0:00:02 > 0:00:05Many couples dream of moving down under in search of
0:00:05 > 0:00:07a better life but, for some,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09the reality of emigrating is a tougher
0:00:09 > 0:00:12challenge than they could ever imagine.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16In 2013, Andrew Treagust was hoping to convince partner Emma to
0:00:16 > 0:00:20follow his dream and agree to move to New Zealand.
0:00:20 > 0:00:26Today, two years on, we'll find out how and where they are now.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31Back in 2013, Andrew Treagust had high ambitions for a new
0:00:31 > 0:00:33- life down under. - I could so do this for a living.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36It could be my office every day!
0:00:36 > 0:00:39But Emma wasn't convinced of the merits of a move.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42I like the idea of it. I don't know if I like the reality of it.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Two years on, have the family made a new life in New Zealand?
0:00:46 > 0:00:49We've made a choice right now that this is what
0:00:49 > 0:00:50we're doing as a family.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20With its amazing scenery and diverse culture, New Zealand has long
0:01:20 > 0:01:23been a place of interest for British citizens looking to emigrate.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27But of the estimated 7,000 who make the move every year,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30almost one in seven return. Proof indeed achieving a
0:01:30 > 0:01:34dream life on the other side of the world isn't as easy as you think.
0:01:36 > 0:01:42In 2013, Andrew Treagust and Emma Woodward had one week to discover if
0:01:42 > 0:01:46New Zealand could give their family a happier, healthier lifestyle.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51At the end of their trip, they faced a heartbreaking decision
0:01:51 > 0:01:55whether to stay in the UK or leave family and friends behind
0:01:55 > 0:01:58and make a new start on the other side of the world.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02Today, we'll discover which side of the world they now call home.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11The family's trial week in New Zealand began with a journey
0:02:11 > 0:02:14which saw them spend 25 hours in the air.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16It feels a really long time when you're on the plane, doesn't it?
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Yeah, you wouldn't want to do it all the time, that's for sure.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Despite the long journey, Andrew was raring to go.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Definitely feels real now we're here, and really exciting as well.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29- Yeah. - It's going to be a big adventure.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32But Emma was a little more reserved.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36- My fears are is that we're really split on our opinions.- Yeah, true.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- I just hope we either like it or dislike it.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- I don't want to come away more confused.- Exactly.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46The couple now had a week to sample life in New Zealand
0:02:46 > 0:02:50before making one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57In 2013, Andrew Treagust and Emma Woodward were living with
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Albert, then aged two, and baby George just outside Brighton.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Life was good in the UK with a beautiful home,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08two lovely children and plenty of friends and family to support them,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12but Andrew wanted to give it all up for a new life down under.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15We've worked really hard and I think we've probably worked too hard,
0:03:15 > 0:03:18especially over the last ten years.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Andrew had recently resigned from a high-powered career in the City -
0:03:22 > 0:03:25a job he had loved but which eventually had worn him down.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29He needs a complete break
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and a complete change from the life that he has here.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37We've realised that there's more to life than just working.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42He could just go and be relaxed Andrew rather than
0:03:42 > 0:03:46driven Andrew, and I think that's what New Zealand represents to him.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Andrew knew exactly what he wanted from New Zealand.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55It's got to give us a great house, it's got to give us
0:03:55 > 0:03:57a great lifestyle, it's got to give us community,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00it's got to give us good schooling and it's got to be
0:04:00 > 0:04:02somewhere that we want to live for the rest of our lives.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05But Emma was worried about giving up her career as
0:04:05 > 0:04:08an educational psychologist in the UK.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10I love my job. I'm passionate about what I do.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13To give that up and move somewhere else that might not be
0:04:13 > 0:04:18as I want it to be is really hard.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22And she dreaded the thought of breaking strong family bonds,
0:04:22 > 0:04:27especially taking Albert away from her mum - his beloved nanna.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30They adore each other. They meet on some kind of level.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31They just love each other.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36I've seen such an amazing side of my mum since Albert was born
0:04:36 > 0:04:41that I don't think she deserves me to take him away from her.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47But Emma was prepared to give New Zealand a try.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51If there's a possibility that our family life could be more
0:04:51 > 0:04:55equally shared out in terms of happiness and potential
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and enjoyability and all of those things somewhere else,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01then I have a responsibility to go and explore that.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04That's about being a family, isn't it? That's about compromise.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06That's about sharing.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Andrew was convinced New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle could
0:05:08 > 0:05:13offer his family a better future but, unless he could persuade Emma,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16his long-held dream would come to nothing.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Emma has to like it or it's not going to work for any of us.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24If Emma says no, then no is the way it's going to go.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Andrew, Emma and the boys spent their trial week in Auckland.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Home for their stay was
0:05:31 > 0:05:34this two-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of Devonport -
0:05:34 > 0:05:38a seaside village just a ten-minute ferry ride from the city centre.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Andrew wasn't overly impressed with the space on offer.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- This would be good for the week. - Yeah, definitely.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- And I think the boys will really enjoy it.- Yeah.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52But a house that we'd buy would need to be of a different size.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55With Albert out for the count, Emma and Andrew's thoughts
0:05:55 > 0:05:58turn to the big decision they faced at the end of the week.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01It's a really long way, you know, so that's kind of already kind of
0:06:01 > 0:06:04making me think it's a big separation from my family
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and it is a massive effort to get here.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12I'm worried, um, that we're not going to be able to afford
0:06:12 > 0:06:16the property that we think we are going to be able to afford.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20But their fears hadn't dampened their spirits.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24I'm quite excited about it. I'm quite up for it at the moment.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27It's really interesting, just to be here
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and it be turning to reality now.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Back in the UK, the Treagust-Woodwards were living
0:06:42 > 0:06:46in a four-bedroom detached house in Saltdean, just outside Brighton.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49They loved their house
0:06:49 > 0:06:52and knew what they wanted from a home in New Zealand.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56It's got to be a good size - four bedrooms
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- and possibly somewhere for guests to stay.- Mm-hm.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04It's got to be fairly open plan, it's got to be self-cleaning!
