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In 2011, the McCallum family faced one of the toughest | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
choices of their lives. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
Was the dream of emigrating to Australia worth | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
the sacrifice of leaving a daughter behind? | 0:00:09 | 0:00:12 | |
Today, we will find out how and where they are now. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:16 | |
The McCallums were set to emigrate | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
until their family situation changed dramatically. | 0:00:18 | 0:00:21 | |
A year ago, I would definitely have gone to Australia. | 0:00:21 | 0:00:24 | |
Now, I'm having second thoughts. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:27 | |
Taking one daughter would have meant leaving another behind. | 0:00:27 | 0:00:30 | |
As quick as I found them, as quick as I could lose them. | 0:00:30 | 0:00:35 | |
The family faced a choice that could have left someone broken-hearted. | 0:00:35 | 0:00:39 | |
This is the biggest decision I am having to make. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:42 | |
If we did go, there is no coming back. | 0:00:42 | 0:00:45 | |
But one year on, could they make that decision? | 0:00:45 | 0:00:48 | |
-Something drastic has happened. -It's been an awful time. | 0:00:48 | 0:00:52 | |
In 2011, the McCallum family spent a week experiencing | 0:01:14 | 0:01:19 | |
the reality of life Down Under. | 0:01:19 | 0:01:21 | |
At the end of it, they would have to make a tough choice. | 0:01:21 | 0:01:24 | |
Whether to move to Australia or stay in the UK. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:28 | |
But one year on, what's happened since? | 0:01:28 | 0:01:30 | |
Their journey took them from London via Singapore, | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
spending 20 hours in the air and spanning almost 10,000 miles. | 0:01:35 | 0:01:40 | |
And such a long journey gave them | 0:01:40 | 0:01:41 | |
plenty of time to think about the challenging week ahead. | 0:01:41 | 0:01:44 | |
We're here now. We've... | 0:01:45 | 0:01:47 | |
It's looking real. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
It's just hit us, I think, what we've got to do in the next week. | 0:01:50 | 0:01:53 | |
Hopefully realise it's the right thing. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:55 | |
Ahead of the McCallums was a potentially life-changing trip, | 0:01:55 | 0:01:59 | |
far from their home back in Gravesend. | 0:01:59 | 0:02:02 | |
In 2011, catering manager Michelle lived with her husband, Jim, | 0:02:03 | 0:02:08 | |
and their nine-year-old daughter, Enis. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:10 | |
They both worked at the local school and led busy lives. | 0:02:10 | 0:02:13 | |
And, like the thousands of Brits who emigrate every year, | 0:02:13 | 0:02:16 | |
they thought Australia could offer them a better life. | 0:02:16 | 0:02:19 | |
Over here it's just stress, | 0:02:19 | 0:02:21 | |
hectic lifestyle. Out there we just want | 0:02:21 | 0:02:25 | |
a nice, calm, chilled-out time. | 0:02:25 | 0:02:29 | |
The family were ready to move Down Under, | 0:02:31 | 0:02:35 | |
but everything changed for Jim after being reunited with his first daughter. | 0:02:35 | 0:02:40 | |
Lauren, then 21, | 0:02:40 | 0:02:42 | |
hadn't seen Jim since her parents' separation 19 years ago, | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
and they'd only just started to build the relationship. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
'If it was a year ago,' | 0:02:50 | 0:02:51 | |
we would've definitely both gone to Australia as soon as we could, | 0:02:51 | 0:02:56 | |
but now the circumstances have changed a little bit. | 0:02:56 | 0:02:59 | |
My daughter has got back in touch with me | 0:02:59 | 0:03:01 | |
after about 20 years. | 0:03:01 | 0:03:03 | |
That is going to change my view a lot. | 0:03:03 | 0:03:07 | |
My relationship with my dad now, I'd say it is definitely blossoming, | 0:03:07 | 0:03:11 | |
but I wouldn't say it's fully there yet, cos there's still | 0:03:11 | 0:03:14 | |
so much that I don't know, | 0:03:14 | 0:03:16 | |
and so much I want to know. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:17 | |
I know how much they really want to go | 0:03:17 | 0:03:19 | |
and I wouldn't want to stop that, cos... | 0:03:19 | 0:03:22 | |
Oh, I'm going to cry. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:26 | |
Despite their situation, Michelle was still desperate to go. | 0:03:27 | 0:03:31 | |
Her dad's health had become another concern. | 0:03:31 | 0:03:34 | |
It's just that worry in the back of my mind. If anything happens, | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
we've got to get home. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:42 | |
After losing her mum two years ago, | 0:03:42 | 0:03:45 | |
tearing Enis from her only grandfather | 0:03:45 | 0:03:48 | |
would break her heart. | 0:03:48 | 0:03:49 | |
They were very close, | 0:03:49 | 0:03:51 | |
Michelle's mum and Enis, and now | 0:03:51 | 0:03:53 | |
she's got really close to her granddad. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:57 | |
Dad's all she's got, isn't it? | 0:03:57 | 0:03:58 | |
They'd come so close, | 0:03:58 | 0:04:02 | |
but with Enis and Lauren's happiness to consider, the decision to move | 0:04:02 | 0:04:05 | |
was hanging in the balance. | 0:04:05 | 0:04:07 | |
Probably the biggest decision of my life. | 0:04:09 | 0:04:11 | |
I'm thinking about it constantly at the moment, | 0:04:11 | 0:04:15 | |
trying to weigh everything up, and some days I'm thinking, | 0:04:15 | 0:04:18 | |
"Yeah. Let's go for it, we'll do it," | 0:04:18 | 0:04:20 | |
and then I'm thinking, "My daughter. What do I do?" | 0:04:20 | 0:04:25 | |
We have to really get it right. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:29 | |
We've got an opportunity to go. We've got to do it and go and try it. | 0:04:29 | 0:04:34 | |
Otherwise we'll always be thinking, "What if?" | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
We want to give it 100%. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:38 | |
If we do go, there's no coming back. | 0:04:38 | 0:04:41 | |
Jim and Michelle's base for the week was Brisbane in Queensland. | 0:04:50 | 0:04:54 | |
With a passion for golf, | 0:04:54 | 0:04:55 | |
staying close to a golf course should have suited them to a tee! | 0:04:55 | 0:04:59 | |
Oh, I want to live here. Golf course! | 0:05:01 | 0:05:04 | |
I've always wanted to live on a golf course. | 0:05:04 | 0:05:07 | |
This looks all right, doesn't it? | 0:05:09 | 0:05:11 | |
It's more like a holiday home than... | 0:05:11 | 0:05:13 | |
-Yes. -I don't know if we could live in it. | 0:05:13 | 0:05:15 | |
But this wasn't going to be a holiday for the McCallums. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
I'm a worrier. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:21 | |
-Yes. -I'm worried that... | 0:05:21 | 0:05:23 | |
..if we can't get work out here... | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
I think if we couldn't afford a nice house, | 0:05:27 | 0:05:31 | |
that'd be one of my fears. | 0:05:31 | 0:05:33 | |
That would put a stop to it straight away. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:35 | |
Obviously, we've got to think | 0:05:35 | 0:05:37 | |
