Armes Family Wanted Down Under

For most of us, dreaming of emigrating to another country

is about as close as it gets.

But if you'd decided that life was too short to think "what if?",

how would you convince your partner

to put aside their doubts and follow you to the other side of the world?

'After ten years of wondering, Teo Armes knows it's now or never

'for a move down under.'

If we weren't to move to New Zealand at this time,

I don't think we'll ever do it.

'But wife Amanda can't bear to leave home.'

The distance makes me feel...sick with worry.

'And if the numbers won't add up...'

That's not going to be enough money.

It's just not... The figures don't work out.

'..is the move worth the pain it may cause?'

I can't believe you get that upset, even just thinking about it.

'For many Brits looking for a new start,

'New Zealand feels just right.

'Its bright lights, open countryside and mild climate

'are a powerful draw.

'With a fraction of the population at home, there's plenty of room for new arrivals.'

For the Armes family, the next seven days could change their future.

After experiencing the everyday reality of living in New Zealand,

they'll face one of the toughest decisions of their lives -

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

'After 25 hours and 12,000 miles in the air,

'the Armes touched down on Kiwi soil, but it's the British variety

'that led to an unplanned stopover at immigration.'

Amanda filled in the forms on the plane to declare if we were carrying any food

or any footwear that may have soil on,

and Amanda forgot to say that we had all our walking boots.

And we've just been officially warned.

Luckily, we weren't fined the 400 as they were feeling kind,

but they nearly did and they gave us a proper telling off.

-And an official warning.

-In my name.

-In Amanda's name.

-Brilliant(!)

-I didn't even pack the boots.

-She was crying five minutes ago.

-But, um...not a good start, was it?

-No!

'Now the authorities know them, let's meet the family, too.

'Back in Norfolk, the Armes live in the historic county town of Norwich.

'They are Teo, a consultant social worker,

'Amanda, a part-time sales assistant,

'and their children, football-mad Alfie, who's nine,

'and seven-year-old Isabella.

'Since a student trip to Australia, Teo has wanted to emigrate.

'But after falling for and marrying Amanda, the move went on hold.'

It's always been talked about, but always in the background.

It's never been, "We're actually going to do it."

We've never moved forward on that.

'But a recent tragedy made him look again at his dream.'

A couple of months ago, my brother,

um...suddenly and unexpectedly died.

It's had a huge effect on the whole family.

But it's really made me...

evaluate what I've got and what I want from life.

'However, Amanda worries about moving so far.'

The distance makes me feel...sick with worry and nerves.

If anything was to happen to my mum or my dad,

cos they have not been that well.

Yeah, it kind of, um...

Yeah.

'It's something Amanda hoped she'd never have to contemplate.'

'I don't like to think about it, otherwise I'd cry.'

Leaving my mum.

Really?

CRYING: They haven't got anyone else. They've only got me.

-Yeah.

-It's the grandchildren.

-Yeah.

-And taking them away, cos they love them so much.

And, er... Yeah.

-I'd feel really...

-It would be...

-I'd feel really guilty.

-It would have a massive impact.

'Alfie and Isabella aren't sure, either.'

Me, Mum and Bella don't know how it feels to be on the other side of the world.

But Dad does.

'Teo thinks they're ready for a move.'

'Now that they're seven and nine, I think it's a perfect age, really.'

-Before high school.

-Good age, before they get really close friends.

I think it's almost like a window that we've got now.

'With the children growing up fast,

'Teo believes it's now or never, IF they're to emigrate.'

If we weren't to move to New Zealand at this time,

I don't think we'll ever do it.

If I weren't to at least try and show Amanda and the children

what we could have somewhere else,

what life is like in another country, I think I'd always have a regret.

AMANDA: There's nothing worse than having regrets.

He needs to do what he needs to do and I have to support him on that.

But the reality of it... is something just...

I can't comprehend.

The Armes' future rests in the balance.

Teo is ready to face the biggest challenge of their lives,

but convincing Amanda the pain of leaving could be worthwhile is a tough task.

