Corbett Wanted Down Under Revisited


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For nearly all families, the toughest part of moving abroad

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is the pain it can cause to the people you love.

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In 2010, the Corbett family faced a choice

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that seems destined to end in heartbreak.

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One year later, we caught up with them to find out

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if it was the right one.

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Surf-mad Scott dreamt of a life of sun and sea.

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Jump in the water while they play on the beach,

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then come and surf with them in the smaller waves.

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Yeah, what a dream, what a wonderful lifestyle.

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But wife Victoria couldn't bear to take the children away from their grandmother.

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She was trying to be really strong and supportive,

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but I know she's going to miss them terribly.

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With the family's future hanging in the balance,

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they needed to know if they really could give up everything for a new life in Australia.

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It changes daily.

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I just wish somebody could give me the right answers.

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In 2010, Scott and Victoria Corbett faced a huge decision -

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whether to leave their lives in the UK behind them

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and make a new start in Australia.

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Ahead was a week for them to sample every aspect of Aussie life.

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But was the reality enough to convince them to make the move for good?

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Scott and Victoria Corbett,

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along with their two children, Mason and Indie, lived in Cwmcarn in South Wales.

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They loved their home but Scott dreamt of a new life in Australia.

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I guess everybody has a dream.

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Some people have small dreams, some people have big dreams.

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Mine has always been to live close to the beach.

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In Australia, just everything seems to be outdoor living.

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That's a massive, massive pull.

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After nine years of renovating their Welsh home,

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Victoria was willing to consider a new chapter in their life.

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I always wanted a converted barn so we did my bit,

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-and all throughout, Scott has wanted to live by the beach, do his thing.

-Yeah.

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So we've done my dream, we've sort of got to do yours a bit now, haven't we?

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Well, we can try it, see what happens.

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The family had come close to moving six months earlier,

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but tragedy stopped them in their tracks.

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We had the visas, we'd spent all the money,

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it was there in the passport.

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The day it came through, that was the 9th of September,

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and come the 4th of October, my dad passed away.

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Sorry.

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All of a sudden, the Australia dream was out the window

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because I couldn't even think of it.

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They'd put their house on the market,

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but with the huge emotion they'd invested in it, Victoria was having doubts.

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I'd keep saying to Scott, "We need to stop it, you know.

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"We need to pull the plug a bit, stand back a bit.

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"This home will be totally gone,

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"and there won't be any coming back to that.

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"OK, you can come back to Britain, but we're not going to get this again."

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For Scott's parents,

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losing Mason and Indie to Australia would have been devastating.

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For Mason and Indie to not see their grandparents,

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that's going to be dreadful.

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Mason, in particular, he's... the apple of my father's eye.

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They spend all of their time together when he's down. And...

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..that's going to hurt them a hell of a lot. It really is.

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If they moved, Victoria hoped her mum would be able to spend large parts of the year with them.

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'She's like my best friend as much as anything.'

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The thought of leaving her here

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without my dad to sort of keep on the straight and narrow...

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'She dotes on the grandkids. There are only two grandkids.

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'The thought of doing that to her'

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just rips my heart out cos it's really hard.

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(Sorry.)

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They were so close, but Scott and Victoria didn't know

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if they could make that final step.

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If I love Australia and Vic doesn't...um...

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That'll be a choker, that'll be horrendous,

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but if it's just one's person's dream, and not two people's dream, well, you can't do it.

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You just can't do it.

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Today, I'm 50-50.

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Yesterday I was 95% certain.

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Last week, I was about 100% certain we were doing the wrong thing.

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So it changes. It changes daily.

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Just wish somebody could give me the right answers.

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The Corbetts spent their trial week in Adelaide.

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Its small-town feel shouldn't have been too much of a culture shock

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and surfing was easily accessible for Scott.

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After exhausting 23 hours in transit,

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the Corbett family had travelled over 10,500 thousand miles.

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Scott and Victoria immediately got to grips with the currency.

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The unfavourable exchange rate had them worried.

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When we started looking, it was 2.4 to the pound.

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-Last going, it was 1.6.

-Yeah.

-So you're talking about 100,000 plus...

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It's more than that. It's 160,000.

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Which is like a lifetime's worth of savings.

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However, we're looking outside and it's the most gorgeous day I think we've ever seen, just about.

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We're in Australia. Maybe that makes up for it. We'll see.

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Scott was being positive,

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but it could have made a massive difference to the lifestyle and the house they could afford.

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Their home for the week was a two-bedroom apartment in Aldinga Beach.

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Lovely. Nice and light, isn't it?

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And everything rested on the next seven days.

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Hopefully this week will cement it one way or the other,

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whether we give it up as a dream that maybe isn't right,

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isn't meant to be...

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I don't think you can put your finger on it without seeing it

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and feeling it and...

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From a personal point of view, if I see it,

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if I feel it, then, to me, that's going to be...enough.

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But if they couldn't face the thought of leaving home

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and the people they loved, they wouldn't be going anywhere.

