Edwards Family Wanted Down Under

Moving your family halfway around the world

is one of the biggest decisions of your life.

But if you've been dreaming of it for more than a decade,

can the reality ever match your expectations,

especially when you know it'll be the hardest choice you'll ever have to make?

For more than ten years, the Edwards family have been living in limbo.

Keep on going back and forth thinking,

"What's the best thing to do?"

So it really is driving us insane.

And after a week of highs...

There's the sea! ALL: Aw!

..and lows...

-Oh, my life!

-..they'll have to make the toughest decision of their lives.

But will they choose with their heart or their heads?

The future now is down to us.

I want to make a decision this week so that we can get on with our life.

23% of New Zealand's population were born overseas.

Many people emigrate there for a more relaxed pace of life

in this country of beautiful scenery.

But the move isn't always right for everyone

and many return home with their dream in tatters.

The Edwards face some big decisions as they experience the reality of life in New Zealand.

At the end of their week Down Under,

they'll have to decide their future -

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

To make that choice, they travel over 11,000 miles,

cross three continents and spend 23 hours in the air.

And the long flight has given them a chance

to think about the distance from loved ones and the week ahead.

The decision is right in front of us now. We've done a lot of research,

but it's now in your in face.

"Are you going to go for it? Are you going to weigh it up and make a mature, sensible decision?"

-It's a lot to take in.

-I'm excited.

-Oh, yes. It's still fabulous.

-Yeah, this is a decision for the family.

This week is going to be the difference.

We're going to try and enjoy it, aren't we? Not even try, we WILL enjoy it, won't we?

-We will enjoy it!

-Yeah.

As they set off for a week that could change their lives,

it's a world away from their home in Dudley.

Plumber Clive and learning support assistant Tracey

are parents to daughters Alanis, 13, and eight-year-old Naomi.

Clive and Tracey are born and bred in the Midlands,

but have long thought about a change.

All this time I've spent here, I need to go somewhere else,

somewhere which is going to be a little bit different and exciting.

So I'll go round the corner and think, "I haven't seen that before,"

instead of the same old thing over and over.

New Zealand has been on their minds for over a decade.

The idea to emigrate started ten or more years ago on holiday with friends.

We talked about it for hours and hours.

They went and did it, the rotters,

and they're in New Zealand now, and I'm very, very jealous of them.

We thought to ourselves, "Could we actually do it,

"and will it really make a big difference to our life if we did?"

And in 2007, after returning from a visit to New Zealand,

they were all set to take the plunge,

only for terrible news to hit the family.

Mum, out of the blue, announced that they discovered breast cancer.

It was just, "Hang on a minute." Everything stopped.

Even though Tracey's mum is now in remission,

the decision to move won't be any easier to make.

If we now then say we're going to go for it, actually,

what if she then has a relapse?

What if... What if, what if? That kind of thing.

'So I'm really concerned whether it's the right decision

'for the extended family.'

I'm getting upset now.

But a move won't just mean leaving Tracey's mum.

For Clive, it means saying a long goodbye to his family.

There's 13... Yes, 13 brothers and sisters. Come family get-togethers,

everybody comes together. We just have a good time.

I'm going to miss them, but whatever it takes to make my family happy,

that's what's important to me.

But after ten years of talking about New Zealand, they're still no closer to a decision.

When Mum and Dad start talking about moving to New Zealand,

I usually just put the headphones in and close it all out.

We keep going back and forth thinking,

"What's the best thing to do?"

I just yak, yak, yak about New Zealand all the time.

Is it better in England or is it better in New Zealand?

So it really is driving us insane.

I really, really do think they should stop talking about it

cos I just get a bit bored of the situation.

It's like, "Oh, should we get the visas?"

"What property shall we have?"

-"Do you want to go to Auckland or the south?"

-They moan a lot.

We need to make the decision and we've made a pact that this is it.

Now or never.

Either do it or don't do it and just live life.

Because at the moment, we're waiting to live life.

The Edwards are caught between two different worlds.

They know just how painful emigrating will be for them and the people they love.

But for the past ten years,

they've been wondering if the grass really could be greener Down Under.

It's time they found out.

The Edwards want to see if New Zealand's largest city, Auckland,

could be the ideal location for a new start.

The city environment should offer good work opportunities for Clive

and plenty of activities for Alanis and Naomi.