He has just one week to pull it off.

'For their week in New Zealand,

'the family are visiting Auckland on the north island.

'It's the country's biggest city, full of life

'but surrounded by open spaces.

'Their rental home's located in the suburb of Takapuna,

'but will their first taste of Kiwi living impress?'

-Ooh!

-Ooh!

-Modern!

-Yeah.

-Oh, it's all open plan.

-I like it.

-I like open plan.

-Yeah, it's good.

-Excellent. A good start.

-Yeah.

I can't wait to sit down, chill out and have a beer!

'But already, Amanda's thinking of the week ahead.'

The area that we're staying in seems really nice and the house is gorgeous.

It's very similar to our home.

It doesn't feel like something completely alien to me.

But I know I'm a long way from home.

The two main things I'm looking forward to are work, obviously -

but for me, I can get on with a job.

And houses, which is important for Amanda,

to try and get Amanda on board.

If the houses go well, that holds the whole week in good stead,

cos Amanda's the key decision maker, really.

LAUGHING NERVOUSLY: It's a massive decision, and it seems even more massive now I'm here!

'Back in the UK, Teo and Amanda have a three-bedroom home in Norwich.

'They hope to have a budget of £250,000.

'But for Amanda, a Kiwi house has got plenty to live up to.'

I would like a modern house,

something homely, comfortable, very light, very airy.

It's more important for Amanda, the property.

For me, as long as she likes it and she's happy with the house, then I'm happy with the house.

The kitchen's very important. I prefer a kitchen-diner.

Ideally, I'd like a spare bedroom, so guests could come and stay.

I'd like an entertaining space, so we can all be together.

I definitely would like somewhere to grow some veg and stuff.

The worst thing would be putting us in the middle of nowhere,

on a lifestyle property, surrounded by acres of fields.

I would absolutely hate it.

That's quite a list, but finding it could be key to winning Amanda over.

Today, we're giving the Armes a taste of Auckland's housing market.

We'll show them three typical properties based on what they want,

what they can afford and the real cost of property down under.

After seeing what's on offer, they'll find out how much each house costs.

'Their first stop is the desirable beach-side district of Devonport.

'It has plenty of local schools and is only a ten-minute ferry ride

'to the city centre,

'making it harbour-side living in the suburbs.

'From the street, you wouldn't know the first house was there.

'But will it impress the Armes?'

-I like the little balcony?

-Do you? I don't like the outside of it.

It looks quite, um...bleak.

And depressing.

'That's not the best start.'

Let's go and have a little look.

-Are you gonna lead us in, Alfie?

-Yeah. I am.

OK. What do YOU think?

It is quite small.

-This is cosy.

-It's...

-I like the veranda and the door.

-Yeah?

I quite like the snugness of a separate lounge,

and a separate dining room and things.

The kitchen's on the small side, but it's OK.

-It's nice that it joins the dining room.

-Yeah.

-So you can sit there and chat.

-Yeah. That's enough work tops.

-I like the clock.

-The clock won't stay. That's not a deal-breaker.

-Can we go outside now?

-Yeah. You two can.

-Go on, then.

'While the children explore the garden, Mum and Dad check out the bedrooms.'

This would have to be a children's room. This couldn't be our room.

-It's way too small.

-Yeah.

-I feel quite claustrophobic.

'There is an en-suite bathroom, which might offer parental privacy.'

You can have a bath in peace without the children coming in,

like they always do.

'The next bedroom is much larger.'

OK, so this is the master bedroom. This is a bit better.

-It's not huge, but...

-No, it's not massive.

But it's good enough.

-Built-in wardrobe.

-Go on. Have a nose. You know you want to.

Yeah. Plenty of space.

I always feel bad looking through people's wardrobes, so I'll leave that to you.

Our bed would take up quite a lot of that space.

I think it's similar to the house when we bought ours

-and changed everything.

-Yeah.

-This is quite a big room as well.

-Yeah. This is nice.

At least the kids would have equal sized rooms for a change.