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Back in the UK, the Corbetts' house was on the top of a mountain in Gwent.

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But it was more than just a home.

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Victoria's parents has helped them to convert what was a ruined barn,

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so their emotional investment ran far deeper than just bricks and mortar.

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Mum and Dad were incredible. They just did so much here.

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Just an incredible amount of work.

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You look around the place and every single room,

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every part of the garden, there's memories.

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There's a huge amount of memories.

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And the thought of leaving here and not having those memories...

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is hard.

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With so many memories of her father in the barn,

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they'd never be able to replace it,

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and any house in Australia would have a lot to live up to.

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Victoria and Scott dreamt of building their own home in Australia.

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They wanted to create the perfect place for their two young children, close to the sea.

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But doing it within their £350,000 budget was going to be a real challenge.

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So to help them see what might be possible,

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we showed the family three self-built properties near the coast.

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The first one was in Hallett Cove, 45 minutes from the city centre.

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It had a stunning open-plan living area, three bedrooms,

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extra space, and a pool.

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With total costs of around £290,000,

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it would have meant taking out a bigger mortgage to afford it.

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-Wow.

-Look at this. Go on, then. That is one heck of a view.

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-This is stunning, isn't it?

-Your smiley face!

-That's just gorgeous.

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It's really lovely.

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This is how I see us living - in open-plan like this.

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-We can see the sea. We're virtually on the beach.

-Oh, look what I can see downstairs.

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-Would you like a swimming pool in our house?

-Yeah.

-Like that one?

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-Bigger, bigger, bigger.

-Indie wasn't won over by the pool.

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And inside, the view from the bedroom didn't impress.

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-It's a bit different to waking up to our view over Twmbarlwm.

-Yeah.

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-No houses to see anywhere.

-Yeah.

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Unfortunately, being in a popular area meant the houses were quite close together.

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However, it was a house with plenty of space

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that did have the potential for a granny flat for Victoria's mum.

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I'm curious as to what's downstairs now.

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-Oh, look at this.

-Wow. Now, there's a room.

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Something like this would be ideal for Mum, cos she could have her own access.

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Yeah.

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-Shall we go and have a look in the garden?

-Yeah!

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-Come on, then. Let's go and see that swimming pool.

-Yay!

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Although they did see a lot of potential for the house,

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Scott had his concerns.

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The 290 bill is the part that I'm concerned about.

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-That's nearly all of our budget and we haven't bought any land yet.

-Yeah.

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-Lots of things to balance up.

-Lots of things to balance up.

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Then it was onto the second house in the hunt for a cheaper build with more space.

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It was an impressive four-bedroomed house in Aldinga Beach,

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set on a new development.

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Best of all, it was under budget at £280,000.

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Come on, then.

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Whilst a member of our team looked after a sleeping Indie,

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the rest of the family explored.

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Wow, I love these floor-to-ceiling windows. Look at that.

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-They look well, don't they?

-That's great.

-They look really well.

-Where are we going?

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They would have had enough rooms, but how did they feel about the open living space?

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-Wow, this is what we are after, Scott.

-That does it.

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And seeing we can afford it mortgage free...

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The nicest thing about here for me is,

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-like, the last property felt hemmed in.

-It was.

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Yay. Indie woke up.

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When Indie woke up, she was also excited by what she saw.

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Look.

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-Look out there!

-Do you want to go and see?

-Yeah!

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Outside, the huge balcony overlooks projected scrubland

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so the view would never be obstructed

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and they wouldn't be looking straight at their neighbours.

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-We can afford this.

-Without a mortgage.

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-Yeah, liking this one.

-Liking this one.

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Wonder what the next one's going to be like.

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Could the third house convince them to finally give up the home they loved in Wales?

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Located further south in Carrickalinga, and set close to the beach,

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it was a converted cottage with a large garden and spa

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and cost £370,000 to build.

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-Go and have a look.

-Elephant! Elephant! Elephant!

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That is gorgeous.

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If there were however many boxes to tick, I think that's just ticked every box.

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Outside, there was no pool or protected scrubland,

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-but the location certainly won them over.

-Look at that.

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There's a footpath literally next door to the house which takes you down to the beach.

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What more can you ask for?

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The beach being so close certainly impressed Scott,

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but did the bedrooms keep up the high standard?

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-This is good.

-This is nice.

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The only downside of these bedrooms, I guess, at the minute, is,

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compared to the other properties, they are smaller.

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The overall size of the house was also a problem.

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One of our big things is having Mum to stay for big chunks of the year and to be close.

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I think that would be an issue if we were on top of each other, wouldn't it?

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It's a three-bed house.

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We've got a lot to way up.

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The Corbett family saw three different options.

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With the first house, the neighbours were too close.

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But they really fell for the large plot and living area of the second.

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Property three was hugely impressive, but the lack of room was a big concern.

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So after seeing what they could build for themselves in Australia,

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it was time to make up their minds.

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Could they really bear to give up the home that meant so much to them

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for a fresh start Down Under?

