JoanneG
10th July 2007, 04:32 AM
This programme is about a couple who emigrated to New Zealand 15 years ago and are now considering coming back to the UK with their children.
Why?
Could be interesting!
StevieD
10th July 2007, 10:35 AM
Could be for a multitude of reasons.... should be a good programme though. Interesting to see what the reasons were.....
People just move about. We settle where we feel comfortable. Some people move down the road, some move towns, some move country, and times and reasons change.
The Hodges
10th July 2007, 12:34 PM
I saw the one for the English couple who lived in Cyprus, which I think it was the first programme when we were back in the UK.
It was very interesting to listen to their reasons why they decided to move to Cyprus and then back to the UK. I got the impression that the family didn't change that much, but their priorities did.
Joanne, please could let us know the family's decision and reasons, as we won't be able to watch it or find out the result in NZ. Ta
james the mechanic
10th July 2007, 07:14 PM
My TV guide out of The Telegraph says ...
'A family of expats in New Zealand revisits the UK.'
Sounds like they are more reflecting on their decision to move than returning for good, however I guess we will find out.
Chiba
10th July 2007, 07:24 PM
Just out of interest, I Googled, and there's a thread about it on ITV's website (http://community.itv.com/showthread.php?p=637280).
Seems like they didn't show the other side of the coin. For me, that godawful sinking feeling I get when I arrive at Heathrow. Maybe it's just jetlag. :uhoh
wiki
10th July 2007, 08:02 PM
My TV guide out of The Telegraph says ...
'A family of expats in New Zealand revisits the UK.'
Sounds like they are more reflecting on their decision to move than returning for good, however I guess we will find out.
It's not really either of those - the family gets a paid trip back to the UK and shown a range of housing and work options to see if they can afford to come back. And they also get to see their old house, their old work etc to see if they want to come back.
In the first one the family in Cyrpus chose to come back to Manchester, but in the second the Aussie family chose not to come back to Sutton.
So far it's been one partner wanting to come back and the other liking their ex-pat life. It's interesting to see as they make continual comparisons about the weather and the shopping and the work choices.
The Australian one last week was good because the bloke was a right mardy-sod. They couldn't afford their mortgage in Melbourne and he wanted to come home because it was too hot - but then it turns out the reason they couldn't afford the mortgage was that he was a Telecoms engineer who thought it was "out of line" that his quals weren't recognised in Oz and they wanted him to pay a Aus $500 registration to convert them to Australian quals. So instead of doing that and getting a decent job he was doing odd-jobs and fixing washing machines for the equivalent of £100 a week - when his wife was bringing in £300 a week by nursing for a 4-day week.
They'd only been out for 4 years and cried at how much their old English house had risen in value! (but the house in Cheshire was worst for price rise)
I'm curious to see the Kiwi lot because they've been away for so long
JoanneG
11th July 2007, 04:22 AM
The ITV thread is about the Australia episode.
If it's any help for anyone outside the UK it's repeated again on ITV 2 at 8pm UK time on Thursday. Also listed as Freeview 6, Sky 118, Virgin 113/114.
Yes Wiki - Mardy is the word - exactly what would be described a a whinging Pom. Their 9 year old child was the most sensible when she said "I just want to live somewhere you can both be happy". Poor kid. The producers should have hired a marriage Guidance Counsellor instead of an Estate Agent!
welshgang
11th July 2007, 05:10 AM
Lol at 'mardy sod', I was thinking, when I emigrate, that I might long for British summer time... breezes, highest temps of 25'c... although not this 'summer' of 2007!!
welshgang
11th July 2007, 05:15 AM
Maybe not jetlag possibly the effect of the 'greyness' of the uk. I know whne I arrive back on British soil, that the first thing I notice is how grey everything looks, I don't get that contented feeling of familiarty and home I just feel... "Ohhhhh, we're back :(". This is why I don't go abroad to often - too depressing coming back, lol. BRING ON EMIGRATNG!!!!!! :D
speckythecky
11th July 2007, 08:15 AM
Well they didn't return, too much of a pull from their older children, One who was a pilot and would be going to Aus, one who was a tennis coach and could end up any where, and one who was settled in NZ with his own family.