-They wouldn't argue.

-You've got the two windows.

Yeah. This is nice. I like it.

'With only three bedrooms, there wouldn't be much space for guests,

'but an answer to that problem may lie downstairs.'

-Oh, blimey! It's a huge space!

-That's huge!

'The basement area is as big as the house.'

-Where do you start?

-I don't know.

It would take some serious cash to change it, but...

-Wow!

-Bit of a project!

-BIT of a project(!)

-Which I don't really fancy.

-I wouldn't mind, as long as the money was in the budget to do it.

'A guest bedroom is important to Teo and Amanda,

'who won't settle for somewhere her parents can't visit.'

Alfie, Bell, where are you?

Hello!

Yeah, it's nice isn't it? Do you like this bit, the decking?

And that bit there.

-There's a vegetable patch over there.

-A little veg patch!

-They've got rhubarb.

-I like the garden.

The garden IS good.

I'd worry about the neighbours. They'd constantly be having a football in each garden!

Yeah, you'd be climbing over that fence, like you do at home.

'This house has lots of potential and the garden Teo wants -

'if he can stop Alfie turning it into a football pitch.

'But will their £250,000 budget be enough to afford it?'

Bearing in mind that we are in Devonport,

which is expensive.

The area is nice, good beaches.

I just don't feel this is the type of area I would want to live in.

-OK.

-Personally.

-Right. Fair enough.

-BOTH LAUGH

-Fair enough.

Go on, then. Turn it over. Let's have a look.

AMANDA SQUEAKS OK. It's a little bit over-budget.

-Yeah.

-By about 50 grand.

-Yeah.

You're going to, at least, spend another 50, if not more, renovating.

'It may be a good price for Devonport, but Amanda can't see herself living here.

'So, what's Plan B?'

If we want to spend a bit less than that,

we're gonna have to look a little further out from the business district.

I'm happy to look a bit further out.

'This property definitely hasn't persuaded Amanda to give up the home she loves.

'So it's on to the second house, 25 miles to the northwest.

'Will this appeal to Amanda?'

Oh, my God! There's a caravan! LAUGHS

-Yay!

-You're joking!

Oh, this is horrible.

-Stop making your mind up until you've had a look.

-OK.

'Property two is a country cottage full of character.'

Oh, this is just not my cup of tea at all!

'This house sits in its own land and there are no neighbours in sight.'

I don't see the point in having ten acres in the middle of nowhere.

'Inside, the cottage has an old-fashioned look.'

Crikey. It's certainly a doer-upper, isn't it?

-Doer-upper.

-I'd have to knock it down.

-This is a country kitchen.

Not MY country kitchen.

Yeah. I'm not feeling any vibe... AT all.

-Hot tub.

-I just want to walk out the door.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

'This house is open plan with a large living space and good size kitchen,

'but it's not sounding promising from Amanda.

'What about the bedrooms?'

-A-ha! Yeah.

-Whoa!

-This is the third little bedroom.

This is tiny. There'd be a massive fight between the children.

Bella has said she doesn't want a small room again.

-That's more of an office size.

-Yeah.

-No, it ain't really us, is it?

-No.

Let's go and have a look. Oh, it's outside.

-A little veranda.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Woods are beautiful.

But that's it, really.

-What do you reckon?

-Never.

-If we could afford it...

-Never.

-..and have the money to do it up...

-Never.

You sound like you're warming to the idea()

'For Amanda to live here, this may need to be the deal of the century.'

-Let's see what it's worth.

-Shall we reveal?

-Are you ready?

-Go.

I'm quite excited.

Oh, my God! Seriously? 224,000 for this?

Wow! I thought it would be a lot less.

-Even if it was £100,000, you wouldn't want to buy it.

-LAUGHING: No! No.

I really don't ever see myself here.

Even if I was old and grey, I wouldn't live here.

'It's safe to say that the second property falls into the definite "no" category.

'The final house is in North Shore, 20 minutes from central Auckland.