But the benefits don't come cheap, with Auckland's property prices the highest in the country.

For the next week, home is the historic suburb of Devonport,

just across the bay from the city.

They'll be staying in a two-bedroom apartment,

close to shops and restaurants and minutes from the beach.

It should be an ideal location for the week ahead.

-Oh, this is nice.

-What do you think?

Oh, it's nicer than I expected it to be.

For such a quaint old house, you didn't expect it to be so modern.

The kids look to have settled in,

but for Tracey and Clive, thoughts turn to the week ahead

and the big decision they have to make.

To be honest, I don't know if I really want to like it,

because if I...if I like it,

then we're going to have to come.

If I don't like it, then the decision's made for us.

It might be perfectly all right, within our reach,

and then I chicken out and think,

"I can't leave everybody," or think "It's just too nerve-wracking,"

cos I have a tendency to do that as well.

I want to make the decision this week

so that we can get on with our life.

Back in the UK, the Edwards have just sold their three-bedroom, shared ownership house in Dudley.

They've raised £35,000 towards a deposit on a potential house in New Zealand,

and they've worked out they could afford a budget of around £180,000.

But for that price, there are a few must-have items on their wish list.

In the home we're in now, we are so squashed.

We can't do what we want to do.

We could do with two bathrooms. I've got three girls.

They take ages to get ready, so I'm just there waiting, waiting.

I'm hoping that we can afford something that has slightly bigger rooms.

Slightly? What am I saying? It's got to be huge!

To give the family a taste of Auckland's property market,

we've arranged for them to see some local houses up for sale.

We'll show them three choices based upon what they want from their ideal home,

what they can afford, and the real cost of property Down Under.

After seeing for themselves what's on offer, we'll reveal the price of each house.

Their search begins in Albany, on the north edge of the city.

It's Auckland's fastest-growing suburb

and popular with families, due to its proximity to the beaches.

This two-bedroom modern house is on a small development

and offers the Edwards a low-maintenance home,

close to schools, shops and parks.

But what will they make of it?

-Mmm...

-Uh-oh.

-A bit council-y.

-Don't like it.

Been there, done that, lived in high-rises when we were first married.

Not a great start. Let's hope the interiors go down better.

OK... Ew. No.

-No?

-No.

-Oh, dear.

-No, no, no.

-This is a holiday home.

-That's exactly what it is.

Nice view, but this would be classed as your garden.

It's not very promising.

The outside hasn't impressed,

so it's upstairs to check out the bedrooms.

It's got an en-suite. That potty in the corner.

-No.

-Nah.

-Nah.

-If this is all we can afford...

-No way.

-Not interested.

-Not interested at all.

-Let's just shut the cupboard door and walk away.

And with just one other bedroom,

the house is falling short of their needs.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Can you imagine it?

They'd just be absolutely at each other's throats.

Where's the main bathroom?

Oh. What's that?

So it's both en-suite. This is exactly the same as the other one.

-Should we find out how much it is?

-Yeah.

-Not that it matters.

Doesn't matter what it is, I don't want it.

-They'd have to pay us.

-They'd definitely have to pay me.

This is such a good room.

-Mum and Dad really don't like it.

-He kept going, "No, no, no, no, no, no. I don't like it."

So the first house hasn't impressed.

But what's the verdict on the price?

Will their £180,000 budget be enough to afford a house they don't like?

-What do you think?

-What's the matter? Aw!

-Is it so traumatic?

Let's see how much the price is.

We think it's going to be about £80,000.

-Er... £80,000?

-You've probably got no idea how much it is!

-It doesn't matter how much it is.

-I know. Hopefully it's how much they're going to pay us.

-Whoa.

-Oh, my life!

-160, you're joking.

-£160,000?!

-You'd get a huge house for that!

-We could get a lovely house with a lovely garden back in England.

If this is all we can get...

-I wouldn't be interested.

-It's not worth it.

Cos we'd have to sit in the home and feel,

"Oh, this is lovely. This is just what we're looking for,"

-to help you cope with all the emotional side of leaving everybody.

-Mmm.

If you came here, you'd think

you'd lost everything and took a step back.

Shocked by the size and price of the first house,

the Edwards' dream of moving to New Zealand has taken a step backwards.

Could the next house offer them more of what they want?

