Stitt Family Wanted Down Under Revisited


Stitt Family

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If your job meant never seeing

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the people you loved,

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how far would you go

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for the family life you dreamt of?

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In 2011, the Stitt family had to decide if the answer

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lay on the other side of the world.

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Four years on, we'll find out if they made the leap

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and moved to Australia.

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The Stitts were desperate for a new life...

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I just don't want in ten years' time for my children to turn around

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and say, "Daddy, who are you?"

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..but it would come at a high price.

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That's what we have to give up,

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and that to me is a huge, huge stumbling block.

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Today, we'll discover which side of the world the family now call home.

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We were happy.

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We'd made the decision and we're sticking to it and that was it.

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Australia's the most popular destination

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for Brits emigrating abroad,

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with nearly 35,000 of us tempted each year

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by the promise of a better life down under.

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However, many find the grass isn't greener

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on the other side of the world

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and almost half return to the UK.

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In 2011, the Stitt family spent a week

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experiencing the reality of life in Australia.

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At the end of it, they faced a huge decision -

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whether to stay in the UK or make the move for good.

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Today, four years after their trial week,

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we'll find out if the family's Australian dream

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has become a reality.

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The Stitt's week in Perth in 2011

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began with a gruelling 20-hour flight.

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It had given Corinne plenty of time for second thoughts.

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I am just thinking, what if we don't like it?

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What are we going to do?

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Is our situation so bad that we have to leave Northern Ireland?

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Despite the nerves, the couple were looking forward to the week ahead.

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-Nice for us to spend a bit of time together...

-Yes, yes.

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-..as a family.

-Yeah.

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Cos we don't get a lot of that family time together,

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so it's an opportunity for us to be together and...

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-SHE GIGGLES

-..see how that works out.

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Four years ago, Eric, Corinne,

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and their daughters, Jodie, then aged nine,

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and Madison, who was five,

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were living in Bangor in Northern Ireland.

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The setting provided them with a lifestyle they loved.

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Both Eric and I are born and bred in Northern Ireland,

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and we're very proud to be Northern Irish.

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We have a lot going on here.

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We do love where we live - we live in a very nice area.

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We're so close to the school the kids go to.

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We've been able to provide the girls lots of opportunities for things.

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But the Stitts were considering giving all that up

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for a new life in Australia.

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Eric's work was tearing the family apart.

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In a month, Eric would be away for two or three weeks at a time.

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He's home for the weekend,

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and he would have one full day erm, with us,

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and in that stage, everything is rushed into the full day,

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and then, the next day, Eric's away off to the airport

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and away to work,

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and it could be for another two weeks.

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Eric's absence from home had taken its toll on everyone.

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He has missed out over the years

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on those things where, really, you know, he should be there,

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and he does feel it.

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It can be very hard trying to explain to a five year old

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that, no, Daddy has to go to work,

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you have to keep a roof over your heads.

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OK. Do I get a kiss for Daddy?

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All right, give Daddy a kiss.

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Mwah!

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Eric owned his own business designing pipe systems

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for oil and gas rigs all over Europe.

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Working offshore meant

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he was missing out on his family growing up.

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I just don't want in ten years' time

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for my children to turn around and say, "Daddy, who are you?"

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or, "Where have you been?"

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-Mwah!

-Aw, you behave yourself now for your mummy.

-OK.

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It's vitally important that we do get our lives sorted out

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and get to spend the time together as a family that we need to.

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I'm trying not...

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-You're all right.

-OK. I'll see you. Take care.

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Corinne does feel it hard sometimes.

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She has to be here 24/7 for the girls.

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Everything is on her shoulders.

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She says she feels like she's a single parent.

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It's not easy for her, and I do appreciate that.

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The Stitts were looking to Australia

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to give them their dream of a normal family life.

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They hoped its booming oil industry would mean Eric could find a job

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which would allow him to spend more time at home.

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We're just hoping for a lifestyle that's you work to live,

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you don't live to work.

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The girls could see the benefits.

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We would like to go to Australia. Wouldn't we?

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Yeah.

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It would be fun to spend some time with Dad and everything.

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-And he'll help us with our homework.

-Yeah!

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But if the Stitts did move down under,

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they were aware of how much they stood to lose.

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We are quite a close family.

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It's very daunting, I suppose, sometimes

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just to think that you're going to be on the other side of the world,

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that you're not going to be there when they need you.

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The Stitts spent their trial week in Perth,

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where much of Australia's oil and gas industry's based.

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Home for their trial week was a three-bedroom cottage

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just five minutes from Fremantle Beach.

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Everything's here that we need.

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It's really nice and it's clean and it's modern

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with that sort of shabby chic-y twist to it.

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Corinne and Eric were aware

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how much was resting on the next seven days.

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I really want it to go well,

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for this to be a really positive experience for us.

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Otherwise, we're going to be down the road in another ten years' time

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and just wonder what we've done with ourselves.

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A lot really does ride on it.

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Though they were hoping for a future in Australia,

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they also knew choosing it could have huge repercussions.

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I worry that if I really, really do like it,

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that...people at home are going to be a bit...

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There's a sense of guilt.

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Actually being here now brings home to you

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-just maybe how big a decision it would be...

-Mm-hm.

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..to make the move.

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This is a serious decision for us. This is...

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If we like this, we're coming out here -

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we're not hanging about.

