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Private Notes
A struggling farmer from Malawi is dropped into the life of an overworked fire officer from Essex. While each confront the choices they must make to secure their families' future, can they survive in a world so different from their own?
A Taiwanese businesswoman from one of the world's busiest cities swaps lives with a British fisherwoman from a rural costal community in Lancashire. Although one is terrified by her first encounter with a cow, she also finds peace and friendship in a close community of just 60 people, whilst the other experiences the insanity and loneliness of city life for the first time. Two women, one past retirement age at 64 and the other who at 58 is thinking about her future retirement, are thrown into each other's worlds. Margaret is a fisherwoman. She has lived with her fisherman husband Trevor in the isolated community of Sunderland Point for the last 30 years. Life is good but she sometimes wonders if she's missed out on life beyond her small community. She swaps lives with fashion shop owner and businesswoman Kathy from the bustling city of Taipei. Kathy got so wrapped up in her fast-paced life that her relationship with her daughter Scarlett is suffering. Although they live and work together, they rarely talk outside work and spend time little time together outside the business. When Margaret is dropped in lively Tapei, city life is a massive shock for her. Initially, she is overwhelmed by the heat, people and noise, but in the city's parks she finally finds places to escape, discovering how Taipei's residents find their own peace amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Convincing Scarlett to take a day off, they visit a local hot spring. Here, Scarlett is prompted to think about her relationship with her mum for the first time.
A hunter from the Amazon rainforest swaps lives with a civil servant from London. The hunter is worried about the way the modern world is encroaching on his family and village's life, while the civil servant is concerned about the impact of city life on his own and his family and dreams of escaping the relentless rat race. When Lionel comes to the London from a remote jungle in Guyana, he is immediately confronted by its incredible modern facilities. It is a wondrous world of promise and opportunity. But Lionel soon learns that life here is far from a fairy tale. The daily pressure to earn makes city life a struggle. With his children dreaming of big city careers, Lionel wants to take this information back to them so they are more prepared for the reality. Lionel is inspired by John's wife's metal craft. He starts thinking about skills he could take back to improve life back at home, and discovers that technology could even help him to sell such handmade produce overseas. John has a decision to make - will he move his family to the country for a better life or will they stay in London and search for a better life there? He arrives in Guyana, in the middle of a savannah before journeying into the jungle. John learns how the community in Surama come together to help each other better their lives. John discovers that the younger people are leaving to find jobs and there is a fear that the traditions of the Machousi tribe could disappear. John reflects on how lucky he and his family are - education is something that they take for granted. John realises that community has a massive part to play when considering identity - something he feels he doesn't have as an Englishman and is perhaps why it's hard to find a community in the city.
A lovable, gun-toting B&B owner from Alaska dreaming of escaping small town life swaps lives with a military wife and nurse from Nottingham seeking just that. Both are at a crossroads. Two women in their fifties who are approaching retirement are wondering what their next step in life should be. Lilian, a nurse and army wife in suburban Nottingham, is exhausted after years of hard work and moving house. Lilian's life as a military wife has meant she has never fully settled and is desperate to live in a community where she is known and can feel relevant again. She has lived in 17 different houses whilst following her husband Stuart's career in the army. Having just turned 50, Lilian is feeling lonely and desperate to settle and spread her roots. She dreams of running a B&B in a beautiful part of the world but her husband Stuart has other ideas. Thousands of miles away, Leslie, a B&B owner in the wild Alaskan island of Wrangell, is the centre of the community's inner hometown. Having never left North America, she dreams of being a world traveller, but her husband Alan wants to settle in Wrangell for their retirement. Leslie is desperate to see what else is out there and is fascinated by British history. After living in each other's lives for two weeks, they realise what is most important in their lives and where they feel is home. Leslie realises that despite believing that she craved a more anonymous life as a world traveller, she misses the small island community life where everyone knows her name. Lilian, on the other hand, confirms that this is her dream life, and hopes that in the future, she and Stuart can make it happen. Stuart however is not so sure. As both women immerse themselves in their new locations, the viewer is indulged in beautiful landscapes and a travelogue journey with them.
Two young men in their mid-twenties from opposite sides of the world find themselves at the same crossroads. Both are heirs to their lucrative family businesses and have to decide whether to settle down in their hometowns and commit to take over businesses or to risk it all, follow their personal dreams and make the most of their youth. William, a 27-year-old country gent from Anglesey who loves sailing, is swapping lives with Blane, a 26-year-old bull-riding cowboy from Tennessee who loves to party. The men couldn't be more different, but they find themselves in a very similar predicament - both are about to take over the reins of their family businesses and have to choose whether to step up and commit - a life of stability and responsibility, a journey that could lead to great wealth - or should they choose to follow their hearts and forge their own paths in life? There is a lot on the line and both men are torn. By swapping lives, they hope to find some answers to their dilemma. From spending time living in Blane's shoes, Will has realised that he needs to be fully committed to take over the family business. He will need to make some sacrifices as he can't have it all. But seeing the support network around Blane, he realises it is important that he builds a similar support network around himself. Life experiences are still important to him, but if he builds a strong backing around him, he hopes he won't fall into the same trap as his mum, running the business 24/7. He hopes to be able to share some of the pressures and responsibilities and wants to talk to his mum to see if this is something they could achieve. Inspired by Bun and Will, Blane has learnt the importance of improving communication with his granddad. He wants to talk to him and find out what his intentions and aspirations are for the business. He also wants to talk to him about how they could improve the way they work. He is committed to the concrete business, as well as growing the bucking bul
Two young men in their thirties and both recently married are unsure if they can commit to changing their lives and committing to farming life full-time. Both men left the cities to pursue their dream lives - one is pursuing his fantasy life of being a sheep farmer but the long hours and hard physical work is taking its toll, causing him to fall out of love with it. The other, stuck in an unsatisfying job and desperate to start his dream farm life, is terrified of taking the plunge. Struan is a dissatisfied taxi driver who left the city to pursue the 'good life' in the Devonshire countryside but has winded up working 70 hour weeks, never seeing his wife or the chickens they bought in an attempt to become farmers. He is desperate to make a change but is fearful to let go of the financial security that full-time employment offers. Struan, drifting through life and dipping his toes into a number of tried and tested career paths, left Manchester to pursue the good life but is now more lost than ever. Alex was sick of the 9 to 5 routine and left a good job in the city of Bergen to buy a mountain - but with no experience of owning land, running a farm and looking after livestock, this 'Google' farmer has become fed up and is worried his dream life is turning into a nightmare. He is a big kid who bought a mountain so that he could build a snowboard playground but Norwegian law means he has to be a reluctant farmer and as a result, Peter Pan needs to grow up. Struan realises he has the ability and expertise to flourish in this life but needs the guts take risks (which wife Gemma also realises they need to do) to take the leap and follow his dream. Alex realises he needs to grow up, and that the farm is the best choice he has ever made.
