Treagust/Woodward Family Wanted Down Under Revisited


Treagust/Woodward Family

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Many couples dream of moving down under in search of

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a better life but, for some,

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the reality of emigrating is a tougher

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challenge than they could ever imagine.

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In 2013, Andrew Treagust was hoping to convince partner Emma to

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follow his dream and agree to move to New Zealand.

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Today, two years on, we'll find out how and where they are now.

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Back in 2013, Andrew Treagust had high ambitions for a new

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-life down under.

-I could so do this for a living.

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It could be my office every day!

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But Emma wasn't convinced of the merits of a move.

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I like the idea of it. I don't know if I like the reality of it.

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Two years on, have the family made a new life in New Zealand?

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We've made a choice right now that this is what

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we're doing as a family.

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With its amazing scenery and diverse culture, New Zealand has long

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been a place of interest for British citizens looking to emigrate.

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But of the estimated 7,000 who make the move every year,

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almost one in seven return. Proof indeed achieving a

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dream life on the other side of the world isn't as easy as you think.

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In 2013, Andrew Treagust and Emma Woodward had one week to discover if

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New Zealand could give their family a happier, healthier lifestyle.

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At the end of their trip, they faced a heartbreaking decision

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whether to stay in the UK or leave family and friends behind

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and make a new start on the other side of the world.

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

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The family's trial week in New Zealand began with a journey

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which saw them spend 25 hours in the air.

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It feels a really long time when you're on the plane, doesn't it?

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Yeah, you wouldn't want to do it all the time, that's for sure.

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Despite the long journey, Andrew was raring to go.

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Definitely feels real now we're here, and really exciting as well.

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-Yeah.

-It's going to be a big adventure.

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But Emma was a little more reserved.

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-My fears are is that we're really split on our opinions.

-Yeah, true.

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-I just hope we either like it or dislike it.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

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-I don't want to come away more confused.

-Exactly.

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The couple now had a week to sample life in New Zealand

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before making one of the biggest decisions of their lives.

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In 2013, Andrew Treagust and Emma Woodward were living with

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Albert, then aged two, and baby George just outside Brighton.

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Life was good in the UK with a beautiful home,

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two lovely children and plenty of friends and family to support them,

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but Andrew wanted to give it all up for a new life down under.

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We've worked really hard and I think we've probably worked too hard,

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especially over the last ten years.

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Andrew had recently resigned from a high-powered career in the City -

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a job he had loved but which eventually had worn him down.

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He needs a complete break

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and a complete change from the life that he has here.

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We've realised that there's more to life than just working.

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He could just go and be relaxed Andrew rather than

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driven Andrew, and I think that's what New Zealand represents to him.

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Andrew knew exactly what he wanted from New Zealand.

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It's got to give us a great house, it's got to give us

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a great lifestyle, it's got to give us community,

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it's got to give us good schooling and it's got to be

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somewhere that we want to live for the rest of our lives.

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But Emma was worried about giving up her career as

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an educational psychologist in the UK.

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I love my job. I'm passionate about what I do.

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To give that up and move somewhere else that might not be

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as I want it to be is really hard.

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And she dreaded the thought of breaking strong family bonds,

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especially taking Albert away from her mum - his beloved nanna.

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They adore each other. They meet on some kind of level.

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They just love each other.

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I've seen such an amazing side of my mum since Albert was born

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that I don't think she deserves me to take him away from her.

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But Emma was prepared to give New Zealand a try.

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If there's a possibility that our family life could be more

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equally shared out in terms of happiness and potential

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and enjoyability and all of those things somewhere else,

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then I have a responsibility to go and explore that.

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That's about being a family, isn't it? That's about compromise.

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That's about sharing.

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Andrew was convinced New Zealand's outdoor lifestyle could

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offer his family a better future but, unless he could persuade Emma,

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his long-held dream would come to nothing.

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Emma has to like it or it's not going to work for any of us.

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If Emma says no, then no is the way it's going to go.

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Andrew, Emma and the boys spent their trial week in Auckland.

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Home for their stay was

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this two-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of Devonport -

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a seaside village just a ten-minute ferry ride from the city centre.

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Andrew wasn't overly impressed with the space on offer.

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-This would be good for the week.

-Yeah, definitely.

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-And I think the boys will really enjoy it.

-Yeah.

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But a house that we'd buy would need to be of a different size.

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With Albert out for the count, Emma and Andrew's thoughts

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turn to the big decision they faced at the end of the week.

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It's a really long way, you know, so that's kind of already kind of

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making me think it's a big separation from my family

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and it is a massive effort to get here.

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I'm worried, um, that we're not going to be able to afford

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the property that we think we are going to be able to afford.

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But their fears hadn't dampened their spirits.

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I'm quite excited about it. I'm quite up for it at the moment.

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It's really interesting, just to be here

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and it be turning to reality now.

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Back in the UK, the Treagust-Woodwards were living

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in a four-bedroom detached house in Saltdean, just outside Brighton.

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They loved their house

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and knew what they wanted from a home in New Zealand.

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It's got to be a good size - four bedrooms

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-and possibly somewhere for guests to stay.

-Mm-hm.

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It's got to be fairly open plan, it's got to be self-cleaning!

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THEY LAUGH

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Just bright and airy and comfortable.

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Hopefully, near to the sea so that we can go surfing quite a lot.

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I want it to be fantastic.

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Andrew and Emma owned a number of properties in the UK and had set

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themselves a healthy starting budget of £540,000 for a home down under.