0:07:04 > 0:07:05THEY LAUGH
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Just bright and airy and comfortable.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Hopefully, near to the sea so that we can go surfing quite a lot.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I want it to be fantastic.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Andrew and Emma owned a number of properties in the UK and had set
0:07:17 > 0:07:23themselves a healthy starting budget of £540,000 for a home down under.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28To give them an idea of the Auckland property market, we showed them
0:07:28 > 0:07:32three houses based on what they said they wanted and needed.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35With Albert and George left with a childminder for the day,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38the couple's search began at the newly-built Kensington Park
0:07:38 > 0:07:42development on the Hibiscus Coast.
0:07:42 > 0:07:4320 minutes north of Auckland,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46this modern four-bedroom house was close to the beach,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49which should have been perfect for surf-mad Andrew,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51but did it have the space they wanted?
0:07:54 > 0:07:55- It's big.- Yeah.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00- Oh, it's nice. It's a proper family area, isn't it?- Mm.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05- Feels like it, doesn't it?- It was looking good.- Open-plan kitchen.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- Really nice kitchen. - It is a nice kitchen.- Yeah.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12- I like the work surfaces.- And you could cook... Look at that view when you're cooking.- It's really nice.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17- You could just cook, looking at your sea view.- And upstairs, the views just got better and better.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- Look at that!- Wow! That's got the wow factor, hasn't it? What a view!
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Now, if that doesn't entice you to get up
0:08:24 > 0:08:26and go surfing in the morning, I don't know what will.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- Wake up to that view every day. - That's amazing!- That is gorgeous.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32With four bedrooms, this house had the space the couple
0:08:32 > 0:08:35wanted for visiting friends and family.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- That would work really well as a guest bed, wouldn't it?- Yeah.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42This house had everything they'd been looking for
0:08:42 > 0:08:46but would their impressive £540,000 budget cover it?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- So what do you think it's going to be?- I'm not sure.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- It's going to be a lot, isn't it? - Yeah. Shall we find out?
0:08:50 > 0:08:51Let's find out.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Wow! £648,500.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01It was more than £100,000 over budget but...
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- That's good.- That's a lot of house for your money, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06- For that view.- For that view. - I'm surprised.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09- I thought it was going to be nearer 900,000.- That is really good.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Let's buy it!
0:09:11 > 0:09:12It was over budget but,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15thanks to their property portfolio in the UK,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Andrew and Emma could have had the ability to increase their
0:09:18 > 0:09:21spending power, so they weren't put off.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Next up was a spacious six-bedroom home in Mairangi Bay,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28also on the North Shore.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31With fabulous beaches, an excellent kindergarten
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and a lively community, this area could have been
0:09:34 > 0:09:38perfect for Andrew and Emma's young family, but did they agree?
0:09:40 > 0:09:43- I like it.- It's a nice through-area, isn't it?- Oh, it's really nice.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47- But it's very long and narrow. - No, it's not. I do...
0:09:47 > 0:09:49I think I prefer it to the other house. I feel it could be...
0:09:49 > 0:09:52- It's not as good as the other house. - It feels more homely, I think.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58It does feel more homely but it's just that it's not as open and airy.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Maybe cos it feels lived in because this is somebody's house.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Cos it IS lived in.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Emma and Andrew seemed to have different opinions on this one.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09See, I like...
0:10:09 > 0:10:12It feels open plan but it's got defined areas,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- and I quite like that. - The rooms feel quite small to me.
0:10:15 > 0:10:20Size was an issue for Andrew, and it wasn't the only problem.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22There's a reason why that's drawn, isn't it?
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Because it's obviously quite overlooked.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And there's a shared access right outside of the house.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that you can't control, living here. - Exactly.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Now Emma wasn't quite sold
0:10:34 > 0:10:38but the downstairs granny flat did put a different spin on things.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41This is perfect for when people come and stay.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- My parents would be happy as, wouldn't they?- Yeah.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44It'd be lovely.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46That was something they agreed on but
0:10:46 > 0:10:50did the garden offer the space the couple wanted for Albert and George?