'Surrounded by cafes and shops, it's also close to the beach.

'So, hopefully, there's something for everyone.'

-This looks nice.

-It does. It looks more our sort of taste.

-Yeah.

-Spacious.

-Yes.

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Very nice.

-It's a really nice size.

-Yeah.

'That's a much happier sounding Amanda.'

It's a good space. I could see us making this more our kind of...

LAUGHS: Wa-hay!

..more our kind of house.

'There are two fair-size bedrooms for the children,

'and the master bedroom gets the thumbs-up from Amanda.

'Is she coming round to Kiwi living?'

-Lovely.

-Yeah.

-I'd probably put some French doors there.

-The fact that you're even thinking these things...

-I can see the potential in this house.

You can see us living somewhere like this.

'Outside, the children have been exploring the garden.'

-Do you like it?

-Yeah.

'Amanda has found something especially designed for Teo.'

There's a little shed there to put bikes in.

Have a look inside. You'd be in heaven, darling.

Look! You've got a wheelbarrow!

-A wheelbarrow!

-You'd be well chuffed.

'Finally, it looks like we found a real contender.'

-The house is the right size.

-Yeah.

-With a little bit of work.

-Yeah.

-A little bit of cosmetic work.

-Yeah.

-Few changes here and there.

-It's livable.

-It's definitely livable.

-Yeah.

-I think, over time, it would probably be a good option.

-Good.

-I'm glad I like it, too.

-Wow! We've agreed on something!

'But will their £250,000 be enough? A lot is riding on this turn.'

Go on, then. Are you gonna do it?

BOTH: Mmmmmm!

-OK.

-Blimey. Bang-on 500,000.

-It's not cheap, is it?

-No.

We can afford it. Top end of the budget, but...

-Is it better than you thought?

-Yeah, I think it is.

-I thought it was going to be 275.

-Yeah. That's a good price.

-It's exciting.

-Yeah!

'The day of house-hunting didn't start well.

'Property one was a disappointment for Amanda.

'And the second house might as well have been on the moon!'

Never.

'But the final affordable house got everyone excited.

'Has Amanda seen enough to start the week with a vote for New Zealand?'

Based on the three properties we've seen today, we'll vote for...

-Middle!

-UK!

-UK!

-Our home.

-Why were you undecided?

-I like our house at home.

-The gardens in New Zealand seem to be bigger than the ones back home.

-Bigger than our garden?

-Yeah.

Bella, why did you choose our home?

Cos I like our house.

We've got an allotment and me and my friends go there a lot.

Yeah, that's true. OK, fair enough.

We've made our home really nice and I think the houses we saw today

weren't anything I would want to live in.

The cost of the houses here, in comparison for what you get,

just on the three we've seen...

-Yeah, prefer ours.

-They weren't the right home.

-No.

-Hopefully, tomorrow, with work and school it'll be a better day.

-I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

House-hunting in Auckland was far from the perfect start Teo was hoping for,

and he has a much bigger job on his hands persuading Amanda to give up the home she loves.

But with everyone staying positive,

could work opportunities in Auckland give his hopes a much-needed boost?

'At home, Teo is a consultant social worker.

'He's built a successful career, but he's realistic about his prospects down under.'

I would probably be having to almost take a step down if I was going to go to New Zealand.

I've got more of a managerial position here.

Almost certainly, I'd earn less money.

But I accept that. That's not really gonna bother me.

If it was hugely different, then it would be an issue.

But if it's just a small difference, a little bit less, that's OK.

'Teo hopes to find work from day one in New Zealand,

'while Amanda's in charge of tracking down a school that feels right for the children.'

Alfie is very academic. Bella's very artistic.

So I'd need to find a school that combines both those things.

I want them both to do as well as they can.

'It's going to be a busy day for both of them.

'Teo's come to find out what the job market is like

'for social workers from overseas.'

-Come on. Let's grab a coffee.

-Yeah. Thanks.

'Pru and Kristen work for an agency that recruits healthcare professionals.'

