Spenceley Family Wanted Down Under Revisited


Spenceley Family

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If you held a lifelong dream to return to the country

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you were born in,

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how would you convince your husband to follow you?

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Especially if moving would mean losing the close family bonds

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he has at home?

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In 2014, Gentle Spenceley

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was hoping to persuade husband, Phil, to uproot

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their life in the UK and move to New Zealand.

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Today we'll find out how and where they are now.

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Gentle Spenceley was desperate to live in New Zealand.

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I feel like it's more of a home to me than England.

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But husband Phil didn't share the dream.

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'There's just something that's not quite'

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joining all the dots in my head.

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A week down under enabled Phil to confront practical concerns...

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-It's not really achievable at the moment.

-..and emotional fears.

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'You do feel a sense of responsibility

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'towards your parents.'

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Two years on, are the family in the UK or down under?

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It's always difficult to say 100% where your future lies.

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Boasting some of the most spectacular scenery on earth

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and a relaxed way of life,

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New Zealand has been popular with British families

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seeking a new home since the 19th century.

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Around 9,000 families emigrate there every year,

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seeking their dream lifestyle in a country the same size as the UK but

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with a fraction of the population.

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Gentle Spenceley left New Zealand with her parents

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when she was only six months old

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and she'd felt cheated out of a life down under ever since.

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In 2014 she faced just one week to encourage Phil

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to give up everything they knew in the UK

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for a new life on the other side of the world.

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The family's journey began with a marathon 24-hour flight from London

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to Auckland via Singapore.

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A trip that is often tricky with a young child in tow.

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Harrison did sleep a bit. So...

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Our big concern was that distance with the 20-month-old.

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And he was really good.

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With Harrison well-behaved,

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Phil had had plenty of time in the air to do some thinking.

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Trying to imagine parents and things doing that journey,

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in a confined space for 24 hours,

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-you kind of think it's going to be quite hard for them.

-Yeah.

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Gentle was delighted to be back in the country that held her heart.

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'Feels a bit unreal to be here.'

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We've got to get down to business

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'and make some decisions.'

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The coming week would be crucial in helping Phil decide if he could find

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the courage to make the move down under.

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Back in the UK, the Spenceleys

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were living in the pretty village of Worminghall in Buckinghamshire

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with son, Harrison, who was then one.

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The family had a comfortable life in the countryside but Gentle was

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convinced things could be even better in New Zealand,

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the country where she was born.

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I feel like it would've been great to have grown up there and when my

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parents had me they came back to England

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and they stopped travelling,

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so I feel like I missed out a bit of what they got.

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Husband Phil was aware of Gentle's dream.

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It's something that I've known right from when we first met.

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When we first met she was saving up to go travelling in New Zealand.

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After meeting Phil, Gentle spent a gap year in New Zealand

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which had fuelled her longing to return there for good.

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'I very much felt like I belonged there and I could quite easily fit

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'into that way of life.'

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She came back and she said that she really wanted to one day live out

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-there and make a go of it.

-Dinner's ready.

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With Phil in the middle of his studies,

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it wasn't the right time to make the move.

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But on tying the knot a few years later,

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Gentle hoped a honeymoon in the country

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would persuade her new husband it was where they should set up home.

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I was hoping to take him out there and show him how amazing it was

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and it didn't really work like that.

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Three weeks down under failed to convince Phil.

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I was really disappointed and I came back

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from the holiday feeling

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a bit deflated about it.

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I just tried to focus on what we had in England

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and just think that right, OK, one day maybe, one day.

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Gentle's dreams were crushed and rather than moving

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to the other side of the world,

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the couple moved into the English countryside.

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Harrison's birth in 2012 put thoughts of New Zealand

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on the back burner for Gentle,

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but a year later it was Phil who didn't feel quite at home.

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'I don't know why, there's just something

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'that I've never felt'

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100% settled.

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Seizing the moment, Gentle believed it was time for Phil

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to reconsider New Zealand as somewhere they could call home.

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The main reason I want to go out to New Zealand

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is just to enjoy the Kiwi way of life and for Harrison

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to experience that as well.

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I think he will really thrive out there.

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But even though Phil wasn't sold on where the family lived,

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moving to the other side of the world seemed too big a leap.

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If the decision was down to Gentle she'd say,

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"Yeah, let's just sell up and go out there anyway and live life,

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"what's the worst that can happen?"

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I can't in my head imagine how we could just sell up

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-and move out there.

-Come on, then.

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Phil feared a move could rob his family

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of the financial stability they had in the UK.

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And about the effects emigrating would have on his parents.

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'The idea of taking their only grandson'

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away from them, that's going to be really difficult,

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leaving them behind.

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Gentle understood breaking the bond Harrison

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had with her extended family would be hard, too.

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My mum and dad are really close to Harrison.

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'They love him very much and I think it would break their heart,'

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I think, if we did take him so far away.

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But she was prepared to pay the emotional cost of moving

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and feared the consequences if Phil couldn't be persuaded.

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I would worry that I'd feel resentful.

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I feel like it's more of a home to me, necessarily, than England.

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There is some pressure on me.

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I don't want to be the person to say no, to ruin her dream.

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Gentle knew their trial week would be her last chance to persuade Phil

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to overcome his fears and make her dream come true.

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For their trial week down under,

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the Spenceleys stayed in a two bedroom house in Titirangi,

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a small suburb west of Auckland.

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And straightaway, Gentle felt at home.

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-Wow!

-Oh, wow!

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Look at this, Harrison.

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-What a view.

-Look at that view.

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Look at the kitchen!

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You're not going to complain about doing washing up.

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There's a swimming pool.

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-Big puddle.

-PARENTS:

-It's a big puddle, yeah.

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-Everyone liked what they saw.

-The house is amazing.