0:10:50 > 0:10:53It's OK. It's not much of a garden, though, is it?
0:10:53 > 0:10:57- Do you think I'm being quite fussy? - What, you, Andrew(?)- Yeah.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59You have to be fussy, I think, but still,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01there's not much of a garden space.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So I suppose we'd better go and see how much it's worth, really.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06If we can't afford it, there's not much point.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10This house really had brought mixed reactions
0:11:10 > 0:11:15so was their starting budget of £540,000 enough to cover its cost?
0:11:18 > 0:11:22- Wow!- There you go. 687.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25It was almost £150,000 over their budget
0:11:25 > 0:11:30but finding extra funds didn't seem to be a problem for Andrew and Emma.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- That's a good price for what you get, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36It's interesting, and now confusing.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- It still doesn't make me want to go and buy it right now.- No.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43It was affordable but Andrew's heart wasn't in this house.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46With two down, would the last property offer the couple
0:11:46 > 0:11:48everything they were looking for?
0:11:49 > 0:11:55It was in Torbay, also on the North Shore, and close to the beach.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57This four-bedroom house with a separate granny annexe
0:11:57 > 0:12:01for visiting parents should have been the ideal house for the family.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- Not too shabby, is it? - That view is stunning, isn't it?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09It was a promising start.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And it's all about being outside and eating, barbecuing.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- Oh, it just feels so nice. It feels quite secluded, doesn't it?- But...
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Can hear the road though.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Can you get to the kitchen?
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Yeah.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26And the road noise was just the start of the problems.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30It's just I want to kind of take everything out and start again.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- It's just not done to my taste at all.- Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36First the road, then the decor, cracks were beginning to show.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39- Quite a small room. - They're all small bedrooms.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Do you know when you're kind of coming in to the house
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- and really looks quite imposing... - It's imposing, isn't it?
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- Definitely not as big inside as you think it's going to be.- No.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Especially when you consider that there's the granny flat downstairs.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55It looked like this wasn't the house for Emma or Andrew.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57But did the cost change their minds?
0:12:57 > 0:13:01I don't feel confident about making a guess. What do you think?
0:13:01 > 0:13:03- About 750?- I think about seven.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06OK.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- My goodness!- That's great value. - Really good value.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13£521,000.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17That was almost £20,000 under budget.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23If you spent, what, £50,000 changing it, that's still...
0:13:23 > 0:13:2770 grand cheaper than the last cheapest house.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I'm really surprised.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Exploring the local housing market had been a real
0:13:32 > 0:13:35eye-opener for Andrew and Emma.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Property one was something of a showstopper
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and less expensive than the couple expected.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45The second house was £147,000 over their starting budget,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47but the price still hadn't put them off.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50And although property number three didn't live up to first
0:13:50 > 0:13:54impressions, its price tag meant they could afford to turn
0:13:54 > 0:13:55it into their dream home.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01So did the couple vote for property in the UK or New Zealand?
0:14:01 > 0:14:05We've had an interesting day looking at properties
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and based on that, we vote for...
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- New Zealand.- New Zealand.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21- It was a good day, wasn't it? - Really good day.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I was really surprised that you got that much property for your money.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- Yeah.- And amazing views.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30In a lovely location. I don't know what else you could ask for really.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33It was a great start for Andrew.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Emma's first vote for New Zealand
0:14:35 > 0:14:37was a big step in the right direction.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45The desire to come to New Zealand was all about the relaxed
0:14:45 > 0:14:48outdoors lifestyle the family could enjoy.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53So was a day of Kiwi style living enough to keep Andrew's dream alive?
0:14:53 > 0:14:57With Andrew and Emma both keen surfers, we took them to Piha Beach,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01a popular surfing spot just 14 minutes' drive from the city.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04While baby George was looked after by a childminder,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07it was a chance for Andrew to show Emma
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and Albert the kind of lifestyle he'd been dreaming about.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13We'd come down every weekend, wouldn't we?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It's so close to the city and it's such a beautiful place
0:15:16 > 0:15:17and just a beautiful beach.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Albert may have been a little young to fully appreciate the surf,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24but Andrew could picture it as part of his future.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26I'd love to see the boys grow up in
0:15:26 > 0:15:29a wet suit and just surfing every weekend.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43It's the sort of thing I wish we'd done as kids and it'd be
0:15:43 > 0:15:49- really lovely to afford Albert and George that, wouldn't it, really? - Definitely.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51After their morning riding waves,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55the couple took the boys to a nearby park for some playtime.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58So far, the day had been everything Andrew had hoped
0:15:58 > 0:16:01And he was pleased with how it seemed to have affected Emma.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03She seems really comfortable here
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and when we've been driving about,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08she says sometimes that she thinks she could live here,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12so I think that's a really good indication of the way things
0:16:12 > 0:16:16- might go in the future.- Watching the kids here has been brilliant.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20I don't feel so far away from home. It feels familiar, but different.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24It's... It's... It feels relaxed.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27But time out had also made Emma realise just how big
0:16:27 > 0:16:29a decision the couple were facing.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34When I think about being at home... I don't know really.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38They're all kind of...