The second property is in the sought-after area of Forrest Hill.

With good schools and close to the city,

it's popular with families.

This four-bedroom weatherboard house comes with plenty of potential, which should appeal to Clive.

-Hallelujah!

-Thank goodness for that! THEY LAUGH

-ALANIS:

-I was so scared!

I was frightened to look.

-Not bad, not bad. Nice, light room.

-It's a relief.

It's an absolute relief compared to that not-so-nice house before.

-This looks like it needs work.

-Yeah, but that's not a problem.

It's just cosmetic.

-It's just cosmetic, really.

-You hope.

After the last house, it's a far better start.

There might be just a little bit of work in here.

'60s or '70s, this must have been done.

Let's see what it actually... Not much pressure.

But that's not a problem.

-That's something I... Oh! That's old!

-OK!

A bit of New Zealand plumbing hasn't put Clive off,

but Tracey may need more convincing that it's worth giving up the UK for.

With four decent-sized bedrooms, there should be enough space for everyone.

That's quite nice. Nice size.

-I feel more positive about this house than the last one.

-The size is good.

-The size is all right.

The children away in the other room. Can't hear them.

Are they OK?

-They might have been electrocuted.

-Yes!

-Maybe we should check!

-Yeah.

With just the garden left to inspect, can it convince Tracey this is the house for them?

The whole point of us coming was for the big, open space, so...

If that space was at the back, then you're getting there,

because I've got to feel that I can come out and go,

"Ooh! This is lovely."

With a small outdoors and plenty of work needed indoors,

it looks like this property is another big no for the Edwards.

But if it's double the size of the first house,

will their budget cover the cost?

-This is going to be a lot.

-I would say...

-190, 200...

-180, I'd say.

-Let's have a look.

-Let's have a look. 180.

-Oh, 203.

-See, I was right!

£203,000, approximately.

-It's the area. It's very nice.

-A lot of potential,

but it might be too much out of our price range

when you actually put in the amount

to actually do the property up to the standard it needs to be.

The second house didn't win the Edwards over

and it's price confirmed Clive's money worries.

Getting more from their budget means moving further out of the city.

The district of Browns Bay is a popular area,

with beaches and shops close by.

This four-bedroom weatherboard house should offer plenty of space and a bigger garden.

Estate agent Carolynn Le Mac is there to meet them.

We've got a home here that I think fits most of your requirements, if not all of them.

Have a wander. We'll meet-up at the end and see what you think.

-OK, thank you.

-Fantastic. Let's have a look.

-Looks nice.

-Aw...

-That is lovely.

-Oh, my life.

-That is very nice. Have you wiped your feet?

-What an entrance.

-Excellent. Where do we start? Let's go in here!

-ALL LAUGH

-Oh.

-Look at that.

-I love it, I love it.

-Oh, sweet.

-Oh, my days.

-Look at the garden, Mum.

-Is that an orange tree?

-Yeah, looks like it.

-Oh, let me in it!

-Can you imagine?

Is that the sea? That's the sea! ALL: Aw!

The kitchen... It's a galley kitchen. It's still quite small but it's got everything you need.

WATER SPRAYS

CHILDREN LAUGH That works!

Water pressure's OK, then! A little bit severe.

And there's something else that should keep Clive happy - three bathrooms for the girls.

And for artist Tracey, one of the bedrooms is made to order.

Oh, you know what this is. This is my art studio.

Imagine sitting there and, again, you got that beautiful view.

-This is exactly the kind of garden I was thinking of.

-Yeah.

-Jungle... Exotic-looking.

-Yeah.

-Smothering the house.

-Yeah.

-Hard to maintain.

-Yeah!

-There's a gate here. Hang on.

-Is that more? More garden?

-I don't know.

-Hold on.

Is this a separate room?

-Oh! Oh, oh, oh!

-I haven't seen this.

-It's like a granny flat, isn't it?

-A granny flat!

-Is it an annexe, you call it?

-Annexe, yeah. OK, that's good.

So it looks like there's a whole separate flat with the house.

Maybe Carolynn can shed some light on it?

What's with that...? Is it an annexe, or is it...?

That's what we term a granny flat,

so it gives an extra income for most New Zealanders.

One option, if you want the full site, the garden,

the bigger home closer to the sea,

obviously that's going to cost more money,

so one way of doing that is having a home

that perhaps can bring in a bit of extra income.