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It's going to be really difficult to consider leaving the barn back home.

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But...

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basing our decision on what we've seen today, we going to choose...

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-Australia!

-Australia!

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SHE GIGGLES

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-That was yours too.

-Yeah! Yeah! We like Australian houses.

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By being able to imagine leaving their home they'd overcome a massive hurdle.

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Scott's dream was a huge step closer.

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To afford their ideal home and lifestyle,

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everything now depended on Scott being able to get the right job.

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Back in the UK, he was head of the art department at Cwmcarn High School.

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Having worked hard to get the position,

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he was daunted by the thought of starting all over again.

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I've set the department up as I want to set the department up.

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If I move to Australia,

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then I'm guessing there has to be a drop in salary.

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There has to be a situation where I'm not the main man

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and I'm having to be told, "This is how we do it."

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We arranged for him to try out teaching at Christies Beach High School

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where he met with art teacher Sean McGovern and deputy principal Sharon Goldman.

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With his family's future in the balance,

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the pressure was on Scott to make a good impression.

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I want you to create some sort of portrait using mixed media.

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I'm not going to talk a lot this afternoon.

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What I'm going to do is come round and try to help you in what you're doing.

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Victoria planned to be a full-time mum

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and she wanted to explore activities for her and the children,

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so she took them to an art class.

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Oh, hello. And who have we got here?

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If we do move over, my number one priority is the kids.

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They've got to be happy, they've got to be settled

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so they can form friendships, and I can form friendships as well.

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Cos at the end of the day, a two and a three-year-old can only have

1:00:521:00:55

so much stimulating conversation with me.

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So I've got to keep myself sane as well.

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There was plenty for the children, but Victoria was struggling.

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There's something missing at the minute.

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I'm just hoping we do find the lifestyle that we want,

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cos if it doesn't...

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then I'm not sure that this is going to be the right thing to do.

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Adelaide hadn't yet won her over

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and there was still the heartache of leaving her mum to deal with.

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You know, I see my mum three times a week.

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And she does loads with the kids... God. Sorry.

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She's going to miss them massively.

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She was virtually in tears before we left.

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She was trying to be really strong and supportive,

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but I know she's going to miss them terribly.

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The thought of leaving her mum was giving Victoria serious doubts.

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Now the pressure was all on Scott to prove this move was worth making.

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Thanks very much for that.

1:01:581:02:00

At the school, he was having a better day.

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The children were inspired, along with deputy principal Sharon.

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-That's fantastic.

-They were great, Sharon.

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We gave them a five-minute break and some of them just worked through.

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They didn't stop working. That made me smile.

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-That was one of the nicest bits that I saw.

-That's fabulous.

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Scott was aiming to work as a relief or supply teacher when they first moved.

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But he needed to know he could earn enough to support his family.

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-If you're doing relief work, it's about 330 a day.

-OK.

1:02:291:02:32

Of course, that's a daily rate, so it's how many days you work.

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That would be about £200.

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If I'm only getting a days work per week...£200 doesn't really cut it.

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But if I'm working everyday, that sounds like a good amount of money.

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That was around £40,000 a year but only if he worked full-time,

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which could not be guaranteed as a supply teacher.

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-Great to meet you, Scott.

-Cheers.

-Thanks very much for running my lesson.

-Thank you.

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The entire move depended on Scott's job prospects.

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So how did he vote?

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Based on today, my decision is...

1:03:111:03:14

Australia.

1:03:151:03:17

I'm surprising myself there, I'm really surprisingly myself

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because I've been thinking all day, "Is it, is it?

1:03:201:03:24

"Should I, should I?" My school back home is...

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I'm set up there. I know how everything works.

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I think it's probably time to step out of the comfort zone.

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It was vital Scott and Victoria

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found out if the Aussie lifestyle really could make up for the heartache of leaving home.

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As a family, they love to spend time by the sea.

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It also meant Scott could fulfil his passion for surfing.

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We arranged for him to meet Teale Vanner, a professional surfer and instructor.

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-How are you?

-Hiya. All right? Vic.

-Try and get out there, get you suited up,

1:03:561:04:01

get you nice and warm. I guess the conditions aren't too cold for you guys.

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We'll go surfing, so that should be fun.

1:04:061:04:08

The weather may have reminded them of a good old British summer

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but it would take more than a little rain to scare off the Corbetts.

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Getting past the breaking waves was a challenge

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but it didn't take Scott long to get out and show his skills.

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Teale was the professional,

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but Scott managed to hold his own.

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Well, kind of.

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Victoria's priority was a brighter future for Mason and Indie.

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But the situation on that day felt a little too familiar.

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It's just like being in Porthcawl.

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It's a typical sort of... Welsh weekend, really.

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Raining, blue kids.

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Not much different to back home, really.

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And it was making the tough decision Victoria faced even harder.

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I suppose you've got to balance it out, really,

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and figure out whether taking away grandparents

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for big chunks of the year and taking away the friends they've grown up with...