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To give them an idea of the Auckland property market, we showed them

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three houses based on what they said they wanted and needed.

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With Albert and George left with a childminder for the day,

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the couple's search began at the newly-built Kensington Park

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development on the Hibiscus Coast.

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20 minutes north of Auckland,

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this modern four-bedroom house was close to the beach,

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which should have been perfect for surf-mad Andrew,

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but did it have the space they wanted?

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-It's big.

-Yeah.

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-Oh, it's nice. It's a proper family area, isn't it?

-Mm.

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-Feels like it, doesn't it?

-It was looking good.

-Open-plan kitchen.

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-Really nice kitchen.

-It is a nice kitchen.

-Yeah.

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-I like the work surfaces.

-And you could cook... Look at that view when you're cooking.

-It's really nice.

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-You could just cook, looking at your sea view.

-And upstairs, the views just got better and better.

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-Look at that!

-Wow! That's got the wow factor, hasn't it? What a view!

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Now, if that doesn't entice you to get up

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and go surfing in the morning, I don't know what will.

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-Wake up to that view every day.

-That's amazing!

-That is gorgeous.

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With four bedrooms, this house had the space the couple

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wanted for visiting friends and family.

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-That would work really well as a guest bed, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

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This house had everything they'd been looking for

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but would their impressive £540,000 budget cover it?

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-So what do you think it's going to be?

-I'm not sure.

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-It's going to be a lot, isn't it?

-Yeah. Shall we find out?

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Let's find out.

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Wow! £648,500.

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It was more than £100,000 over budget but...

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-That's good.

-That's a lot of house for your money, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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-For that view.

-For that view.

-I'm surprised.

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-I thought it was going to be nearer 900,000.

-That is really good.

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Let's buy it!

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It was over budget but,

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thanks to their property portfolio in the UK,

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Andrew and Emma could have had the ability to increase their

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spending power, so they weren't put off.

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Next up was a spacious six-bedroom home in Mairangi Bay,

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also on the North Shore.

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With fabulous beaches, an excellent kindergarten

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and a lively community, this area could have been

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perfect for Andrew and Emma's young family, but did they agree?

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-I like it.

-It's a nice through-area, isn't it?

-Oh, it's really nice.

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-But it's very long and narrow.

-No, it's not. I do...

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I think I prefer it to the other house. I feel it could be...

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-It's not as good as the other house.

-It feels more homely, I think.

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It does feel more homely but it's just that it's not as open and airy.

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Maybe cos it feels lived in because this is somebody's house.

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Cos it IS lived in.

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Emma and Andrew seemed to have different opinions on this one.

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See, I like...

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It feels open plan but it's got defined areas,

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-and I quite like that.

-The rooms feel quite small to me.

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Size was an issue for Andrew, and it wasn't the only problem.

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There's a reason why that's drawn, isn't it?

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Because it's obviously quite overlooked.

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And there's a shared access right outside of the house.

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-Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that you can't control, living here.

-Exactly.

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Now Emma wasn't quite sold

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but the downstairs granny flat did put a different spin on things.

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This is perfect for when people come and stay.

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-My parents would be happy as, wouldn't they?

-Yeah.

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It'd be lovely.

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That was something they agreed on but

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did the garden offer the space the couple wanted for Albert and George?

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It's OK. It's not much of a garden, though, is it?

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-Do you think I'm being quite fussy?

-What, you, Andrew(?)

-Yeah.

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You have to be fussy, I think, but still,

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there's not much of a garden space.

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So I suppose we'd better go and see how much it's worth, really.

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If we can't afford it, there's not much point.

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This house really had brought mixed reactions

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so was their starting budget of £540,000 enough to cover its cost?

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-Wow!

-There you go. 687.

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It was almost £150,000 over their budget

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but finding extra funds didn't seem to be a problem for Andrew and Emma.

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-That's a good price for what you get, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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It's interesting, and now confusing.

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-It still doesn't make me want to go and buy it right now.

-No.

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It was affordable but Andrew's heart wasn't in this house.

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With two down, would the last property offer the couple

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everything they were looking for?

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It was in Torbay, also on the North Shore, and close to the beach.

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This four-bedroom house with a separate granny annexe

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for visiting parents should have been the ideal house for the family.

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-Not too shabby, is it?

-That view is stunning, isn't it?

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It was a promising start.

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And it's all about being outside and eating, barbecuing.

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-Oh, it just feels so nice. It feels quite secluded, doesn't it?

-But...

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Can hear the road though.

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Can you get to the kitchen?

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Yeah.

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And the road noise was just the start of the problems.

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It's just I want to kind of take everything out and start again.

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-It's just not done to my taste at all.

-Yeah.

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First the road, then the decor, cracks were beginning to show.

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-Quite a small room.

-They're all small bedrooms.

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Do you know when you're kind of coming in to the house

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-and really looks quite imposing...

-It's imposing, isn't it?

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-Definitely not as big inside as you think it's going to be.

-No.

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Especially when you consider that there's the granny flat downstairs.

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It looked like this wasn't the house for Emma or Andrew.

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But did the cost change their minds?

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I don't feel confident about making a guess. What do you think?

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-About 750?

-I think about seven.

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OK.

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-My goodness!

-That's great value.

-Really good value.

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£521,000.

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That was almost £20,000 under budget.

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If you spent, what, £50,000 changing it, that's still...

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70 grand cheaper than the last cheapest house.

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I'm really surprised.