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It's beautiful. The views are spectacular.

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Gentle was excited about the next few days.

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It would be really amazing if we could come out here

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and give it a go.

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But Phil was feeling anxious.

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What I'm most nervous about is the fact that this next week could

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completely change our lives.

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There's just so many questions unanswered, so many unknowns.

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And...so much riding on it.

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In the UK, the Spenceleys lived in a modern three-bedroom house

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in Buckinghamshire.

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And they'd worked hard to put their stamp on it.

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So we put everything new in, floors painted throughout.

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-Double glazing.

-Kitchen, bathroom.

-New kitchen, bathroom.

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It took a little while to get done but we're, yeah,

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we're happy with it.

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So what kind of property in New Zealand would make it worth

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giving up a house they'd made a home?

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My dream home would be at least three bedrooms.

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I'd really like to have a kitchen-diner.

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To be able to cook and socialise would be lovely.

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I'd probably like a separate living area as well as...

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I wouldn't like everything open-plan.

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Phil and Gentle had around £300,000 for a home in New Zealand.

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To see what their money could buy, we showed them three properties,

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two based on budget and a third based on the dream home.

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Only after they'd seen each one did they find out its value.

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Harrison was looked after by a childminder

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while the couple started their search in Titirangi.

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A thriving centre filled with cafes, markets and galleries,

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the area offered Gentle the village life she was used to.

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And just eight miles from Auckland city centre

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meant a convenient commute for Phil.

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But would this modern three-bedroom house be enough to persuade

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him to make the move?

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-Wow!

-UNCLEAR SPEECH

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-Nice.

-Really nice, I like the open-plan kitchen.

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This just feels like it's one big room.

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Hmm, Gentle would have a hard job getting her husband excited.

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-Bathroom.

-Oh, it's a nice size.

-Yeah.

-Got a walk-in shower

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and a bath. Nice. That's an interesting bath, isn't it?

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-It is.

-Doesn't look very comfortable.

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-It's a bit odd.

-But it's nice and stylish.

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-Gentle was determined to look for the positive.

-This is nice.

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This must be the master bedroom. Or, I suppose, like a guest.

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-It's probably the master bedroom.

-Yeah. En-suite.

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Yeah. I really like the little seating area as well.

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Probably use it as storage with the amount of stuff we've got.

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What's down here? Hidden little room. Funny door.

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You could make it into a little like annexe sort of thing

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for someone staying.

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I don't think it's big enough for that.

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The hidden room might not be large enough for guests,

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but was the garden a perfect fit for the family?

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-There isn't a huge amount you could really do.

-No.

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Phil wasn't impressed.

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But this is nice, it's nice to be able to eat your dinner outside.

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It's quite private, really.

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Gentle was definitely more sold than Phil.

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But with £300,000 to spend, would the price change his mind?

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So, how much do you think it's worth?

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I reckon it's at the top end of our budget, so maybe £300,000?

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First house, I'm going to be a bit more conservative, maybe 275?

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It was time to find out.

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-I was pretty close.

-You were pretty close.

-So 297,320.

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Obviously, it would have been better if you were right.

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I was probably looking for maybe a little bit more sparkle or a little

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bit more something to pull me in.

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The house was on budget, but Phil wasn't budging.

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The second property would need to deliver much more to keep Gentle's

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dream on track. Next stop, the rural village of Swanson,

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a small community just a ten-minute drive from the beach.

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With a wide range of outdoor activities nearby,

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the area should have appealed to Gentle's sense of adventure,

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but would the house win Phil over?

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-It's a bungalow.

-Yes.

-One level.

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Fibreboard again.

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Hopefully inside would prove impressive.

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-This is nice and big.

-Yes, that's a good size, isn't it?

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It was all good.

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It's quite big, actually.

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-Yeah, bigger than it looked like it was going to be.

-Wow.

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-You've got plenty of space.

-Yes.

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There's a utility room. That's really handy.

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Yes, keep that all separate.

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They were in agreement, but not for long.

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I think it needs maybe a bit more work than the last one did.

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Not much, it's just cosmetic.

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I don't know whether I agree with that,

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but I think the kitchen possibly doesn't suit quite

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the way you'd want it to work.

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You haven't got so much of that open space.

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That suits me slightly better.

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It looked like Gentle was willing to compromise on open-plan living

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and four good-sized bedrooms gave her even more to smile about.

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-Master bedroom.

-This must be the master bedroom.

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It's got en suite.

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-But no storage.

-It's got a walk-in wardrobe as well.

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-Wow.

-That's why there's no storage.

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Oh, look. Light bulb mirror.

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Like being in a theatre.

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Hopefully there wouldn't be any drama when the couple headed out

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to the garden. Did it have the space Phil was looking for?

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This is really cute, isn't it?

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You've got all the trees and things and, obviously, the cicadas, really.

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The beetles. Yeah, they make a lot of noise. I really like that noise.

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But I'm not sure even a soundtrack from the beetles was cutting it with

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Phil. And with £300,000 to spend, was the house within reach?

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So what do you think about the price?

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It's really hard. I reckon about...

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285,000.

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I think you're probably right, I think it's probably in that, 285.

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285, yeah.

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Time to turn the card and find out.

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-OK. That's more.

-£310,000.

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It's a bit more, but then you are getting a lot more.

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That's really as much as we would like to go to, isn't it?

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Yes, you would probably have to spend a bit

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to get it in the way that we would want it to be.

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If Phil could secure a well-paid job, £10,000 wasn't a deal-breaker,

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but the property was still far from the couple's perfect house.

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Next, Gentle and Phil headed to what should be their dream home,

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situated in the exclusive suburb of West Harbour.

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Close to the marina and with good primary schools and local amenities

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nearby, this modern four-bedroom family home

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should have been a perfect fit.

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OK.