what we've got back home. | 0:05:37 | 0:05:38 | |
We've got a nice house, we're in a nice area, | 0:05:38 | 0:05:42 | |
we've both got good jobs. | 0:05:42 | 0:05:44 | |
-Mmm. Yeah. -See, that's made you think! Hasn't it? -Mmm, true. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:48 | |
This week, we've got to really do some serious thinking. | 0:05:48 | 0:05:52 | |
-That's what we're here for. -That's what this week's all about. | 0:05:52 | 0:05:56 | |
Back in the UK, the McCallums lived in a four-bedroom detached house | 0:06:03 | 0:06:07 | |
worth around £300,000. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:10 | |
Having paid off their mortgage they had a budget of around £280,000. | 0:06:10 | 0:06:15 | |
They hoped to stay mortgage free. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:17 | |
For that price, they had a few items on their wish list. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
I'd like a single-storey, at least three to four bedrooms, | 0:06:22 | 0:06:26 | |
with a swimming pool. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
That's the must-haves, isn't it, really? | 0:06:28 | 0:06:32 | |
We showed the McCallums three different options based upon | 0:06:32 | 0:06:35 | |
what they wanted from their ideal home, what they could afford | 0:06:35 | 0:06:38 | |
and the real price of property Down Under. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:41 | |
After seeing what was on offer, | 0:06:41 | 0:06:43 | |
they'd discover how much each house cost. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:45 | |
The search began with this three-bedroom property | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
in the suburb of Helensvale, a family area minutes from the coast. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:54 | |
But would the McCallums like it? | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
Ooh. Bedroom at the front. | 0:07:00 | 0:07:02 | |
-What do you reckon, Enis? -It looks a bit old. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:04 | |
The en suite's all right. | 0:07:04 | 0:07:06 | |
-Seems very old. -Very old! | 0:07:06 | 0:07:09 | |
Mmm. | 0:07:09 | 0:07:10 | |
Enis didn't look convinced. Perhaps it was best | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
to check out the bedrooms. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:15 | |
Oh, this is nice. | 0:07:15 | 0:07:16 | |
-It's good size, isn't it? -Yeah. It's not bad. -Mmm. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:20 | |
-Oh, you could have a self-contained apartment. -Oh! -Granddad annexe. -Yay! | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
He could live in this bit, | 0:07:28 | 0:07:30 | |
couldn't he? This would be ideal | 0:07:30 | 0:07:32 | |
as a guest suite. It's growing on me. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:35 | |
-Do you like it, Enis? -Yeah. | 0:07:35 | 0:07:39 | |
-Yeah? You're not sure, are you? -No. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
Let's have a look at the outdoor area. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:44 | |
-Oh, look at that. -Oh! | 0:07:44 | 0:07:46 | |
Could you see yourself living here? | 0:07:46 | 0:07:48 | |
It's a bit...in the country, and it's got spiders and... Oh! | 0:07:48 | 0:07:53 | |
-There's not that many. -It's a bit "olde-fashioned". | 0:07:53 | 0:07:56 | |
The granddad annexe and pool didn't do enough to win Enis over. | 0:07:56 | 0:08:01 | |
But what about Mum and Dad? | 0:08:01 | 0:08:02 | |
How far would their budget of £280,000 go? | 0:08:02 | 0:08:06 | |
Are we going to have a guess on the price? | 0:08:08 | 0:08:11 | |
You go first, then, Enis. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:13 | |
-450? -450? We'll buy two! | 0:08:13 | 0:08:17 | |
-450,000? -Yeah. | 0:08:19 | 0:08:21 | |
-475. -490. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:25 | |
-MICHELLE GASPS -460,000. You were closest. | 0:08:25 | 0:08:30 | |
God, that's quite good, isn't it? | 0:08:30 | 0:08:32 | |
That's not bad! I'm more interested now I know the price! | 0:08:32 | 0:08:35 | |
SHE LAUGHS | 0:08:35 | 0:08:36 | |
So with that house, the McCallums would stay mortgage-free, | 0:08:36 | 0:08:40 | |
but finding an ideal home could've meant pushing their budget. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
The next stop was closer to the coast. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:47 | |
And on the ninth fairway of the Helensvale golf course, | 0:08:47 | 0:08:50 | |
it should have offered the family plenty of outdoor space. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:54 | |
"Please do not knock." | 0:08:54 | 0:08:56 | |
Oh, wow. | 0:08:56 | 0:08:57 | |
-Well, this is nice. -Children's room, Enis. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
-Or, I suppose, a study-cum-spare room. -Yeah. | 0:09:00 | 0:09:04 | |
Nice bright kitchen, Michelle. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:06 | |
It is nice, yeah. | 0:09:06 | 0:09:08 | |
-Got a big fridge. -Yeah. -Yeah. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:10 | |
I like the bar, Michelle. | 0:09:10 | 0:09:12 | |
The house may have come with its own golf course, | 0:09:13 | 0:09:16 | |
but Enis had noticed something was missing. | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
-The only thing it hasn't got is a pool. -I know. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:22 | |
Enis was a tough customer - | 0:09:22 | 0:09:24 | |
the house offered an ideal location for the family, | 0:09:24 | 0:09:27 | |
even it was missing a pool. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:29 | |
But did it fit in with their dreams of being mortgage-free, | 0:09:29 | 0:09:32 | |
or would the price put it out-of-bounds? | 0:09:32 | 0:09:35 | |
-Who wants to guess the price this time? -Michelle? | 0:09:37 | 0:09:41 | |
-No, you... -It's hard, isn't it? -I wouldn't even know. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
-What do you say, Enis? Have a guess. -She wouldn't know... | 0:09:43 | 0:09:48 | |
-4...60? -Right. Oh, same as the last one? Want me to have a look? | 0:09:48 | 0:09:52 | |
-310,000. -That is a lot of money! -I think that other house | 0:09:55 | 0:10:00 | |
-was much more... -You get much more for your...yeah, so do I. | 0:10:00 | 0:10:03 | |
You're actually paying more because it's on the golf course. | 0:10:03 | 0:10:07 | |
-Mmm. -Still in our price range. | 0:10:07 | 0:10:10 | |
I think the last one, you'd get more... | 0:10:10 | 0:10:12 | |
You could get more, couldn't you? | 0:10:12 | 0:10:14 | |
Yeah. Definitely want a swimming pool. | 0:10:14 | 0:10:16 | |
Both expensive and underwhelming, | 0:10:19 | 0:10:22 | |
this second house didn't fulfil their needs. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:25 | |
The last house is also on the golf course, close to the clubhouse. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:29 | |
After two big disappointments, | 0:10:29 | 0:10:31 | |
it really needed to make a good impression on the McCallums. | 0:10:31 | 0:10:34 | |
-This is nice. -Yeah. -But I think | 0:10:36 | 0:10:38 | |
-it's a mortgage job. -I think you're right. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:40 | |
-Look at this, Jim. -I like it already and I've just walked through the door. | 0:10:46 | 0:10:50 | |
-This has definitely got the wow factor. -Yeah. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:53 | |