Made interesting viewing, but the woman was a bit mad.
zardell
11th July 2007, 09:23 AM
Where do they live in NZ ??
Not that it matters ...just curious.
Julie
xx
wiki
11th July 2007, 06:06 PM
They didn't exactly say - just that it was just north of Wellington and they'd built their own place on a 10 acre block. It was certainly gorgeous looking land and would do a lot to g et people over to NZ!
They were from Bradford originally.
He seemed really nice, but she was a bit of a nightmare - I loved her best friend back in England who told it all to her straight that she was a serial mother and constantly wanted to look after her kids even when they were all grown up. It was that which swung her staying in the UK.
Croft
11th July 2007, 08:40 PM
He seemed really nice, but she was a bit of a nightmare - I loved her best friend back in England who told it all to her straight that she was a serial mother and constantly wanted to look after her kids even when they were all grown up. It was that which swung her staying in the UK.
You meant NZ of course!
My goodness, she was an interesting personality. OK, I can maybe understand:
Driving an hour further to go to a supermarket that stocks UK goods.
Looking through a UK Road Atlas to see place they used to go and plan trips.
but words fail me when someone:
Sit in front of the telly and consumes an entire can of UK custard.
Watches videos of driving around Yorkshire streets.
She was obviously extremely homesick, but when they went back they found that home (Bradford) had changed drastically.
It was also obvious that the rest of the family wanted to stay in NZ, and compared to where they lived in NZ I just couldn't believe what they were looking at.
It's a shame that the only reason she was staying was for the kids, not for what I though was the wonderful lifestyle and beautiful country they were in.
wiki
11th July 2007, 08:44 PM
Sorry, I did mean stay in NZ!
I loved her standing in the neighbour's bath spying on her old house the best.
speckythecky
11th July 2007, 08:54 PM
I must say, and no offence to anyone who lives in such a house, but the house they said that they liked in Skipton was not nice. The view was good, but it was not on a par with the first property they were shown near Bradford.
You are right that she was seriously homesick. Her husband had made a 3hr video of driving round yorkshire in rain, stuck in traffic jams and what he thought were the worst thing about the UK and she used to sit a watch it all the time, sad but get a life.
lockstock
12th July 2007, 12:52 AM
Call me an old sceptic but weren't the 'homesickness' remedies (videos, Paxo etc) a little OTT? I wasn't entirely convinced there was any real decision to be made here. None of the performances were Oscar-worthy but they did get a free trip home with accommodation didn't they?:exit
Croft
12th July 2007, 01:19 AM
Call me an old sceptic but weren't the 'homesickness' remedies (videos, Paxo etc) a little OTT? I wasn't entirely convinced there was any real decision to be made here. None of the performances were Oscar-worthy but they did get a free trip home with accommodation didn't they?:exit
You old cynic you!! :laugh That didn't even cross my mind!
lockstock
12th July 2007, 03:47 AM
Takes years of practice but I'm getting rather good at it:D
...and did anyone spot the Freudian slip on my part? Please substitute 'back to the UK' for 'home'.
JoanneG
12th July 2007, 04:20 AM
Yes, it was interesting.
I think I understood - what she missed was 'cultural familiarity'. Not just British familiarity but Yorkshire. I understand what she was going through to a point. Every time I return to Lancashire I am reminded of that nice feeling of familiarity. Hearing your hometown accent, chatting with people from a familiar area - but they are things you can live without and remember fondly.
The programme did not cover much of their life in NZ really - it seemed a bit of an excuse to traipse around UK houses for sale.
At the end of the day, leaving 3 grown up kids and 2 grandchildren behind and effectively splitting the 2 remaining children (born in NZ) from their brothers and sisters would have been really unfair.
The programme provoked much discussion in our house and resluted in the following agreements:
1. The decision to emigrate must be a joint decision so that one partner cannot 'blame' the other if they are unhappy.
2. Once the family has settled, Mum and Dad at work, Kids in school etc. the decision is permanent - there's no going back.
3. Happiness is relative - you can be unhappy anywhere. The whole family can rally round to figure out why and help to resolve the problem together.