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Yes, oh, wow.

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-This is really nice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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Straight through to outside.

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-Nice entertaining area.

-Nice big barbie.

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That's a really nice swimming pool, isn't it?

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Would this be the house to encourage Phil to take the plunge?

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This is the sort of thing that I was thinking of

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when we were looking at properties.

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I think the kitchen's all right.

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It's not really what we'd want, but the space is nice, isn't it?

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-And we've got enough storage.

-Yes.

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And, yes, I really like the way you can just watch TV.

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But then Gentle started spotting flaws.

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Bathroom. Walk-in shower.

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It's not quite to our taste, but it is nice enough.

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It is more than enough.

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Hopefully the spacious master bedroom

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would be to both their taste.

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-Oh, wow.

-En-suite.

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-Walk-in wardrobe.

-Oh, walk-in wardrobe, nice.

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-Plenty of space.

-This will be all mine.

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It's nice being able to come out of the bedroom onto this bit again.

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Phil's enthusiasm was definitely a step in the right direction,

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but would everything change when he discovered how much the house cost?

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It's got to be £450,000 upwards.

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I think probably about the same.

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£440,000.

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I think that's reasonable for the house, I think it's...

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Because the area is really nice.

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Really nice area.

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But it's not really achievable at the moment.

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Gentle and Phil's property search had been a real eye-opener.

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Despite being affordable, property one lacked the wow factor for Phil.

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The second was more in line with the layout Phil favoured,

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but not quite to Gentle's taste.

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But the third house had appealed to both,

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even if achieving it

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meant adding £140,000 to their budget.

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So when it came to property,

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had Phil and Gentle seen enough to be sold on New Zealand?

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New Zealand.

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Undecided.

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I think that it's not that much different

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from what you can get in England.

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But that last house kind of swayed it for me a bit,

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-just because...

-Yeah, I thought it would.

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..it shows the potential of what we could get in the future.

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To get the sort of house I'd really like is going to be quite difficult

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back home, whereas over here it doesn't seem such a big step up.

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The reality of what they could afford in Auckland

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had dented Gentle's enthusiasm,

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but the dream home had persuaded Phil New Zealand could be

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an option for their family's future,

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providing they could find well-paid jobs.

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In the UK, Phil was earning around £80,000

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as a senior software developer.

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And he was concerned about finding a similar job

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in New Zealand.

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'The ideal role for me would be'

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to get something that I do that means

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I can incorporate one of my hobbies.

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'I spend a bit of time with music technology.

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'It's something that is challenging for me as well,'

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I do like a bit of a technical challenge.

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A stay-at-home mum,

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Gentle was ready to return to her career as a veterinary nurse.

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I wouldn't want to do full-time

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necessarily, because I think I would miss looking after Harrison.

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But it would be good to get that sense of independence

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and also to get to know people out there.

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Exploring work opportunities in New Zealand was vital for Phil.

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We've got a good life back home, so we don't want to impact that

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and make ourselves worse off coming here.

0:17:390:17:42

-Hey, you must be Phil.

-Hi, yes.

0:17:420:17:43

Phil wanted to combine work with his passion for music,

0:17:430:17:46

so we'd arranged for him to visit a music software company

0:17:460:17:49

to meet senior developer Young Lee.

0:17:490:17:52

Based on my skills and experience, do you think I would be able to work

0:17:520:17:55

for a music software development company?

0:17:550:17:57

Music software development is very, very specific.

0:17:570:18:01

So if you're willing to kind of learn from the beginning,

0:18:010:18:03

then you could kind of look at one of the entry jobs.

0:18:030:18:05

Starting a new career in music software

0:18:050:18:07

meant a junior job and a smaller salary.

0:18:070:18:10

In New Zealand, graduates out of uni

0:18:100:18:13

get about 50 to 60,000 New Zealand dollars.

0:18:130:18:16

Intermediate people get about 80,000.

0:18:160:18:20

And senior developers usually get between 90 and 110,000.

0:18:200:18:26

That was about £30,000 if Phil started at the bottom,

0:18:260:18:30

less than half what he earned in the UK,

0:18:300:18:32

meaning Gentle would definitely need

0:18:320:18:34

to return to veterinary nursing in New Zealand.

0:18:340:18:38

We'd arranged for her to meet Doctor Gary Cousins at a small clinic

0:18:380:18:41

in Henderson Valley.

0:18:410:18:42

Hello.

0:18:420:18:43

-Hi, Gentle.

-I'm Gentle.

0:18:430:18:44

-Nice to meet you.

-Thank you.

0:18:440:18:46

Hello, Kelly.

0:18:460:18:47

That's a good response.

0:18:470:18:49

Gentle was ready to talk business.

0:18:490:18:51

Is there a high demand for nurses over here,

0:18:510:18:53

or is it quite difficult to get a job?

0:18:530:18:56

It's actually quite a sought-after job,

0:18:560:19:00

as the jobs come up and disappear very quickly

0:19:000:19:02

and sometimes it's who you know.

0:19:020:19:04

But putting your face in front of people and dropping off CVs

0:19:040:19:08

is well worthwhile.

0:19:080:19:09

Finding a job could take some work, but would the salary prove worth it?

0:19:090:19:14

How much would you be likely to earn part-time?

0:19:140:19:16

Well, it works on an hourly rate of about 15,

0:19:160:19:19

in New Zealand, an hour.

0:19:190:19:20

It was less than she would earn in the UK,

0:19:200:19:23

but not by enough to put her off.

0:19:230:19:25

Just depends on, you know, cost of living and childcare and stuff.

0:19:250:19:29

Childcare costs would prove key.

0:19:290:19:32

Meanwhile, Phil had hung up his headphones to discuss other software

0:19:320:19:36

options with recruitment specialist Cara Smith.