-Wow. -I love it! | 0:10:53 | 0:10:55 | |
-This is nice, isn't it? -It is nice. Yeah. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:58 | |
That was a very happy-looking family and there was still | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
the garden with wood-fired oven and al fresco dining area to see. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:05 | |
I think I wouldn't have to look any further. | 0:11:06 | 0:11:08 | |
I think this has grabbed me already. | 0:11:08 | 0:11:11 | |
Wicked. | 0:11:11 | 0:11:13 | |
With the outdoors also impressing, | 0:11:13 | 0:11:15 | |
all that was left to check out were the bedrooms. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:18 | |
-It's only three bedrooms? -Surprising, yeah. I thought it'd be more. | 0:11:18 | 0:11:21 | |
But the size of it downstairs, | 0:11:21 | 0:11:23 | |
you'd think they'd have had another bedroom, wouldn't you, really? | 0:11:23 | 0:11:27 | |
It's nice, though, because you want more space downstairs, really. | 0:11:27 | 0:11:32 | |
You only go into your bedrooms to sleep, don't you? | 0:11:32 | 0:11:34 | |
So I'd rather have it bigger down here. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:37 | |
With its stylish interiors and open spaces, it looked as if | 0:11:37 | 0:11:40 | |
this house was an ideal fit for the McCallums. | 0:11:40 | 0:11:43 | |
But would its price seal the deal? | 0:11:43 | 0:11:46 | |
-Oh, here we go. Moment of truth. -Try and guess the price. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:49 | |
-Or do you want to just go straight for it? -Go straight for it. | 0:11:49 | 0:11:52 | |
-Go on then, Enis. You haven't done one yet. -Go on. | 0:11:52 | 0:11:54 | |
-MICHELLE GASPS -I'm surprised. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:01 | |
I was going to say about 750 and... | 0:12:01 | 0:12:04 | |
560,000! There's obviously something | 0:12:04 | 0:12:07 | |
-wrong with it. -Hmmm. Is it sinking? | 0:12:07 | 0:12:09 | |
MICHELLE LAUGHS Must have lots of golf balls come through the windows. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:14 | |
Viewing these three properties had been | 0:12:15 | 0:12:17 | |
an eye-opening experience for the McCallums. | 0:12:17 | 0:12:20 | |
With such varying prices, they may have needed to take a mortgage | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
to afford their ideal home. | 0:12:23 | 0:12:25 | |
But was Jim willing to do this? | 0:12:25 | 0:12:27 | |
We're now going to vote on | 0:12:30 | 0:12:31 | |
what we'd prefer, UK or Australia. | 0:12:31 | 0:12:33 | |
I'm going to go...Australia. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:42 | |
-UK. -Australia. | 0:12:44 | 0:12:46 | |
-UK?! -Yes. -Why? | 0:12:46 | 0:12:49 | |
I like my house! | 0:12:49 | 0:12:51 | |
-But did you not like them other ones? -I did. But I still | 0:12:51 | 0:12:55 | |
like my house better. If we could bring it with us, we'd be sorted. | 0:12:55 | 0:12:59 | |
Oh, all right. | 0:12:59 | 0:13:00 | |
Back in the UK, Jim worked as a school lab technician, | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
and although he was keen to find work in Australia, | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
it was Michelle's chef job that secured their visa. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:16 | |
With the pressure on her shoulders, | 0:13:18 | 0:13:20 | |
we arranged for her to spend the day in the kitchen of a luxury resort. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:24 | |
The Gold Coast was packed with similar hotels | 0:13:26 | 0:13:29 | |
and demand for chefs was high. | 0:13:29 | 0:13:31 | |
She met with Head Chef Obi, who showed her the ropes | 0:13:31 | 0:13:34 | |
while Jim and Enis had some time to check out the grounds. | 0:13:34 | 0:13:37 | |
-A bit shy! -You ready to do some cooking? -Yeah, sure! | 0:13:38 | 0:13:42 | |
-Nice, huh? I'll chuck you in... -Aargh! | 0:13:42 | 0:13:46 | |
Enis wasn't the only one staring at the deep end. | 0:13:46 | 0:13:48 | |
Michelle was put straight to work in the kitchen. | 0:13:48 | 0:13:52 | |
-Are you looking to continue cheffing? -Yeah, I'd like to. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:57 | |
I work in a school at the moment, and I do school hours, | 0:13:57 | 0:14:00 | |
-which is nice. -About seven to three | 0:14:00 | 0:14:02 | |
or something like that? | 0:14:02 | 0:14:03 | |
Eight...half eight till one-thirty. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:06 | |
-Oh, wow! -Even better. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:07 | |
It's just part time. Ideally, I'd like to | 0:14:07 | 0:14:10 | |
-go back to school and be a school cook, really. -That's funny, | 0:14:10 | 0:14:14 | |
we don't really have school chefs here. Not that I've seen. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:16 | |
Your mum packs your lunch and it usually goes soggy about lunchtime! | 0:14:18 | 0:14:22 | |
In the UK, Michelle's flexible schedule was a big plus, | 0:14:22 | 0:14:25 | |
and working here would mean less time spent with Jim and Enis. | 0:14:25 | 0:14:30 | |
-What do you reckon to Mum working in a hotel? -Good. -Yeah? | 0:14:31 | 0:14:36 | |
-Do you think we'd get free food? -Yeah. -Yeah? | 0:14:36 | 0:14:40 | |
But were the financial rewards worth it? | 0:14:40 | 0:14:43 | |
-Yeah. -And what's the pay like here for part-time chefs? | 0:14:43 | 0:14:47 | |
Commis chefs, which is the first level, | 0:14:47 | 0:14:49 | |
-you're looking at probably about 43,000 a year. -That's good, | 0:14:49 | 0:14:53 | |
compared to my job. I mean, I'm only a school chef, I only do part-time, | 0:14:53 | 0:14:58 | |
but that is really good money. | 0:14:58 | 0:15:01 | |
You'd probably have to be a bit more flexible | 0:15:01 | 0:15:03 | |
with the hours you want to work, only due to the cheffing industry. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:06 | |
-Usually you have to work a lot longer. -Yeah. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:09 | |
-But, I mean...yeah, like seven to three, something like that. -Yeah. | 0:15:09 | 0:15:14 | |
Positive news. She'd be earning £18,000 more than at home. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:19 | |
But it would mean going full-time. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:22 | |
And she knew it was down to her to make the dream work. | 0:15:22 | 0:15:25 | |
There's a lot of pressure on me to get a job, | 0:15:26 | 0:15:30 | |
but I know Jim won't sit around at home. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:34 | |
He will look, he will take any job. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
So I think, as long as I can get a job pretty quick | 0:15:37 | 0:15:40 | |
once we're out here, Jim'll follow and I think we'll be fine. | 0:15:40 | 0:15:44 | |
So, was she prepared to swap a job she loved for a chance at the life she dreamt of? | 0:15:45 | 0:15:51 | |
It was good to find out that I could earn a decent wage here | 0:15:51 | 0:15:55 | |
to support my family as the main applicant. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:58 | |
So, for that reason my vote goes to... | 0:15:58 | 0:16:00 | |
Australia! | 0:16:07 | 0:16:10 | |
With the property the McCallums loved in Australia over budget, | 0:16:16 | 0:16:20 | |
getting a good price for their home in Kent was crucial. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:23 | |
They hoped it was worth at least £280,000. | 0:16:23 | 0:16:28 | |