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Exploring the local housing market had been a real

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eye-opener for Andrew and Emma.

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Property one was something of a showstopper

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and less expensive than the couple expected.

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The second house was £147,000 over their starting budget,

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but the price still hadn't put them off.

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And although property number three didn't live up to first

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impressions, its price tag meant they could afford to turn

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it into their dream home.

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So did the couple vote for property in the UK or New Zealand?

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We've had an interesting day looking at properties

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and based on that, we vote for...

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-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

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-It was a good day, wasn't it?

-Really good day.

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I was really surprised that you got that much property for your money.

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-Yeah.

-And amazing views.

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In a lovely location. I don't know what else you could ask for really.

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It was a great start for Andrew.

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Emma's first vote for New Zealand

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was a big step in the right direction.

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The desire to come to New Zealand was all about the relaxed

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outdoors lifestyle the family could enjoy.

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So was a day of Kiwi style living enough to keep Andrew's dream alive?

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With Andrew and Emma both keen surfers, we took them to Piha Beach,

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a popular surfing spot just 14 minutes' drive from the city.

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While baby George was looked after by a childminder,

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it was a chance for Andrew to show Emma

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and Albert the kind of lifestyle he'd been dreaming about.

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We'd come down every weekend, wouldn't we?

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It's so close to the city and it's such a beautiful place

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and just a beautiful beach.

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Albert may have been a little young to fully appreciate the surf,

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but Andrew could picture it as part of his future.

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I'd love to see the boys grow up in

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a wet suit and just surfing every weekend.

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It's the sort of thing I wish we'd done as kids and it'd be

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-really lovely to afford Albert and George that, wouldn't it, really?

-Definitely.

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After their morning riding waves,

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the couple took the boys to a nearby park for some playtime.

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So far, the day had been everything Andrew had hoped

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And he was pleased with how it seemed to have affected Emma.

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She seems really comfortable here

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and when we've been driving about,

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she says sometimes that she thinks she could live here,

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so I think that's a really good indication of the way things

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-might go in the future.

-Watching the kids here has been brilliant.

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I don't feel so far away from home. It feels familiar, but different.

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It's... It's... It feels relaxed.

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But time out had also made Emma realise just how big

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a decision the couple were facing.

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When I think about being at home... I don't know really.

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They're all kind of...

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There's no clear tipping point at the moment.

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So, based on lifestyle, did the family choose New Zealand or the UK?

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We've had a lovely day today and based on that, we vote for...

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-New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

-New Zealand!

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Yeah!

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You're fantastic, aren't you? Sand all over your face.

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You said New Zealand!

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Emma's vote for New Zealand had been a real confidence booster,

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but Andrew knew there was a much bigger battle ahead.

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Back in the UK, Emma was an educational psychologist.

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I'm really passionate about my job. It's really important to me

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and it enables me to empower people to make change in their own lives.

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Giving up her job would be a massive wrench.

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It's an amazing place to work

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and I'm going to have to potentially give all that up if we move.

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Andrew was dreaming of a career change if the couple did move.

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I'd love to be a snowboard instructor and I can imagine

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waking up and being really excited about going to the mountain.

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And having the mountain as your office.

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You know, it's a fantastic dream to have.

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But if Emma didn't find the right post down under,

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his dream would come to nothing.

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It's a deal breaker for me, I suppose.

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It is a deal breaker for me.

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You can't change the way that you feel about it.

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And if it doesn't feel right, I genuinely don't know

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if I'd be able to do it.

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The stakes were high.

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While the boys were looked after by a childminder,

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the couple set off to find out about work opportunities in Auckland.

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We arranged for Emma to meet a clinical

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psychologist at the Waitemata District Health Board.

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-Hi.

-How are you? I'm Tina.

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I'm the psychology professional leader here.

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-So, this is the sort of place that you would be working.

-Mm-hm.

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Across town, Andrew went to check out his dream of becoming

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a snowboard instructor at New Zealand's only indoor snow

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sports facility and he couldn't wait to hit the slopes.

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I could so do this for a living. It could be my office every day.

0:18:570:19:01

Back in the real world,

0:19:010:19:03

Emma was finding out about her work prospects.

0:19:030:19:05

Based on my CV, would I be able to get a job in New Zealand?

0:19:050:19:08

-Yes, very definitely. You're on our wanted list.

-Mm.

0:19:080:19:12

It's really a matter of what sort of area you'd like to work in.

0:19:120:19:15

OK, that's good news.

0:19:150:19:17

It was a good start,

0:19:170:19:18

but Emma worried working practices might be different in New Zealand.

0:19:180:19:23

You're wanting to work more in the child and family area, aren't you?

0:19:230:19:28

-That's my qualification.

-Yes.

0:19:280:19:30

Usually, the psychologist would work sort of across the whole sector.

0:19:300:19:34

But you can specialise in the younger pre-schoolers

0:19:340:19:38

-or you can work with the older adolescents.

-OK.

0:19:380:19:41

That was one concern put to rest.

0:19:410:19:43

Back at the Snowdome, Andrew met with manager Brad Alwin to find

0:19:450:19:48

out what opportunities could exist for him as a snowboard instructor.

0:19:480:19:53

So, I've been snowboarding about ten years.

0:19:530:19:55

I'm just really exploring, from your point of view, whether it's

0:19:550:19:59

feasible and whether it's something that I could potentially do.

0:19:590:20:04

It's definitely feasible.

0:20:040:20:05

Worth, once you arrive, doing a New Zealand based qualification.

