- 12 hours ago
Escape to Florida S01E04 (2026)
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00:00Welcome to Florida.
00:02Florida life, nothing quite like it.
00:04Home to theme parks, golden tans and 400,000 Brits.
00:09I absolutely love it here.
00:10Who've made the Sunshine State their new home.
00:13This is what sold me off. Yeah.
00:15Like, cos it's stunning.
00:16Who wouldn't want to live here like this?
00:18They've swapped drizzly winters and gas bills for new careers
00:22and seemingly endless fun in the sun.
00:24Cheers, Biggers!
00:27It's our little piece of paradise.
00:28Get it right and life in Florida can be like a dream come true.
00:33Every evening do this with your glass of wine.
00:35But getting here and staying here takes hard work.
00:39I do pinch myself every day.
00:41Grit. We've just lost the starboard motor.
00:44And determination. Good job. Well done.
00:46These are the Brits who've made their own Escape to Florida.
00:54Today on Escape to Florida...
01:00It's our turn.
01:01Can dance teacher Sarah and her class make it all right on the night?
01:06Guys, what's happened?
01:13Ta-da!
01:14Football club founder Kay counts down to kick off.
01:18We are ready to rock and roll.
01:22Morning, morning.
01:23Did you guys need this umbrella up?
01:25And can pool attendant Oliver land his dream job?
01:28New York City.
01:34Marvel's The Urban League.
01:36Celebration.
01:38A picture-perfect town built in the 1990s by Disney and now home to 13,000 residents.
01:45Including Sarah from Belfast and her husband Scott.
01:49When I first got to America 13 years ago, I said, right, I need a kettle.
01:53Nobody has kettles in America. I couldn't believe it.
01:55Apparently, you can make hot water out of a coffee machine,
01:59but that's just wrong, absolutely wrong.
02:03Sarah and Scott met in 2019 at the Lucky Leprechaun Irish pub.
02:08This photo was snapped by one of my friends the first night that we met.
02:13This was probably, like, within 15 minutes of meeting you.
02:16That's just such a special photo for me.
02:18For me, it was love at first sight.
02:21It was for you, too, because you told me that night I was amazing.
02:23He's stopping you, like, you're amazing. I was like, thanks.
02:25Everything came so easily for us, even the first few conversations that we had,
02:30so I had a pretty good feeling about it.
02:32They got married in 2022.
02:35This is a picky rally photo.
02:36This is Cinderella meets picky blinders overlooking the city of Belfast.
02:40And have now welcomed two-year-old daughter, Saoirse, to the family.
02:44Saoirse, what? Why does an alligator go?
02:46Chomp, chomp, chomp. Good girl.
02:48Let's go down and see if there's any down here.
02:50Growing up, Sarah was a successful Irish dancer,
02:53a talent which she turned into her career.
02:57I was about 18, and then I took off various jobs around the world as a professional dancer for many
03:04years.
03:06My job brought me to Florida, and I thought that I was coming to Florida for one year,
03:12and I'm here 13 years later.
03:14Do you see any turtles?
03:16Sarah now runs an Irish dance school of her own here in Florida.
03:21I spoke to the lawyer and said,
03:22you're basically the top 1% of your field.
03:25You speak Irish, you play Irish music, you're an Irish dancer.
03:29You can apply for an O-1 visa, which then leads to a green card.
03:33And the O-1 visa is called Extraordinary Ability.
03:37But you have to prove to the American government that you are the best at what you do.
03:42So it took me nearly two years of gathering evidence for me to have a green card.
03:46It felt like the best that I could ever have for the rest of my life.
03:50It opened so many doors.
03:52It opened so many opportunities.
03:54And it's led to my life here in Florida with my beautiful family and a beautiful daughter,
03:59and I couldn't ask for anything more.
04:00In just four days' time, Sarah has the biggest date in her dance school's calendar.
04:05Up to caca!
04:07Thankfully, her mum Eileen is visiting from Northern Ireland.
04:11She's got her rally boots on?
04:13Yeah, because it's playing with the water.
04:14Okay.
04:15Eileen loves life in Florida, loves her little breaks out here.
04:17I love to escape the winter.
04:20Yeah.
04:20The Irish winter.
04:22She tries to come out as much as possible, and we love having her,
04:25because all my family are in Ireland, and all Scott's family are in Pittsburgh,
04:28so we have no help with the baby.