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In 2011, the Stitts were living in a three-bedroom house

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in Bangor, in Northern Ireland,

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and they had plenty of thoughts

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on what their Australian home needed to deliver.

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The right sort of property would be very important.

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My dream property in Australia

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would be a pretty big house in the middle of nowhere.

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It has to have a swimming pool for the girls.

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And just somewhere where we can spread out

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and just enjoy being outdoors and just having room around us.

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That all sounded great, but it wouldn't come cheap.

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The Stitts had a budget of around £300,000.

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To give the family a taste of the Perth property market,

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we showed them three options

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based on what they wanted from their ideal home down under

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and what they could afford.

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First up was this three-bedroom house in Byford,

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20 miles south of Perth.

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Popular with young families and offering good value for money,

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what did the Stitts make of it?

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Looks like a box with windows.

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THEY GIGGLE

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Oh.

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Straight into the living room.

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It's smaller than what I thought.

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No, I don't like this at all.

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-You're not keen on coming straight in off the door.

-No, no.

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It's really not what I would come out here for.

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And the garden didn't go down well either.

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Well, it's just not practical at all.

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-Not for...

-No.

-Not for having kids.

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Where are you going to play?

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What are they going to do...out here?

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Go round in a circle on their bikes?

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-No, that's not working for me at all.

-No.

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That's a real big letdown.

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The house had been a big disappointment,

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and they still had to find out its cost.

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Was it somewhere they could even afford to call home

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with their £300,000 budget?

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-CORINNE LAUGHS

-£250,000.

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It may have been £50,000 under budget,

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but Corinne still wasn't buying.

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There needs to be a wee bit of reality on that,

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cos this house is not worth £250,000 of anybody's money.

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Things weren't great for the Stitts so far.

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If this property wasn't worth considering,

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would the house of their dreams be beyond their means?

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Property number two was in the small town of Baldivis.

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Close to shops, restaurants and the beach,

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was this four-bedroom house more up their street?

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OK.

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Ah.

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-Ah, you see, this has a hall.

-This is better.

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This is nice. This has a nice feel about it.

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Yeah. This is better.

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It's open plan, but it works a lot better than that other property.

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It's a bigger area.

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With much more space, the interior of this house was more pleasing.

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But stepping out into the garden...

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Aw, it's like...

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-Hm?

-Aw, that... I'd pull my hair out.

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-That's like the...

-Peace wall.

-That's like a peace wall.

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-Er...

-No.

-It's a wee bit...

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The house is nice. This here is a big no-no.

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It's not my dream.

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It's not really not my idea of living the Australian dream.

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It's... No, it doesn't do it for me. I'm sorry.

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Can we go?

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It may have seemed like an extreme reaction,

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but it was a painful reminder of

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something they were trying to leave behind.

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It reminds us both of a boundary wall in Belfast

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called the peace wall,

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which separates two communities in Belfast.

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It's there to keep people apart.

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I'm not coming to Western Australia to look at that

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-or be reminded of it, thanks very much.

-No.

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Although the garden was a definite no-go,

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the rest of the house had been a hit with the family,

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but was it somewhere they could afford

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on their £300,000 budget?

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315,000.

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It's probably overvalued at 315,000.

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Well, basing it and comparing it to...

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Comparing it to what I would get at home, yeah.

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But I certainly would not pay it for here.

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-It's not giving you what you're looking for.

-No.

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As if the wall wasn't enough,

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the house was at the top of their budget.

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If this was the best they could buy,

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would Eric and Corinne have to

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rethink their future?

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Everything rested on the last house.

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Property three in Secret Harbour

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was only a few minutes' walk from the beach

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but nearly 40 miles south of Perth.

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The Stitts could have got more for their money here,

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but it would mean a long commute for Eric.

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Oh, this is really...swanky, isn't it?

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-This is better.

-Yeah, this is nice.

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Which way do we go?

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-Er... Follow Daddy!

-Go this way?

-Yes.

-Go this way.

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-Master bedroom...

-Yeah.

-..I think.

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Aw, that's lovely.

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-That's beautiful.

-That's really nice.

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The decor as well is really nice.

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And that looks like an en-suite.

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-Oh, wow.

-Ooh.

-CORINNE LAUGHS

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-That's bigger than our bathroom at home.

-Probably is.

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After a bad start to the day,

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this house had certainly lifted Corinne and Eric's spirits.

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-Wow.

-THEY LAUGH

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-I like this.

-Wow factor there.

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Yeah, this is what I'm talking about.

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Oh!

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Mummy, are you going to get this house?

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-CORINNE LAUGHS

-She is going to get it.

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Well, it ticks quite a lot of my boxes.

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Well, it's ticking all the boxes so far.

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Madison seemed to have made her mind up already,

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but the best was yet to come.

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There were no complaints about this garden.

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No tears this time.

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-ERIC CHUCKLES

-Quite happy.

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Everyone loved this house,

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but they were yet to find out its price.

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If it was way above their £300,000 budget,

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Eric and Corinne's dream could be brought to a halt.

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-400.

-OK.

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Approximately 400,000.

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-Yep. I think the finish, the detail...

-..the detail there.

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..the swimming pool, that all adds up.

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They'd found the ideal house, but it was well over budget.

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Would the Stitts have to settle for less

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if they were to make the move?

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We'll have to see what I can expect, obviously, to earn.