This house seems to have everything the Edwards are looking for,

but can they afford it?

A lot rests on the turn of this card.

So what do you think of the house?

I think it's a lovely house, but we're going to have to pay a lot.

-You think?

-It's going to be megabucks.

-You think?

Do you like it, Nay?

-I've got one word to sum all this up.

-What is it?

-Wow.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

I think you just don't get your hopes up,

because I think it's going to be way out of our league.

-Go on, shall we have a look?

-Yeah, go on then. OK, Mum.

Can't look!

Oh, right.

£278,000,

or, with the income, £190,000.

-So, 278 just as it is, everything...

-Which we can't afford.

..with the granny flat.

-Or if we rent out the flat, it's 190,000.

-190.

That's pretty good.

For what you're getting and where you are.

-Yeah, I think that is very good.

-Yeah, it's brilliant.

So the dream house could be possible for the Edwards

if they're prepared to subsidise the mortgage.

They've seen three very different properties.

The first was bang on budget but fell well short

of Tracey and Clive's expectations of living Down Under.

The second offered size and potential,

but it came with a small garden and a big price tag.

Finally, house number three offered the Edwards the space

and location they wanted, and a possible way to afford it.

So after a day of house-hunting, have they seen enough

to justify moving to the other side of the world?

Based on the properties we've seen today, we are going to vote for...

ALL: New Zealand!

-Is it New Zealand or is it English?

-Which one?

Which one are you going to go for?

Don't do what we do if you don't want to.

-Which one do you want?

-Are you undecided?

-No...

Do you want to go in the middle like that?

-Which one do you want?

-I have no idea.

I was expecting Naomi to be unsure.

Right from day one she's always said, "What about the family?"

And it would break her heart, I think, if it came to leaving.

She would be very upset, I think.

Auckland's property prices have come as a real shock to the Edwards,

but there's still a chance they can afford their dream home,

so it's vital Clive and Tracey find work that pays enough to keep the move alive.

Back in Dudley, Clive works as a plumber for a housing trust,

earning around £23,000 a year.

As he's on a modest income,

the family can't afford to take risks on employment in New Zealand.

To get a feel for work Down Under,

Clive is spending the morning with a local firm.

There's a lot riding on it,

and he needs to be sure New Zealand can offer the right opportunities.

It's all about the job,

because if I haven't got a decent job, can't afford the house.

So what I want to find out today is just how they work in New Zealand,

whether they live to work or they work to live.

Clive's arranged to meet manager Shawn Cain who may be able to offer him some advice.

Tell us a little bit about what you've been doing and your qualifications.

Level three electrician, also level three plumbing as well.

OK, from our point of view having somebody who's got both traits

and be registered in that would be a big bonus.

That's good news, but is there work to go with it?

In the last three or four months it has definitely got busier, things are feeling better out there,

but, with the likes of Christchurch's earthquake, there's a lot of work coming up.

In the next two to three years, we're going to need 3,000 electricians.

With so much rebuilding going on in New Zealand,

there looks to be plenty of work - but will his skills transfer?

So, to be able to work in New Zealand, what would I have to do?

-What sort of qualifications...?

-To bring your qualifications to New Zealand?

-Yeah.

You do a written examination, and a practical examination as well.

It's all very well, but Clive's only got one thing on his mind.

That is exactly what I needed to know,

but what I really want to do now, I just want to do a bit of plumbing.

Any opportunities to do that?

Sure, what we could do is go and see one of the guys on a job site.

It's a bigger job site and you'll be able to see the fittings we use,

the plumbing, all that sort of setup.

As Clive heads to the site, Tracey's also out and about.

It's vital she too finds work to help afford the lifestyle they long for.

At home, she's a support worker assisting deaf students at her local college.

To help support the family income in New Zealand,

she'd like to continue her work as a communicator.

To find out if that's possible, she's meeting up with Gail Harris,

a teacher at a local college.

Is there much demand around the island for support workers for the deaf?

In New Zealand, most of the people who work

in deaf education - communicating - are generally trained interpreters.

We do have some communicators in some areas

when we can't get an interpreter.

So the interpreter's course - is it full-time, and how many years is it?

Currently it's two years.

And there are course fees, at least about 4,000, something like that.