We sent two local estate agents round to get their opinion. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
Oh, yeah. Very smart. Very smart. Good-sized kitchen breakfast room. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:38 | |
Actually makes great use of the space you've got here. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:42 | |
Good-size conservatory. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:45 | |
They've obviously got children | 0:16:45 | 0:16:47 | |
who like cars and Barbies. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
This is a fabulously well-presented property | 0:16:52 | 0:16:55 | |
and I'd be happy to market this in the region of £300,000. | 0:16:55 | 0:16:59 | |
A lovely detached four-bed house. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:01 | |
I would value it in the current market at around the 260. | 0:17:01 | 0:17:05 | |
She's obviously... she doesn't know what she's... | 0:17:08 | 0:17:10 | |
That's a big difference, isn't it? | 0:17:10 | 0:17:12 | |
I was expecting it to be between 280 and 300. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:16 | |
If they couldn't get the right price for their UK home, | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
their dream house in Australia would only be a reality with a mortgage. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
So, after comparing their expenses in both countries, | 0:17:23 | 0:17:26 | |
would it all be too high a price to pay? | 0:17:26 | 0:17:30 | |
I can't believe the price difference, Jim. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:32 | |
I think you are going to lose weight living over here. | 0:17:32 | 0:17:36 | |
The weekly shopping bill was a lot more expensive, | 0:17:36 | 0:17:38 | |
so it was crucial the mortgage on their dream home was affordable. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:43 | |
Of the three houses we saw, | 0:17:43 | 0:17:44 | |
the third one was the one that appealed to us most. | 0:17:44 | 0:17:48 | |
That's property three. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:50 | |
So, that means we'd have a mortgage of 757 a month for 15 years. | 0:17:50 | 0:17:58 | |
-Yes. -Would you be prepared for that? | 0:17:58 | 0:18:01 | |
I thought the whole idea of coming out here was to be mortgage free. | 0:18:01 | 0:18:05 | |
So, we take home 2,769 with me working full-time. | 0:18:08 | 0:18:11 | |
Definitely working full-time now! | 0:18:11 | 0:18:16 | |
Back home, with me working part-time is 2,886. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:23 | |
Even with two jobs, the dream house would have meant | 0:18:24 | 0:18:27 | |
they were over £100 a month worse off than in the UK. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:31 | |
It was a huge blow for Michelle. | 0:18:31 | 0:18:33 | |
That doesn't sound good to me. | 0:18:33 | 0:18:35 | |
Coming out here to work full-time. | 0:18:35 | 0:18:37 | |
Just to be up on a bit of money and have a mortgage. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:41 | |
I can't see me spending more quality time with the family if I'm at work. | 0:18:41 | 0:18:46 | |
I think there might be a rethink here. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:49 | |
The cost of living seemed to be much worse | 0:18:49 | 0:18:51 | |
than the McCallums had expected. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:53 | |
Was Michelle's dream of the perfect life Down Under out of reach? | 0:18:53 | 0:18:58 | |
After looking at the cost of living comparison between the UK | 0:18:58 | 0:19:02 | |
and Australia, we are going to vote for... | 0:19:02 | 0:19:06 | |
-UK. -UK. | 0:19:12 | 0:19:16 | |
We've got a very good life at home, a nice house, | 0:19:18 | 0:19:20 | |
we live in a nice area. | 0:19:20 | 0:19:25 | |
Is it worth giving all that up? | 0:19:25 | 0:19:28 | |
To come out here for me to work full-time. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:30 | |
And start with another mortgage again. | 0:19:30 | 0:19:33 | |
With big decisions looming, the McCallums decided to meet up | 0:19:37 | 0:19:40 | |
with old family friends and ex-pats, the Wallises, in Brisbane. | 0:19:40 | 0:19:45 | |
Daniela emigrated four years earlier | 0:19:45 | 0:19:48 | |
and may have been able to help Jim with his dilemma. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:51 | |
What do you think of it out here, the lifestyle and all that? | 0:19:51 | 0:19:55 | |
It's definitely better for the kids. | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
It's hard work at first, | 0:19:58 | 0:19:59 | |
making friends... | 0:19:59 | 0:20:01 | |
I think we'll make friends quite easily. | 0:20:01 | 0:20:04 | |
And we're lucky we've got youse out here already, | 0:20:04 | 0:20:06 | |
so that's a start for us. | 0:20:06 | 0:20:07 | |
-Very lucky. -So, what do you miss | 0:20:07 | 0:20:09 | |
most about home, then, not being there? | 0:20:09 | 0:20:12 | |
Probably family. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:14 | |
I wish we could bring everyone over here to live with us. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
Is there anything you think you'll really miss | 0:20:17 | 0:20:19 | |
or any big doubts in your mind that could stop you from coming? | 0:20:19 | 0:20:22 | |
My dad is mine, isn't it, and, obviously, | 0:20:22 | 0:20:25 | |
Lauren is yours, isn't she? | 0:20:25 | 0:20:27 | |
Who would you miss if you came out here to live? | 0:20:27 | 0:20:30 | |
I would miss my granddad, my family | 0:20:30 | 0:20:33 | |
-and friends from school a lot. -Yeah. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:36 | |
Do you think your family maybe and some friends would come over, | 0:20:36 | 0:20:40 | |
say, for visits, maybe? | 0:20:40 | 0:20:43 | |
Obviously, yes. Lauren might move over. | 0:20:43 | 0:20:47 | |
-She might! -Yeah. | 0:20:47 | 0:20:49 | |
Suppose so. My big sister. | 0:20:49 | 0:20:51 | |
As they came closer | 0:20:51 | 0:20:53 | |
to making the biggest decision of their lives, | 0:20:53 | 0:20:55 | |
the reality of moving | 0:20:55 | 0:20:57 | |
to the other side of the world was hitting home. | 0:20:57 | 0:20:59 | |
For Jim, leaving his daughter Lauren | 0:20:59 | 0:21:01 | |
was weighing heavily on his mind. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:04 | |
Getting back in touch with my daughter Lauren | 0:21:04 | 0:21:07 | |
earlier on this year after 19, 20 years of not seeing her... | 0:21:07 | 0:21:13 | |
the last few months we've got to know each other again, | 0:21:13 | 0:21:16 | |
it's been fantastic. We've got on really well, | 0:21:16 | 0:21:19 | |
we've got a really good bond between me, also Enis and Michelle. | 0:21:19 | 0:21:23 | |
I just wonder, is it worth the upheaval of | 0:21:25 | 0:21:27 | |
moving over here and sort of breaking that bond with her again | 0:21:27 | 0:21:30 | |
that we've built in the last few months? | 0:21:30 | 0:21:34 | |
That's one of the major factors | 0:21:34 | 0:21:37 | |
in my decision about coming back over here. | 0:21:37 | 0:21:39 | |
It's going to be hard | 0:21:40 | 0:21:42 | |
to leave her again. It's a lot to think about. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:45 | |
Leaving friends and family was always their biggest worry. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:57 | |
So, would seeing messages from the people they loved, | 0:21:57 | 0:22:00 | |
put an end to the McCallums' dream? | 0:22:00 | 0:22:03 | |
