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[testingthewaters]

This is a hard decision, and obviously, you will be the only one who can make that decision. I'm not in history, so take the following with the requisite grain of salt.

I've been where you are (approximately). If your (collective) goal really is to both find TT positions, then you do need to be looking at this from the perspective of the number of universities in proximity to where you are. I'm pretty sure Europe will win on that, even if you are in a remote corner- if there is an airport and/or train station close by and you are willing to be elsewhere on weekdays, you can connect pretty much any corner of Europe with another.

From what I'm seeing here, your worst case scenario if you stay is essentially the same as if you go: a few years down the line, you are still unemployed, but spouse is employed. Honestly, a permanent position at a European university is something I'd be loathe to give up... basically that job is locked-in and secure unless the sky starts falling around your ears in bits and pieces, and generally the benefits are excellent.

You don't say exactly how long you've been in your current place; if it's the 8 months you mention, well, that feels like ages but isn't actually that long. The upheaval of moving to Australia will set you back a huge chunk of time (I'd reckon 6 months or so before you have residence permits sorted out, are there, have a place to live, a school for your child, etc etc etc), during which it will be hard to impossible to find a job. Not to mention that the move will likely put you further into debt, which is obviously something you do not want to do now. Even if the department in Australia will help on moving expenses, it never covers 100%.

I'd be inclined to stay in Europe and give it some more time.


On a more cynical practical note, I'm inclined to agree with jackalope. One of you needs to start doing something more financially rewarding if you are ever going to get out of debt. The way the cards are stacked now, it's looking like that might be you. The harsh reality is that you need to start thinking about an exit strategy- what else can you do outside of academia that will earn some money? Can the historians chime in with suggestions- maybe something that can be done at a distance/online?

[square]

It sounds like a very tough decision to make, and it is one that you and your partner will have to make yourselves. There is some good advice given here. What strikes me is something said above by testingthewaters, which resonates with my own experiences of dealing with the transition time it takes when you move to a new country and take on a new post.

If the length of time that you have been in Europe is 8 months, that is a very short amount of time. How much of that have you spent networking in the area where you live, or in broader Europe? When I moved overseas, I spent the first period (+6 mo.) in a state of transition. It can take well over a year to really get roots with where you live, meet others and network with the university system, learn the places to search for posts, etc. Moving to another country will have a similar transition period, one that carries with it a lot of start-up costs, as you say. If you're already in debt, I don't necessarily know that this is the best timing to pile on more debt. As you say, you have a post for 6 months with possibilities of extension. It's a little worrying that this is linked with funding. Six months is a very short time, especially considering that you'll be trying to figure out your new housing, neighborhood, school for your children, the univ. system, possibilities for the future, your husband's new post and your own new job! Given all of this, I'd say that you might want to consider carefully staying in Europe a little longer. Good luck!