0:19:360:19:39

Is there much in the way of opportunities at the moment?

0:19:390:19:42

Definitely. You would probably be happy to know that senior software

0:19:420:19:45

developers are quite in demand

0:19:450:19:47

and one of the hardest to find skill sets.

0:19:470:19:49

Providing financial stability for his family was one of Phil's biggest

0:19:490:19:53

concerns. So the ability to earn a good salary was essential.

0:19:530:19:57

So we would typically see a salary range of between,

0:19:570:20:00

for a senior software developer,

0:20:000:20:02

between 90,000 and 110,000 New Zealand dollars

0:20:020:20:05

per annum as a base salary.

0:20:050:20:07

-OK.

-We are certainly seeing pressure on the salaries upwards,

0:20:070:20:10

because they have to keep hold of their talent.

0:20:100:20:12

OK, so there's a potential for things to go up a bit in the future.

0:20:120:20:15

Potential.

0:20:150:20:17

It was a positive outcome for Phil, so how did their day impact

0:20:170:20:21

on the choice between work in the UK and New Zealand?

0:20:210:20:25

-New Zealand.

-UK.

0:20:310:20:33

I felt like I had to vote for England in a practical sense,

0:20:330:20:36

because there is more demand for nurses out there,

0:20:360:20:39

they get paid more out there,

0:20:390:20:40

but it doesn't mean I would rather work in England than New Zealand.

0:20:400:20:43

And I voted New Zealand, because the market is really good

0:20:430:20:46

over here at the moment and, so, there's a lot of demand

0:20:460:20:50

for somebody with my skills.

0:20:500:20:52

Their week back in New Zealand

0:20:570:20:58

had delivered Gentle several surprises

0:20:580:21:01

and it looked like Phil was the one favouring a move.

0:21:010:21:04

But would a day exploring the Kiwi lifestyle remind Gentle

0:21:040:21:07

of why she'd always dreamt of moving home?

0:21:070:21:10

Oh, what's up here?

0:21:100:21:12

Making the most of the mild climate,

0:21:120:21:14

the family indulged their love of the countryside

0:21:140:21:17

with a trip to the Arataki Visitor Centre.

0:21:170:21:20

With over 16,000 hectares of native rainforest

0:21:200:21:23

and coastline, it didn't take long for the Kiwi countryside

0:21:230:21:27

-to work some magic.

-Yellow.

0:21:270:21:29

-Good boy.

-Yellow.

0:21:290:21:31

-Really nice up here.

-Yes, it's got a number of different walks,

0:21:310:21:34

'so depending on how much time you've got,

0:21:340:21:36

'you can do different things.'

0:21:360:21:38

But stopping to reflect on what New Zealand offered

0:21:380:21:41

also saw doubts raised.

0:21:410:21:43

I'm feeling maybe a little bit of pressure as well after I've

0:21:430:21:45

slept on things, because the jobs didn't go quite so well for you

0:21:450:21:48

yesterday as it did go for me.

0:21:480:21:51

I know, and I feel really bad that your dream job,

0:21:510:21:54

you might not be able to afford to be able to take

0:21:540:21:58

because I can't earn as much as I need to, so...

0:21:580:22:01

Gentle and Phil's return to New Zealand had shown the country

0:22:010:22:04

may not be everything Gentle hoped for, but Phil had seen some upsides.

0:22:040:22:09

It's lovely to spend time with the family.

0:22:090:22:11

Everybody's dream would be to not

0:22:110:22:13

have to work and be able to come out here

0:22:130:22:15

and live that lifestyle all the time.

0:22:150:22:18

It was a good sentiment to end the day on,

0:22:180:22:20

so when it came to choosing between their lifestyle in the UK

0:22:200:22:23

and New Zealand, how did the couple vote?

0:22:230:22:26

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

0:22:320:22:35

Wow, we got something the same!

0:22:350:22:36

Sort of being in the rainforest like that,

0:22:360:22:39

it's not quite the sort of thing you get back home.

0:22:390:22:42

CHEERING

0:22:420:22:44

Gentle's dream to return to the country where she was born

0:22:490:22:51

was back on track.

0:22:510:22:53

But she knew if she couldn't prove to Phil the move

0:22:530:22:55

was financially feasible, they wouldn't be going anywhere.

0:22:550:22:59

The couple estimated they could get £300,000 for their property in the

0:22:590:23:03

UK, so we sent round two estate agents to see if they were right.

0:23:030:23:07

-ESTATE AGENT:

-Sitting, dining room, decorated very nicely.

0:23:090:23:12

-ESTATE AGENT:

-Brilliant size kitchen,

0:23:140:23:15

looks like it's been recently fitted.

0:23:150:23:17

Good size master bedroom.

0:23:170:23:19

Love the walk-in shower. His and hers sinks.

0:23:190:23:22

Really, really nice room. Fantastic size rear garden there.

0:23:220:23:25

It's a lot nicer in summer.

0:23:250:23:27

In the current market,

0:23:270:23:29

I would value this property at £275,000.

0:23:290:23:33

For a quick sale, I would value it at £270,000.

0:23:330:23:37

In the current market,

0:23:370:23:38

I would value this property at £275,000.

0:23:380:23:42

And for a quick sale, I would put it on the market at £250,000.

0:23:420:23:46

Based on those valuations, I think we would sort of struggle a bit,

0:23:460:23:51

-wouldn't we?

-We wouldn't want to sell for that price.

0:23:510:23:54

-No.

-Not for the effort we've put into the house.

0:23:540:23:57

We would be at a loss.

0:23:570:23:59

It was less than expected, so not the best start for Phil.

0:23:590:24:03

To help see how finances would stack up down under,

0:24:030:24:06

we had prepared a cost of living comparison,

0:24:060:24:09

starting with the weekly shop.