Now we're going to see family and friends' messages. | 0:22:03 | 0:22:07 | |
-Are you OK to watch this, Enis? -Yeah. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
-You might get a bit upset. -You sure? Yeah? -OK. | 0:22:09 | 0:22:12 | |
Hello, guys. Hope you're well. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
Love you all, hope you're having a brilliant time out there. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:19 | |
Oh, they're a very close family, they're a very good family. | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
They do a lot for their little girl. Their life is Enis. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:27 | |
She's gorgeous. I love her to bits. | 0:22:27 | 0:22:30 | |
She's great. | 0:22:30 | 0:22:31 | |
She makes me feel a lot younger than what I am. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
I just feel that I've just found them, | 0:22:34 | 0:22:36 | |
and then as quick as I've found them | 0:22:36 | 0:22:41 | |
it's going to be as quick as I could lose them. | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
I will miss them terribly. Two streets away, | 0:22:44 | 0:22:48 | |
you know, all our lives. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:50 | |
Well, Enis, Jim and Michelle, I'm going to miss you loads | 0:22:52 | 0:22:56 | |
and you're a lovely family. | 0:22:56 | 0:22:58 | |
All the best for you. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:00 | |
If you do go to Australia, | 0:23:00 | 0:23:02 | |
I'd like to wish you all the best and you'd really be missed. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:06 | |
I love you all loads. | 0:23:12 | 0:23:14 | |
I think it'd be the best thing you do if you do go. | 0:23:14 | 0:23:18 | |
I wouldn't want to stop that, cos I know | 0:23:18 | 0:23:20 | |
how much you want to go. But I'll miss you loads and... | 0:23:20 | 0:23:24 | |
I want you to stay, but I want you to go. | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
Sounds really weird, but just do what you believe in doing. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:31 | |
Sweet. | 0:23:31 | 0:23:32 | |
Oh, bless her. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:34 | |
Yeah, I can imagine for her, though, | 0:23:35 | 0:23:37 | |
just finding you, one minute, | 0:23:37 | 0:23:40 | |
like what she said, and then the next minute | 0:23:40 | 0:23:42 | |
we're being taken away from her. | 0:23:42 | 0:23:45 | |
Must be awful. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:47 | |
Mmm. | 0:23:48 | 0:23:49 | |
-And it's not even been a year yet, has it? -No. | 0:23:51 | 0:23:54 | |
After all this time apart, getting to know each other again. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:57 | |
You've always wanted a big sister, haven't you? | 0:23:59 | 0:24:01 | |
And Dad, that's quite sad. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:06 | |
I know he doesn't want us to go, deep down, | 0:24:06 | 0:24:08 | |
but he knows it is going to be a better life for us. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:12 | |
Makes you feel like you're a bit selfish, isn't it? | 0:24:12 | 0:24:15 | |
But, at the end of the day, we've still got to do what's best for us, | 0:24:15 | 0:24:20 | |
haven't we, and as a family? | 0:24:20 | 0:24:21 | |
This week has a been a real eye-opener for us. | 0:24:22 | 0:24:26 | |
I'm still undecided on a decision. | 0:24:26 | 0:24:27 | |
I think that's going to be a last-minute thing. | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
I'm still trying to weigh it up in my own mind whether... | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
what way to go. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:35 | |
There's doubts now, you know. | 0:24:35 | 0:24:37 | |
I'm thinking I wanted to come over here to be better off financially, | 0:24:37 | 0:24:41 | |
more time, and it's not looking that way at the moment. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:46 | |
If I don't do it this year, I probably would never do it. | 0:24:46 | 0:24:50 | |
So I think we've got to make this decision sooner rather than later. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:56 | |
I've done so much thinking. | 0:24:56 | 0:24:59 | |
Now I know how Jim feels. | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
Poor man, he must be so stressed. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
Even for someone as laid-back as me, | 0:25:03 | 0:25:05 | |
I am starting to get a bit stressed with it all | 0:25:05 | 0:25:08 | |
and I do feel for that man. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:12 | |
He must be in knots. | 0:25:12 | 0:25:14 | |
It must be about a hundred times worse than anything else | 0:25:14 | 0:25:18 | |
I've ever worried about before. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:19 | |
I think I could live here some days and I couldn't the others. | 0:25:21 | 0:25:26 | |
I don't know why, but that's just what I feel. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:30 | |
After their week Down Under, it was finally time | 0:25:30 | 0:25:32 | |
for the McCallums to make their big decision. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:35 | |
We've had an amazing week here in Australia. | 0:25:35 | 0:25:38 | |
It's opened our eyes | 0:25:38 | 0:25:39 | |
and we've realised | 0:25:39 | 0:25:42 | |
it's difficult than what we was going to... | 0:25:42 | 0:25:45 | |
than what we expected it to be, | 0:25:45 | 0:25:47 | |
and as a family we're going to vote for... | 0:25:47 | 0:25:51 | |
..Australia. | 0:25:59 | 0:26:00 | |
UK. | 0:26:01 | 0:26:02 | |
Wow. Couldn't get any more split than that, could we? | 0:26:02 | 0:26:06 | |
This could be a tricky one. | 0:26:08 | 0:26:10 | |
I'm not surprised you voted UK, really, | 0:26:10 | 0:26:13 | |
because it is a big decision | 0:26:13 | 0:26:15 | |
and I know you do worry, and you've got so much going on in your life | 0:26:15 | 0:26:19 | |
at the moment with Lauren and that. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:21 | |
It's probably a lot harder for you | 0:26:21 | 0:26:24 | |
than it is for me and Enis, so... | 0:26:24 | 0:26:26 | |
I'm just worried about the financial side of things. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:30 | |
It's a major upheaval to move out here. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
I'm just... I'm still... | 0:26:33 | 0:26:34 | |
I'm not sure it's going to be beneficial for us. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:38 | |
I don't want to go to Australia | 0:26:39 | 0:26:41 | |
but some days I do, and I can't make my mind up. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:44 | |
After their week in Brisbane, | 0:26:50 | 0:26:52 | |
Jim's family and financial worries left the McCallums | 0:26:52 | 0:26:55 | |
unable to choose the best path for their future. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:58 | |
A month later, | 0:26:58 | 0:27:00 | |
I went to Kent to see if anything had changed. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:02 | |
So since we last saw you, | 0:27:02 | 0:27:04 | |
I know you wisely spent a little bit more time in Australia. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:07 | |
What's happened since then? Has anything changed? | 0:27:07 | 0:27:10 | |
Do you have any news for me? | 0:27:10 | 0:27:13 | |
Well, the week we had afterwards, | 0:27:13 | 0:27:15 | |