0:20:050:20:09

Through the course, we can see how well you actually teach,

0:20:090:20:12

we can teach anyone to snowboard, we can't teach everyone to teach.

0:20:120:20:15

Yeah.

0:20:150:20:16

Once qualified though, how much work would there be?

0:20:160:20:19

In a full day, an average ski instructor would probably

0:20:190:20:22

-work six hours, during peak season.

-Mm-hm.

0:20:220:20:25

-Your part-time or casual instructor may only get two hours a week.

-OK.

0:20:250:20:28

The window that we have to make money and to ski

0:20:280:20:31

and for you to be employed is four months.

0:20:310:20:34

-OK.

-If we're lucky.

-Yeah.

0:20:340:20:36

Definitely not a full-time option.

0:20:360:20:38

Emma's earning power was more crucial than ever.

0:20:380:20:42

How much as a psychologist would you get paid to work in New Zealand?

0:20:420:20:46

With three to ten years' experience,

0:20:460:20:49

-it's nearer 61 to, say, about 97,000.

-OK.

0:20:490:20:54

You'd be somewhere in the middle there, I would imagine.

0:20:540:20:57

That was around £10,000 less than Emma earned back home.

0:20:570:21:00

Would Andrew's potential income fill the shortfall?

0:21:000:21:03

As a rookie, as a first year employee, you can

0:21:030:21:06

expect to earn minimum wage, or about 14.50 an hour.

0:21:060:21:10

That wouldn't make up for the deficit in Emma's salary.

0:21:100:21:14

It may have been his ideal job,

0:21:140:21:16

but Andrew would be earning the minimum wage.

0:21:160:21:20

The day had given the couple food for thought.

0:21:200:21:23

Had it put an end to Andrew's dream?

0:21:230:21:25

Undecided.

0:21:340:21:36

Me too.

0:21:380:21:40

-Why undecided?

-Erm...

0:21:400:21:42

Because although I felt that some of my fears were allayed,

0:21:420:21:46

I still really like my job at home.

0:21:460:21:49

It's a great lifestyle opportunity.

0:21:490:21:52

I'm just not sure I'm ready to take a lifestyle opportunity right now.

0:21:520:21:56

Despite loving the lifestyle, the cold,

0:22:020:22:05

hard facts couldn't be ignored.

0:22:050:22:07

If Emma and Andrew moved, they'd be earning a lot less money.

0:22:070:22:11

It was time to find out if they could actually afford the move.

0:22:110:22:15

We prepared a comparison of the cost of living in the UK and New Zealand.

0:22:150:22:19

They started with the weekly food shop.

0:22:190:22:21

Fruit...

0:22:210:22:22

-Fruit's quite a lot more.

-It's quite a lot more expensive.

0:22:220:22:25

-Spinach is randomly quite a lot more expensive.

-What's cheaper?

0:22:250:22:29

Couscous is cheaper.

0:22:290:22:30

OK.

0:22:300:22:32

And flour is cheaper.

0:22:320:22:33

So you have to do a lot of baking.

0:22:330:22:36

-So it's £37.43 more expensive.

-Wow.

0:22:360:22:40

It was an increase of more than £150 every month.

0:22:400:22:43

Basing their calculations on the final property they'd seen,

0:22:450:22:49

the couple moved on to compare the bigger costs of living.

0:22:490:22:52

So, our mortgage in the UK is £670.

0:22:520:22:55

Our mortgage in New Zealand, for the property that we looked at,

0:22:550:22:59

would be £1,583.

0:22:590:23:03

So that's an increase in mortgage payments of £913 a month.

0:23:030:23:08

So we'll be £1,784 worse off in New Zealand.

0:23:100:23:16

And that's huge.

0:23:180:23:20

-That's massive.

-And we couldn't effectively do that.

0:23:200:23:23

With the figures weighing heavily on their minds, it was time for Emma

0:23:230:23:26

and Andrew to choose between finances in the UK or New Zealand.

0:23:260:23:31

So, based on what we've just been looking at, we vote for...

0:23:310:23:35

-Undecided.

-UK.

0:23:420:23:44

I just think that we can't make this model work.

0:23:460:23:49

And it's got to be rethought.

0:23:490:23:51

But there is wiggle room and that's why I've gone undecided.

0:23:510:23:53

OK.

0:23:530:23:56

Emma and Andrew's trial week had revealed some harsh home truths

0:23:590:24:03

and there was still more to come.

0:24:030:24:05

Emma worried about taking the children away from her mum.

0:24:050:24:08

So would watching messages from friends

0:24:080:24:10

and loved ones from home prove too heartbreaking?

0:24:100:24:13

While baby George took a nap,

0:24:130:24:15

they settle down to watch the DVD together.

0:24:150:24:18

They're lovely. They're really lovely. Very close family.

0:24:180:24:21

They like going out and doing things together, like being by the sea.

0:24:210:24:25

They're free spirits, they are adventurous.

0:24:250:24:29

-They've done a lot of travelling.

-Emma is very zesty.

0:24:290:24:32

Pretty proud to have her as a daughter actually

0:24:350:24:38

cos she's full of life.

0:24:380:24:40

There's my nanny.

0:24:400:24:41

Andrew's my younger brother. He's always been a bit of a wanderer.

0:24:410:24:44

He's always liked doing a lot of travelling.

0:24:440:24:47

But he's a great guy, he really is a great guy.

0:24:470:24:49

And he adores his kids.