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whether that balances against the lifestyle that Scott and I

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think would be really, really beneficial for the kids.

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It is the scales that we've got to balance and got to get sorted.

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Eventually it was time for Scott and Teale to come ashore.

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So how did the surfing compare to Scott's expectations?

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Wonderful. Yeah, lovely morning. But, um...

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if you're going to ask me, going to ask me the question,

1:05:381:05:41

"Do you want to live just there?"

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Then it's going to be a really short answer. "Yes!"

1:05:431:05:46

And there was one thing that truly impressed Scott and gave him hope for the future.

1:05:461:05:50

I must have seen...

1:05:501:05:52

15 people far older than myself

1:05:521:05:55

still surfing and still ripping.

1:05:551:05:57

Still ripping on the waves, which was wonderful.

1:05:571:06:00

So, I mean, if we do emigrate,

1:06:001:06:02

then I guess I've got a lot of years ahead of me, surfing...

1:06:021:06:05

in lovely places like this,

1:06:051:06:07

being able to jump on the beach with the little ones.

1:06:071:06:10

What a dream. What a wonderful, what a wonderful lifestyle. Just, yeah, fantastic.

1:06:101:06:14

After a cold, damp morning the Corbett family needed

1:06:141:06:17

to decide if their dream lifestyle really was in South Australia.

1:06:171:06:22

It was time to vote.

1:06:221:06:24

Based on my experience, so far, I'm going to vote...

1:06:241:06:29

..Australia! No-brainer!

1:06:301:06:33

And we're going to vote...

1:06:331:06:35

-Australia! What about you two?

-Australia!

-What about you, Ind?

1:06:351:06:42

-Britain!

-Britain! Indie's a bit cold and wet.

1:06:421:06:46

Back in the UK, the Corbetts' home was on the market for £430,000.

1:06:521:06:57

They've poured their hearts and souls

1:06:571:07:01

into renovating the old barn,

1:07:011:07:03

so it was essential that the sale of it

1:07:031:07:05

would provide a solid foundation for their dream life in Australia.

1:07:051:07:09

It very much depends on what mortgage you want to have and how much we can afford.

1:07:091:07:13

If there is a fantastic plot, then we'd be reasonably happy

1:07:131:07:16

to put some sort of money into a mortgage, rather than go mortgage-free.

1:07:161:07:21

But, in an ideal world,

1:07:211:07:23

any money that I then earn is pocket money to have a wonderful lifestyle

1:07:231:07:29

out there, which, at the end of the day, is what is part of the dream.

1:07:291:07:33

If they did move, Scott would become a supply teacher,

1:07:331:07:36

whilst Victoria settled in Mason and Indie.

1:07:361:07:40

But if they couldn't support their ideal lifestyle,

1:07:401:07:43

they would have lost everything they've worked so hard to build in the UK.

1:07:431:07:47

To help them see if they could afford a future in Australia,

1:07:471:07:51

we prepared a comparison of living costs in the UK versus those down under.

1:07:511:07:55

-That's a lot more, isn't it?

-Mm.

1:07:571:08:00

It's surprising that fruit is more expensive, isn't it?

1:08:011:08:04

Yes. Pretty much all more expensive, isn't it?

1:08:041:08:07

-That's a big surprise, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Ooh, yogurts are loads cheaper.

1:08:071:08:11

The lovely thing is, is the property that I liked...

1:08:111:08:14

Number 2, the second one.

1:08:141:08:16

..the second one, the monthly repayments would be £30.

1:08:161:08:20

We could deal with £30, couldn't we?

1:08:201:08:22

Salary, that's the important one, isn't it?

1:08:221:08:25

That's £250 down on what we get in the UK

1:08:251:08:29

and our groceries are £135 more expensive.

1:08:291:08:32

That's a lot.

1:08:341:08:35

The big issue was where they stood with a tiny mortgage on the second house, in Aldinga,

1:08:351:08:40

compared with £650 a month for the first property.

1:08:401:08:45

-So, we'd be plus £148...

-..better off...

-..in Aldinga.

-Yeah.

1:08:451:08:50

-But that's without a mortgage.

-Yeah.

1:08:501:08:52

-Oh, we'll be way down.

-Yeah. We'd be minus £472 down.

1:08:521:08:58

-That's a big chunk, isn't it?

-Yeah.

1:08:581:09:01

HE SIGHS

1:09:021:09:03

-That cuts down on our options, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-That cuts them right down.

1:09:031:09:07

So, thinking we'd have lots of money to play with

1:09:071:09:09

if we didn't have a mortgage out here isn't really the case, is it?

1:09:091:09:14

That's sobering, that's really sobering.

1:09:141:09:17

Because instead of bringing the best part of 680,000,

1:09:171:09:22

690,000 with us, we're bringing, like, 450,000.

1:09:221:09:25

And...

1:09:251:09:27

..you can't do that without something financially hurting.

1:09:281:09:31

We can't say we're going to move around the world if it's not right.