we went and had a look at | 0:27:15 | 0:27:17 | |
a few houses, didn't we? We saw that | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
within our budget, we could still have a nice house | 0:27:19 | 0:27:21 | |
without having to get a mortgage. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:23 | |
And Jim, for you things have slightly changed, haven't they? | 0:27:23 | 0:27:26 | |
-They have, yeah. -Tell me what's happened. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:28 | |
I got in touch with a job agency | 0:27:28 | 0:27:31 | |
and he asked me to come in for an interview with him. | 0:27:31 | 0:27:34 | |
I went in and he seemed really keen. | 0:27:34 | 0:27:36 | |
He said that he'd definitely find me a job out there. | 0:27:36 | 0:27:38 | |
The salary was really more than what I was expecting. | 0:27:38 | 0:27:41 | |
I was quite shocked by that. I thought, "That's good." | 0:27:41 | 0:27:45 | |
The main reason I voted the UK | 0:27:45 | 0:27:47 | |
was my other daughter, Lauren, but since coming back, | 0:27:47 | 0:27:51 | |
we've spoken to her about it | 0:27:51 | 0:27:52 | |
and she's really keen on us moving out there. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:55 | |
So we've had a good discussion about it | 0:27:55 | 0:27:58 | |
and we've weighed everything up | 0:27:58 | 0:28:00 | |
and we're definitely going to move to Oz. | 0:28:00 | 0:28:02 | |
That's fantastic news! | 0:28:02 | 0:28:05 | |
And what a weight off your mind, | 0:28:05 | 0:28:06 | |
that she's given her blessing. | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
-Will she come out to see you? -She said so. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
She's started a new job and she said | 0:28:11 | 0:28:12 | |
the first thing she'll do is save up for the flight out there. | 0:28:12 | 0:28:15 | |
After a few weeks back home, it looked as if | 0:28:19 | 0:28:21 | |
the McCallums had their minds made up about moving to Australia. | 0:28:21 | 0:28:26 | |
But one year on, were they any closer to their dream? | 0:28:26 | 0:28:29 | |
It's 2012, and the McCallums are living in... | 0:28:30 | 0:28:33 | |
the UK. | 0:28:33 | 0:28:34 | |
After agreeing to take the plunge and start the process of emigrating, | 0:28:34 | 0:28:37 | |
they received some news that forced them to reconsider their plans. | 0:28:37 | 0:28:41 | |
Something drastic has happened. | 0:28:41 | 0:28:44 | |
We've found out that Lauren's pregnant. | 0:28:44 | 0:28:46 | |
-Mm-hm. -And that has made us think we should really stay for the... | 0:28:46 | 0:28:51 | |
-Yeah. -..for the birth. -But what I... | 0:28:51 | 0:28:55 | |
Well, I thought that if we stayed, it's going to be harder to go, | 0:28:55 | 0:28:58 | |
isn't it? Once you see the baby and hold a newborn baby. | 0:28:58 | 0:29:01 | |
Oh, it's been an awful time, hasn't it, really? | 0:29:01 | 0:29:04 | |
But after having a chat with her | 0:29:04 | 0:29:06 | |
and the chances of a job opportunity, | 0:29:06 | 0:29:08 | |
we brought the flights forwards again. | 0:29:08 | 0:29:10 | |
So the sooner we get out there, the better it will be. | 0:29:10 | 0:29:14 | |
-Get Enis settled into school and... -Yeah. Cos that's another reason. | 0:29:14 | 0:29:18 | |
If we leave it till when the baby's born, | 0:29:18 | 0:29:22 | |
Enis is going to be older and it's another school year and, | 0:29:22 | 0:29:26 | |
you know, I think for her we need to go sooner rather than later, as well. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:30 | |
I do think they are a little bit worried that | 0:29:32 | 0:29:34 | |
I won't keep in touch but they've got nothing to worry about | 0:29:34 | 0:29:39 | |
cos I know 100% I will be obviously over the internet, ringing, | 0:29:39 | 0:29:43 | |
all sorts of things and definitely going out there. | 0:29:43 | 0:29:46 | |
Definitely once a year. If I can - more. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:49 | |
Reassured that Lauren will stay an important part of their family, | 0:29:49 | 0:29:53 | |
the move is back on, the house is rented | 0:29:53 | 0:29:55 | |
and the huge task of packing up their home can begin. | 0:29:55 | 0:29:59 | |
To be honest, with me, it's not sunk in yet. | 0:30:00 | 0:30:02 | |
I'm just thinking I'm going on holiday, you know. | 0:30:02 | 0:30:05 | |
Even though the van's outside and they're taking our furniture, | 0:30:05 | 0:30:08 | |
-it hasn't hit me yet. -No. | 0:30:08 | 0:30:09 | |
I just think cos I've got so much going on, | 0:30:09 | 0:30:12 | |
I'm more worried about packing the right clothes and getting that right. | 0:30:12 | 0:30:16 | |
And taking the right paperwork out with us. | 0:30:16 | 0:30:20 | |
I'm trying to make it as smooth as possible, so Enis doesn't get upset. | 0:30:20 | 0:30:25 | |
People want to arrange leaving dos for us, don't they? | 0:30:25 | 0:30:28 | |
And parties. I've said, "No, I don't want it. | 0:30:28 | 0:30:30 | |
"We'll just go round and say goodbye." | 0:30:30 | 0:30:32 | |
But I think it'll hit me | 0:30:32 | 0:30:34 | |
when we're at the airport and I think, "I'm not coming back." | 0:30:34 | 0:30:37 | |
You know? | 0:30:37 | 0:30:38 | |
-That's when it'll hit me but, you, it feels real for you. -It does. | 0:30:38 | 0:30:43 | |
-Cos I've been so worried the last... -Yeah. -..few months. -Yeah. | 0:30:43 | 0:30:47 | |
Well, the last few weeks more than anything. But now... | 0:30:47 | 0:30:50 | |
just seeing all my stuff getting humphed to the lorry, it's... | 0:30:50 | 0:30:54 | |
-Yeah. -..sunk in. It's real. | 0:30:54 | 0:30:57 | |
-And I feel OK. -ENIS: -It is weird having all these men here | 0:30:57 | 0:31:00 | |
because I've never moved in my life. So I don't know what it is. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:04 | |
I've been here all my life. I've got all my good friends here | 0:31:04 | 0:31:07 | |
BUT I've got my best friend - | 0:31:07 | 0:31:09 | |
one of my best friends - in Australia. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:11 | |
But my other best friend in England. So I don't know where to go. | 0:31:11 | 0:31:16 | |
It seems everyone | 0:31:16 | 0:31:17 | |
is struggling to get to grips with the reality of the situation. | 0:31:17 | 0:31:20 | |
"Best friends for life. From Lucy..." | 0:31:21 | 0:31:24 | |
But with the move now less than 24 hours away, | 0:31:24 | 0:31:27 | |
the family are doing their best to focus on the future. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:30 | |
I think tomorrow, when I look at the house empty, it's going to be | 0:31:30 | 0:31:33 | |
a bit of a shock cos, I mean, we've been here 14 years, 15 years. | 0:31:33 | 0:31:38 | |
And we've got so many memories here - good ones. | 0:31:38 | 0:31:42 | |
And it's going to be a bit sad to leave them but I'm just hoping, | 0:31:42 | 0:31:47 | |
and the way I'm thinking is we're going to have a better lifestyle | 0:31:47 | 0:31:51 | |
and probably better memories. | 0:31:51 | 0:31:53 | |
When we land in Australia, we've got our friends meeting us | 0:31:53 | 0:31:56 | |
and we're going to be staying with them for a few weeks. | 0:31:56 | 0:31:58 | |
Obviously it'll be about three months | 0:31:58 | 0:32:00 | |
-before all of our belongings turn up. -Yeah. | 0:32:00 | 0:32:03 | |
I can see me being at work within a week or two. | 0:32:03 | 0:32:07 | |
I mean, I've had a company that keep phoning me up | 0:32:07 | 0:32:09 | |
-and asking how soon I can start. -Yeah. | 0:32:09 | 0:32:11 | |