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Yeah. It would have to take a house like this or similar standard

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for us to make the move.

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Both Eric and Corinne had come to realise

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affording their dream would need Eric to earn considerably more.

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So, when it came to properties down under,

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which way did they vote?

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Based on the houses we've looked at today

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and what we think we can get,

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our decision is...

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-ALL:

-Australia!

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Back home in Northern Ireland, Eric ran his own company

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designing pipework for the oil and gas industry

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and earned £75,000 a year.

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But while the money was good,

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his job meant working away for weeks at a time.

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To get an idea of his job prospects down under,

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we arranged for Eric to meet an oil and gas recruitment consultant.

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Eric knew, though, starting again was a gamble.

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Things have been going very, very well for me. I enjoy the work.

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So, yeah, I'm worried about

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possibly leaving that behind,

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taking the plunge to...for pastures new.

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Everything could rest on Eric's interview.

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While he prepared for it,

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Corinne gave the girls a taste of Aussie life.

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-Hi, I'm Corinne.

-Corinne.

-Yeah. This is Jodie and Madison.

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-How you going, guys?

-Good.

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And the girls didn't waste any time getting into the saddle.

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Walk on.

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Ah!

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Back in the city,

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recruitment manager Andrei Sarpe had been poring over Eric's CV.

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The positive thing is because of the industry, where it is,

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it's at a massive growth stage,

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and I think the skills that you've already got

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and the packages that you've been working with

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are very transferable to the market here.

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It was exactly what Eric had been hoping to hear.

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At the stables, Corinne's time alone with the girls

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was reminding her why their life needed to change.

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Eric misses out on a lot of the kids' day-to-day activities.

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And when he does come home from work,

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he feels absolutely wrecked.

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That's when we feel the pressure,

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we pack everything into the short time that he is home.

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And then...the routine starts again,

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and that's when the upset starts, when Eric heads off again.

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-CRYING:

-I find it really difficult. I find it difficult.

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I find, emotionally, sometimes, I'm wrecked.

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My kids have to come first, my family have to come first,

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and I can't really cope much longer with the upset that it causes them.

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It was this upset that had pushed the family

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to consider emigrating to the other side of the world,

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but any move would have been pointless

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if Eric still had to work away from home.

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-Most of the work is done office-based in Perth...

-Yeah.

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..and most of the companies do have facilities in the CBD,

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so it is more family-friendly compared to lot of other places.

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To get an opportunity to work in the same city,

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the same country as where my wife and children are...

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-And you get to go home every night.

-I get to go home every night.

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It would be fantastic.

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That just left one big question.

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Based on the contract rules,

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what would you ballpark figure would you say? Salary potential.

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The salary ranges can start anywhere between 180

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up into the vicinities of the 300,000

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for the senior roles and the lead roles.

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Yeah. Just trying to do the sums in my head there,

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but I think that compares really favourably.

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-Certainly the news I wanted to hear.

-Fantastic.

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I think those figures will go down well with my wife as well.

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-I'm sure they will.

-THEY CHUCKLE

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Even the lowest possible salary was £113,000 -

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38,000 more than Eric earned at home.

0:18:210:18:24

Suddenly, a future where he could be part of the family

0:18:240:18:27

was looking possible.

0:18:270:18:28

So, how did Eric vote on work in the UK versus Australia?

0:18:280:18:34

Based on all I've been able to find out today,

0:18:340:18:37

my vote goes to...

0:18:370:18:39

..Australia!

0:18:420:18:43

Eric's second vote for Australia

0:18:490:18:51

meant the couple's dream life was one step closer.

0:18:510:18:54

Now it was time to find out if they could actually afford it.

0:18:540:18:57

We'd prepared a comparison of costs between Australia and the UK,

0:18:580:19:02

but the figures didn't look good.

0:19:020:19:05

Basically slightly more than double what it would be in the UK.

0:19:050:19:10

It was a massive difference, but did Eric's higher salary

0:19:110:19:15

make up for the hole in their finances?

0:19:150:19:17

Right, so looking at the figures,

0:19:170:19:19

-in the UK, we can get £80,000 a year.

-Yeah.

0:19:190:19:22

-In Australia, going in at the mid-range...

-Mm-hm.

0:19:220:19:25

..you're looking at £110,000 a year

0:19:250:19:28

with the potential to go up another 10,000, 15,000.

0:19:280:19:32

-So...

-OK.

-..right away, you are £30,000 a year better off here.

0:19:320:19:37

We can achieve the dream...of being together as a family,

0:19:370:19:40

and, financially, we're not going to suffer.

0:19:400:19:43

It's better than what we possibly thought.

0:19:430:19:46

With their dream life looking achievable,

0:19:500:19:52

the couple voted on living costs.

0:19:520:19:54

Our vote goes to...

0:19:570:19:59

-Australia!

-..Australia!

0:20:000:20:03

With the finances well in the black, the dream was still on course.

0:20:080:20:13

But they still had to face the emotional cost of moving.

0:20:130:20:16

The family watch messages from home together.

0:20:160:20:19

Let's see what everyone has to say about us back home.

0:20:190:20:22

About a year and a half ago, they came to see us one night,

0:20:230:20:26

and they happened to say that

0:20:260:20:29

they were thinking of going to Australia

0:20:290:20:32

and how did we feel about it.

0:20:320:20:35

-Well, we were shocked...