1:09:311:09:35

And it looks like that's a big blow to our Aussie dream at the minute.

1:09:351:09:39

If they couldn't afford the life they dreamt of

1:09:391:09:42

would it change everything?

1:09:421:09:44

How did they vote on the cost of living?

1:09:441:09:48

Based on those financial decisions, our decision is going to be...

1:09:481:09:52

-..UK.

-UK.

1:09:541:09:56

If the Corbetts did move, their financial future seemed bleak.

1:09:561:10:00

Is the dream slipping from their grasp?

1:10:001:10:03

With the week coming to an end

1:10:031:10:05

had the Corbetts made up their minds

1:10:051:10:09

or would messages from home leave their plans in disarray?

1:10:091:10:12

Scott and Victoria wanted to avoid

1:10:121:10:14

upsetting the children, so they stayed outside with a minder

1:10:141:10:20

whilst Mum and Dad watched a DVD from friends and family.

1:10:201:10:23

Hi, Scott. Hi, Vic.

1:10:241:10:26

Hi, Vic. Hi, Scott.

1:10:261:10:28

'Scott, my brother,'

1:10:281:10:30

he's a very warm, affectionate person. Um...

1:10:301:10:33

We've always had a really lovely, close relationship.

1:10:331:10:36

'Everybody loves him.'

1:10:361:10:39

Everybody's always expounded what a smashing guy he is.

1:10:391:10:43

'He comes over that way, in everything that he does.'

1:10:431:10:46

'Since they've been married, I couldn't have asked'

1:10:461:10:49

for a better son-in-law.

1:10:491:10:50

He's done everything for Victoria,

1:10:501:10:53

he's the most brilliant father

1:10:531:10:55

to the kids, they idolise him.

1:10:551:10:57

-That's nice.

-'And, um, yeah...'

1:10:571:10:59

I've been very lucky.

1:10:591:11:01

'Very lucky.'

1:11:011:11:03

'I don't want them to go.'

1:11:031:11:06

My heart tells me, "No, they shouldn't be going."

1:11:061:11:08

But my head tells me, "Yes, they should be trying it,

1:11:081:11:11

"because that's what they want."

1:11:111:11:13

'We are absolutely devastated. Um, it's a long way. It's too far away.'

1:11:131:11:18

Um, and I worry, most of all, for my parents.

1:11:181:11:21

'Um, with their grandchildren, because they're still very small.'

1:11:211:11:26

Um, and, you know, we will miss them.

1:11:261:11:29

'What I'll miss is...'

1:11:301:11:32

just seeing those blue eyes of Mason's and Indie's smile.

1:11:321:11:36

Yeah.

1:11:401:11:42

And I need them.

1:11:421:11:44

'And there's absolutely a massive, selfish part of me

1:11:451:11:49

'that hopes that they come back and say,'

1:11:491:11:51

"Well, we've tried it, it's fantastic but we're staying here...

1:11:511:11:55

"on the Welsh mountain."

1:11:551:11:56

I mean, I can't even think about them

1:11:581:12:00

getting on a plane at Heathrow or Gatwick, wherever it might be and...

1:12:001:12:05

just waving bye.

1:12:051:12:07

'Bye-bye!'

1:12:071:12:09

If I didn't have the contact with Victoria and Scott and the children...

1:12:101:12:15

..needless to say,

1:12:171:12:19

(I'd miss them.)

1:12:191:12:20

Um, will we miss you?

1:12:231:12:26

Like the air I breathe, as you know.

1:12:261:12:30

'Um... Yeah. Love you.'

1:12:301:12:34

See you soon. Bye.

1:12:341:12:35

-OK?

-Yeah.

1:12:401:12:41

-It's hard, isn't it?

-Yeah.

1:12:431:12:46

It brings a lump to your throat, straight away, thinking that...

1:12:471:12:51

Just seeing their faces, not even thinking. Just seeing their faces.

1:12:511:12:55

-I'm going to be upset.

-You all right?

-Yeah.

1:12:551:12:58

Something in my eye, I think. I think it was a fly, I'm not sure.

1:13:001:13:05

Yeah.

1:13:051:13:07

At the end of an emotional week

1:13:121:13:15

it was time to make the biggest decision of their lives.

1:13:151:13:19

The Corbetts had a lot to consider.

1:13:191:13:22

They'd found they wouldn't need a mortgage for their dream home.

1:13:241:13:27

Scott surprised himself by choosing teaching in Australia.

1:13:271:13:31

Australia!

1:13:311:13:32

But worries mounted

1:13:321:13:34

when they found out they'd only just be able to pay their bills.

1:13:341:13:38

Seeing messages from home reinforced the reality of what they'd be giving up.

1:13:381:13:43

They'd come close to making the move before Victoria's dad died

1:13:431:13:48

but leaving her mum would take every ounce of faith she has in Scott's dream.

1:13:481:13:52

Now it was the moment of truth.

1:13:521:13:54

We've had a wonderful week in Australia,

1:13:541:13:56

we've found out some really, really, really useful information.