0:16:39 > 0:16:42There's no clear tipping point at the moment.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46So, based on lifestyle, did the family choose New Zealand or the UK?
0:16:46 > 0:16:50We've had a lovely day today and based on that, we vote for...
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- New Zealand.- New Zealand. - New Zealand!
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Yeah!
0:17:03 > 0:17:06You're fantastic, aren't you? Sand all over your face.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07You said New Zealand!
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Emma's vote for New Zealand had been a real confidence booster,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21but Andrew knew there was a much bigger battle ahead.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Back in the UK, Emma was an educational psychologist.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I'm really passionate about my job. It's really important to me
0:17:28 > 0:17:32and it enables me to empower people to make change in their own lives.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Giving up her job would be a massive wrench.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37It's an amazing place to work
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and I'm going to have to potentially give all that up if we move.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Andrew was dreaming of a career change if the couple did move.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51I'd love to be a snowboard instructor and I can imagine
0:17:51 > 0:17:56waking up and being really excited about going to the mountain.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58And having the mountain as your office.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01You know, it's a fantastic dream to have.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04But if Emma didn't find the right post down under,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06his dream would come to nothing.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08It's a deal breaker for me, I suppose.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10It is a deal breaker for me.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13You can't change the way that you feel about it.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And if it doesn't feel right, I genuinely don't know
0:18:16 > 0:18:18if I'd be able to do it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20The stakes were high.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22While the boys were looked after by a childminder,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26the couple set off to find out about work opportunities in Auckland.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29We arranged for Emma to meet a clinical
0:18:29 > 0:18:32psychologist at the Waitemata District Health Board.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- Hi.- How are you? I'm Tina.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I'm the psychology professional leader here.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- So, this is the sort of place that you would be working.- Mm-hm.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Across town, Andrew went to check out his dream of becoming
0:18:45 > 0:18:49a snowboard instructor at New Zealand's only indoor snow
0:18:49 > 0:18:52sports facility and he couldn't wait to hit the slopes.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01I could so do this for a living. It could be my office every day.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Back in the real world,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Emma was finding out about her work prospects.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Based on my CV, would I be able to get a job in New Zealand?
0:19:08 > 0:19:12- Yes, very definitely. You're on our wanted list.- Mm.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15It's really a matter of what sort of area you'd like to work in.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17OK, that's good news.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18It was a good start,
0:19:18 > 0:19:23but Emma worried working practices might be different in New Zealand.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28You're wanting to work more in the child and family area, aren't you?
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- That's my qualification.- Yes.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Usually, the psychologist would work sort of across the whole sector.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38But you can specialise in the younger pre-schoolers
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- or you can work with the older adolescents.- OK.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43That was one concern put to rest.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Back at the Snowdome, Andrew met with manager Brad Alwin to find
0:19:48 > 0:19:53out what opportunities could exist for him as a snowboard instructor.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55So, I've been snowboarding about ten years.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59I'm just really exploring, from your point of view, whether it's
0:19:59 > 0:20:04feasible and whether it's something that I could potentially do.
0:20:04 > 0:20:05It's definitely feasible.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Worth, once you arrive, doing a New Zealand based qualification.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Through the course, we can see how well you actually teach,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15we can teach anyone to snowboard, we can't teach everyone to teach.
0:20:15 > 0:20:16Yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Once qualified though, how much work would there be?
0:20:19 > 0:20:22In a full day, an average ski instructor would probably
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- work six hours, during peak season. - Mm-hm.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- Your part-time or casual instructor may only get two hours a week.- OK.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31The window that we have to make money and to ski
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and for you to be employed is four months.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- OK.- If we're lucky.- Yeah.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Definitely not a full-time option.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Emma's earning power was more crucial than ever.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46How much as a psychologist would you get paid to work in New Zealand?
0:20:46 > 0:20:49With three to ten years' experience,
0:20:49 > 0:20:54- it's nearer 61 to, say, about 97,000.- OK.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57You'd be somewhere in the middle there, I would imagine.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00That was around £10,000 less than Emma earned back home.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Would Andrew's potential income fill the shortfall?
0:21:03 > 0:21:06As a rookie, as a first year employee, you can
0:21:06 > 0:21:10expect to earn minimum wage, or about 14.50 an hour.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14That wouldn't make up for the deficit in Emma's salary.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It may have been his ideal job,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20but Andrew would be earning the minimum wage.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23The day had given the couple food for thought.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Had it put an end to Andrew's dream?
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Undecided.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Me too.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- Why undecided?- Erm...