-Mm-hm.

0:20:350:20:39

..but we understood the situation,

0:20:390:20:41

we understood how they felt.

0:20:410:20:43

'We'll miss sometimes having to go to school'

0:20:430:20:45

to collect the kids, bring them home...

0:20:450:20:46

..just doing different things in general with them.

0:20:480:20:51

It'll be different

0:20:510:20:52

that a family member lives over there so close to you,

0:20:520:20:56

but...

0:20:560:20:57

..if it helps their family life and betters...better for them,

0:20:580:21:01

it'll be...it'll be good for them, you know?

0:21:010:21:04

I will feel very emotional about it.

0:21:040:21:06

It did affect me.

0:21:060:21:08

Sometimes I try not to show it...

0:21:080:21:10

..but it does.

0:21:150:21:17

If they do go and if they stay,

0:21:180:21:22

I know we properly said we would never fly,

0:21:220:21:24

but we will try to go to see them.

0:21:240:21:26

But God willing, they'll come back to see us,

0:21:280:21:31

and we'll keep in touch the best we can.

0:21:310:21:34

And...I just think that...

0:21:360:21:39

..all the best, Son, all the best.

0:21:430:21:45

Think about it, take in... Weigh pros and cons

0:21:470:21:52

of what you have in Australia and what you have here at home

0:21:520:21:57

and weigh out the difference

0:21:570:21:59

and make the right decision for both of yous.

0:21:590:22:02

We love yous. God bless.

0:22:020:22:04

-CRYING:

-At the end of the day,

0:22:060:22:07

they understand that our quality of life just isn't there.

0:22:070:22:10

Exactly.

0:22:100:22:12

-And...

-You know that...

-..that's the compromise.

0:22:120:22:15

We're OK financially here, we're OK with the lifestyle.

0:22:150:22:21

That's our compromise, that's what we have to give up.

0:22:210:22:25

And that, to me, is a huge...a huge stumbling block.

0:22:250:22:32

It's emotional. There's no doubt about it.

0:22:320:22:34

Watching messages had been a painful reminder

0:22:350:22:38

of what the family stood to lose.

0:22:380:22:40

As their final decision drew closer,

0:22:400:22:43

Eric and Corinne had to decide if a life down under

0:22:430:22:46

was worth leaving loved ones behind.

0:22:460:22:48

You can see the emotions, you can see how...

0:22:480:22:51

You can see how people feel...

0:22:510:22:53

..and it is, it's a significant... A significant sacrifice.

0:22:540:22:58

You are walking away from your life, your established life,

0:22:580:23:01

everything that you know, everything that's familiar to you,

0:23:010:23:06

and there is a risk involved in that.

0:23:060:23:09

We have to weigh up the pros and cons.

0:23:090:23:11

And obviously, on the minus side

0:23:140:23:16

is the sacrifice of leaving people behind.

0:23:160:23:19

But the plus side is the opportunities and lifestyle

0:23:190:23:25

that it can offer Jodie and Madison.

0:23:250:23:28

At the end of an emotional week,

0:23:280:23:30

it was time for the Stitts to make their final crucial vote.

0:23:300:23:33

Had the promise of more time together in Australia

0:23:330:23:36

been enough to overcome the pull of home and loved ones?

0:23:360:23:40

We started off,

0:23:400:23:41

we weren't too sure how we would fit in the Australian life...

0:23:410:23:46

..but, all in all,

0:23:480:23:50

we, as a family, have enjoyed our experience here in Perth.

0:23:500:23:53

It's been a positive experience,

0:23:530:23:56

I think we all can see that

0:23:560:23:59

the dream is more of a possibility now.

0:23:590:24:02

Our vote goes to...

0:24:020:24:05

-ALL:

-Australia!

0:24:050:24:08

Woo!

0:24:080:24:09

Are you happy enough with your decision?

0:24:110:24:14

Yeah, I think so.

0:24:140:24:15

I think it's just reinforced what we were thinking before we came.

0:24:150:24:20

-I think we can make it work for us.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:24:200:24:22

I think we'll be able to work together.

0:24:220:24:24

-Do you want a kiss too?

-Yeah!

0:24:270:24:29

-Do you get one?

-Ergh!

-No?

0:24:290:24:31

After a week to remember,

0:24:380:24:39

the family had decided Australia

0:24:390:24:41

could offer them the fresh start they so desperately wanted.

0:24:410:24:45

We caught up with them one year later in May 2012,

0:24:450:24:49

and Corinne still had a smile on her face.

0:24:490:24:52

Well, in a weeks' time, I will be on a flight to Australia.

0:24:520:24:57

Their trial week had left the couple with no doubts

0:24:590:25:01

as to where their future lay.

0:25:010:25:03

Well, once we returned to the UK,

0:25:030:25:05

we were pretty happy that we wanted to make the move to Australia,

0:25:050:25:08

so we basically got started right away

0:25:080:25:10

trying to put the plans in order.

0:25:100:25:12

We were just... We were really excited,

0:25:120:25:14

but we're really, really nervous about it as well,

0:25:140:25:17

and it was just a rollercoaster after that.

0:25:170:25:20

Now, as the time has come closer,

0:25:200:25:22

I think we're all... We're just all sort of getting to the stage

0:25:220:25:26

where we just want to be away now.

0:25:260:25:27

We're tired, we're living out of suitcases -

0:25:270:25:30

it's not normal.