1:13:561:14:01

It's going to be a really, really tough decision

1:14:011:14:04

but, based on what we've seen, we're going to vote...

1:14:041:14:07

-..Australia!

-Australia!

-Australia!

1:14:071:14:12

-I didn't think you were going to! I think you were going to have a wobble.

-No. No wobbles.

1:14:121:14:17

No wobbles.

1:14:171:14:20

Am I amazed that we're both thinking Australia? Er, no.

1:14:201:14:24

It's... I'm guessing that it's always been at the back of my mind,

1:14:241:14:28

even though I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat and it's really...

1:14:281:14:32

I'm just excited that we're both thinking the same thing.

1:14:321:14:35

It really has given us the opportunity to figure out

1:14:351:14:39

whether this is the right decision

1:14:391:14:41

and I really do think it is the right decision for our family.

1:14:411:14:44

It's going to be hard... but I think it'll be good.

1:14:441:14:48

-Definitely.

-Definitely the right thing to do.

-Yeah!

1:14:481:14:52

After experiencing their week down under

1:14:531:14:56

the Corbetts voted for a future in Australia.

1:14:561:14:59

But once home, were they able to make that big leap

1:14:591:15:02

and uproot their lives?

1:15:021:15:05

One year on and we caught up with the Corbetts

1:15:071:15:10

and found they were living in...

1:15:101:15:13

..Australia.

1:15:131:15:15

Scott, Victoria, Mason and Indie are back in sunny Adelaide.

1:15:161:15:20

They made the move eight months ago

1:15:201:15:23

and have bought a three-bedroom house

1:15:231:15:25

in the suburb of Christies Beach.

1:15:251:15:27

It's on the coast, 40 minutes south of the city centre

1:15:271:15:31

in an up-and-coming area.

1:15:311:15:34

During their trial week

1:15:341:15:36

they were both wary of giving up the home they loved in Wales.

1:15:361:15:39

So what convinced them to emigrate?

1:15:391:15:41

When I got back, my immediate thoughts were,

1:15:411:15:44

"I just need to move to Australia."

1:15:441:15:47

I think we both did, but I, for sure, did.

1:15:471:15:50

It just felt so right.

1:15:501:15:53

You could see the lifestyle that we could achieve,

1:15:531:15:56

and it just felt like, we've got to give it a go.

1:15:561:16:00

At that point, we decided,

1:16:001:16:02

"Right, let's just do it."

1:16:021:16:04

And I had to get my mind into the thought of,

1:16:041:16:07

"This is what we're doing, now is the time to look forward."

1:16:071:16:11

There's no point looking back and dwelling on things,

1:16:111:16:15

cos that's just going to make me miserable,

1:16:151:16:18

just move forward, and make it the best it can possibly be.

1:16:181:16:21

Leaving their home, and life, in Wales, was easier than they thought.

1:16:211:16:26

We've been out here eight months, and that's gone really quickly.

1:16:261:16:31

We came out at the beginning of January,

1:16:311:16:33

and within three or four weeks we'd found the house,

1:16:331:16:37

and it all just slotted in.

1:16:371:16:39

We just felt really comfortable in this area,

1:16:391:16:42

and thought, "Just go for it.

1:16:421:16:44

"There's no point half-living it, if we're going to do it.

1:16:441:16:49

"Let's just do it properly,

1:16:491:16:51

"and give ourselves the best chance of settling in

1:16:511:16:54

"and the best chance of really living the life."

1:16:541:16:57

With their UK house sold, they seem to have found the ideal location.

1:16:571:17:03

It's just a beautiful place.

1:17:031:17:05

The park is two minutes down the road, the school just a couple of minutes' walk,

1:17:051:17:11

so we've actually situated ourselves in a really nice area,

1:17:111:17:15

for the way we are, and the way we live.

1:17:151:17:19

The big difference for us is we've bought this house outright with no mortgage,

1:17:191:17:23

and financially that has made an easy transition for us.

1:17:231:17:27

We were looking to build, originally,

1:17:271:17:31

but didn't see how we'd get anywhere near to the actual lifestyle we wanted,

1:17:311:17:35

but this house, it's pretty much on the money,

1:17:351:17:40

allowing us to put our stamp on the place.

1:17:401:17:43

We've got a small upstairs deck,

1:17:431:17:45

we'd like to extend that to a massive deck,

1:17:451:17:50

downstairs is open to the elements, we'd like to glaze that in,

1:17:501:17:53

to make it a downstairs living area,

1:17:531:17:55

so that we can literally open all of the doors,

1:17:551:17:59

the inside goes out and the outside comes in, so to speak,

1:17:591:18:01

we need to build a garage,

1:18:011:18:03

we've probably got about £60,000 worth of ideas in our minds

1:18:031:18:09

but we've got about 6,000 pennies to spend on it!

1:18:091:18:13

The thought of leaving behind those she loved in the UK

1:18:161:18:20

was very difficult for Victoria.