0:24:490:24:51

Andrew and I lost our dad coming up for three years now

0:24:510:24:55

and we have become much closer since we lost Dad

0:24:550:24:59

and it's really nice having him close.

0:24:590:25:04

Having Andrew nearby is a comfort.

0:25:040:25:07

It is the little ones that I think...

0:25:070:25:10

Just tugs at your heart strings a little bit more, doesn't it?

0:25:100:25:13

Yeah, it's... Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

0:25:130:25:16

Albert is gorgeous. Obviously, I'm a little bit biased.

0:25:160:25:21

He's the best grandson in the world. There's nobody like Albert.

0:25:210:25:26

We have a real bond. We do. We really have.

0:25:260:25:29

Albert is absolutely gorgeous.

0:25:290:25:31

-Just a lovely little boy.

-Yeah, there would be a gap, a huge gap.

0:25:310:25:36

Also the opportunity of not getting to know George.

0:25:360:25:39

I think that's the big thing.

0:25:390:25:41

It would feel quite empty, wouldn't it, really?

0:25:410:25:43

Just knowing that they're not here.

0:25:430:25:45

Yeah, it would be a bit odd, I think.

0:25:450:25:47

We can't pretend we're happy about it.

0:25:470:25:50

But we're not unhappy about it.

0:25:510:25:53

It's just the fact we're going to miss you, miss the kids.

0:25:530:25:57

But I hope it goes well for you and it's what you really, really want.

0:25:570:26:01

And if that's the case, then we're all for it.

0:26:010:26:04

-My mum looked a bit devastated.

-Mm. Mum will really miss the kids.

0:26:130:26:17

I think it's the grandparent connection that's the really,

0:26:170:26:21

really hard one.

0:26:210:26:22

Even though they've got everything here, nice climate, beaches,

0:26:220:26:25

lifestyle, that kind of thing,

0:26:250:26:28

that's not really something you can replace so much, is it?

0:26:280:26:30

I don't know if I want that responsibility

0:26:300:26:33

to make that call really.

0:26:330:26:34

You know, I don't know if we're just confusing it. I don't know.

0:26:340:26:38

No, I don't know.

0:26:380:26:39

To say that growing up in New Zealand is more important,

0:26:390:26:43

better for them, than having a relationship

0:26:430:26:45

with their grandparents, is not really a decision...

0:26:450:26:49

-They're not two options I want to decide between.

-No.

0:26:490:26:52

Hearing messages from those they love the most have been a painful

0:26:570:27:00

reminder of what Emma and Andrew would lose if they left the UK.

0:27:000:27:04

The couple faced a heartbreaking dilemma -

0:27:050:27:08

give the children a new life in New Zealand or keep them

0:27:080:27:11

close to the grandparents who love them so dearly.

0:27:110:27:15

As their trial week drew to a close,

0:27:150:27:17

it was time for Emma and Andrew to make their decision.

0:27:170:27:21

I hoped New Zealand would be good. It's been amazing.

0:27:210:27:24

The country itself, I love to bits.

0:27:240:27:26

Really enjoyed kind of getting a sense of what it would be like

0:27:260:27:29

to live here, rather than just to be on holiday here.

0:27:290:27:31

I think it's been an invaluable experience.

0:27:310:27:33

But with so much at stake, had the lifestyle been enough to

0:27:330:27:37

convince Emma to move to the other side of the world?

0:27:370:27:40

It would be very easy to sit here in this beautiful park, surrounded by

0:27:400:27:45

a really family friendly environment

0:27:450:27:47

and be seduced by the idea of living in New Zealand.

0:27:470:27:49

Until I've got that flag in my hand, I don't know what I'm going to vote.

0:27:490:27:53

She has told me she is willing to sacrifice part of her career

0:27:530:27:57

aspirations, if you like, for the lifestyle of us and our children.

0:27:570:28:01

And I think that's a lovely thing to do.

0:28:010:28:05

But I'm not sure how I feel about that.

0:28:050:28:08

So, after 15 years of talking about it, just where did Andrew

0:28:090:28:14

and Emma see their future?

0:28:140:28:15

New Zealand or the UK?

0:28:150:28:17

We've had a really interesting week

0:28:170:28:20

and based on everything we've seen, we vote...

0:28:200:28:23

-New Zealand.

-Undecided.

0:28:350:28:37

Undecided, eh?

0:28:370:28:39

I think there are two sticking points for me.

0:28:390:28:42

There was the finances and friends and family.

0:28:420:28:44

If everyone was here and the finances were bad,

0:28:440:28:47

then I would have said New Zealand.

0:28:470:28:49

And if the finances were better and we got to visit our families

0:28:490:28:52

more often, then I would have said New Zealand.

0:28:520:28:55

I don't disagree.

0:28:550:28:56

There are still some questions that we need to answer.

0:28:560:28:59

I still think it's a really serious option.

0:28:590:29:02

-I think we could make it work if we wanted to.

-What's your vote?

0:29:020:29:06

England!

0:29:070:29:09

In the end, it seemed as if the thought of breaking the close

0:29:150:29:19

bond between their children

0:29:190:29:20

and grandparents was just too much for Emma.

0:29:200:29:24

Andrew's dream appeared to be on hold.

0:29:240:29:27

So, two years after we last saw them,

0:29:270:29:31

is it still Brighton they call home?

0:29:310:29:34

It's May 2015 and Andrew, Emma, and the boys, are living in...

0:29:350:29:41

Auckland, New Zealand.