Thanks so much for coming to meet with us today.

'The first question is, could he find work quickly?'

-The New Zealand health system is very comparable to the UK.

-Right.

That's why we find that UK health professionals are quite sought after in New Zealand.

They tend to hit the ground running because our systems are comparable.

Right, brilliant.

The one thing is that the New Zealand social workers board

only allows you to register as a social worker

once you're in the country and you have a work permit.

So that's one of the first things to look at once you're here.

'If they emigrate, Amanda wants a school in place before they arrive,

'so she's spending the day visiting one that's been recommended.'

It's good you could come today to have a look at the way we do things in New Zealand.

You'll have lots of questions.

Mum and both of you can ask as many questions as you like.

Brilliant. Thank you.

'Head mistress Lee Hopkirk is happy to show them around.'

Look, Alfie. They're on their boat. That looks amazing!

-It was from our outdoor education week.

-Wow! You can go sailing!

The Year Five classes went to lots of different outdoor activities.

There's a lot better school trips than WE have.

'And the outdoor facilities are just as impressive.'

Here, the children use the lake and the pool

and learn to swim and kayak and sail as part of the curriculum.

I'd quite like to do kayaking.

'This is a state school, but away trips aren't free.

'So can Teo's salary provide enough for their needs?'

I'd hope that with my qualifications and experience

I could start, maybe, at a higher level than somebody who had less.

How it works is that it goes on your post-graduate experience.

You could expect to be, you know, minimum step five,

which is roughly 61,362.

However, you know, there are many steps on here. It goes up to 15.

-In here, it details how you move up...

-Excellent, yeah.

..as you progressed through your years.

That's really good.

'That's similar to what he already earns, and for a lower grade,

'but is there work available for him?'

I think you would be a great candidate for people.

That's really good.

Thank you so much for coming all the way to see us. We'll keep in touch.

If you've got questions, pop them through by e-mail and we'll come back to you.

Thank you. That's excellent.

'It looks like Teo could find a good position,

'but Alfie and Isabella have a few questions of their own to ask.'

We do maths, reading and writing. All the same, probably.

-How often do you do art?

-At least once a week.

Sometimes, we have an art intensive and do it lots of times in one week,

and then not again for a few weeks.

'This school seems an ideal fit for the children,

'offering art, high standards and sport.

'But would it be easy to place them here?'

We are a very popular school and our numbers are really high.

-So much so that we're not letting our numbers get any higher.

-OK.

You have to be living in the school zone to come to Milford School.

If you're not, the only way would be through a ballot.

'It looks like good schools are hard to get into wherever they are,

'but has Amanda been impressed?'

I think the school is absolutely brilliant. I can't fault it at all.

The kids really love it and the teachers seem really friendly.

So yeah, it's put my mind at ease and made me feel a lot happier.

Yeah. About the move.

'And what about Teo's verdict after his day of job-hunting?'

Based on my work interview today, I'm going to vote for...

..New Zealand!

I'm reassured by the salary. It's very comparable to the UK.

I always thought I would earn slightly less,

because I would be starting as a front-line social worker,

rather than the position I have back home.

I'm really pleased that there's good career progression

and professional development.

It's... Yeah, it's good.

'Before Teo can tell his views to everyone, Alfie chips in first.'

-Was it good?

-Yeah.

Where the school is is near the lake.

-It's really cool.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

-And you get to go kayaking on it.

-And sailing.

-And sailing.

-Very good!

-And they do football.

-Soccer.

-Do they call it soccer?

-Yeah.

-Do they say they do art and netball, Bella?

-Every week, they do art.

AMANDA: Lots of art around the school, wasn't there?

It's cool. A really big adventure.

-Can we go and play now?

-Yeah. Course you can.

-Go on, then.

'Then it's time for Mum and Dad to catch up.'

-I was wondering how YOU got on today.

-Yeah, excellent.

They were pretty positive.

We talked about the process, the help that they can give,

the visa applications.

The pay was OK.

-They said I'd probably start on around 61,000, I think.