0:24:090:24:11

OK. A quick flick down, most things are a bit more expensive over here.

0:24:110:24:15

Whole milk is a big jump up.

0:24:150:24:17

That's nearly three times the price.

0:24:170:24:20

It looked like food was generally more expensive.

0:24:200:24:23

£38.45 a week worse off here in New Zealand.

0:24:230:24:27

Next, they moved on to the bigger monthly outgoings,

0:24:270:24:30

basing their mortgage repayments on the first property they'd viewed.

0:24:300:24:35

The mortgage is almost the same as it is back home.

0:24:350:24:39

I thought it would be more, yes.

0:24:390:24:40

Electricity is £50 cheaper over here.

0:24:400:24:43

-That's good.

-Childcare.

-Childcare.

0:24:430:24:45

That's a cost that, obviously, we haven't got in the UK.

0:24:450:24:48

But it's £312 for the month for childcare.

0:24:480:24:53

The couple added up how their overall outgoings in New Zealand

0:24:530:24:56

would compare to what they spend in the UK.

0:24:560:24:59

Total outgoings in New Zealand, £3,081.

0:24:590:25:04

£279 a month better off.

0:25:040:25:07

Yes, that's good, isn't it?

0:25:070:25:09

It's just really surprising.

0:25:090:25:11

Gentle was delighted to see they would spend less each month

0:25:110:25:14

down under, but how would their potential salaries

0:25:140:25:17

affect the figures?

0:25:170:25:18

Based on the other jobs that I might be able to get for up to 110,000,

0:25:180:25:25

that works out at £260 a month better off here in New Zealand.

0:25:250:25:30

-That's with you working and Harrison in childcare.

-OK.

0:25:300:25:33

Across a year, that would be just over £3,000 a year better off.

0:25:330:25:37

-Yeah.

-So that might cover a flight home.

0:25:370:25:41

They would stay in the black every month,

0:25:410:25:43

so how do their findings play out when it came to choosing between

0:25:430:25:46

finances in the UK or New Zealand?

0:25:460:25:49

-New Zealand.

-Undecided.

0:25:550:25:57

We're £3,000 a year better off over here...

0:25:570:26:01

-Yes.

-..but that would be with you working...

-Yeah.

0:26:010:26:03

and I can't work out in my head

0:26:030:26:05

whether it's the right thing for you to go and work

0:26:050:26:09

and only be that much better off.

0:26:090:26:11

I don't know, I just feel...

0:26:110:26:13

I can understand that, but I want to go back to work anyway.

0:26:130:26:17

Phil's indecision was a blow for Gentle,

0:26:220:26:25

and a sign he could be losing faith in his wife's belief that they would

0:26:250:26:28

have a better life down under.

0:26:280:26:30

And concerned about the effect a move would have on his parents,

0:26:300:26:33

Phil's biggest hurdle was still to come.

0:26:330:26:36

While Harrison took a nap,

0:26:360:26:38

the couple watched messages from friends and family back in the UK.

0:26:380:26:41

-Hi, guys.

-BOTH:

-Hi, Gentle, hi, Harrison, hi, Phil.

0:26:430:26:46

I hope you've had a great week.

0:26:460:26:48

They are a lovely little family.

0:26:480:26:49

Gentle and Phil will do everything for Harrison.

0:26:490:26:52

She's very daring.

0:26:520:26:55

She likes to get into the action.

0:26:550:26:57

She's really lovely.

0:26:570:26:59

Well, we love him very much,

0:26:590:27:01

he's a kind, loving person.

0:27:010:27:03

And he tries to help us when he can.

0:27:030:27:06

I was ill and he helped me.

0:27:060:27:07

-He came home.

-He took a year off uni to come home...

0:27:070:27:09

-And helped me.

-..and look after her.

0:27:090:27:11

Harrison is gorgeous, he's just adorable.

0:27:120:27:15

He's very attached to us, for some reason or other.

0:27:150:27:19

I think I'd really miss you

0:27:190:27:21

and I would like you to stay,

0:27:210:27:23

but I think you should go

0:27:230:27:24

and do what you want to do.

0:27:240:27:26

-So, go to New Zealand.

-Go to New Zealand.

0:27:260:27:30

Obviously, quite sad at the thought they might really do it.

0:27:300:27:34

We'd both be pleased for them,

0:27:340:27:36

but be upset for ourselves.

0:27:360:27:38

-I'm going to cry.

-Don't do that.

0:27:390:27:43

We don't want them to go.

0:27:430:27:44

But if they've got to go, they must.

0:27:460:27:50

And whatever they decide,

0:27:500:27:52

we are 100% behind them.

0:27:520:27:55

Oh.

0:28:000:28:01

You going to New Zealand will leave a big hole in my heart,

0:28:050:28:08

but I know whatever decision you make, it will be the right decision.

0:28:080:28:13

Don't really consider us, just get on with it.

0:28:140:28:17

We will miss you.

0:28:170:28:19

We will miss you so much.

0:28:190:28:22

See you when you get back, my love.

0:28:220:28:24

Bye. Love you all.

0:28:240:28:27

-Oh, are you all right?

-Yes.

0:28:270:28:30

It's hard to see my parents getting upset like that.

0:28:300:28:35

It's a difficult move, difficult decision to make.

0:28:350:28:38

It's just so far away, isn't it?

0:28:380:28:40

You do feel a sense of responsibility towards your parents.

0:28:400:28:43

They've looked after you, your life, and when they start to get older,

0:28:430:28:46

you want to be there to help them out.

0:28:460:28:49

Seeing his parents so upset was an emotional blow for Phil,

0:28:520:28:56

who now faced an impossible decision.

0:28:560:28:59

Choosing to make his wife's long-held Kiwi dream come true

0:28:590:29:02

would mean devastating his family back home.