It does seem that many of the people who come back do so because they miss their family. If your family are part of your everyday life then emigrating must be tough. For those of us who do not have family living close by it's not such a shock to our everyday existence.
vixxann
12th July 2007, 07:34 AM
It does seem that many of the people who come back do so because they miss their family. If your family are part of your everyday life then emigrating must be tough. For those of us who do not have family living close by it's not such a shock to our everyday existence.
totally agree :nice1
I'm hoping we fall into the second category as my only brother already lives abroad so there's just my parents - who will hopefully come out often.
I thought the woman in the program was totally OTT on the homesickness - she was doing nothing proactive for staying in NZ she was just pouring over UK road maps and being a bit of a saddo - I felt for her poor hubbie!
jen
12th July 2007, 09:53 AM
You meant NZ of course!
but words fail me when someone:
Sit in front of the telly and consumes an entire can of UK custard.
Watches videos of driving around Yorkshire streets.
That hit a bit of a nerve with me :o since a couple weeks ago I was getting hit very hard with homesickness and we watched a dvd of a movie ("Sideways") filmed around where we used to live and I was seriously yelling out to my OH "oh, look it's the freeway!" IMO homesickness can be completely illogical so there I was feeling nostalgic watching the characters drive up a freeway up from LA that I know perfectly well is ugly as anything!
Also just IMO there's nothing worse for homesickness than spending lots of time dwelling on it - can't imagine spending hours looking at old photos, videos of home etc and ever expecting to get over it?! Wish I could've seen the show, sounds interesting, even if it points out maybe what you SHOULDN'T be doing if you want to settle down happily.
Jen
Caroline and Dave
12th July 2007, 10:11 PM
I think this whole show was done to make some cheap programme for ITV which people would like and not meant as a serious programme for people who really want to know about New Zealand. For a start the so called property locater on the programme was not what she claimed to be but a TV presenter. see here http://www.rdfmanagement.com/clients/catherine_gee.html
Just goes to show don't believe everything you see on TV
sunnyb
12th July 2007, 10:38 PM
I couldn't believe her husband even considered letting her decide whether or not they should come back to the UK. He must have been very worn down :wah
Even without the older children being a consideration, the first shots of their life in NZ showed what most people would give their right arm for: loads of land, trees, hills, the kids jumping into the creek at the bottom of the garden and allowed to be children !!!! Exactly what we want to move there for !!!!!
The alternative around Bradford was a high tech school which focussed on preparing the kids to work in the high tech factories !!!!! Houses with tiny gardens and a big ugly city .....
No contest !!!!!
Get me out there pleeeeeeeeeeeeeese ..... :exit :exit :exit
B
lockstock
12th July 2007, 11:22 PM
The school was a hoot. High tech, all singing, all dancing and very showcase. Unfortunately (surprise, surprise) there was no room so off down the road to the ageing comp with tatty portable classrooms, a different maths teacher every week and a one-size-fits-all curriculum. But they didn't show that bit did they?:laugh
Croft
12th July 2007, 11:31 PM
That hit a bit of a nerve with me :o since a couple weeks ago I was getting hit very hard with homesickness and we watched a dvd of a movie ("Sideways") filmed around where we used to live and I was seriously yelling out to my OH "oh, look it's the freeway!" IMO homesickness can be completely illogical so there I was feeling nostalgic watching the characters drive up a freeway up from LA that I know perfectly well is ugly as anything.
Sorry if that hit a nerve Jen! In this case it wasn't a programme, but as speckythecky said it was a 3hr video the husband had taken driving around roads in Yorkshire tom remind her how bad it was!!
Like others have said, I really felt sorry for the husband. I didn't fancy the kind of lifestyle she wanted to go back to terribly attractive either - getting all doled up to go for a night out in town - at her age! Now don't get me wrong, one thing I will miss is the English Pub, but I go there with some friends to relax and have a couple of pints. Am I being a snob?
nickydwuk
13th July 2007, 02:10 AM
For a start the so called property locater on the programme was not what she claimed to be but a TV presenter.
Just goes to show don't believe everything you see on TV
That explains how she was able to persuade them that they would be able to afford a £160k mortgage if they came back to Bradford. He must be on mega bucks to be able to afford that - that's more than 1 months wages for me. I know he was in IT but in Bradford they can't be paying that much surely?:confused:
dharder
13th July 2007, 02:48 AM
The school was a hoot. High tech, all singing, all dancing and very showcase. Unfortunately (surprise, surprise) there was no room so off down the road to the ageing comp with tatty portable classrooms, a different maths teacher every week and a one-size-fits-all curriculum. But they didn't show that bit did they?:laugh
My thoughts exactly! What was the point?? Felt like cheating to me.
