Whew!  It’s been a minute since I’ve blogged because, well, you saw it in the title:

I’m moving to Australia!

Now now, I know what you’re saying, “Andy, is this like the time in 2016 you told us you were moving to Singapore and then never actually moved to Singapore and never mentioned it again until just now when you told us you were moving to Australia?”  Well, yes, it’s just like that, so far, but this one is really going to happen I think!

Why I’m Moving

What’s the occasion, you ask?  Well, work!  My full-time career is in finance (I pronounce it
‘FY-nance’, not like the posh ‘fuh-NANCE’ people, don’t worry) as many of you know.  Over the past 10 months, we started discussing what was next for my career and if doing an expat stint might make sense.  I just turned 40 and was in a good life-stage to go on an adventure, so we all decided to pull the trigger and make it happen!

I’ll be based in our Sydney office but will cover all of APAC, so lots of travel to places like Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Japan.  

Why I’m Excited

Professionally this is going to be a great move for me and put me in a growing region where I can make an impact.  I’m very content at my company and this will put me in more of a proactive, tip-of-the-spear role, which will challenge me in new ways and allow me to flex some of the muscles I’ve been building over the past 15 years of my career here.

Personally, I’m excited for the change of scenery.  I love Dallas and I love Texas, but I’ve been in Dallas for almost 18 years.  I’m still single and, boy let me tell you, dating in Dallas in your late 30’s is TOUGH.  My family is in good health and they’re mostly supportive of the move, so it’s a good time for it all!

I’ve initially committed to two years, and we’ll see what happens after that!  

Why I’m Nervous

I mean I’m picking up my life and moving it to Australia!  I keep telling my mom it’s only one flight away but, in fairness, it’s a pretty long flight.

Expat life is great but can also be incredibly challenging, especially considering the extreme time zone difference between Australia and Texas, where most of my family and friends are located.  It’s going to be a big adjustment, but I’m expecting that.  I’ve been lucky enough through this blog and through my random various networks to know quite a few expats and they’ve all done a good job helping me prepare.

What’s Next?

Well, a lot!  We’re still waiting for the visa to be finalized, which should happen fairly soon.  After that, there will be a flurry of activity before the Big Flight down there.  I’ve had to work through a lot, which is why I’ve been quiet on here lately.  

As it relates to this blog, stay tuned for plenty of Becoming an Expat content, specifically around what airline status I kept and why, what my status and credit card strategy will be after I move, and how I’ll try to maximize the expenses the best I can!

Thanks to all of you for coming with me, can’t wait to share more!