Yeah, expensive. It's like that back home.

It's not the news she was hoping for.

Taking a two-year course would been paying fees

and dealing with the drop in income.

While Tracey finds out more,

Clive is talking his language down on site plumbing.

-It seems to be quite similar.

-Yeah, I imagine it would be.

Yeah. In the end, sealing water's the same, it's just different ways of doing it.

It's been fantastic, thanks a lot for all your help. I really appreciate it.

-Hopefully I'll be working with you in the future.

-Yeah, you might be.

-Excellent. Take care then, see you.

-Bye.

Happy with his prospects,

Clive's keen to flush out a couple more important answers from Shawn.

Just to give me an idea, what sort of hours would I be doing,

what sort of pay might I get?

The average hours for our guys is between

sort of 30 and 45 hours on average a week.

Pay-wise, the average salary is around 60,000 New Zealand dollars a year,

plus any on-call call-outs and stuff on top of that.

So that's going to be about £30,000 on the current...

-OK.

-Yeah, that's not too bad. That's good, that's good.

Working full-time, Clive could earn £7,000 a year more than at home.

But Tracey's extra income is crucial

and could make all the difference between the UK and life in New Zealand.

So what would be the average wage if I was a fully-qualified interpreter?

It would be around 37,000 plus, as a starting rate.

-New Zealand dollars?

-New Zealand dollars, yes.

So with the exchange rate, it's about 18,000, 19,000 a year.

Well, that makes sense for an interpreter.

So if Tracey was to retrain and work full time,

she could earn more than she does at home,

but at a cost of time with the family.

Does she think it's worth it?

If I had to train as an interpreter here,

if I had no choice, to get employment,

then I'm not so sure that I would go for that

because of being taken away from the family.

It's a big decision. Retraining wasn't in the New Zealand plan

and would set the Edwards back financially.

But will it affect their final vote?

Based on my job prospects in New Zealand...

I'm going to vote for...

New Zealand.

UK.

I've stuck with my UK job because I love it. I absolutely love it.

I love the guys I work with.

I don't know if I'm willing to give it up

cos I've only just sort of really settled in to that.

I voted for New Zealand because it...

Basically, they're going to pay me more than in England.

So, in the end, our quality of life is going to be better,

so, as regards the job aspect of things,

I think New Zealand's going to be the best thing for our family.

New Zealand seems to be offering good work prospects.

But with some strings attached, it's left Tracey and Clive

pulling in different directions.

After a long day, they meet up to chat things through.

How do you feel about what you've seen and what you know about it all?

I like the job,

but because I haven't got a firm job offer,

I would basically have to chance it.

That's too... That's nerve-wracking, though, isn't it?

But, then, if we want to live here, there's no other option.

You know what, though? It doesn't even matter what we want.

If the figures don't add up,

-if it is really tight and not much difference...

-Yeah. Yeah.

..it doesn't matter if you WANT to live here,

-it's not sensible to live here.

-Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

With plenty of question marks on their work prospects,

the Edwards' final decision is looking hard to make.

If this move is going to come off,

both Tracey and Clive need to find out once and for all

if they can afford it.

We've prepared a breakdown of the family's everyday expenses.

Based on their calculations,

they'll find out if they can afford to live in New Zealand.

So if Tracey chose not to retrain as an interpreter,

would they be worse off?

Right, combined totals. Right, UK - £27,250.

New Zealand - 33,800.

So our first tick for New Zealand.

So let's do the houses, then. Monthly repayment.

£752 per month.

Which is all right. That sounds OK to me

because that's what we're expecting to pay for a new home in the UK.

With no difference between mortgage payments at home and in New Zealand,

life Down Under is looking affordable.

But what about the everyday costs?

Groceries - £500 a month.

£639 in New Zealand.

But maybe what we'd have to look at is

if we'd get a little bit of land as well, just growing some food of our own.

You're crackers, you!

We're going to have to! Have you seen the prices?

So what's the bottom line?

Will the Edwards be better or worse off in New Zealand?

Well, how much better off, on a monthly basis,

are we going to be in New Zealand to the UK?

-£209 better off.

-Roughly.

We will end up living very similar to what we do at home,

but your advantage is it's not the West Midlands.

It is by the sea.

And it's lifestyle.

I thought we'd sit here and it'd be, "Are you joking?