0:29:020:29:05

For as long as she could remember,

0:29:070:29:09

Gentle had wanted to return to the country she left as a baby.

0:29:090:29:13

But the week down under had shown New Zealand

0:29:130:29:15

wouldn't necessarily deliver everything she'd been hoping for.

0:29:150:29:19

Coming out here and finding some answers to questions

0:29:190:29:21

has left me a little bit confused, which I didn't expect.

0:29:210:29:24

And while the financial risks of a move had lessened for Phil,

0:29:240:29:28

the emotional costs were still weighing on his mind.

0:29:280:29:31

Maybe I'm starting to think

0:29:310:29:33

a bit more about the emotional side

0:29:330:29:34

and what it would be like leaving people behind.

0:29:340:29:37

With their final decision approaching,

0:29:370:29:39

Gentle knew how much was at stake.

0:29:390:29:41

It's one of the biggest decisions we've ever had to make as a family,

0:29:410:29:44

so it's a very big deal.

0:29:440:29:46

And either way we vote, it will change the course of our life.

0:29:460:29:51

After decades of dreaming,

0:29:510:29:53

it was time to see if Gentle would follow her heart,

0:29:530:29:56

and if Phil had been persuaded to uproot from his family at home.

0:29:560:30:00

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

0:30:090:30:11

-I didn't know right up until right then.

-I know what you mean.

0:30:110:30:14

It was kind of uncertain,

0:30:140:30:15

but when I think about the potential out here

0:30:150:30:19

and the potential for Harrison,

0:30:190:30:20

I think, yeah, let's give it a go.

0:30:200:30:22

Excited and a bit nervous

0:30:220:30:24

and just keen to see where we go from here, really.

0:30:240:30:28

With most of his practical concerns put to bed,

0:30:370:30:40

Phil was reconciled to taking Harrison away

0:30:400:30:42

from his grandparents in the UK in order to green-light

0:30:420:30:46

Gentle's lifelong dream of moving back to the country

0:30:460:30:49

where she was born.

0:30:490:30:51

So, time to find out - did they or didn't they actually make the move?

0:30:510:30:57

It's April 2016 and Phil, Gentle

0:30:570:31:00

and Harrison are currently living in...

0:31:000:31:03

New Zealand.

0:31:030:31:05

Their trial week was the catalyst for the life

0:31:050:31:07

they've now got on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula,

0:31:070:31:10

just 15 miles north of Auckland.

0:31:100:31:13

It really helped Phil work out the nitty-gritty of moving over here

0:31:130:31:18

and decide that, actually, it was possible.

0:31:180:31:20

Gave me confidence about job opportunities

0:31:200:31:23

and that we could actually come out here and make a go of it.

0:31:230:31:26

On returning to the UK, the couple had busied themselves

0:31:280:31:31

with the logistics of making the move.

0:31:310:31:33

Once we'd made the decision, that was it.

0:31:330:31:35

We got home and we started putting things into...plans into action.

0:31:350:31:39

-High five. Good job.

-LAUGHTER

0:31:390:31:42

It was then a bit of a whirlwind trying to sell the house,

0:31:420:31:46

get the visas, all that sort of practical stuff that we had to do.

0:31:460:31:51

All in all, it was probably about six months

0:31:510:31:54

and we had everything sorted and that was it, ready to go.

0:31:540:32:00

HARRISON WAILS

0:32:000:32:01

Fortunately, the news they were moving

0:32:010:32:03

to the other side of the world wasn't too much of a shock

0:32:030:32:07

for their loved ones back in the UK.

0:32:070:32:09

Our family and friends had already guessed, really,

0:32:090:32:11

that we were going to come over and they had already

0:32:110:32:13

kind of come to terms with it.

0:32:130:32:14

'They were sad we were going,

0:32:140:32:16

'but then at the same time they were happy for us.'

0:32:160:32:19

Before setting off on their new adventure,

0:32:190:32:21

the family said goodbye to life in the English countryside

0:32:210:32:25

with a knees-up in their local village hall.

0:32:250:32:27

All our friends came, all our family,

0:32:270:32:30

everyone who could make it and it was really cool.

0:32:300:32:33

Everyone was crying their eyes out and being silly,

0:32:330:32:36

but it was really good fun,

0:32:360:32:38

it was a lovely way to say goodbye to everyone.

0:32:380:32:40

And everyone was calling Gentle the ice queen,

0:32:400:32:42

-because they were trying to make her cry.

-I didn't cry.

0:32:420:32:45

I was very sad inside, but I just didn't cry.

0:32:450:32:48

She's the ice queen.

0:32:480:32:50

The Spenceleys arrived to start their new lives in New Zealand

0:32:520:32:55

in October 2014.

0:32:550:32:58

And perhaps surprisingly,

0:32:580:32:59

it was Gentle who found their first weeks back hardest to deal with.

0:32:590:33:03

It's getting over the jet lag to start with

0:33:030:33:06

and then when you start getting over the jet lag,

0:33:060:33:08

then the reality kicks in.

0:33:080:33:10

It felt very isolating to start with.

0:33:100:33:14

We had ourselves as a little family, but, yeah,

0:33:140:33:17

definitely was hard for the first few weeks.

0:33:170:33:20

Sometimes you really did question why you moved over here.

0:33:200:33:24

OK, let's do the buttons first.

0:33:240:33:26

-Are you eating that?

-Yeah.

0:33:260:33:27

-You're supposed to put it on the gingerbread man.

-Yeah.

0:33:270:33:31

And she knew Harrison was unsettled too.

0:33:310:33:33

Right, do you want to do some glitter?

0:33:330:33:35

We were busy getting on with stuff, so I think, for him,

0:33:350:33:37

it probably wasn't the best of times when we first moved over here.