They want you to give them a start date and everything, don't they? | 0:32:11 | 0:32:14 | |
It's a matter of getting out there, showing your face and... | 0:32:14 | 0:32:17 | |
Let them know I'm in the country and see how soon they want me. | 0:32:17 | 0:32:22 | |
-I think now we've just got to think about getting got the airport. -Yeah. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:26 | |
-And getting on that plane. And, er... -That's it. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:29 | |
..off to our new life in Australia. | 0:32:29 | 0:32:31 | |
-Woo-hoo! -Yeah. | 0:32:31 | 0:32:33 | |
The McCallums' final day in the UK saw them arrive at the airport | 0:32:40 | 0:32:44 | |
surrounded by some of their closest friends and family. | 0:32:44 | 0:32:47 | |
Leaving them behind was one of their biggest fears | 0:32:47 | 0:32:50 | |
and it didn't take long for the tears to start. | 0:32:50 | 0:32:53 | |
We have to go now. | 0:32:53 | 0:32:55 | |
Oh, you've got to keep going to the gym. | 0:32:55 | 0:32:57 | |
-Bye. -Bye-bye. -Bye. -Bye. -See ya. -Bye. | 0:32:57 | 0:33:04 | |
Three weeks later, we caught up with the McCallums. | 0:33:18 | 0:33:21 | |
They are staying with fellow ex-pats and family friends the Wallises, | 0:33:21 | 0:33:25 | |
who they met up with on their trial week. | 0:33:25 | 0:33:27 | |
Their temporary home is in Upper Coomera on the Gold Coast, | 0:33:27 | 0:33:31 | |
but the strain of leaving their loved ones | 0:33:31 | 0:33:34 | |
is still fresh in their minds. | 0:33:34 | 0:33:36 | |
-They all got together, didn't they? -Yeah. -All our friends and family. | 0:33:36 | 0:33:39 | |
-They wanted to see us off, didn't they? -They want to see you off. | 0:33:39 | 0:33:42 | |
And it's something I didn't want | 0:33:42 | 0:33:43 | |
because I knew it would be upsetting for Enis. | 0:33:43 | 0:33:47 | |
Obviously she had her friends turn up at the airport | 0:33:47 | 0:33:50 | |
and they was all hugging. And that just got to us, didn't it? | 0:33:50 | 0:33:53 | |
It finally hit home then what I'm doingg because she was | 0:33:53 | 0:33:56 | |
clinging on to Granddad, wasn't she? | 0:33:56 | 0:33:58 | |
Saying, "I don't want to leave you." | 0:33:58 | 0:34:00 | |
And there's some things in life | 0:34:00 | 0:34:02 | |
that you don't want to have to experience | 0:34:02 | 0:34:04 | |
and that's one that I don't want to ever do again. | 0:34:04 | 0:34:07 | |
A bit spicy? > | 0:34:07 | 0:34:10 | |
But having some familiar faces to stay with has really helped | 0:34:10 | 0:34:13 | |
the family deal with all the change. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:16 | |
Friends Danielle and Matt emigrated from the UK four years ago. | 0:34:16 | 0:34:20 | |
Because we're living with friends, they've made it easier for us. | 0:34:20 | 0:34:24 | |
I mean, when they moved out, it was difficult for them - | 0:34:24 | 0:34:26 | |
they never knew anyone in this area. | 0:34:26 | 0:34:28 | |
So we're really fortunate we've got great friends that have sort of | 0:34:28 | 0:34:31 | |
kept an eye on us, told us, you know, | 0:34:31 | 0:34:34 | |
the way of the land, sort of thing. | 0:34:34 | 0:34:37 | |
It's made it easier going here | 0:34:37 | 0:34:39 | |
because it is just like back home - I've got friends and family. | 0:34:39 | 0:34:44 | |
Luckily, our friends said we can stay as long as we like | 0:34:44 | 0:34:47 | |
but, obviously... | 0:34:47 | 0:34:48 | |
-For ever. -For ever. But it's still new to us, isn't it, the area? | 0:34:48 | 0:34:52 | |
We've got to have a look round and... | 0:34:52 | 0:34:54 | |
I mean, this is where we'd like to be | 0:34:54 | 0:34:56 | |
but it's if we could afford it, isn't it, I suppose? | 0:34:56 | 0:34:59 | |
Moving at short notice made it a lot harder for the family | 0:34:59 | 0:35:02 | |
to find their feet but the payoff was that Jim could start work | 0:35:02 | 0:35:06 | |
as soon as they arrived. | 0:35:06 | 0:35:07 | |
Unfortunately, things didn't go to plan. | 0:35:07 | 0:35:10 | |
'When I got here,' | 0:35:10 | 0:35:11 | |
I phoned up the company that had been phoning me back in the UK. | 0:35:11 | 0:35:15 | |
And the man I'd been speaking to has left the company. | 0:35:15 | 0:35:18 | |
And, er, the new girl there didn't know anything about it. | 0:35:18 | 0:35:22 | |
It's been a bit stressful. | 0:35:22 | 0:35:24 | |
'We're sort of in limbo. | 0:35:24 | 0:35:25 | |
'I can't do anything until we find out about the work situation. | 0:35:25 | 0:35:28 | |
'I always check the email and see if | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
'I've got anything about jobs I've applied for the previous day. | 0:35:32 | 0:35:35 | |
'Now, I'm just applying for any other job that comes up - | 0:35:35 | 0:35:39 | |
'any other job that I think will suit me. | 0:35:39 | 0:35:42 | |
'I don't like being off work. | 0:35:42 | 0:35:43 | |
'I mean, the sooner we get a job, | 0:35:43 | 0:35:45 | |
'the sooner we can start thinking about looking for our own place.' | 0:35:45 | 0:35:49 | |
The setback with Jim's job has put pressure on Michelle to find work | 0:35:49 | 0:35:53 | |
a lot sooner than she'd planned. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:55 | |
Originally we thought I would get a job as soon as we came out here. | 0:35:55 | 0:35:59 | |
And Michelle, she would get Enis sorted in school | 0:35:59 | 0:36:02 | |
and maybe find a job round the school hours eventually. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:06 | |
'But now, it's gone the other way a little bit. | 0:36:06 | 0:36:10 | |
'Michelle's actually had a couple of job interviews.' | 0:36:10 | 0:36:12 | |
See you later. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:14 | |
Good luck. Ta-ra. Bye. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:16 | |
'I was just looking through the internet, | 0:36:16 | 0:36:18 | |
'looking for jobs for Jim, and there was this job come up | 0:36:18 | 0:36:21 | |
'that was exactly what I used to do' | 0:36:21 | 0:36:22 | |
in England, wasn't it, back in my old place? I couldn't believe it. | 0:36:22 | 0:36:27 | |
So I just emailed a recruitment agency | 0:36:27 | 0:36:30 | |
and yesterday she asked me to go for | 0:36:30 | 0:36:32 | |
an interview at the actual company. | 0:36:32 | 0:36:34 | |
So it was all quite quick, wasn't it, really? | 0:36:34 | 0:36:38 | |
While Michelle waits for news and Jim continues to look for work, | 0:36:38 | 0:36:42 | |
the one person who has settled into a routine is Enis. | 0:36:42 | 0:36:45 | |
But she's had to get used to school, Aussie style. | 0:36:45 | 0:36:49 | |
The school here that I'm going to is actually quite weird | 0:36:49 | 0:36:53 | |
and scary cos it's massive and I don't know where I'm going. | 0:36:53 | 0:36:57 | |
At my old school, they all used to be on one level | 0:36:57 | 0:36:59 | |
and these ones here, they go up and up for ever. | 0:36:59 | 0:37:02 | |
And when I do sport here, it's like long jumps, and shot put | 0:37:02 | 0:37:06 | |
and that, and I don't really know what any of them are | 0:37:06 | 0:37:08 | |
cos I only used to do tennis and football. | 0:37:08 | 0:37:12 | |
And it's not just Enis who's had to adapt to Aussie culture. | 0:37:12 | 0:37:16 | |
-Morning. -Jim's set in his ways. He has been for years. | 0:37:16 | 0:37:20 | |
I've tried changing him and you can't. | 0:37:20 | 0:37:21 | |
Since being out here, I've seen | 0:37:21 | 0:37:23 | |
a completely different side to you. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:25 | |