0:29:410:29:44

Despite being undecided at the end of their trial week, Emma

0:29:440:29:48

eventually had a change of heart after spending time back in the UK.

0:29:480:29:52

We did a lot of thinking and we sat on it for a bit.

0:29:520:29:57

Emma had reservations because we have, or had,

0:29:570:30:01

a great life at home in Brighton.

0:30:010:30:04

And it's a difficult thing to pull yourself away from that life.

0:30:040:30:08

There was a lot on offer in New Zealand.

0:30:080:30:10

I just had to think about how to make it work for us as a family.

0:30:100:30:14

And you just have to look harder sometimes, don't you?

0:30:140:30:17

The turning point for Emma came

0:30:170:30:19

when she visited an online forum for jobs in New Zealand.

0:30:190:30:22

Somebody posted on there that there was a work seminar day

0:30:220:30:25

at New Zealand House for jobs in psychology in New Zealand.

0:30:250:30:30

So I went.

0:30:300:30:31

Emma discovered there was a vacancy in her field in Auckland.

0:30:310:30:35

I applied. Had the interview.

0:30:350:30:38

It was, I think, 9:30 at night, UK time.

0:30:380:30:41

So I was in my bedroom, in my pyjamas.

0:30:410:30:43

Three people had dialled in, so it was a conference call

0:30:430:30:46

across the other side of the world, which was a bit odd.

0:30:460:30:48

Despite the unusual interview, Emma obviously impressed.

0:30:480:30:51

She was offered the job the next day.

0:30:510:30:54

It was almost like we couldn't not go, we were on that path and kind of

0:30:540:30:57

the destination was set towards New Zealand and it was about working out how to get there.

0:30:570:31:01

Things were falling in to place,

0:31:010:31:03

but then Andrew began to have second thoughts.

0:31:030:31:06

It became more real for me and more scary.

0:31:070:31:10

In fact, at that stage it was me that said, "Whoa! Hang on!

0:31:100:31:13

"Let's slow this down a bit."

0:31:130:31:15

The couple spent months going round in circles,

0:31:170:31:20

debating whether to stay put in the UK or make the move down under.

0:31:200:31:24

-Until...

-There wasn't a clear winner.

0:31:240:31:27

There was differences and so it was just like the only way we'll know is to go, so we'll go.

0:31:270:31:32

Before they could change their minds again,

0:31:320:31:34

Emma booked their flights to New Zealand.

0:31:340:31:36

That was a very scary moment because that was very much like -

0:31:360:31:39

we are going to do this now. This is where we're headed.

0:31:390:31:42

With tickets in hand, there was no turning back.

0:31:420:31:44

It was the shift from it becoming a dream

0:31:440:31:48

and something that you talked about to it becoming real.

0:31:480:31:51

After 18 months of deliberation,

0:31:530:31:55

the couple finally began to pack up their lives in the UK.

0:31:550:31:58

I do remember being absolutely surprised how quickly you can

0:31:580:32:03

deconstruct your life that you spent years building up.

0:32:030:32:07

That was the easy bit though.

0:32:070:32:09

Telling family was the worst part.

0:32:090:32:12

And they were fairly aware that it was coming, but it was really

0:32:120:32:17

difficult to tell grandparents that we were moving away.

0:32:170:32:21

I think people who know us knew that we were never not going to go,

0:32:210:32:24

to be honest with you.

0:32:240:32:26

I think they just hoped that we wouldn't.

0:32:260:32:29

They arrived in Auckland in July 2014,

0:32:290:32:32

in the middle of the New Zealand winter.

0:32:320:32:37

That was quite a tough thing, leaving the UK summer

0:32:370:32:39

and then stepping off the plane into the New Zealand winter.

0:32:390:32:43

And just everything being turned on its head.

0:32:430:32:47

The couple found the transition much harder than they'd expected.

0:32:470:32:51

It was a tough month. It was a very tough month.

0:32:510:32:54

You're not on automatic pilot for anything cos you don't know

0:32:540:32:57

where to buy milk, you don't know the best shop to do this, you don't know anything.

0:32:570:33:01

I won't lie that there are days, especially

0:33:010:33:03

when we first arrived, where I woke up and just thought, "Oh, my God!

0:33:030:33:06

"What have we done?"

0:33:060:33:08

Andrew and Emma had initially taken a short-term let

0:33:090:33:12

on a rental in New Zealand, but soon decided the best way

0:33:120:33:15

to settle was to find somewhere they could really call home.

0:33:150:33:19

We always had a vision of where we wanted to go to.

0:33:190:33:21

To get there, we kind of stuck true to what we knew

0:33:210:33:24

we wanted to do, which was to live out in Piha really.

0:33:240:33:28

It was the vision of New Zealand that we had from the UK.

0:33:280:33:31

It was living by the beach, it was living in a community.

0:33:310:33:35

It is being part of something, whereas in the UK,

0:33:350:33:38

we felt more like we were a number.

0:33:380:33:42

And we wanted to move away from that. Piha has given us all of that.

0:33:420:33:46

Having set their hearts on living in Piha,

0:33:460:33:49

the couple had to go to unusual lengths to secure a home there.

0:33:490:33:52

We had some flyers printed and we put them

0:33:520:33:55

in the letterboxes for all the roads we wanted to live in, in Piha.

0:33:550:34:00

It was a photo of us as a family and just said,

0:34:000:34:03

awesome family home wanted for a lovely family...

0:34:030:34:06

An awesome family!