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Because although I felt that some of my fears were allayed,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I still really like my job at home.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52It's a great lifestyle opportunity.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56I'm just not sure I'm ready to take a lifestyle opportunity right now.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Despite loving the lifestyle, the cold,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07hard facts couldn't be ignored.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11If Emma and Andrew moved, they'd be earning a lot less money.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15It was time to find out if they could actually afford the move.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19We prepared a comparison of the cost of living in the UK and New Zealand.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21They started with the weekly food shop.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22Fruit...
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- Fruit's quite a lot more. - It's quite a lot more expensive.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- Spinach is randomly quite a lot more expensive.- What's cheaper?
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Couscous is cheaper.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32OK.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33And flour is cheaper.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36So you have to do a lot of baking.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- So it's £37.43 more expensive. - Wow.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43It was an increase of more than £150 every month.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Basing their calculations on the final property they'd seen,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52the couple moved on to compare the bigger costs of living.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55So, our mortgage in the UK is £670.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Our mortgage in New Zealand, for the property that we looked at,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03would be £1,583.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08So that's an increase in mortgage payments of £913 a month.
0:23:10 > 0:23:16So we'll be £1,784 worse off in New Zealand.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20And that's huge.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- That's massive. - And we couldn't effectively do that.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26With the figures weighing heavily on their minds, it was time for Emma
0:23:26 > 0:23:31and Andrew to choose between finances in the UK or New Zealand.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35So, based on what we've just been looking at, we vote for...
0:23:42 > 0:23:44- Undecided.- UK.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49I just think that we can't make this model work.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51And it's got to be rethought.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53But there is wiggle room and that's why I've gone undecided.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56OK.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Emma and Andrew's trial week had revealed some harsh home truths
0:24:03 > 0:24:05and there was still more to come.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Emma worried about taking the children away from her mum.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10So would watching messages from friends
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and loved ones from home prove too heartbreaking?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15While baby George took a nap,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18they settle down to watch the DVD together.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21They're lovely. They're really lovely. Very close family.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25They like going out and doing things together, like being by the sea.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29They're free spirits, they are adventurous.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- They've done a lot of travelling. - Emma is very zesty.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Pretty proud to have her as a daughter actually
0:24:38 > 0:24:40cos she's full of life.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41There's my nanny.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Andrew's my younger brother. He's always been a bit of a wanderer.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47He's always liked doing a lot of travelling.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49But he's a great guy, he really is a great guy.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51And he adores his kids.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55Andrew and I lost our dad coming up for three years now
0:24:55 > 0:24:59and we have become much closer since we lost Dad
0:24:59 > 0:25:04and it's really nice having him close.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Having Andrew nearby is a comfort.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10It is the little ones that I think...
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Just tugs at your heart strings a little bit more, doesn't it?
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Yeah, it's... Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21Albert is gorgeous. Obviously, I'm a little bit biased.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26He's the best grandson in the world. There's nobody like Albert.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29We have a real bond. We do. We really have.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Albert is absolutely gorgeous.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36- Just a lovely little boy.- Yeah, there would be a gap, a huge gap.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Also the opportunity of not getting to know George.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41I think that's the big thing.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43It would feel quite empty, wouldn't it, really?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Just knowing that they're not here.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Yeah, it would be a bit odd, I think.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50We can't pretend we're happy about it.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53But we're not unhappy about it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57It's just the fact we're going to miss you, miss the kids.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01But I hope it goes well for you and it's what you really, really want.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04And if that's the case, then we're all for it.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- My mum looked a bit devastated.- Mm. Mum will really miss the kids.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21I think it's the grandparent connection that's the really,
0:26:21 > 0:26:22really hard one.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Even though they've got everything here, nice climate, beaches,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28lifestyle, that kind of thing,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30that's not really something you can replace so much, is it?
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I don't know if I want that responsibility
0:26:33 > 0:26:34to make that call really.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38You know, I don't know if we're just confusing it. I don't know.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39No, I don't know.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43To say that growing up in New Zealand is more important,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45better for them, than having a relationship
0:26:45 > 0:26:49with their grandparents, is not really a decision...
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- They're not two options I want to decide between.- No.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Hearing messages from those they love the most have been a painful
0:27:00 > 0:27:04reminder of what Emma and Andrew would lose if they left the UK.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08The couple faced a heartbreaking dilemma -
0:27:08 > 0:27:11give the children a new life in New Zealand or keep them
0:27:11 > 0:27:15close to the grandparents who love them so dearly.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17As their trial week drew to a close,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21it was time for Emma and Andrew to make their decision.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I hoped New Zealand would be good. It's been amazing.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26The country itself, I love to bits.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Really enjoyed kind of getting a sense of what it would be like
0:27:29 > 0:27:31to live here, rather than just to be on holiday here.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33I think it's been an invaluable experience.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37But with so much at stake, had the lifestyle been enough to
0:27:37 > 0:27:40convince Emma to move to the other side of the world?