1:18:201:18:22

But she managed to overcome the emotional pain.

1:18:221:18:27

Missing family hasn't really been an issue because you can talk

1:18:271:18:31

face-to-face on the computer,

1:18:311:18:33

and it's ideal, cos you don't actually feel like you're missing out on something.

1:18:331:18:37

The kids get a certificate in swimming, and they can go on the computer and show

1:18:371:18:41

Nanny, or Grandma and Grandpa,

1:18:411:18:43

and it's great.

1:18:431:18:45

For her, the biggest heartache was leaving her mum behind.

1:18:471:18:49

So how has she dealt with it.

1:18:491:18:52

We got here in the January, Mum came out in the March,

1:18:521:18:55

she was here until the end of August,

1:18:551:18:59

so I didn't miss her,

1:18:591:19:02

cos she's been here most of the time!

1:19:021:19:05

We've had a couple of weeks. Scott's mum and dad arrive tomorrow.

1:19:051:19:09

With Scott and Victoria having coped so well with emigrating,

1:19:091:19:14

its made the move easier for the children.

1:19:141:19:17

They have settled in so well,

1:19:171:19:19

totally hit the floor running.

1:19:191:19:22

Yeah, they haven't had any issues at all, and absolutely love it.

1:19:221:19:29

They're happy that the sun's shining and they get to play outside, life is good as far as they're concerned.

1:19:291:19:35

And what do the children like so much about their new life?

1:19:351:19:41

Playing, and going down the beach and surf and bodyboard.

1:19:411:19:45

I splash the sea, but not surf.

1:19:451:19:50

We went on a lifeboat,

1:19:501:19:52

and we saw whales' tails sticking out of the water!

1:19:521:19:57

And we saw sea lions!

1:19:591:20:00

You get up, the sun is shining,

1:20:031:20:06

you look out the window and see the beach,

1:20:061:20:08

and you just smile, and think, "Brilliant."

1:20:081:20:10

It's perfect, isn't it? It's great.

1:20:101:20:13

It's just all slotted together. It was meant to be.

1:20:131:20:17

It's just been easy.

1:20:171:20:19

Once they decided to make the move, the idea was that Scott would get teaching work

1:20:261:20:31

while Victoria stayed at home until the children were settled.

1:20:311:20:36

Determined to make the move work,

1:20:361:20:38

Scott didn't leave anything to chance.

1:20:381:20:41

Before we emigrated, I emailed about ten different schools

1:20:411:20:45

in the local area, and as it turned out,

1:20:451:20:48

when I got here,

1:20:481:20:49

my paperwork arrived on a Tuesday, they phoned me on the Friday,

1:20:491:20:53

and said, "There's a job on Monday if you'd like it."

1:20:531:20:56

So obviously I jumped straight in, and said, "Yes, please."

1:20:561:21:00

My job here at the minute is half art, half PE.

1:21:031:21:08

It's a great mix for me cos it's what I've done pretty much all through my teaching career.

1:21:081:21:11

He's been working as a supply teacher but that has its benefits.

1:21:111:21:16

You do get paid more over here.

1:21:161:21:18

The cost of living is more, but you get paid more in the first instance.

1:21:181:21:22

If I get a promotion,

1:21:221:21:23

which might be happening shortly,

1:21:231:21:25

I have my fingers crossed,

1:21:251:21:27

in the UK, for being Head of Department I would have got paid

1:21:271:21:32

about £40,000.

1:21:321:21:33

For the same job over here, it's going to be more like

1:21:331:21:37

£55,000, £56,000 a year.

1:21:371:21:41

That's a fair increase.

1:21:411:21:43

That's over a quarter.

1:21:431:21:45

And even the teaching style in Australia seems to be

1:21:451:21:49

to Scott's liking.

1:21:491:21:50

A question lots of people ask me is,

1:21:501:21:53

"Is teaching in the UK the same as in Australia?"

1:21:531:21:57

Over here I'm very new within the school.

1:21:571:22:00

Everything is new, the system, the kids, the staff,

1:22:001:22:05

and what you have to realise is

1:22:051:22:07

things are more laid back over here.

1:22:071:22:10

Students have a different approach.

1:22:101:22:12

But if you have the same expectations then students will come close to it,

1:22:121:22:16

wherever they come from.

1:22:161:22:19

For Scott, the move was always driven by his desire to live a better lifestyle with his family.

1:22:221:22:28

My dream before we came was to maybe come home from work,

1:22:281:22:34

grab my board, and with the kids down on the beach with my wife,

1:22:341:22:39

they'd already be in the water playing.

1:22:391:22:41

It happens, and it probably happens two or three nights a week.

1:22:411:22:45

We come down the beach and just play,

1:22:451:22:47

in and out the water, digging holes,

1:22:471:22:50

bodyboarding, splashing.

1:22:501:22:52

Spending time together as a family is just wonderful.

1:22:561:22:59

It's what Australia meant for us.

1:22:591:23:02

It's just perfect.