0:34:060:34:08

And just outlined what it is that we wanted,

0:34:080:34:10

and had our telephone numbers on the bottom.

0:34:100:34:13

Their unique ploy paid off.

0:34:140:34:17

We just put the word out really, and just trusted that something

0:34:170:34:20

would turn up and it did, because things do in New Zealand.

0:34:200:34:23

That's generally our experience.

0:34:230:34:25

It couldn't have been better really, could it?

0:34:260:34:30

Andrew and Emma are delighted with their new home.

0:34:300:34:33

It's unique in so many ways,

0:34:380:34:40

and it fits in almost perfectly with the experience that we wanted.

0:34:400:34:45

The position of the house is awesome

0:34:450:34:47

because we are literally the last house, and so we are kind of nestled

0:34:470:34:51

in the bush and yet we get this awesome view

0:34:510:34:54

right down Piha beach and I don't think you can beat that location.

0:34:540:34:58

In the summer, it is lovely because you have got a hammock

0:34:580:35:01

and you've got a chair and you can just chill on the deck.

0:35:010:35:04

In the winter we have got the wood burner.

0:35:040:35:06

And we can just spend time being cosy inside the house, so even

0:35:060:35:10

for New Zealand it's pretty cool, but for us, it's really amazing.

0:35:100:35:15

-You do feel like you are in a very special spot, don't you?

-Yeah, yeah.

0:35:150:35:19

So this is the main playroom.

0:35:210:35:23

We set this up for the boys so they had a space of their own

0:35:230:35:26

for all of their toys.

0:35:260:35:27

You get to play with the boys and you get to look out on the beach,

0:35:270:35:30

and the sea and remember where you actually do live.

0:35:300:35:34

-The playroom is the best view in the world.

-It certainly is.

0:35:340:35:37

The higher you go, the better it gets.

0:35:370:35:40

This is the most amazing bedroom I think we've ever had,

0:35:400:35:43

purely because of the view. It's absolutely awesome.

0:35:430:35:47

Going to sleep every night with the sound of the waves lulling

0:35:470:35:49

you to sleep every night is amazing, isn't it?

0:35:490:35:51

And in the morning it is like the beach is right there

0:35:510:35:54

in your face when you open your eyes, so...

0:35:540:35:56

-It is a lovely way to start your day.

-A lovely way to start your day.

0:35:560:36:00

The house's setting has made Andrew the go-to man

0:36:000:36:03

within the surfer community.

0:36:030:36:05

I don't need to check the surf report

0:36:050:36:06

because I can see straight down the beach.

0:36:060:36:09

People phone me and text me to find out what the surf's doing.

0:36:090:36:12

For a pair of picky property punters,

0:36:120:36:15

Andrew and Emma can hardly believe they've found their dream home.

0:36:150:36:18

We often say to each other that living in a house

0:36:200:36:23

like this on a beach like this is the vision,

0:36:230:36:25

and it's the vision that we had,

0:36:250:36:27

it's the vision that we talked about and that vision came to be true.

0:36:270:36:33

While the house may be everything they want,

0:36:350:36:37

things haven't been quite so positive on the work front.

0:36:370:36:41

Leaving behind a job she was passionate about in the UK

0:36:410:36:44

was a real struggle for Emma.

0:36:440:36:46

Handing in my notice was really tough

0:36:460:36:48

and I still feel sad about it now.

0:36:480:36:50

I do still very strongly feel connected to my old job.

0:36:500:36:56

I don't think I ever won't.

0:36:560:36:58

Adapting to her new role working for the Ministry of Education

0:36:580:37:02

in New Zealand has been a challenge.

0:37:020:37:05

It is very different.

0:37:050:37:06

It is very case-by-case centred, whereas the work

0:37:060:37:09

I did in the UK was more about the organisation and the system.

0:37:090:37:12

I know psychology, and I know how to be a psychologist,

0:37:120:37:15

but learning how to be a psychologist in the New Zealand

0:37:150:37:17

context is something that I'm taking my time to learn.

0:37:170:37:22

Having worked part-time in the UK,

0:37:220:37:24

Emma is finding it hard to adjust to a full-time role.

0:37:240:37:28

I never really wanted my hours to increase, but the potential

0:37:280:37:31

for working part time wasn't an option in New Zealand.

0:37:310:37:35

I used to enjoy having four days a week

0:37:350:37:37

where I wasn't in work or I didn't have to think about work.

0:37:370:37:40

I'm seeing it as a means to an end,

0:37:400:37:42

It's not something I want to do permanently.

0:37:420:37:44

Emma has already put plans in place to become her own boss.

0:37:440:37:47

I'm in the process of setting up my own business, my own consultancy.

0:37:480:37:53

I've been doing some seminars around New Zealand which is something

0:37:530:37:57

I really am interested in doing and I'm really happy to do.

0:37:570:37:59

The point to move here was to explore something different,

0:37:590:38:02

and in doing that, I need to be working for myself

0:38:020:38:05

and that's where we're headed.

0:38:050:38:08

For the moment, the family are living on Emma's wage alone.

0:38:080:38:11

One income is difficult.

0:38:120:38:14

Emma doesn't earn quite as much as she did back home, and I'm

0:38:140:38:18

not earning at all, so we've lost 1.5 wages, which is quite tough.

0:38:180:38:24

Andrew's ambitions to become a snowboard instructor down under

0:38:240:38:27

are still on ice.