0:27:40 > 0:27:45It would be very easy to sit here in this beautiful park, surrounded by
0:27:45 > 0:27:47a really family friendly environment
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and be seduced by the idea of living in New Zealand.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Until I've got that flag in my hand, I don't know what I'm going to vote.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57She has told me she is willing to sacrifice part of her career
0:27:57 > 0:28:01aspirations, if you like, for the lifestyle of us and our children.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05And I think that's a lovely thing to do.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08But I'm not sure how I feel about that.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14So, after 15 years of talking about it, just where did Andrew
0:28:14 > 0:28:15and Emma see their future?
0:28:15 > 0:28:17New Zealand or the UK?
0:28:17 > 0:28:20We've had a really interesting week
0:28:20 > 0:28:23and based on everything we've seen, we vote...
0:28:35 > 0:28:37- New Zealand.- Undecided.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Undecided, eh?
0:28:39 > 0:28:42I think there are two sticking points for me.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44There was the finances and friends and family.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47If everyone was here and the finances were bad,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49then I would have said New Zealand.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52And if the finances were better and we got to visit our families
0:28:52 > 0:28:55more often, then I would have said New Zealand.
0:28:55 > 0:28:56I don't disagree.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59There are still some questions that we need to answer.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02I still think it's a really serious option.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06- I think we could make it work if we wanted to.- What's your vote?
0:29:07 > 0:29:09England!
0:29:15 > 0:29:19In the end, it seemed as if the thought of breaking the close
0:29:19 > 0:29:20bond between their children
0:29:20 > 0:29:24and grandparents was just too much for Emma.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Andrew's dream appeared to be on hold.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31So, two years after we last saw them,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34is it still Brighton they call home?
0:29:35 > 0:29:41It's May 2015 and Andrew, Emma, and the boys, are living in...
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Auckland, New Zealand.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Despite being undecided at the end of their trial week, Emma
0:29:48 > 0:29:52eventually had a change of heart after spending time back in the UK.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57We did a lot of thinking and we sat on it for a bit.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Emma had reservations because we have, or had,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04a great life at home in Brighton.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08And it's a difficult thing to pull yourself away from that life.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10There was a lot on offer in New Zealand.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14I just had to think about how to make it work for us as a family.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17And you just have to look harder sometimes, don't you?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19The turning point for Emma came
0:30:19 > 0:30:22when she visited an online forum for jobs in New Zealand.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Somebody posted on there that there was a work seminar day
0:30:25 > 0:30:30at New Zealand House for jobs in psychology in New Zealand.
0:30:30 > 0:30:31So I went.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35Emma discovered there was a vacancy in her field in Auckland.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38I applied. Had the interview.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41It was, I think, 9:30 at night, UK time.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43So I was in my bedroom, in my pyjamas.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Three people had dialled in, so it was a conference call
0:30:46 > 0:30:48across the other side of the world, which was a bit odd.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Despite the unusual interview, Emma obviously impressed.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54She was offered the job the next day.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57It was almost like we couldn't not go, we were on that path and kind of
0:30:57 > 0:31:01the destination was set towards New Zealand and it was about working out how to get there.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Things were falling in to place,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06but then Andrew began to have second thoughts.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10It became more real for me and more scary.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13In fact, at that stage it was me that said, "Whoa! Hang on!
0:31:13 > 0:31:15"Let's slow this down a bit."
0:31:17 > 0:31:20The couple spent months going round in circles,
0:31:20 > 0:31:24debating whether to stay put in the UK or make the move down under.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- Until... - There wasn't a clear winner.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32There was differences and so it was just like the only way we'll know is to go, so we'll go.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34Before they could change their minds again,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Emma booked their flights to New Zealand.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39That was a very scary moment because that was very much like -
0:31:39 > 0:31:42we are going to do this now. This is where we're headed.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44With tickets in hand, there was no turning back.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48It was the shift from it becoming a dream
0:31:48 > 0:31:51and something that you talked about to it becoming real.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55After 18 months of deliberation,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58the couple finally began to pack up their lives in the UK.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03I do remember being absolutely surprised how quickly you can
0:32:03 > 0:32:07deconstruct your life that you spent years building up.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09That was the easy bit though.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Telling family was the worst part.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17And they were fairly aware that it was coming, but it was really
0:32:17 > 0:32:21difficult to tell grandparents that we were moving away.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24I think people who know us knew that we were never not going to go,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26to be honest with you.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29I think they just hoped that we wouldn't.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32They arrived in Auckland in July 2014,
0:32:32 > 0:32:37in the middle of the New Zealand winter.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39That was quite a tough thing, leaving the UK summer
0:32:39 > 0:32:43and then stepping off the plane into the New Zealand winter.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47And just everything being turned on its head.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51The couple found the transition much harder than they'd expected.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54It was a tough month. It was a very tough month.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57You're not on automatic pilot for anything cos you don't know
0:32:57 > 0:33:01where to buy milk, you don't know the best shop to do this, you don't know anything.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I won't lie that there are days, especially
0:33:03 > 0:33:06when we first arrived, where I woke up and just thought, "Oh, my God!