0:25:300:25:32

Eric had flown out to Perth nine weeks earlier

0:25:340:25:37

to start a new job

0:25:370:25:38

and was looking forward to the rest of his family

0:25:380:25:40

joining him down under.

0:25:400:25:42

Oh, I can't wait, I can't wait until yous get out now.

0:25:420:25:45

I'm really missing you and Jodie and Madison.

0:25:450:25:48

While Corinne and the girls were coping with

0:25:480:25:50

the upheaval of leaving the UK,

0:25:500:25:52

in Australia, Eric was dealing with

0:25:520:25:54

starting a new job in unfamiliar territory.

0:25:540:25:56

I've started here as a senior piping designer.

0:25:580:26:01

The financial package is very good,

0:26:010:26:03

and also the professional development.

0:26:030:26:06

It had taken him long to find his feet.

0:26:060:26:09

There's a lot worse places

0:26:090:26:10

you can think of going to work every morning

0:26:100:26:12

than coming into the centre of Perth

0:26:120:26:14

when you're travelling in, and there's sunshine

0:26:140:26:16

and it's... Yeah, it's very, very different.

0:26:160:26:20

And the benefits of a move were already starting to sink in.

0:26:200:26:24

I'll be home every night just after dinner time

0:26:240:26:27

and be able to spend the evenings with Corinne and the kids.

0:26:270:26:31

There'll just be so much more time together

0:26:310:26:33

and the family time that we've been looking for and we've been wanting.

0:26:330:26:37

Meanwhile, back in the UK...

0:26:370:26:39

What did you get? Oh, wow! And a book on Madison.

0:26:390:26:44

..the reality of what they were leaving behind

0:26:440:26:46

was sinking in with Corinne.

0:26:460:26:48

It's just closing such a chapter in our lives, in our kids' lives.

0:26:500:26:55

I wish Eric had've been here.

0:26:550:26:58

I miss him not being here now,

0:26:580:27:00

and the support of trying to cope with these final few days.

0:27:000:27:05

-And this is you with Barney Bear.

-Yeah!

0:27:050:27:08

Were you sad to leave all your friends?

0:27:080:27:10

-A wee bit.

-Just a wee bit.

0:27:100:27:12

-You're very, very brave, aren't you?

-Ee!

-Yeah.

0:27:120:27:15

I'm glad you had a good day.

0:27:150:27:17

In Perth, Eric was also busy

0:27:200:27:22

viewing properties for the family to rent -

0:27:220:27:25

a big responsibility.

0:27:250:27:27

Having somewhere where they're going to feel at home,

0:27:270:27:30

the kids are going to settle, Corinne's going to settle

0:27:300:27:33

is really, really crucial.

0:27:330:27:36

I'll leave it up to you, you know, make the decision that you think...

0:27:360:27:39

-Don't do...don't do that.

-..would be right for us!

0:27:390:27:42

-No!

-And if it's not, then...

0:27:420:27:44

No, no, I can't take responsibility for this -

0:27:440:27:47

you're the one that makes all the big decisions like this, pet.

0:27:470:27:50

But he'd risen to the challenge...

0:27:500:27:52

-Hi, Carol. Pleased to meet you.

-Hi. Come on in.

-Thanks very much.

0:27:520:27:56

Oh, this is lovely.

0:27:560:27:57

..and was hoping everyone would be pleased with his choice.

0:27:570:28:00

I'm looking at this pool.

0:28:000:28:01

-It is nice.

-THEY CHUCKLE

0:28:010:28:04

Yeah, I can see two little girls' faces right now.

0:28:040:28:07

It's so calm.

0:28:080:28:10

-I'm really happy.

-HE LAUGHS

0:28:100:28:12

I hope Corinne is.

0:28:120:28:13

With a job and house down under sorted,

0:28:140:28:17

the move just couldn't come quick enough for Corinne.

0:28:170:28:20

-CRYING:

-I just can't wait...

0:28:200:28:22

I can't wait to get out there and start our lives together.

0:28:220:28:25

I really can't.

0:28:250:28:26

And when she and the girls finally arrived down under,

0:28:280:28:31

it was an emotional reunion.

0:28:310:28:33

-Hello!

-Hello!

0:28:450:28:47

Hello, pet.

0:28:490:28:51

So glad to see you.

0:28:510:28:53

At last, the Stitts were back together again.

0:28:530:28:56

It's just so much to take in.

0:28:560:28:57

It's really this is real now,

0:28:570:28:59

and we're going to be altogether and it's the dream come true.

0:28:590:29:03

-Oh, shall we go home?

-THEY CHUCKLE

0:29:050:29:08

After years of Eric working away from home,

0:29:120:29:15

the Stitts were ready to start their new lives in Perth

0:29:150:29:18

hoping it would give them the time together they so badly needed.

0:29:180:29:22

So, three years later,

0:29:220:29:24

have the family finally achieved

0:29:240:29:26

the dream life they'd been longing for?

0:29:260:29:29

It's May 2015,

0:29:310:29:33

and the Stitts are still living in...

0:29:330:29:36

Perth, Australia.

0:29:360:29:37

Corinne and Eric still have fond memories of

0:29:380:29:41

the moment their family was brought back together.

0:29:410:29:44

At the airport, when Corinne and the girls arrived, was...

0:29:440:29:46

That was fantastic.