0:38:270:38:29

They offered me a job and I was very excited about that,

0:38:290:38:32

but unfortunately, it's just not really possible financially.

0:38:320:38:36

I just can't really afford to do the job.

0:38:360:38:40

It doesn't pay quite as much as I might like.

0:38:400:38:44

He's turned his thoughts to more mundane methods for making money.

0:38:440:38:48

I've taken steps to start my own property management business.

0:38:480:38:52

I've got to start generating some money so that Emma can

0:38:520:38:56

perhaps step back a little bit from her role,

0:38:560:38:59

and we can even out so we can both maybe work part-time

0:38:590:39:02

and both spend time with the children.

0:39:020:39:05

That's our vision, that's our ideal.

0:39:050:39:07

For the meantime though, Andrew's a busy stay-at-home dad.

0:39:110:39:14

My average day is almost completely different to how it was in the UK.

0:39:140:39:17

I get up and I get the kids up, I give them breakfast.

0:39:170:39:21

They go to pre-school a couple of days a week now and that frees me up

0:39:210:39:24

to do the kind of looking after the house stuff

0:39:240:39:28

and looking after the family stuff, doing the food shopping.

0:39:280:39:32

Er, and maybe squeeze in a bit of surfing, Andrew?

0:39:320:39:35

I've surfed more this summer than I've ever surfed before in my life.

0:39:440:39:48

I'm definitely a lot better than I was and that has been wonderful.

0:39:480:39:53

More than anything, I'm really enjoying getting in the water.

0:39:530:39:57

Dad's not the only one having a swell time.

0:39:570:40:00

Both Albert and George are thriving in their new environment.

0:40:000:40:04

It fires their imagination.

0:40:070:40:09

They're both little boys, they're both really into dinosaurs

0:40:090:40:11

but why wouldn't you be into dinosaurs

0:40:110:40:13

if you live in something that looks like Jurassic Park?

0:40:130:40:16

I'm a palaeontologist!

0:40:160:40:18

Albert has got no doubts about the move.

0:40:180:40:21

I like it here better cos I live by the beach.

0:40:210:40:25

For them it's just a wonderful, amazing childhood experience.

0:40:250:40:29

Part of the reason for us coming here is

0:40:290:40:31

they would have more of a laid-back, kind of organic flowing lifestyle.

0:40:310:40:36

And they do have that.

0:40:360:40:38

But is the childhood being missed by those back home?

0:40:380:40:42

Something Emma is only too aware of.

0:40:420:40:45

Leaving my mum has been a massive thing, and not just for me,

0:40:450:40:49

for the kids as well. And I haven't reconciled that.

0:40:490:40:54

And I find it difficult.

0:40:540:40:56

I know she's not going to get that time with the kids back again.

0:40:560:40:59

I know Emma misses her mum and the kids miss their Nana Rabbit as well.

0:40:590:41:06

The family keep in touch with loved ones back home regularly,

0:41:060:41:09

but video messaging is a far cry from being together.

0:41:090:41:13

You can send a voice message with a bedtime story, but it's not sitting

0:41:130:41:17

in bed with them all cuddled up having a bedtime story.

0:41:170:41:20

I wish I had a friend...

0:41:200:41:21

It's different. It is different.

0:41:210:41:24

The hardest part of the move was leaving people behind.

0:41:240:41:28

I'll wake up in the middle of the night and think, what have we done?

0:41:280:41:32

We've made a choice right now that this is what we are doing

0:41:320:41:35

as a family, and the cost of that, one of the costs

0:41:350:41:38

of that is that they don't get to spend as much physical time

0:41:380:41:42

with their other family members, so, yeah, there is a trade-off there.

0:41:420:41:46

What you gain, you also sacrifice a lot for.

0:41:460:41:49

While being so far from loved ones at home is hard, Andrew and Emma

0:41:500:41:54

have already built a strong social network in Piha.

0:41:540:41:58

The community is very close-knit, very supportive.

0:41:580:42:01

Everybody is very friendly.

0:42:010:42:02

There is really no other way to live in a place like Piha,

0:42:020:42:06

than to be a part of the community.

0:42:060:42:09

I think we've embraced that but they've embraced us as well.

0:42:090:42:13

The move down under is all about a healthier, happier lifestyle,

0:42:130:42:17

so do the couple think it has been worth it?

0:42:170:42:19

It has been an amazing experience.

0:42:190:42:21

I've never regretted coming here and having this experience, for sure.

0:42:210:42:24

I think the things we wanted to aspire to in a lot of ways, we've achieved.

0:42:240:42:29

It was something we had to do and something we are enjoying doing.

0:42:290:42:32

I feel like the really hard thing is out of the way. The creeping doubts.

0:42:320:42:36

They go away over a little bit of time. You start to just enjoy life.

0:42:360:42:40

-It's the fun bit.

-It is the fun bit, yeah.

0:42:400:42:42

They may only be ten months into their New Zealand adventure, but

0:42:420:42:45

the Treagust-Woodwards seem to have found what they were looking for.

0:42:450:42:49

We've definitely made the right decision.

0:42:490:42:51

We couldn't have not come, and I'm really pleased that we have.

0:42:510:42:53

It's exactly what we wanted and I can't ask for more than that.

0:42:530:42:57

We are living the dream.

0:42:570:42:59

Within a space of two years, it looks like Andrew and Emma really

0:43:030:43:08

have achieved the life they have been dreaming of in New Zealand.

0:43:080:43:12

The family's future looks bright and we wish them all the best.

0:43:120:43:16

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