-Mm.

-Is that for a basic social worker?

-Yeah.

-There was quite a lot of progression after that.

-Really? That's OK, then.

Yeah. They were very positive about the prospect. How does that make you feel about moving here now?

It's made me feel a little bit better.

It's not made me suddenly want to come out just because of A school.

There's so many different factors, but that part has been really positive and made the kids happy.

As long as they're at ease and know that it's not going to be scary for them, it puts my mind at rest.

Getting two young children excited about the idea of going to school is no mean feat.

Life in Auckland is looking a lot more attractive for Teo and Amanda after their fact-finding day.

However, to afford it will mean getting a good price for their UK home.

'The Armes are hoping they can raise over £200,000 from selling their house.

'We've asked two estate agents to give us their professional opinion.'

'Lovely room. Nice and light and bright.

'Makes the room feel a lot bigger than you would expect it to be.

'So, looks good.'

Pink seems to go through the entire house!

'Wood burner's a nice feature. I take it that's useable.

'Sitting on a nice hearth. Kitchen-breakfast room.'

AMANDA: That's really nice!

-It's my favourite part of the house.

-BELLA: My room's my favourite.

AMANDA: Alfie's room! ESTATE AGENT: Good size room.

'Typical of this kind of house, but really good size room.

'Master bedroom. It's a big bed, but the room still feels a good size.'

-It's a huge bed!

-'So, very good size room. Very nice.

'Okey dokey, we have the third bedroom.

-'The decor is nice and neutral.'

-Get down!

'A very pleasant room.'

AMANDA: Your bedroom looks lovely! KIDS AND TEO: Ah!

'This is a lovely family house.

'Great location. I would suggest an asking price

'of just under 200...

'I would put the property on the market at...'

Ooh!

'I'd look to achieve 210 to 215.'

That is a big price difference. I'm quite surprised.

If we could get 210, I'd be thrilled.

'That all sounds like good news, but can the Armes afford to live in New Zealand?

'We prepared a comparison of their expenses at home and down under,

'to see if they can afford Kiwi life.'

-Whoa! Look at aubergines!

-Crikey!

-The kids don't like them, anyway.

-We'll grow them.

-You can grow them.

Right, OK. Loo roll. Slightly cheaper.

Yeah, but is it tracing paper or is it toilet roll?

'Despite some items being more expensive,

'their weekly shop would only go up by £15 in New Zealand.'

That difference per week is not a huge amount, now we know we can...

-It's an average.

-Yeah. That's all right.

'They're basing their calculations on Teo's Kiwi salary,

'which they hope would be about the same as he earns in the UK,

'but there is a big problem.'

We'd still be worse off because our mortgage would jump hugely

from £500 a month at home...

-Yeah.

-..to around about 956 here.

-We've been lucky with the mortgage at home.

-Mm. Mm.

It's do-able, but we won't have much left each month.

'With only one salary, the figures don't look great.

'So do they think the move is worth it?'

So, based on the cost of living between here and the UK,

our vote goes to...

-..UK.

-Yes, UK. Has to be.

-Yeah.

-My heart is saying to me we can still do it, and I know we can.

But my brain is saying, um... it's still quite a lot of money.

The worry is, how much money would we have left over each month?

-I don't want to be skint.

-We've got enough to be here, so it's the quality of life you'd have here.

But with that amount of money left, there wouldn't BE much quality of life.

You couldn't go out for the extra meal, for the extra thing.

And the holidays and flights home.

That's just not going to be enough money.

It's just not... The figures don't work out.

Even Teo found it hard to argue with the cost of living figures.

Tight finances aren't a big selling point for Amanda, either.

But for a young and active family like the Armes,

it's the opportunity to enjoy New Zealand's great outdoors that could prove priceless.

'At home, Alfie is a budding player at Norwich City Soccer School.

'Today, they're joining a similar club in Auckland,

'to see how they compare.'

Alfie, do you want to join in, have a kick about with us?

-Shall I get changed?

-Yeah, we've got some kit for you.