0:33:06 > 0:33:08"What have we done?"
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Andrew and Emma had initially taken a short-term let
0:33:12 > 0:33:15on a rental in New Zealand, but soon decided the best way
0:33:15 > 0:33:19to settle was to find somewhere they could really call home.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21We always had a vision of where we wanted to go to.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24To get there, we kind of stuck true to what we knew
0:33:24 > 0:33:28we wanted to do, which was to live out in Piha really.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31It was the vision of New Zealand that we had from the UK.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35It was living by the beach, it was living in a community.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38It is being part of something, whereas in the UK,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42we felt more like we were a number.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46And we wanted to move away from that. Piha has given us all of that.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Having set their hearts on living in Piha,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52the couple had to go to unusual lengths to secure a home there.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55We had some flyers printed and we put them
0:33:55 > 0:34:00in the letterboxes for all the roads we wanted to live in, in Piha.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03It was a photo of us as a family and just said,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06awesome family home wanted for a lovely family...
0:34:06 > 0:34:08An awesome family!
0:34:08 > 0:34:10And just outlined what it is that we wanted,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and had our telephone numbers on the bottom.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Their unique ploy paid off.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20We just put the word out really, and just trusted that something
0:34:20 > 0:34:23would turn up and it did, because things do in New Zealand.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25That's generally our experience.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30It couldn't have been better really, could it?
0:34:30 > 0:34:33Andrew and Emma are delighted with their new home.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40It's unique in so many ways,
0:34:40 > 0:34:45and it fits in almost perfectly with the experience that we wanted.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47The position of the house is awesome
0:34:47 > 0:34:51because we are literally the last house, and so we are kind of nestled
0:34:51 > 0:34:54in the bush and yet we get this awesome view
0:34:54 > 0:34:58right down Piha beach and I don't think you can beat that location.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01In the summer, it is lovely because you have got a hammock
0:35:01 > 0:35:04and you've got a chair and you can just chill on the deck.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06In the winter we have got the wood burner.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10And we can just spend time being cosy inside the house, so even
0:35:10 > 0:35:15for New Zealand it's pretty cool, but for us, it's really amazing.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19- You do feel like you are in a very special spot, don't you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23So this is the main playroom.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26We set this up for the boys so they had a space of their own
0:35:26 > 0:35:27for all of their toys.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30You get to play with the boys and you get to look out on the beach,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34and the sea and remember where you actually do live.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- The playroom is the best view in the world.- It certainly is.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40The higher you go, the better it gets.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43This is the most amazing bedroom I think we've ever had,
0:35:43 > 0:35:47purely because of the view. It's absolutely awesome.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Going to sleep every night with the sound of the waves lulling
0:35:49 > 0:35:51you to sleep every night is amazing, isn't it?
0:35:51 > 0:35:54And in the morning it is like the beach is right there
0:35:54 > 0:35:56in your face when you open your eyes, so...
0:35:56 > 0:36:00- It is a lovely way to start your day.- A lovely way to start your day.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03The house's setting has made Andrew the go-to man
0:36:03 > 0:36:05within the surfer community.
0:36:05 > 0:36:06I don't need to check the surf report
0:36:06 > 0:36:09because I can see straight down the beach.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12People phone me and text me to find out what the surf's doing.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15For a pair of picky property punters,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Andrew and Emma can hardly believe they've found their dream home.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23We often say to each other that living in a house
0:36:23 > 0:36:25like this on a beach like this is the vision,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27and it's the vision that we had,
0:36:27 > 0:36:33it's the vision that we talked about and that vision came to be true.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37While the house may be everything they want,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41things haven't been quite so positive on the work front.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Leaving behind a job she was passionate about in the UK
0:36:44 > 0:36:46was a real struggle for Emma.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Handing in my notice was really tough
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and I still feel sad about it now.