"You, Edwards family, you ain't got a chance!"

But that's really pretty cool, isn't it? That we can stretch to it.

As long as we can find the jobs.

It's all about the jobs, I think. It really does show, though,

that it is doable.

As long as we can get all these necessary things in place,

we could be living in New Zealand.

Yay!

The figures look good,

but a lot hangs on Tracey and Clive earning the right salaries.

So will they trust the numbers and vote for New Zealand?

Based on the costs of living, between New Zealand and the UK,

we choose...

BOTH: New Zealand.

I knew you'd choose New Zealand again.

-Well, it just looks right on paper, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

Because the cost of living isn't astronomical,

it's still within our reach, so that's really encouraging,

because there was a danger that it would be just...

the decision's made for you with the figures.

But it's not made for us, the decision is still ours.

True. What she said.

Working out they can afford the life they want

has helped Clive and Tracey take a big step towards emigrating.

But what's always been at the heart of their dream

is finding a lifestyle the family can enjoy together.

And with Alanis and Naomi still unconvinced about New Zealand,

there's a great deal at stake.

So to give them a taste of what Auckland has to offer,

they're spending the morning down at Mission Bay.

With plenty of cycling paths,

getting around on two wheels is a perfect way to see the sights,

even if the bikes aren't quite what they're used to in Dudley.

Where's the breaks, man?

Hang on. Break!

BELLS RING

-Oh, yeah. Brilliant!

-Faster.

Nice and quick. Excellent.

Excellent.

But the ride isn't just for fun.

It's also the best way of getting to their next activity

and this one has even more wheels!

I tell you what, it'll tone up your legs,

cos they're killing already.

Oh, my goodness. I don't know how you stop!

It's a new sport for the whole family

but the kids look like they've got it mastered.

Oh, my life! It's nothing like ice-skating, is it?

-Yes, it is. Just do the same thing.

-Oh, my days.

-How long did you actually put your rollerblades on for?

-Like, five minutes.

-Why don't you put them back on?

-No, thank you.

-They hurting your legs? Oh, man. Oh, man.

-Oh, my days.

-I'm young, I'm young!

Now, you see, I've been here half an hour

and I'm skating like a champion.

This is what it's all about.

Just life and them being able to just be children. Just enjoy...

enjoy playing.

Instead of, you know, having them in the house playing game consoles.

The problem is is that you have to have the opportunity

and you have the opportunity by having,

you know, the right places to go.

So if the beach is just down the road,

the kids will have the opportunity to get there.

-It's nice having a choice, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-We don't have the choice.

-That's what it's all about.

Seeing Alanis and Naomi happy has brought home just why

Clive and Tracey want to make the move.

Are they any closer to making a decision?

So how would you feel if we were still talking about it in ten years time from now?

We'd be talking on Skype because I'd be here.

THEY LAUGH

Or should you say, WE'LL be here.

Oh, you're going as well? Deserting us?

So after a taste of what life in New Zealand can offer,

has it done enough to win their votes?

Based on the lifestyle, we're going to vote for...

ALL: New Zealand.

I knew you'd choose New Zealand!

-It's a sign!

-It's a sign.

-It's a sign.

-Brilliant.

-Good decision.

-Excellent. Good decision.

THEY LAUGH

After years of indecision,

it looks as if the Edwards are one step closer

to making the biggest choice of their lives.

What we've experienced today, what I've seen, I know it suits us.

I know it suits us. I know we could fit in.

But it's whether finances allow

and your emotions allow,

so we've got some more thinking to do, I think.

Do I really want to stay here?

I think I could see myself happy here.

I think there's adventures to be had over here.

I think Mum and Dad are very confused. One day, they're going,

"Oh, yeah, I'd love to live here. It'd be so nice."

And then the next they're going, "I don't want to."

Sometimes we just said, "Oh, stop talking and talking.

"Let's just move!" Sometimes we go like that.

Alanis and Naomi enjoying the Kiwi lifestyle

is exactly what Clive and Tracey wanted.

And yet, after their ideal day,

they're still torn between home and New Zealand.

Could seeing messages from back home

finally help them make up their minds?

Right. So this is it now.

We're going to see all the messages from the family.

We'll get the girls in.

Yeah, I think it's a good thing for them to actually see it

cos they're going to know, then, what they're going to be missing.