0:29:460:29:48

We really missed Eric

0:29:480:29:50

and then, you know, we knew that whenever we saw him

0:29:500:29:53

that it was all going to be OK.

0:29:530:29:55

Do you want me to put the movie on?

0:29:550:29:57

I felt relieved. "We're here. We've done it."

0:29:570:30:00

And we were together

0:30:000:30:01

and that really was the start of the journey for us all

0:30:010:30:05

here as a family together.

0:30:050:30:08

And the timing couldn't have been better,

0:30:090:30:11

with their furniture landing down under

0:30:110:30:13

just before Corinne and the girls.

0:30:130:30:16

When we went back to the rental, we stepped into our belongings.

0:30:160:30:22

Just familiar things around us, and it really helped.

0:30:220:30:26

The family had arrived in winter,

0:30:260:30:28

and their introduction to Aussie life

0:30:280:30:29

got off to a rough start.

0:30:290:30:31

The first weekend we were here,

0:30:310:30:33

we hit a storm.

0:30:330:30:36

A storm whipped through Secret Harbour

0:30:360:30:38

and took the power out for three days.

0:30:380:30:40

-It took garden fences out, garden plants out...

-Trees.

0:30:400:30:43

-A couple of trees.

-Oh, it really whipped up.

0:30:430:30:46

We laugh about it now,

0:30:460:30:47

but probably at the time,

0:30:470:30:49

we did sort of think, "Oh, what's this about?

0:30:490:30:52

"We didn't come here for that."

0:30:520:30:54

As the weather settled, though, so did the family...

0:30:540:30:57

..and the first priority was finding a school for the girls.

0:30:580:31:01

We enrolled them in the local primary school in Secret Harbour,

0:31:020:31:06

and they settled in.

0:31:060:31:07

They settled in really, really well.

0:31:070:31:09

Coming home and talking about learning Indonesian,

0:31:090:31:12

learning about Australian history

0:31:120:31:15

and they're both would just be able to tell you so much about Australia,

0:31:150:31:19

and that, to us, is brilliant

0:31:190:31:21

because we realised that they had settled and were enjoying it.

0:31:210:31:26

-Oh, we've got to put it in notes?

-Yeah.

0:31:260:31:28

With Eric at work and the girls at school,

0:31:280:31:30

Corinne kept herself busy too.

0:31:300:31:32

I went out, I met different people, I met people for coffee.

0:31:320:31:37

It was important for me to try and make friends quickly

0:31:370:31:42

so that I wasn't left at home waiting for everybody to come back.

0:31:420:31:46

It could have gone that way

0:31:470:31:49

that I would've ended up very much isolated

0:31:490:31:52

and sort of thinking, "Well, what am I doing here?"

0:31:520:31:55

so to avoid that, I really had to get involved.

0:31:550:31:58

The family couldn't quite believe

0:31:580:32:00

their long-held dream was finally becoming reality.

0:32:000:32:03

We'd been planning about it, thinking about it for so long,

0:32:030:32:06

and now we were here

0:32:060:32:08

and things seemed to be falling into place for us.

0:32:080:32:11

Secured the rent, secured work, the kids seemed happy.

0:32:110:32:16

It was, yeah, it was all our new big adventure.

0:32:160:32:19

But the honeymoon period came to an end 18 months in

0:32:200:32:24

when Corinne and Eric began to question

0:32:240:32:26

whether they'd made the right move.

0:32:260:32:28

I started to miss friends and family.

0:32:280:32:30

We've had different things go on in the UK

0:32:300:32:33

that we have missed out on,

0:32:330:32:35

and I think Eric and I sort of thought,

0:32:350:32:37

"Well...do we stay or do we go?"

0:32:370:32:39

To help them decide once and for all where they should be,

0:32:390:32:43

the family flew home to Northern Ireland.

0:32:430:32:45

Brilliant time when we were there,

0:32:450:32:47

and we caught up with all our friends and family...

0:32:470:32:49

..but I think towards the end of it, we felt we wanted to come home.

0:32:500:32:54

When we were talking with people,

0:32:540:32:56

Corinne would say, "Oh, yeah, back home..." meaning here.

0:32:560:32:59

-And then I realised...

-And I was like, that's...

0:32:590:33:02

..that was the first time I think

0:33:020:33:03

I had really called Australia home then.

0:33:030:33:06

As much as we loved it, we had moved on.

0:33:060:33:09

As contradictory as it might seem,

0:33:090:33:11

going back actually, I think, helped settle us here.

0:33:110:33:15

With their decision about where their future lay put to rest,

0:33:170:33:21

Corinne and Eric started the hunt for a permanent home.

0:33:210:33:24

We just couldn't find something existing that ticked all the boxes,

0:33:260:33:30

and it ended up we realised to get what we wanted,

0:33:300:33:33

-it was a build.

-We would build.

0:33:330:33:34

And the girls helped cement where their new home should be.

0:33:340:33:37

We had a conversation with the kids, and they both said,

0:33:370:33:40

"Secret Harbour! We want to stay in Secret Harbour!"

0:33:400:33:43

The family had fallen in love with Secret Harbour

0:33:440:33:47

during their trial week in 2011

0:33:470:33:49

and had been renting there since the move.

0:33:490:33:51

We didn't really want to move out of the area.

0:33:530:33:55

The kids had started to find friends.