1:23:021:23:04

This is definitely what we were hoping to achieve in terms of lifestyle.

1:23:041:23:11

Just about!

1:23:111:23:12

You don't have to think, "The weather forecast is nice this weekend,

1:23:141:23:18

"we can make use of that one day",

1:23:181:23:20

because it's just lovely all the time, which is great.

1:23:201:23:25

It's got a beautiful summer. Spring and autumn is gorgeous.

1:23:251:23:29

It's just beautiful.

1:23:291:23:31

Having dreamt of making this move for over 20 years,

1:23:311:23:35

how has finally emigrating affected Scott?

1:23:351:23:38

Scott's reaction to moving to Australia has been really lovely,

1:23:381:23:43

inasmuch as he is a lot more chilled out, relaxed,

1:23:431:23:46

and he just really enjoys doing what he's doing right now,

1:23:461:23:52

it's just being Dad, cos he just thrives on that.

1:23:521:23:57

I just enjoy being, a lot more.

1:23:571:24:00

There's so many things that I think you could accustomed to or take for granted,

1:24:001:24:04

for example,

1:24:041:24:06

the other evening I jump on my skateboard and go across

1:24:061:24:10

to the esplanade,

1:24:101:24:11

and watch the sun go down,

1:24:111:24:13

and you'll see a pod of dolphins

1:24:131:24:15

literally going across the water.

1:24:151:24:17

It's just unbelievable.

1:24:171:24:19

The other night as I was paddling back out,

1:24:191:24:22

there was another guy surfing in,

1:24:221:24:24

with literally a dolphin surfing next to him,

1:24:241:24:27

coming through the waves,

1:24:271:24:29

I'm watching him, watching the dolphin, watching the waves, it's just incredible.

1:24:291:24:34

But you always think, maybe there is more to life.

1:24:361:24:39

And as it turns out, there is.

1:24:391:24:41

More to life than staying in a settled, safe place.

1:24:431:24:48

Scott seems to have realised his hopes but for Victoria,

1:24:481:24:52

Australia was always going to be a bigger challenge.

1:24:521:24:55

Since the death of her father

1:24:551:24:57

she's struggled with the thought of leaving her mum on the other side of the world.

1:24:571:25:02

She's my best friend, as much as anything.

1:25:021:25:05

The thought of leaving her here without my dad to sort of...

1:25:051:25:09

keep her on the straight and narrow.

1:25:091:25:11

She dotes on her grandkids, they're her only two grandkids,

1:25:111:25:15

and the thought of doing that to her

1:25:151:25:18

just rips my heart out, it's really hard.

1:25:181:25:23

So how has she handled the move now that it has happened?

1:25:231:25:27

Emotionally I think I've coped quite well with the actual moving here,

1:25:271:25:32

inasmuch as before we left, Mum had already booked her flight,

1:25:321:25:36

so I knew that there was a definite amount of time before I'd see her again,

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cos obviously with Dad, I'm missing him,

1:25:411:25:44

and it being a very definite never going to see him again,

1:25:441:25:47

the thought of doing that for a long period of time with Mum, was hard,

1:25:471:25:52

but knowing that it was only going to be a few months

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and she was going to be out here for a long period of time,

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that made life so much easier,

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and also now Mum has been out here, she absolutely loved it,

1:26:021:26:06

so much so that we've put plans in to put the granny annexe in the garden,

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so she's going to spend six months of the year out here, back and forth.

1:26:111:26:19

I think that makes me feel much better,

1:26:191:26:21

that I know that she thinks we're doing the right thing as well,

1:26:211:26:25

and she thinks we're doing it so well that she's going to join us.

1:26:251:26:31

In fact, since the visit, her mum has applied for a visa

1:26:311:26:34

to move down under for good.

1:26:341:26:36

Meaning Victoria's big problem about moving could soon be over.

1:26:361:26:41

For the fairytale ending Scott just needs to persuade his parents

1:26:411:26:46

to emigrate as well.

1:26:461:26:49

It seems he might have that opportunity today.

1:26:491:26:52

Mum and Dad are dropping in this morning, from Wales.

1:26:521:26:56

So we're here to meet them. It's about 6:45am.

1:26:561:27:00

We're all excited about seeing Grandma and Grandpa.

1:27:001:27:02

It's been eight months since we've seen my parents.

1:27:021:27:06

Everybody's going to be a bit excited, emotional, teary, I'd imagine.

1:27:061:27:11

Mace is worried he's going to be squeezed a bit.

1:27:111:27:14

A good morning. Nice morning.

1:27:141:27:16

With such strong family ties

1:27:271:27:29

sometimes the other side of the world doesn't seem so far away.

1:27:291:27:34

For the Corbetts, it looks as if their Australian dream

1:27:461:27:50

has come true.

1:27:501:27:51

And with the possibility of Mum joining them

1:27:511:27:54

there could be an even better future ahead for the whole family.

1:27:541:27:59

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

1:28:041:28:07

E-mail [email protected]

1:28:071:28:09

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