And I couldn't help thinking while watching that, as you said, all singing, all dancing school if the students they showed us could spell properly as well as use high tech equipment...
Daniela
welshgang
13th July 2007, 11:03 AM
I doubt that these presenters of these types of progs really go looking for property.... they have researchers for that, surely. Besides, she would b start spotted and wouldn't b able to get much done for all the autograph signings. lol f
welshgang
13th July 2007, 11:08 AM
I saw it tonight (thurs). I agree, it made me laugh when she said that the long skinny garden was lovely!! couldn't believe my ears! Get thee to a doctor reckon. The poor woman is either having a mid life crisis, suffering depression or is stark raving bonkers!!
Liz
Could def see that west yorkshire is a stonkingly gorgeous place but what u wud get for 400 k pounds for near on a million nz dollars just doesnt compare!
welshgang
13th July 2007, 11:10 AM
well said :laugh :clap
welshgang
13th July 2007, 11:13 AM
In my case, the nostalgia film would be "Very Annie-mary". This film was shot in my valley and there are loads of clips that wud remind me of home, like the chippy where the sick little girl lived. The pub and even some of the locals were recruited in the filming lol Anyone seen it???
Liz x
welshgang
13th July 2007, 11:17 AM
but words fail me when someone:
Sit in front of the telly and consumes an entire can of UK custard.
QUOTE]
I thought exactly the same, ewwwwwww. Now driving an hour for a huge jar of marmite is worth it but paxo and birds custard is unfathomable lol
zardell
13th July 2007, 12:21 PM
Now driving an hour for a huge jar of marmite is worth it but paxo and birds custard is unfathomable lol
Wait 'til you've been here in NZ for a while - you'll understand !!!!....:laugh
Not that being unable to stuff a chicken with decent sage and onion or having to put up with c**p, watery custard makes me want go back to the UK.
Well, not yet........:D
Julie
xx
Lupin
13th July 2007, 12:33 PM
I'm lost about the custard problem. I use Edmontons (I think it's called that ... the 'sure to rise' brand) and you make it up differently to the UK but it makes lovely thick custard (or so my kids say).
jubjub
13th July 2007, 12:43 PM
Maybe she misunderstood the phrase "turning to custard"? and decided eating it was the best way of dealing with a problem?
baboonworld
13th July 2007, 06:59 PM
Hey - could u do us a favour??
I think part of the programme was filmed in our shop (New World Levin).
They are from Levin or nearby and the TV company asked if they could film in our shop becuase it is her local and because we sell a range of English food.
Please let me know if we appear!!
Thanks!!!
Gwen
Belmont Babes
13th July 2007, 09:44 PM
My Husband recorded it and I watched it yesterday. There was a bit of her shopping for custard that she has apparently travelled 1 hour to get. It was on the shelf together with Paxo and Bisto
StevieD
14th July 2007, 03:47 PM
:roll it takes all sorts i suppose.
Been told about it on the phone and it seems as if she a bit of a barm pot
jubjub
14th July 2007, 04:26 PM
Just downloaded it, and the Oz one, hopefully get round to watching them later on.... I am too nosey not to see what the fuss is about!
welshgang
15th July 2007, 08:34 AM
Interesting point about what she said whch made me think a bit. She said she wanted to tile her bathroom, but that it was too expensive to do it in NZ. How expensive is it for materals like tiles, carpet etc??
baboonworld
15th July 2007, 06:24 PM
where do you go to download it??
jubjub
15th July 2007, 06:49 PM
PM en route
They were in New World buying the custard & the paxo.
I did feel sorry for her husband, he was a very tolerant and understanding man, she was a very confused woman as well I think, did not really know what she wanted, either way was going to be a compromise, and neither solution would have made her truly happy.
zardell
15th July 2007, 06:53 PM
where do you go to download it??
Ditto ??
Julie
xx
jubjub
15th July 2007, 07:30 PM
PM to you too... ;)
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