0:33:550:33:57

There's just a feeling of homeliness, community.

0:33:570:34:01

It's coastal, and that was important to us -

0:34:020:34:04

that we wanted to remain by the sea.

0:34:040:34:08

We had looked in other areas,

0:34:080:34:09

-but, honestly...

-Yeah.

-..we wanted to be here.

0:34:090:34:13

Decision made, the Stitts designed their ideal home from scratch.

0:34:140:34:18

We wanted the wow factor. We wanted the Aussie dream.

0:34:200:34:23

We wanted the house, theatre rooms, swimming pools, erm, yeah.

0:34:230:34:29

And it looks like that's exactly what they've got.

0:34:290:34:32

Eric and Corinne are delighted with

0:34:370:34:39

their new four-bedroom detached home.

0:34:390:34:41

This is us through now into our main living area...

0:34:410:34:45

..which we're very pleased with.

0:34:460:34:48

We spent a bit of time trying to make sure we got this one right.

0:34:480:34:51

It just gives you that feeling of being open,

0:34:510:34:54

and almost the outside comes into the house as well,

0:34:540:34:57

and we don't feel closed in.

0:34:570:35:00

The house is perched right on the edge of a golf course.

0:35:000:35:03

It can be great first thing early in the morning

0:35:030:35:05

just watching people playing up the fairway.

0:35:050:35:08

Outside, there's plenty of space for entertaining,

0:35:090:35:12

and, of course, the pool.

0:35:120:35:14

And this is the kids' favourite part.

0:35:150:35:17

We're able to sit here in the summer,

0:35:170:35:18

and the kids can splash about.

0:35:180:35:20

We've had lots of friends over in the pool already.

0:35:200:35:23

The kids would say it's part of their dream, isn't it?

0:35:230:35:25

And the pool's not the only feature to please Jodie and Madison.

0:35:300:35:34

As well as their bedrooms,

0:35:340:35:35

they've got their own area for entertaining guests.

0:35:350:35:38

We designed this so they could have their own zone-out area

0:35:400:35:44

when they have their friends over.

0:35:440:35:45

It's just their area for them to get away from Mum and Dad.

0:35:450:35:49

This is our master bedroom.

0:35:530:35:55

The most important thing was a huge walk-in wardrobe.

0:35:550:35:59

-So, it's packed...

-With mostly your...

-Well...

-..clothes.

0:35:590:36:03

-ERIC CHUCKLES

-Some of my stuff.

0:36:030:36:05

-Eric's got a bit of room down the back.

-Yeah, a tiny bit.

0:36:050:36:08

It's not just wardrobe space Corinne's reluctant to share.

0:36:080:36:12

In here, we have twin sinks,

0:36:120:36:15

which was very important, the his and hers sinks

0:36:150:36:18

and also the his and hers showers,

0:36:180:36:20

so it's a double shower, which is really important.

0:36:200:36:23

And it's really handy for coming in and out from the pool,

0:36:230:36:26

and we can... Not together, but...

0:36:260:36:29

THEY LAUGH

0:36:290:36:31

Oh, yes, Corinne?

0:36:310:36:32

The house comes with a room just for visitors from home.

0:36:350:36:38

The guest bedroom is purposely here

0:36:380:36:41

for friends and family to come out and stay

0:36:410:36:44

and know that they have a room here any time they want.

0:36:440:36:48

Building their own home from scratch was a challenge,

0:36:480:36:51

but Eric and Corinne feel the result's been well worth it.

0:36:510:36:54

It's a love-hate sort of a thing with the build, you know?

0:36:540:36:58

But we love the end product, and we've got here.

0:36:580:37:00

Yeah, and we're very, very proud of what we've been able to achieve.

0:37:000:37:05

-And, yeah, dream home. Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:37:050:37:08

Moving down under was all about regaining the family time

0:37:100:37:13

they'd been missing out on for years.

0:37:130:37:15

Eric's job in the UK meant things had got desperate.

0:37:160:37:20

I was drifting out, I wasn't part of their lives...

0:37:200:37:22

..as much as I wanted to be.

0:37:240:37:26

So, has Australia put a stop to Dad's absence?

0:37:260:37:29

I'm home every night, I'm home at the weekends.

0:37:290:37:32

It's a big change for me. Work's not the big "I am" any more.

0:37:320:37:36

You're going swimming!

0:37:370:37:39

While he's doing the same job,

0:37:390:37:41

being office-based rather than offshore

0:37:410:37:43

means a nine-to-five working day,

0:37:430:37:46

and that's made a big difference to family life.

0:37:460:37:49

I like having my dad around the house.

0:37:490:37:52

It feels really good when he's home.

0:37:520:37:54

Back home, he would always be going away,

0:37:540:37:57

where over here, he just comes home every night, which is nice.

0:37:570:38:03

Getting to spend more time with Corinne and the kids,

0:38:030:38:05

it makes me feel a lot better.

0:38:050:38:07

Just feels natural. It's just the way it should be.

0:38:070:38:12

I feel like I'm part of their lives now.

0:38:120:38:14

I know it's a bit drastic coming to Australia to achieve that,

0:38:140:38:17

but we've... That's what we've had to do.

0:38:170:38:20

It's all about the family and family time

0:38:200:38:23

and getting to spend it together.

0:38:230:38:24

And the Stitts are certainly

0:38:270:38:29

making the most of their time together down under.