0:36:50 > 0:36:56I do still very strongly feel connected to my old job.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58I don't think I ever won't.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02Adapting to her new role working for the Ministry of Education
0:37:02 > 0:37:05in New Zealand has been a challenge.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06It is very different.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09It is very case-by-case centred, whereas the work
0:37:09 > 0:37:12I did in the UK was more about the organisation and the system.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15I know psychology, and I know how to be a psychologist,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17but learning how to be a psychologist in the New Zealand
0:37:17 > 0:37:22context is something that I'm taking my time to learn.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Having worked part-time in the UK,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28Emma is finding it hard to adjust to a full-time role.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31I never really wanted my hours to increase, but the potential
0:37:31 > 0:37:35for working part time wasn't an option in New Zealand.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37I used to enjoy having four days a week
0:37:37 > 0:37:40where I wasn't in work or I didn't have to think about work.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42I'm seeing it as a means to an end,
0:37:42 > 0:37:44It's not something I want to do permanently.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Emma has already put plans in place to become her own boss.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53I'm in the process of setting up my own business, my own consultancy.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57I've been doing some seminars around New Zealand which is something
0:37:57 > 0:37:59I really am interested in doing and I'm really happy to do.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02The point to move here was to explore something different,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05and in doing that, I need to be working for myself
0:38:05 > 0:38:08and that's where we're headed.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11For the moment, the family are living on Emma's wage alone.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14One income is difficult.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Emma doesn't earn quite as much as she did back home, and I'm
0:38:18 > 0:38:24not earning at all, so we've lost 1.5 wages, which is quite tough.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Andrew's ambitions to become a snowboard instructor down under
0:38:27 > 0:38:29are still on ice.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32They offered me a job and I was very excited about that,
0:38:32 > 0:38:36but unfortunately, it's just not really possible financially.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40I just can't really afford to do the job.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44It doesn't pay quite as much as I might like.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48He's turned his thoughts to more mundane methods for making money.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52I've taken steps to start my own property management business.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56I've got to start generating some money so that Emma can
0:38:56 > 0:38:59perhaps step back a little bit from her role,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02and we can even out so we can both maybe work part-time
0:39:02 > 0:39:05and both spend time with the children.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07That's our vision, that's our ideal.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14For the meantime though, Andrew's a busy stay-at-home dad.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17My average day is almost completely different to how it was in the UK.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21I get up and I get the kids up, I give them breakfast.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24They go to pre-school a couple of days a week now and that frees me up
0:39:24 > 0:39:28to do the kind of looking after the house stuff
0:39:28 > 0:39:32and looking after the family stuff, doing the food shopping.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35Er, and maybe squeeze in a bit of surfing, Andrew?
0:39:44 > 0:39:48I've surfed more this summer than I've ever surfed before in my life.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53I'm definitely a lot better than I was and that has been wonderful.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57More than anything, I'm really enjoying getting in the water.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Dad's not the only one having a swell time.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Both Albert and George are thriving in their new environment.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09It fires their imagination.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11They're both little boys, they're both really into dinosaurs
0:40:11 > 0:40:13but why wouldn't you be into dinosaurs
0:40:13 > 0:40:16if you live in something that looks like Jurassic Park?
0:40:16 > 0:40:18I'm a palaeontologist!
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Albert has got no doubts about the move.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25I like it here better cos I live by the beach.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29For them it's just a wonderful, amazing childhood experience.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Part of the reason for us coming here is
0:40:31 > 0:40:36they would have more of a laid-back, kind of organic flowing lifestyle.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38And they do have that.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42But is the childhood being missed by those back home?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Something Emma is only too aware of.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49Leaving my mum has been a massive thing, and not just for me,
0:40:49 > 0:40:54for the kids as well. And I haven't reconciled that.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56And I find it difficult.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59I know she's not going to get that time with the kids back again.
0:40:59 > 0:41:06I know Emma misses her mum and the kids miss their Nana Rabbit as well.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09The family keep in touch with loved ones back home regularly,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13but video messaging is a far cry from being together.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17You can send a voice message with a bedtime story, but it's not sitting
0:41:17 > 0:41:20in bed with them all cuddled up having a bedtime story.
0:41:20 > 0:41:21I wish I had a friend...
0:41:21 > 0:41:24It's different. It is different.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28The hardest part of the move was leaving people behind.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32I'll wake up in the middle of the night and think, what have we done?
0:41:32 > 0:41:35We've made a choice right now that this is what we are doing
0:41:35 > 0:41:38as a family, and the cost of that, one of the costs
0:41:38 > 0:41:42of that is that they don't get to spend as much physical time
0:41:42 > 0:41:46with their other family members, so, yeah, there is a trade-off there.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49What you gain, you also sacrifice a lot for.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54While being so far from loved ones at home is hard, Andrew and Emma
0:41:54 > 0:41:58have already built a strong social network in Piha.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The community is very close-knit, very supportive.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02Everybody is very friendly.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06There is really no other way to live in a place like Piha,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09than to be a part of the community.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13I think we've embraced that but they've embraced us as well.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17The move down under is all about a healthier, happier lifestyle,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19so do the couple think it has been worth it?
0:42:19 > 0:42:21It has been an amazing experience.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24I've never regretted coming here and having this experience, for sure.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29I think the things we wanted to aspire to in a lot of ways, we've achieved.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32It was something we had to do and something we are enjoying doing.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36I feel like the really hard thing is out of the way. The creeping doubts.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40They go away over a little bit of time. You start to just enjoy life.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- It's the fun bit. - It is the fun bit, yeah.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45They may only be ten months into their New Zealand adventure, but
0:42:45 > 0:42:49the Treagust-Woodwards seem to have found what they were looking for.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51We've definitely made the right decision.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53We couldn't have not come, and I'm really pleased that we have.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57It's exactly what we wanted and I can't ask for more than that.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59We are living the dream.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08Within a space of two years, it looks like Andrew and Emma really
0:43:08 > 0:43:12have achieved the life they have been dreaming of in New Zealand.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16The family's future looks bright and we wish them all the best.