You look cool Alf, don't worry!

'While Alfie and Teo warm up,

'Amanda meets a fellow soccer mum.'

So you come here how many times a week?

-Sometimes three.

-Really?

-And then on a Saturday.

I'm a bit of a fair-weather football mum so I only come out when it's sunny and dry.

-You don't even watch at training?

-No.

I do like to encourage him, but I'm not very sports orientated.

-That's a good way, coming over here, to meet people, though.

-Yes.

-I might have to change my outlook on the football.

-You might.

'On the pitch, Alfie is having no trouble fitting in.'

Alfie, lay it off! Lovely! Finish it!

It's good to see the boys playing.

-It's a pretty good standard.

-They ARE a good standard.

Players that are good enough for the academy, they're noticed.

They'll get invited to come along and see if they fit in.

Yeah! Goal! Great finish!

So, if you wanted to sign Alfie, we could have a chat over a beer.

-I was thinking 500 grand?

-For nine, he's got some great skills.

He seems enthusiastic as well, but 500,000? Over how long?

'It looks like Teo's made a friend already,

'but Amanda still has worries.'

Coming over here as a new person, it must be difficult to meet people, that's my biggest fear.

I found it hard, too. I just joined the school PTA.

That was my way of meeting people with kids my own age.

We do fund-raising, but we also go out for dinner.

Friendships have developed. One of my best friends is someone I met six months ago.

I think I'm going to have to get my head round the lifestyle change,

not only a big move.

-Yes. I'm more than happy to help you when you arrive.

-Excellent!

-You're coming back for sure!

-Yeah!

'So, with Amanda also fitting in,

'it's time to indulge Isabella with a Kiwi treat.'

It's like being in Italy again, can you remember?

It's going everywhere.

'With the game finished, the boys are getting ready to join them.'

-How was that? Did you enjoy it?

-Yes.

-It was good?

-Yeah, very good.

-You done really well.

-Everyone was very friendly.

-They ARE friendly. I was thinking that.

'After a busy morning, hitting the beach is an ideal way to unwind.

'The Kiwi lifestyle seems to have made an impact on Amanda.'

I'd be stupid to even say, "No, I wouldn't want to live here."

-Because it's lovely.

-Yeah.

-There's so many other things to consider.

-But this is pretty good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

The kids are well catered for. There's so much they can do.

-It looks like it's all about family.

-Yeah.

The activities that the kids can get involved in,

like after-school clubs and different...sailing.

-On that front, I'm...

-You're won over.

-I'm won over by that. Totally.

'It's been a great day out for everyone,

'but has the Auckland lifestyle worked enough magic on Amanda

'to overcome all her fears and worries?'

Based on the lifestyle in New Zealand, our vote goes to...

ALL: ..New Zealand!

Woo, Bella! You chose it!

Yay!

How come you chose it? I didn't think you were going to.

BELLA: I like it when the weather's nice.

- At home, it's all cold and rainy. - Yeah. Well done, Bell.

-Brilliant.

-I like that they do football and it's good coaching.

Yeah. Brilliant.

It's sunny here and it's got loads of beaches.

The place is surrounded by water.

AMANDA: So, not much to choose from, Alfie(!)

Alfie's speaking for me as well.

This is the easiest vote, cos the lifestyle is fantastic.

-I think we all agree on that.

-Yeah. Love it.

A unanimous vote for New Zealand is a big turnaround for Teo's hopes.

The Kiwi lifestyle looks to have shown Amanda that she could have a life here, after all.

But leaving the ones she loves at home has always been her greatest fear.

-Are you happy to watch it?

-Yeah.

-You're not going to get too upset?

-No.

-OK, let's watch.

'Hello, Teo and Amanda and Bella and Alfie.

-'Hope you're enjoying yourselves.

-Bella's a little madam!'

ALL LAUGH

'She's a little squawker! Takes after her mum.

'Alfie is lovely. Really well-behaved and gorgeous, isn't he?

RUBY: 'Blondie!' AMANDA: Blondie!