04:30So we're lucky, but when she goes home, I cry.
04:33My mum, she's an absolute legend.
04:36Right, okay.
04:37What's caca got for a baba?
04:39She had seven children.
04:41And while she had seven children, she worked a full-time job as a teacher.
04:46Now that I have my own child, I'm in awe of how many children that she had.
04:49And she was able to bring us up, and we all survived.
04:52Sorry, should I put the tablecloth back?
04:54Well, mum, I didn't want... Look, you're going to get stained.
04:57It doesn't matter.
04:58We'll put it in the washing machine.
04:59Sorry, should I pick up your yogurt?
05:00It's not a good idea, Sarah.
05:01Mummy, wise up.
05:03Seriously.
05:03She offered me so many opportunities, and any auditions that I had, she would drive me in a heartbeat.
05:09You danced on the Great Wall, I remember.
05:11I've got a photo of that.
05:13This is me dancing on the Great Wall of China.
05:16That's right.
05:17No, I've seen that.
05:18It was actually during...
05:19Do you remember that?
05:19It was so cold.
05:19You're going during the winter, because you're all wrapped up.
05:23Today, Sarah is off to make sure that her students are performance ready.
05:28Telling Gaga, we have a very busy day today.
05:31Baby, yay, yay.
05:33Yay.
05:33Oh, what are you going to do, Sorka?
05:35We have the very last rehearsal for St. Patrick's Day at class.
05:39So we have to go to class, and we have to teach all the boys and girls how to dance,
05:43don't we?
05:43St. Patrick's Day is our biggest and best day of the year here in America.
05:47It's also our busiest day, so we are stretched so thin.
05:51The school are doing several performances that day,
05:54with the final one at the same Orlando Irish bar where Sarah met Scott.
06:00Where is the performance?
06:02It's in a lucky leprechaun.
06:03Oh, right, on St. Patrick's Day.
06:04It's going to be bunged.
06:05I know, it's going to be jammed.
06:07I mean, why on earth St. Patrick's Day is so huge in America?
06:11They actually celebrate St. Patrick's Day bigger here than they do in Ireland.
06:16It's a special place for Sarah, but today,
06:19her attention is firmly on getting the students ready to perform.
06:23The girls are all nervous.
06:24It's their first time working together with the harder steps and the harder choreography,
06:28but we just need to get into the class, get working with the dancers,
06:30and hopefully it all goes well.
06:38Orlando in central Florida, the theme park capital of the world,
06:45where it's guaranteed sunshine 233 days a year, but not today.
06:51Well, whenever you see the trees start doing this,
06:54when you see everything start waving and getting a little bit crazy,
06:58you know that means there's a storm coming.
07:04Sound effects.
07:06But it'll take more than a bit of rain to rattle Stoke-born Kay.
07:11There's a part of life here.
07:12Kay came to America in 2004, having already led a full life in the UK.
07:18I'm one of five children.
07:21I quit school at 17.
07:23I was a very rebellious teenager.
07:25Sorry, Mum and Dad.
07:27She now has four grown-up children of her own and a busy work life.
07:31I had three totally different careers.
07:34I worked in a bank, then I owned preschools, and then started a team.
07:38There's definitely a pattern there of this one doesn't quite fit in the mould.
07:42That team is Orlando City, a major league soccer team based in downtown Orlando.
07:48And today, they've got a big game on.
07:51I am one of the founders of the team,
07:53one of the people who brought soccer to Orlando.
07:57We're playing Montreal tonight, and I have a good feeling.
08:00I think we're going to win.
08:01The other founder was her now ex-husband.
08:04One of the biggest challenges for me
08:07was when me and my ex-husband split up.
08:10We'd done all the hard work.
08:12We'd started a team.
08:13We'd gotten into Major League Soccer.
08:16We'd started a women's team in 2016,
08:19and now we were opening a stadium.
08:21That was a really challenging time.
08:23The marriage didn't last,
08:25but Kay's passion for soccer did.
08:27And now what Kay says goes.
08:30Purple is my favourite colour, for sure.
08:32He took the decision to step away from the club.
08:36And so for me, it was how do I now navigate this new world
08:40where, you know, we were always around together,
08:43everyone knew us as a couple.
08:45And all of a sudden, I now became the face of the club.