0:33:370:33:42

OK, that's a very glittery gingerbread man.

0:33:420:33:44

-What do you think?

-That looks great.

-THEY LAUGH

0:33:440:33:48

But despite his initial reservations about emigrating,

0:33:570:34:00

Phil took to his new surroundings straightaway.

0:34:000:34:03

I've definitely found the move easier than I thought it would be.

0:34:030:34:07

'It's all been very positive,'

0:34:070:34:09

a little bit scarily so, but...

0:34:090:34:11

Helping Phil make the transition was the fact

0:34:130:34:15

he'd been able to keep the job he did in the UK

0:34:150:34:18

and move it with him down under.

0:34:180:34:20

Previously worried about work and finances,

0:34:200:34:23

it was the perfect scenario.

0:34:230:34:24

'It definitely made things easier when we moved over as well,'

0:34:240:34:27

it kind of took some of the pressure off.

0:34:270:34:29

We could just focus on getting a house, getting a car

0:34:290:34:33

and we knew we were secure for a certain amount of time,

0:34:330:34:36

because Phil had his job in England.

0:34:360:34:39

So it was really, really a blessing to be able to do that.

0:34:390:34:43

Their biggest concern was finding a new home,

0:34:430:34:47

but even that turned out easier than anticipated.

0:34:470:34:50

We looked into getting a rental place.

0:34:500:34:53

And then we realised that actually we could get a mortgage

0:34:530:34:57

from the bank, which was really surprising,

0:34:570:34:59

because we thought being first timers over here,

0:34:590:35:02

it would take a while.

0:35:020:35:03

I think the conversation went sort of along the lines of they said,

0:35:030:35:06

"I assume you're going to want a mortgage."

0:35:060:35:09

I said, "I assumed I wouldn't be able to get one."

0:35:090:35:11

And they said, "Why?"

0:35:110:35:14

And it didn't take very long,

0:35:140:35:17

it was sort of a half an hour meeting or something

0:35:170:35:20

and we had an approval in place.

0:35:200:35:22

The couple purchased and moved into this new-build

0:35:230:35:26

just before Christmas 2014.

0:35:260:35:28

We've got a really nice house, and it's lovely where we live.

0:35:370:35:40

This is the lounge. It's a separate room to hide away in at night,

0:35:450:35:50

so you can shut the doors.

0:35:500:35:51

And it's something I've always wanted to have,

0:35:510:35:53

a bit of a separate living area,

0:35:530:35:55

rather than just having everything open-plan.

0:35:550:35:57

Yes, so it's nice and snug in the evening.

0:35:570:36:00

It's got four bedrooms, it's got an en-suite,

0:36:000:36:04

it's got a separate lounge, big double garage.

0:36:040:36:07

So in that sense, it's everything we described that we wanted.

0:36:070:36:11

This is the pantry,

0:36:180:36:19

which is nice, cos I can shut it off with the doors,

0:36:190:36:22

so all the mess can disappear.

0:36:220:36:24

But otherwise, it's really nice to have another space

0:36:240:36:26

to prepare tea and toast.

0:36:260:36:28

But there's one thing the house doesn't have.

0:36:280:36:31

We kind of need to put some air con in in summer, cos it gets so hot.

0:36:310:36:34

It's been designed to retain heat and it really does that very well.

0:36:340:36:40

This is the boat.

0:36:400:36:42

And that's a tractor.

0:36:420:36:44

And that's a dinosaur.

0:36:440:36:46

And that's a dump.

0:36:460:36:49

A few weeks after moving in,

0:36:490:36:51

the family were finally reunited with their belongings from the UK,

0:36:510:36:55

an event that signalled

0:36:550:36:56

the start of happier times for Harrison.

0:36:560:36:59

Should I push this one along?

0:36:590:37:00

-Yeah, Mummy.

-Toot toot!

0:37:000:37:02

As soon as he got his toys, he felt settled enough.

0:37:020:37:04

What are we going to do?

0:37:040:37:07

We started making friends, he started making friends.

0:37:070:37:09

And then he felt really settled.

0:37:090:37:12

Shortly afterwards,

0:37:180:37:20

Gentle gave up being a stay-at-home mum

0:37:200:37:22

to return to her career

0:37:220:37:23

as a veterinary nurse,

0:37:230:37:25

having found it easier than expected to find a position.

0:37:250:37:28

Hello. 'I saw the job advertised in the paper'

0:37:280:37:30

and thought, "That's down the road, it's part-time,

0:37:300:37:33

"that sounds perfect."

0:37:330:37:35

'So I went in and went for an interview,

0:37:350:37:36

'literally, the day after I handed my CV in.

0:37:360:37:39

And they pretty much offered me the job straightaway

0:37:390:37:42

and I thought, "Wow, can't turn that down, cos it's just perfect."

0:37:420:37:47

The reality hasn't disappointed.

0:37:470:37:50

CHATTER

0:37:500:37:52

'So I really enjoy my job,

0:37:520:37:53

'because the people I work with are lovely.'

0:37:530:37:55

And I do perfect hours, it's 9-3, three days a week,

0:37:550:37:58

so I get to pick up and take Harrison to preschool.

0:37:580:38:01

Going back to work has helped Gentle feel more settled, too.

0:38:030:38:06

It felt like, you know, this was it,

0:38:090:38:11

this was my life and I lived here now.

0:38:110:38:13

Meanwhile, Phil is continuing to enjoy working remotely

0:38:190:38:23

for his employers back in the UK.

0:38:230:38:25

'I work four days a week for them, Tuesday to Friday.'

0:38:250:38:28

I tend to do calls of an evening to either report on progress

0:38:280:38:33

or just make sure that it keeps things ticking along.

0:38:330:38:36

I've been surprised at the level of communication I've had

0:38:360:38:39

with people in the UK still,

0:38:390:38:41

so I do keep in contact with a lot of members of the team.