'You've got a bit of a crush on him, haven't you, Rubes?'

LAUGHTER All coming out now!

-'They are absolutely brilliant parents, aren't they?

-Yeah.

'They've both got jobs, a nice house, a nice environment.

'Um, friends and family.

'I've traced my family tree back to 1715 in Norwich alone.

'So to walk away from that all, you know, your roots, if you like,

'I can't really understand that.

'With the tragedy in the family, I see he wants to live his dream.

'He wants to get out there and do what he wants to do.

'After losing one brother,

'to me, it does feel a bit like I'll be losing him.

'I don't know how often we'd be able to get out there and see them.

'I don't want you to go. You know that. All of you.

'I'd like to see my two grandchildren grow up.

'I'd like to see Alfie play for Norwich.

'Deep down, I hope she doesn't go, but...

'There is a part of me that would like them to be around,

'but that's just me being selfish, really.

'I think, for them, it would be wonderful.

'I know there'll be a few boxes you need to tick off

'before you make your decision, and I know you'll make the right one.

'I'll miss you very, very, very much.

'It would be another emptiness for me, in my life,

'but I'm prepared to take that sacrifice.

'Live your dream and I'll just come and see you as soon as I can!'

-Ah, blimey!

-That threw you, didn't it?

-Yeah.

-Pretty supportive, really, wasn't it?

-Yeah. Positive.

But Dad made me laugh with his, "Don't know why we'd want to leave after 300 years of history!"

That's so typical of him. He loves his roots and his history.

-To break that is huge.

-I knew my mum would be supportive.

I can see it breaking her heart, but...

-I think they can understand. They can understand.

-Yeah.

Watching messages showed the Armes just how much they'd be missed IF they chose to emigrate.

For Teo's dream to come true, it's the price they will have to pay.

After experiencing the highs and lows of life in New Zealand,

which way will they vote?

I am a bit nervous about which way Amanda will go.

I guess she must be stressing about it.

But I guess she knows that it's her decision that's going to affect everything.

I really like it. I can't fault the place.

There's nothing... It's lovely.

There's nothing I can say against it, so my dilemma is,

do I give it a chance and do it for Teo?

And maybe not just for myself?

Cos I don't... I don't know. It's just not...

I'm... I just don't think I could do it.

I love it and if I knew other people were gonna be here, I'd jump.

I think this is a good opportunity for the children.

They'd have a good childhood here.

There's always going to be minuses

cos they'll be without family and cousins

and friends who they've left behind.

But I think the bonus of being outside and having an active kind of lifestyle outweighs that.

I can see how happy he is. He loves it. He's just alive.

He's come to life. So has Alfie. Bella's loving every minute as well.

If Amanda does vote for the UK,

we'll probably have many conversations, I would imagine, just for the next few weeks,

next month or two, and then I don't think I'll bring it up.

You know... There's no point flogging a...

a dead horse, is that the saying?

I need to stop being selfish, really.

Do things for others, rather than holding them all back.

'It's time to vote one last time.

'Has Amanda been able to put her doubts behind her

'to join Teo in his dream?'

Based on our week here in New Zealand,

our vote is going to go to...

-..New Zealand.

-New Zealand.

Wooo!

Oh, UK!

-Amanda, you've gone New Zealand!

-Only with a discussion.

It's not a definite "we're coming next week or next month".

It's... Yeah.

We shall see. We need to talk.

But...the lifestyle's brilliant. The schools are brilliant.

But the family ties are still strong, so, yeah.

Oh, bubsie! I know why.

Is it Nanny?

BELLA CRIES

Ah! Bella!

BELLA CRYING: I don't want to go.

AMANDA: We've got a lot of talking to do. It's not a definite decision.

We wouldn't do anything that you didn't want to do as well, OK?

After plenty of soul-searching Amanda's been won over by New Zealand, but with strings attached!

Even though Isabella's tears are a reminder of how difficult emigrating can be,

the Armes are looking forward to building a new future together.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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