Hundreds of individuals each month watch the YouTube channel ‘Rising in France’ to see the newest chapter in a French renovation of a home that has sat empty for 50 years in rural French countryside. Jack and Becs readily admit that their strategy to the work is broadly one in all optimistic spontaneity, however that’s the allure that retains everybody watching and prepared them to succeed. In spite of everything, transferring to a overseas nation to renovate an outdated home takes perception and willpower; to take action whereas residing on website, maintaining a profession and elevating three younger youngsters, is on one other degree totally!
Falling in love with a French home
Again in 2019, the couple offered their house in New Zealand to start out a brand new life within the Charente, with out even figuring out the place they might dwell. They discovered their future house inside just a few weeks of arriving, and regardless of falling in love with it instantly, the Eighties Maison de Maître was barely liveable, and the worth was greater than their total funds. After practically 4 years they may lastly make a begin on the most important renovations, which they’ve been documenting on video each step of the best way and sharing on-line.
“Having moved from Zimbabwe to New Zealand on the age of ten, then transferring round so much, I by no means actually felt I had my very own group,” explains Rebecca. “Throughout Covid, I constructed up a web based group by way of Instagram and lots of of these connections have turn into face-to-face mates. YouTube is one other platform that means that you can connect with different like-minded individuals, no matter the place they’re based mostly. If somebody’s watching our movies, they routinely have a typical curiosity or they’re residing by way of the identical experiences, and I like that.”
Having began their YouTube channel late in 2023, the couple rapidly hit hundreds of views as individuals everywhere in the world began to observe their progress. One of many points that their viewers respect most is that Jack and Rebecca are inclined to preserve a optimistic angle, even when issues don’t go to plan. They usually typically don’t!
“I’m undoubtedly not an professional on renovation,” laughs Jack, “I work in IT as a Product Schooling Marketing consultant, I’m completely not knowledgeable builder. The one purpose I can do any of it’s because Becs tells me that I can and he or she believes in me.”
“Nicely, positive,” Rebecca agrees, “however you at all times get it accomplished, you at all times discover a resolution. So it’s true!”
Even AI performs a job
One uncommon facet to the renovation has been their use of AI (synthetic intelligence) to assist them plan and prioritise the duties.
“Initially, we tried utilizing AI to assist us design a residing house,” says Rebecca, “which was enjoyable nevertheless it wasn’t sensible in any respect, as a result of it by no means appeared to present us outcomes that we may use. It was significantly better for making lists, although. Jack’s actually good if you give him a listing, he wants route.”
“That’s true, it was so helpful,” agrees Jack. “Confronted with a undertaking as massive as this, it may be overwhelming and also you get like a choice paralysis and don’t know the place to start out. So I went onto ChatGPT and tried completely different prompts, like ‘what are the steps to observe for changing a staircase’ and the lists you get are good. There’s a selected sequence you need to undergo and people duties have been in a logical order that made plenty of sense. It can be actually helpful to get the proper terminology, you may ask ‘what’s the steel strip referred to as that you simply stick on the sting of a carpet?’ You then at the very least know what you’re on the lookout for.”
Having already tackled exploding plumbing, putting in lintels and flooring, the couple proceed to make progress renovating the home, though the speed of progress very a lot is determined by the funds accessible.
“We haven’t taken out loans,” explains Rebecca, “so the work we are able to do relies on what is available in. If the cash is there we spend it. It is available in after which it goes straight out!”
Balancing work and household
“Jack works on-line and wishes web entry, however after we first moved right here, it took months to organise WiFi on the home,” recollects Rebecca. “Within the meantime, I needed to drop him off on the native fast-food outlet day-after-day so he may use their WiFi. For fairly some time, the youngsters thought Daddy labored at Burger King – which he did, in a means!”
Jack continues to work remotely in his IT position and Rebecca is a contract marriage ceremony photographer, however between their two careers, tackling renovations and operating the YouTube channel, they’re additionally mentioning their youngsters: Vincent (8), Aurelia (7) and Elysienne (2) who was born after their transfer to the Charente. The 2 elder youngsters at the moment are in school, and their dad and mom are completely delighted with how they’re settling in.
“The village faculty is 4 minutes away,” says Jack, “and we’re actually fortunate as a result of the directrice is a saint, probably the greatest girls we all know, truthfully. They made us really feel so welcome and made us really feel that every part could be superb regardless that our French was fairly primary. We solely converse English at house, as a result of we didn’t need to cross on our accents or grammar errors, however the children flick between languages so simply it’s insane!”
As for balancing their numerous priorities, they are saying that you just must make it work.
“We actually make an effort to stability every part,” says Rebecca, “so Sundays are utterly off for each of us, we make some extent of spending time collectively and doing household issues. Additionally, whether or not Jack is working or renovating, he’s nonetheless round the home, so it looks like we’re all hanging out collectively.”
“I attempt to preserve the video enhancing to the evenings when the youngsters are asleep,” says Jack. “They do generally become involved after I’m engaged on the home, or they’re exterior on the similar time, so it by no means looks like we’re separated. And as for ‘couple time’, you realize, we’ve got three younger children, so there’s little or no couple time! We don’t have any family members residing close by, however once they come for a go to, we do benefit from it and settle for their babysitting gives!”
Trying forward
Jack and Rebecca are clearly nonetheless besotted with the Charente and don’t have any regrets about transferring right here.
“In hindsight, I’ve realised that emigrating was an enormous deal,” Rebecca admits, “however France instantly felt like I belonged right here. Plus, it has significantly better climate than New Zealand, a lot extra sunshine.”
Thus far, the pair have solely labored on the longère that they dwell in, and have but to start out on the principle home itself, which has been empty for half a century.
“After I first noticed the home, I mentioned out loud, that’s it, that’s our home,” says Rebecca, “after which I had a go searching and thought, okay, bye goals, I’m out! However you talked me into it, you mentioned ‘we are able to do that’, so actually it’s your fault, Jack.…”
“You recognize, my angle is you by no means lose; you both win otherwise you study one thing. Win or study, each time,” concludes Jack.
And it’s such a decided optimism – typically in opposition to the chances – that makes their movies so compelling. We’ll simply have to attend to see what they do subsequent!
Discover Jack and Becs on Youtube at: youtube.com/@growinginfrance