08:50There are very often occasions,
08:52especially driving into the stadium,
08:55where I have a pinch-me moment of,
08:57oh my gosh, we did this.
09:00Like, this isn't just a place that I work in.
09:02This is somewhere that I helped to design and build
09:05and bring to life.
09:07The club she founded is now worth half a billion dollars
09:11and currently sits above David Beckham's Inter Miami in the league.
09:16But today is match day,
09:18and Kay doesn't rest on her laurels.
09:20There you go if you need to learn any new languages,
09:24if you want to know how to dribble the ball
09:26in French, Spanish, Portuguese or Italian.
09:28On a game day, especially, obviously, leading up,
09:32is just checking in with some of the different departments.
09:35Michelle is the queen of merch.
09:37So this whole project is a series of a minimum of 13 different garments
09:42that you can select your graphic
09:43and put it on baby gear, T-shirts,
09:45women's gear, tank tops, sweatshirts.
09:47Very cool.
09:49Well, I know some of the academy coaches just had girls,
09:52so we should be sending them some of the Marta ones for sure.
09:55Tonight's kick-off is five hours away,
09:58and it's time for Kay to make sure
09:59everything in this stadium is match ready.
10:02We want everyone who comes to the game tonight to go,
10:04wow, that was, even if we lost,
10:06it was still a great experience.
10:19St. Pete Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast
10:22has 35 miles of white, sandy beaches.
10:26But today, London-born Donna and Dan
10:31and their two sons, 19-year-old Oliver and 14-year-old Billy,
10:35all of them, are starting their day in the pool.
10:40I feel blessed every single day.
10:42It's everyone's dream to live somewhere like Florida.
10:46They moved to the Sunshine State four years ago.
10:49This is our home now.
10:51We absolutely love living here.
10:54My kids absolutely love it.
10:56They are thriving.
10:59I mean, it makes me emotional thinking about it.
11:01It's a great life to live, and it's very fun.
11:04It's a good life, but it all needs paying for.
11:08Go!
11:10Donna works as a beauty journalist.
11:12Dan recently got a job as a realtor.
11:15It's now Oliver's turn.
11:18Beautiful.
11:21He studies accountancy at the University of Tampa.
11:25I finished finals at my college about two, three weeks ago.
11:30And now he looks to his future, and this life he's grown to love,
11:34starting with a summer job.
11:36I can work, like, full-time, like five, six days a week,
11:39just to try and make as much money as I can before I go back to school.
11:44So, yeah, this is my uniform, my name tag that has my hometown on it.
11:49So people are like, oh, my gosh, are you from Australia?
11:51I'm like, no.
11:52Read the name tag.
11:53I'm from London.
11:55And where better to spend the summer than as a pool attendant
11:58at the local luxury hotel?
12:00The hotel's really convenient.
12:03As you can see, I can see it from my bedroom.
12:07The hotel is more than just a workplace for Oliver.
12:11Me and my brother have been coming to the hotel since we were born.
12:14My mum, I think, first came here when she was out three or four.
12:18This job is an important step as he builds his future in his adopted home.
12:23When we moved here, I was 16.
12:25It was a good point in my life, like, good, just natural break as well.
12:28Like, I wasn't too young, wasn't too old.
12:29I feel like I settled him pretty well.
12:32Obviously, I jumped straight into high school, made loads of friends,
12:35being, like, the English guy.
12:36Everyone was like, oh, like, who's this?
12:37Like, let me go speak to him.
12:40It's just a great place.
12:42I'm not complaining, and I never want to move away.
12:44Getting paid to hang out by a Florida pool might sound like a dream come true,
12:49but Oliver has other plans.
12:51I know how fortunate I am.
12:54We all have one life.
12:55So, like, I might as well do something that I want to do
12:57and also something I'm good at,
12:58and just maximise it.
13:00To convert his green card to citizenship,
13:04Oliver needs a steady, well-paying job.
13:06My ambition is to graduate college,
13:09have an internship or two while I'm in college,
13:12and then hopefully graduate and have something set up for me.
13:15So, this summer, he's applied for a highly sought-after internship
13:19with a global accountancy firm.
13:22Oliver's going for this internship.
13:24I'm thinking, actually, this could be beneficial to me because he could become my accountant.