0:38:290:38:32

We know what we're doing weekends in advance

0:38:320:38:36

and we've always something on the go.

0:38:360:38:38

We are at the beach quite a lot.

0:38:380:38:40

-Body boarding.

-Yeah.

-LAUGHING:

-Trying to surf.

0:38:400:38:43

Water sports are such a big part of everybody's lives,

0:38:430:38:46

and we've decided to go out

0:38:460:38:49

and invest and get ourselves a jet ski.

0:38:490:38:52

It's all about having fun as well,

0:38:540:38:57

and the family time that we were after.

0:38:570:38:59

Madison! Come quick, stand here.

0:38:590:39:01

Fore!

0:39:040:39:05

Better luck next time, Mum.

0:39:060:39:08

Three years into the move,

0:39:100:39:11

Eric and Corinne are delighted with the progress the girls have made.

0:39:110:39:15

-In the water!

-You hit a duck.

0:39:150:39:18

Definitely the two of them have developed a lot...

0:39:180:39:21

..since we've come here, confidence wise.

0:39:220:39:26

I'm just so proud of what they have achieved at school.

0:39:260:39:29

Jodie got Aussie of the Month award.

0:39:290:39:32

We get letters home congratulating the kids on

0:39:340:39:40

how well they're doing in different subjects.

0:39:400:39:42

They're certainly keeping busy.

0:39:430:39:45

Hockey, surf life-saving, golf, drama...

0:39:470:39:52

Bodyboard, surfing, horse riding...

0:39:520:39:56

Madison's already planning her future career down under.

0:39:560:40:00

When I finish school, I want to be...

0:40:000:40:04

either a vet or a lawyer.

0:40:040:40:08

Vets, you get to see lots of animals that people have had,

0:40:090:40:13

and a lawyer... Erm, I think my mum told me.

0:40:130:40:17

I think they....I think they get paid lots of money,

0:40:170:40:20

so that's probably why.

0:40:200:40:22

Is that an Aussie twang I hear, Madison?

0:40:220:40:24

Oh, is that coke?

0:40:270:40:29

The family have developed a solid social circle in Perth.

0:40:290:40:32

We've found making friends pretty easy...

0:40:320:40:35

..but maybe it's because you come

0:40:360:40:38

with a mind-set that you're going to put yourself out.

0:40:380:40:41

You have to put yourself out to meet new people.

0:40:410:40:44

I don't think Eric and I would've just had it just as well

0:40:440:40:48

if we hadn't have met the friends that we have met.

0:40:480:40:51

They fill that void that you do have

0:40:510:40:55

when you're not around familiarity and your family and friends,

0:40:550:40:58

so, in a way, they're your Aussie family.

0:40:580:41:01

Definitely a welcome addition to Secret Harbour, yeah.

0:41:030:41:05

They've brought a bit of life to it.

0:41:050:41:07

Well, an excitement to our lives, haven't they?

0:41:070:41:10

They're an amazing family, they've got so much love to give,

0:41:100:41:14

and they are so full of fun and friendly.

0:41:140:41:17

Bella!

0:41:170:41:19

You need your friends,

0:41:190:41:20

and we've got a really, really good solid friendship now,

0:41:200:41:23

and we can, you know, be there for each other.

0:41:230:41:26

So, three years into their new life,

0:41:260:41:28

is Australia now the family's forever home?

0:41:280:41:31

I love Australia, I love the freedom that it gives us as a family.

0:41:330:41:37

There's just so many positives about our new life here in Australia.

0:41:370:41:42

The mentality here is, it's a can-do.

0:41:420:41:45

So it's not, "Well, what would you want to do that for?" -

0:41:460:41:49

you can do it.

0:41:490:41:50

Going to have a bit of fun.

0:41:500:41:51

Yeah, I'm going to put my feet in the water, feel how cold it is.

0:41:510:41:54

Hey, hey!

0:41:540:41:55

While Jodie agrees with Mum and Dad...

0:41:550:41:58

I prefer Australia to the UK cos of the lifestyle

0:41:580:42:01

and, like, getting my dad home every night and that.

0:42:010:42:04

..Madison's not made her mind up quite yet.

0:42:040:42:07

Er... I like it back home cos it snows,

0:42:070:42:11

but I like it over here cos it's warm.

0:42:110:42:13

Oh, I don't know!

0:42:130:42:16

Oh, that's so hard.

0:42:160:42:17

Mm.... Probably a bit of both.

0:42:190:42:22

You'll have to be more decisive in the court room, Maddie!

0:42:220:42:25

As far as Eric and Corinne are concerned,

0:42:250:42:27

the move to the other side of the world is a permanent one.

0:42:270:42:31

Both of us feel that we have done the right thing coming to Australia,

0:42:310:42:36

and I can't imagine us being back living in Northern Ireland.

0:42:360:42:41

We have made the right decisions and we've made them together,

0:42:410:42:46

and we've made them for the right reasons,

0:42:460:42:48

and I think that's why we're happy here.

0:42:480:42:53

I am 100% sure we made the right move.

0:42:530:42:56

A move down under was all about

0:43:030:43:05

the Stitts achieving a normal, happy family life together,

0:43:050:43:09

and it looks like Australia is delivering just that.

0:43:090:43:13

We wish Eric, Corinne and the girls the best of luck.

0:43:130:43:16

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