0:38:410:38:45

'That helps keep me in the loop.'

0:38:450:38:46

And despite working at opposite ends of the world to his colleagues,

0:38:460:38:49

he has no plans to move on.

0:38:490:38:51

I see it being

0:38:510:38:52

a long-term relationship, so long as my employers

0:38:520:38:56

continue to be happy with the work that I put out.

0:38:560:38:59

Having achieved a perfect work-life balance,

0:38:590:39:03

Phil and Gentle have had plenty of time to host family and friends

0:39:030:39:07

from the UK throughout the past 18 months.

0:39:070:39:10

Both of our parents have visited us.

0:39:100:39:12

My parents have been over twice so far

0:39:120:39:14

and they're coming out again in February.

0:39:140:39:16

We're really lucky in that sense.

0:39:160:39:18

For Phil in particular, the opportunity to show his folks

0:39:180:39:21

the lifestyle they'd left England for was really important.

0:39:210:39:26

They definitely saw and appreciated why we had made the move.

0:39:260:39:29

I think if they were maybe ten years younger,

0:39:290:39:31

I think they'd probably try and think about coming out here

0:39:310:39:34

six months of the year and being in the UK six months of the year,

0:39:340:39:37

chasing summer.

0:39:370:39:39

CHATTER

0:39:390:39:41

In the absence of friends and family from home,

0:39:430:39:45

the Spenceleys have also forged plenty of new friendships

0:39:450:39:49

and admit their personal lives are busier than ever.

0:39:490:39:52

I probably do quite a lot more socialising here

0:39:520:39:55

than I did back in the UK.

0:39:550:39:56

But, yeah, we've got a good group of friends now.

0:39:560:40:00

I think the biggest part of our life over here is socialising.

0:40:000:40:03

We seem to do a lot of it, cos we're basically

0:40:030:40:05

relying on our friends as our family, almost.

0:40:050:40:08

A lot of them are in the same situation

0:40:100:40:12

where they haven't got their family around here,

0:40:120:40:14

so we enjoy our time together.

0:40:140:40:17

And even when it's just the three of them,

0:40:210:40:23

they are making the most of the country's outdoor lifestyle.

0:40:230:40:26

'I feel that we get a lot of really good family time together.'

0:40:260:40:30

'We are enjoying the walks, we are enjoying exploring'

0:40:300:40:33

new areas. But quite often we will just go to the park,

0:40:330:40:37

'like, a regional park. It's got, like, green space and a beach.

0:40:370:40:40

'And in the summer when it's nice and warm,'

0:40:400:40:42

we go for swims in the sea.

0:40:420:40:44

We've also got a swimming pool down the road,

0:40:440:40:47

so we will do that as well.

0:40:470:40:48

The way of life over here is definitely very good.

0:40:480:40:53

'And I think the weather is a big factor of that.

0:40:530:40:55

'Just able to do a lot more.'

0:40:550:40:57

But they've also discovered a tiny negative to all that sunshine.

0:40:570:41:01

There's a downside to having nice weather is the sunscreen,

0:41:010:41:04

but at the same time,

0:41:040:41:06

it's something I'm prepared to deal with!

0:41:060:41:08

It's not the worst thing in the world to be complaining about.

0:41:090:41:12

-No, exactly.

-First world problems.

0:41:120:41:14

It's fair to say establishing the life Gentle had dreamt of

0:41:150:41:18

in New Zealand has been pretty plain sailing.

0:41:180:41:22

I'm really happy we made the move out here.

0:41:220:41:25

I'm really enjoying life out here at the moment.

0:41:250:41:28

'I think we are very lucky to have what we have over here,

0:41:280:41:31

'so at the moment, I feel really happy and settled.'

0:41:310:41:34

'I don't think I've ever felt anything that said

0:41:340:41:38

'this was not right decision.'

0:41:380:41:40

I said I didn't

0:41:400:41:41

feel quite so settled in the house we were in in the UK.

0:41:410:41:44

I feel a lot more settled over here.

0:41:440:41:46

-And there.

-There's one.

-There's one.

0:41:460:41:49

'We really kind of landed on our feet here.'

0:41:490:41:51

-That's an even bigger one.

-Whoa.

0:41:510:41:53

And Harrison's made himself at home too.

0:41:530:41:55

'Very occasionally, like the other day, he said,

0:41:550:41:58

'"I want to go back to England to live with my nanny and gramps,

0:41:580:42:01

'"meaning grandma and grandad."

0:42:010:42:04

'That made us really sad, but then the next day'

0:42:040:42:07

we were doing something super fun, he was like,

0:42:070:42:10

"I love living here. I don't want to live in England!"

0:42:100:42:12

So for him, it's each day as it comes.

0:42:120:42:15

Now, 18 months into their new lives,

0:42:170:42:20

the Spenceleys will soon be visiting the UK for a wedding,

0:42:200:42:23

but it doesn't sound like the family will be giving up

0:42:230:42:26

on New Zealand any time soon.

0:42:260:42:28

-It's really nice here, isn't it?

-I saw a stingray!

0:42:280:42:31

It's always difficult to say 100% where your future lies,

0:42:310:42:34

but I kind of think I feel very settled here.

0:42:340:42:37

'Our lives have turned out really well...'

0:42:390:42:42

by fluke. It's just...we've been really lucky.

0:42:420:42:46

It's everything that we expected and more, so we're really happy.

0:42:500:42:53

With everything falling into place,

0:42:590:43:01

Gentle's New Zealand dream really has become the reality for her,

0:43:010:43:06

Phil and Harrison.

0:43:060:43:08

And it looks like the whole family have made the country their home.

0:43:080:43:12

We wish them all continued health and happiness down under.

0:43:120:43:16

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