I know you are stressed with not working. | 0:37:25 | 0:37:29 | |
But, yes, he's starting to be | 0:37:29 | 0:37:31 | |
a bit more laid-back and think the Aussie way, aren't you? | 0:37:31 | 0:37:34 | |
My dad's being actually, like, he don't wear shoes around the house. | 0:37:35 | 0:37:40 | |
He goes in the sand | 0:37:40 | 0:37:41 | |
and he only used to wear flip-flops in the sand because | 0:37:41 | 0:37:46 | |
he didn't like it, but now he's walking around without flip-flops. | 0:37:46 | 0:37:50 | |
Your mum has been teaching my dad how to surf and boogie board. | 0:37:50 | 0:37:53 | |
He actually went in the sea and got completely wet. | 0:37:53 | 0:37:56 | |
Only because the board upturned you, didn't it, and, um... | 0:37:56 | 0:38:00 | |
I did enjoy it. The new me. | 0:38:00 | 0:38:03 | |
Despite the work difficulties, the family really seem to be | 0:38:05 | 0:38:09 | |
making the most of their new life in Australia. | 0:38:09 | 0:38:11 | |
And there are signs of easier times ahead. | 0:38:11 | 0:38:14 | |
While they're enjoying a day out at the park, | 0:38:14 | 0:38:17 | |
Michelle receives a phone call. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:18 | |
'I had an interview this morning.' | 0:38:18 | 0:38:20 | |
They've just got back to me this afternoon | 0:38:20 | 0:38:22 | |
to tell me I've got the job. Woo-hoo! | 0:38:22 | 0:38:24 | |
'It's brilliant. It's took the pressure off everything | 0:38:24 | 0:38:27 | |
'and it means Jim can sort of relax a bit now and start enjoying himself.' | 0:38:27 | 0:38:31 | |
-Give me five. -Mum got a job. | 0:38:31 | 0:38:32 | |
Michelle getting this job has taken the pressure off me a little bit. | 0:38:34 | 0:38:37 | |
I've felt like, you know, it was my place to get a job. | 0:38:37 | 0:38:40 | |
-I mean, I have been trying. -Yes. -But nothing's came of it yet. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:45 | |
I can't believe it. I'm over the moon. | 0:38:45 | 0:38:48 | |
You sounded confident when you came back, though, didn't you? | 0:38:48 | 0:38:51 | |
Well, I just waffled on, Jim. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:53 | |
-You're good at that. -Yeah. -A good waffler, ain't you? | 0:38:53 | 0:38:56 | |
The fantastic news means the family can now finally | 0:38:59 | 0:39:02 | |
start looking forward to the future. Including finding somewhere to live. | 0:39:02 | 0:39:07 | |
I think now Michelle's sorted in a job, | 0:39:07 | 0:39:10 | |
Enis is doing well at school, the next step is to look for a house. | 0:39:10 | 0:39:14 | |
You know, as soon as our stuff arrives from the UK, | 0:39:14 | 0:39:17 | |
our container arrives, all our stuff we've got, | 0:39:17 | 0:39:19 | |
a base where we can put our own furniture in, and that, | 0:39:19 | 0:39:23 | |
and make it a bit more homely for us. | 0:39:23 | 0:39:26 | |
When they eventually decide to sell their house in the UK, | 0:39:26 | 0:39:29 | |
they hope to stay mortgage free. | 0:39:29 | 0:39:32 | |
They've already started looking for the perfect home. | 0:39:32 | 0:39:35 | |
And Michelle has her eye on an ideal property. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:39 | |
Oh, let's go up, shall we? | 0:39:39 | 0:39:40 | |
This four bedroom house in a suburb of Upper Coomera | 0:39:40 | 0:39:43 | |
is a hit from the minute they step inside. | 0:39:43 | 0:39:46 | |
I really like the way they've decorated it. | 0:39:46 | 0:39:48 | |
-It's lovely, isn't it? It's perfect. -Mm. | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
-Ooh, double shower. -Go on, in you go. -I bet it works. -Oh, hang on! | 0:39:52 | 0:39:58 | |
I'll get wet! Gosh. | 0:39:58 | 0:40:01 | |
Oh, look at this. Oh, Jim, look at this kitchen. | 0:40:05 | 0:40:09 | |
-Oh, it's got a pool table, Jim. -Oh, yeah. -Let's have a look. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:13 | |
-I know what you're thinking. You want to buy it? -Yeah. -So we are. | 0:40:15 | 0:40:20 | |
Now I've got a job and I know Jim will get a job as well, it's, um, | 0:40:22 | 0:40:25 | |
-it is achievable, isn't it? -I think so. | 0:40:25 | 0:40:28 | |
I reckon, er, it's not out of our budget, is it? | 0:40:28 | 0:40:32 | |
-It's not going to be over? -No. And you like it, Enis. | 0:40:32 | 0:40:36 | |
-You'd love to move into a house like this, wouldn't you? -Yeah. | 0:40:36 | 0:40:40 | |
-Yeah. You'd be happy to? -Yeah. | 0:40:40 | 0:40:43 | |
They're not in a position to buy just yet but a glimpse of the future | 0:40:43 | 0:40:47 | |
has really fuelled their imagination of what could be possible. | 0:40:47 | 0:40:50 | |
Out of this world. | 0:40:52 | 0:40:54 | |
It's still early days for the McCallums | 0:40:55 | 0:40:58 | |
but already things seem to be coming together. | 0:40:58 | 0:41:02 | |
To think that we've only been here three weeks today, | 0:41:02 | 0:41:05 | |
I think we've done a tremendous amount, haven't we, really? | 0:41:05 | 0:41:08 | |
We've done... I mean, opening bank accounts, | 0:41:08 | 0:41:10 | |
changing our licences, bought a car - even though it's an old banger - | 0:41:10 | 0:41:15 | |
but, you know, we've done a lot, haven't we? | 0:41:15 | 0:41:17 | |
And I didn't think I'd get a job this soon. Not a full-time job anyway. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:23 | |
The next job for us is really to try and sort you out with work | 0:41:25 | 0:41:29 | |
and then a house. | 0:41:29 | 0:41:31 | |
The McCallums know there is still a lot of hard work ahead of them, | 0:41:31 | 0:41:34 | |
but tonight, after Michelle's good news, | 0:41:34 | 0:41:37 | |
it's time to enjoy what they've achieved so far. | 0:41:37 | 0:41:40 | |
-Cheers. -Cheers. | 0:41:40 | 0:41:42 | |
-All the best. -Happy working. | 0:41:42 | 0:41:45 | |
Michelle's got a job and Enis is settled in a good school, | 0:41:46 | 0:41:50 | |
she's doing really well. | 0:41:50 | 0:41:51 | |
Hopefully, within the next week or two, | 0:41:51 | 0:41:53 | |
I might hear something and I'll have employment as well. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:57 | |
So it's looking good. | 0:41:57 | 0:41:59 | |
We've done so much. We've had so much fun. | 0:42:02 | 0:42:05 | |
Um, I think we're still in holiday mode at the moment. | 0:42:05 | 0:42:09 | |
Yeah, but I think that's what our life's going to be like from now on. | 0:42:09 | 0:42:12 | |
Cos over here, you go to the beach weekends, | 0:42:12 | 0:42:15 | |
you go out on the boat weekends. You know, that's the norm. | 0:42:15 | 0:42:18 | |
-Go for a nice walk. -Yeah. | 0:42:18 | 0:42:20 | |
So although it may feel like holiday mode, it's going to be | 0:42:20 | 0:42:23 | |
-a long holiday, cos it's going to be... -Like this most days. -Yeah. | 0:42:23 | 0:42:26 | |
-And most weekends we'll be doing something. -Yeah. | 0:42:26 | 0:42:29 | |
We just know it's the way of life that we like, isn't it, really? | 0:42:31 | 0:42:35 | |
It fell into place well, didn't it? It's meant to be, really. | 0:42:35 | 0:42:40 | |
-It's only took me 40 years but... -You got here eventually. -Yeah. | 0:42:40 | 0:42:44 | |
So the McCallums have begun their new life Down Under, | 0:42:52 | 0:42:55 | |
even though they've experienced a few surprises. | 0:42:55 | 0:42:58 | |
There's still a long way to go, but we wish Jim, Michelle | 0:42:58 | 0:43:01 | |
and Enis all the very best of luck for the future. | 0:43:01 | 0:43:04 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:43:23 | 0:43:26 |