13:31But then I'm a bit worried about him seeing my accounts because he's far more responsible than I am.
13:38The internship I've applied for is in the finance industry.
13:40I did two interviews the last two weeks, and they said it to expect to hear back within two to
13:45three weeks.
13:47So, I'm sure it's coming close to that time.
13:50I'm a bit nervous.
13:51You never know these things.
13:52I mean, there's, like, usually a 1% chance of getting it.
13:57Usually about 35,000 people apply to the company, and then only 350 people get positions.
14:04Oliver's doing really well.
14:06Hopefully, he's going to get this internship.
14:09But while he waits for news on a summer internship...
14:13You should eat something because it's going to be really hot today.
14:17Really nice.
14:18Are they?
14:19Oliver is off to work at the hotel to earn himself some dollars poolside.
14:23Love you. Have a good day.
14:25Love you. Bye.
14:32It's four hours till kickoff at Orlando City Football Club,
14:35and founder Kay is making sure that her teams on and off the pitch are ready to win.
14:42This particular section of the office is always the loudest.
14:48We're getting ready for the game tonight.
14:50We're playing Montreal.
14:51There's just a hive of activity always on a game day.
14:55People don't realise that behind the team, there's about another 150 people who are actually getting everything ready.
15:03Leading up is just checking our kids. How's it going? Are we going to be a sellout?
15:08And then, is there someone in one of the suites that you would like me to just swing by and
15:14say hi?
15:15The 31 suites at the stadium cost up to six and a half thousand dollars to hire per game.
15:21And it's important business for the club.
15:24Obviously, they are the people who are paying the most to come to a game, make sure they feel welcome,
15:30check that the suites are all clean and ready and set up.
15:35Hello, ladies.
15:37Hello, how are you doing?
15:38How are we?
15:40Good, good.
15:41Getting ready for the game?
15:42Are you going to see straight out of my head?
15:45None of those sticky fingerprints on there.
15:48No, this is awesome.
15:50So, thank you so much, both of you.
15:52Always a lot to do before a game.
15:54Yep, absolutely.
15:55And thank goodness for people like these two, because they're the ones who keep it all going and are behind
16:00the scenes, the unsung heroes of Orlando City.
16:05Kay's next stop is the locker room to visit Ricardo, the club's sporting director.
16:10Hey, I'm good. How are you doing?
16:13Strategising and...
16:14Yeah, just thinking about the team.
16:16Yeah.
16:16As we always do.
16:17Ricardo is one of the people who brings all the amazing players that come to play for Orlando City, again,
16:23ready for the game.
16:24Montreal.
16:25Good points, baby.
16:26Yeah, I think so.
16:28Kay's teams have a keen eye for talent, with players like former World Player of the Year Kaka, U.S.
16:35women's icon Alex Morgan, and England Lionesses goalkeeper Anna Morehouse having played for them.
16:41All the names are on top of each locker.
16:44Our two DPs, so Marco Paschlic and Martin O'Hader, their names are over there, and they are killing it
16:52right now.
16:53So DP stands for designated player, and each team is allowed three on their squad.
16:59They can be paid outside of the salary cap, so that's how you can have some of those really big
17:06marquee players.
17:07I mean, Lionel Messi is an obvious one.
17:09Plays for our rivals down the road.
17:12Orlando City is part of Major League Soccer, the U.S. equivalent to the English Premier League, but still no
17:19detail is too small to escape founder Kay.
17:23This is why there's carpet, because cleats, boots, you would slip on this floor.
17:30So imagine you're a player, and here we go, we're heading down the tunnel.
17:36Kay heads pitch side.
17:37The stadium holds 25,000 fans, similar in size to the home ground of English team Crystal Palace, but here
17:45it's a lot hotter.
17:48So kick-off is at 7.30, and anyone who's ever lived in Orlando will know we can't do the
17:553 o'clock kick-off.
17:57It's hot as blazes at that time.
17:59The supporters will soon arrive to begin their pre-match festivities, and this whole stadium will come alive.
18:11In celebration, it's the final day of preparation for dance school owner Sarah.
18:20Step, dine, up, dine.
18:24St. Patrick's Day is just four days away, the biggest date in her school's calendar.
18:30St. Patrick's Night is very important.
18:33Everything has to run smoothly.
18:34I want us to look really good together.
