyed with playing rugby again
• Almost schedule a month long trip to Australia but decided last minute to hit up Europe because it was cheaper
• Get involved in foreign accounting (IFRS) which places me on an Australian client
• Have a performance partner that lived in Australia for two years

He lets me know that Australia is awesome, he knows tons of people with the firm in Sydney, and he recommends going while I’m young so I don’t have to put my life on hold knowing that a 1-2 year foreign trip is coming along. Wow, take a deep breath. He lets me know that we will revisit in 9 months and if I’m down he’ll get me involved in the global mobility program and we’ll do it.

This puts a kink in my plans as I was going to take the GMAT and explore doing a doctoral accounting program. Working in a foreign country was more of a 3 or 4 year down the road plan if I stayed in public accounting. This changes things and in a big way. It’s something I have dreamed about doing, and to have someone who has been there in the exact same situation as me makes it a lot more tangible.
So perhaps in a year I will be sitting here talking about my preparations for Australia. As I set and thought about that and the many ideas I have had I was thankful. I’m in a place right now where there are so many options for me that. Which one will I choose? Which one should I choose?