Kids? We're going to have a look at the video and the messages.

-You ready for it?

-Mmm-hmm.

Play.

Hey, guys. Clive, Trace, girls.

Hello, Clive and Tracey.

Hiya, Tracey, Clive, Naomi and Alanis.

Tracey means a lot to me. She's been there for me through

some pretty rough times.

She looks after me, not that I need looking after,

but she does.

If they move to New Zealand, I will be devastated.

There's no other way to put it.

I can't imagine what life will be like with them not here.

You know, as a parent, it's a long way for them to go.

You know, I'm not so happy about it, to tell the truth.

My dad died when I was younger, so my Uncle Clive

has really took the place of my dad for us

because he's a lot like my dad.

When I think about them going,

I think about all my memories, when I was younger,

and he's always been there. It's a shame cos my children will miss out.

We want them to be happy and if this makes them happy,

then I'll be happy for her.

Really think about this seriously.

I know it's something you've wanted to do for such a long time,

but we will seriously, seriously all miss you.

We love you all so much, so we'll see you when we get back.

We really care about you, we're missing you now,

but if it works out, don't think about us, think about yourselves.

You're very important to us and we want to see you happy,

so, please, please, get it right, have a good look around,

check it all out and we'll see you soon, I'm sure.

Now, if you decide to stay permanently...

..you just know I love you to bits, all of you

and I'll miss you terrible. If it's the right thing to do,

you've got to be 100% on it,

but go for it.

I hope you're having a nice time. I didn't want you to go.

I really missed you, really, but I haven't got no choice.

Anyway, I might come and visit you sometime.

Bye for now, anyway.

That was nice.

No, it wasn't!

THEY LAUGH

Oh, right.

-Do you think you want to go?

-You'll miss Nanny?

-Don't know.

You want to go home or do you want to stay here?

It's hard, isn't it? It's made you confused, yeah?

You've got your life,

you like living your life.

You're just, like, cutting the foundation.

Everything that you've based your person on,

who you are as a person, is gone. You've got to start all over again here.

Seeing the people closest to them

was a heart-breaking experience for the whole family.

But if the Edwards can't face leaving the people they love,

they'll have to wave goodbye to their dream for ever.

After ten long years, it's time for them to make their final choice.

This week has been refreshing.

Yeah, refreshing.

It's helped me to realise what's important.

Well, I say... I did know what was important,

but what needs to be the number one priority.

Clive is very considerate of what other people want and need from him,

so I've been trying to encourage him to be downright selfish.

What I was doing was that I was thinking,

"What do the kids want? What does Tracey want?"

But I really wasn't thinking what I wanted,

so I think this week has just helped me to realise

what I wanted as well.

So it did actually make the decision a lot easier.

The future now is down to us.

It really is.

It could swing either way, I'm convinced of that.

It could swing either way depending on our emotions.

I'm excited about what's going to happen in the future.

In the near future.

What about you?

I don't know what's going to happen in the near future.

It's finally time to decide and find out once and for all

where the Edwards' future lies - at home or in New Zealand.

Based on our experience this week in New Zealand,

our final vote, individually, is for...

ALL: New Zealand.

-You've got UK. Why do you think UK, then?

-Family.

Family, I knew it!

That's a nice quality that you've thought of the family.

That's no problem. So, there's a little bit more discussion, then.

I think we know it's exciting

and we've experienced it

and I think New Zealand would be a better place for us here.

We know it suits us,

we know we can afford it,

and see if we can get here, in the end, for a happy ever after.

But it's still scary!

THEY LAUGH

But we're still in discussion.

-We will have a family conference.

-Yes.

-And see what's the way forward.

Do you need an ice-cream after all that?

THEY LAUGH

I'm absolutely raring to go now,

because it's been ten years where we've just faffed on.

It's just been, "Shall we? Shan't we?"

It's just been irritating.

We've irritated ourselves with indecision,

so now that we've made this choice, enough of that.

Get on with it.

We've just got to take the bull by the horns and just get here.

So, New Zealand, here we come.

New Zealand, watch out. We're coming!

It's decided!

The Edwards have chosen to make their dream move to New Zealand.

Getting Naomi on board may take a little time

and a lot of ice-cream, but after ten years,

the family can finally look forward to a new life Down Under.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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