18:37And if you're unsure of anything, today is the day to tell me.
18:40It's the last rehearsal before St. Patrick's Day.
18:42Last rehearsals are always the most important time, and I'm going to put all the dancers through their steps.
18:47I'm going to make sure they're in sync, and they look good together, and they know what they're doing,
18:51and that they are confident and ready for their performance.
18:55Bring it out. Skip one. Don't rush. Don't rush that, OK?
18:58Five, six, seven, go.
19:00Jump, jump, point, half-back.
19:02Right foot, left foot, right foot.
19:05Good girl.
19:06Right foot, left foot, go.
19:09Jump, jump.
19:10Irish dancing's actually huge in America.
19:12There are more dance schools in America than there are in Ireland and the UK.
19:17The second time you do it, you have to do it in the left foot.
19:19As a business, it's fantastic because there's hardly any Irish people who teach Irish dancing in Florida.
19:26I was able to grow the business really big because there was a need for it.
19:30But I've actually formed a community of expats, and they were looking for more than just, you know, a dance
19:36class for their kids.
19:37They wanted to be around a community of people who had similar upbringings to themselves.
19:42I started with one child and one location.
19:45Ten years later, I have 13 locations over two states, and I have four teachers that work for me.
19:52Over 150 students.
19:55Every year, the top dancers in the school get to go to the world championships.
20:00This year, Emma is one of the girls going to the world championships.
20:04Here it is.
20:07It's here. Bring it in, bring it in.
20:09And for the occasion, she's bought a unique dress to dance in.
20:14The girls that get to go get a special thing called a solo dress.
20:18Oh.
20:24Oh my God, it's gorgeous.
20:26It's really pretty.
20:27It's a dress that they design, they pick the colours, and we work with these top designers in Ireland.
20:33Oh my God, it's stunning.
20:35It's absolutely gorgeous.
20:36They cost anywhere between $2,500 to $4,000, so it's a massive financial commitment.
20:44Emma, do you love that?
20:46Yeah.
20:47Oh, wow, where's the crown?
20:49Let's see the crown.
20:51Oh my view, it is so gorgeous.
20:53Oh, best of luck in it.
20:55Girls, what do you think? It's like stunning.
20:56So great.
20:57So gorgeous.
20:59The highlight of St Patrick's Day will see Sarah's top students perform at an Irish bar in Orlando.
21:05All right, as soon as you just walk out, really confident.
21:08Walk.
21:09In the performance, there's six girls.
21:11They would be my championship dancers.
21:13There is Emily, Gabby, Amelia, Emma, Abigail and Natalie.
21:20Some of them are a little more nervous than others, but they'll all get there.
21:23They're great dancers and great girls.
21:26Shoulder to shoulder.
21:27Did you move?
21:28Don't move.
21:29Okay.
21:30The kids are working on a showpiece called Summer Storm.
21:33It's a pretty intricate piece.
21:35It's up there on a professional level where it's steps that I would have learned back in the day when
21:39I was in a professional show.
21:40Do it by yourself.
21:43Do you understand?
21:44Do you hear that?
21:44You're missing a down.
21:46So I'm going to do it again.
21:49But this rehearsal is nowhere near Sarah's standards.
21:55APPLAUSE
21:57Guys, what's happening?
21:58It was only A1.
22:00We did A1.
22:01Right, but then, why is there three people in dancing?
22:04After we do the songs, then it's A's turn.
22:05Girls, I...
22:06Have you not wrote this?
22:07I told...
22:08What's going on?
22:09No, but you dance.
22:10That's the wrong dance.
22:11You can't get your dances mixed up.
22:12This is...
22:13This is Summer Storm.
22:14It makes me look bad as a teacher.
22:16I just need them to be together and for it to look professional.
22:19I'm just worried that it'll fall apart.
22:21If one person makes a mistake, it looks terrible.
22:24It's really important that we get Summer Storm correct.
22:27It's a new dance, but it has to be perfect.
22:29I need you to focus.
22:30I need you to practice.
22:31I need you to go home.
22:32And if you have any questions, you just need to let me know now because this is the last chance
22:35you have.
22:35Can you record, like, the last bit?
22:39The last 16 bars.
22:40We can record it, but I don't want you to rely on the video.
22:43I need you to do it up.
22:43I'm practicing it.
22:44And so Sarah steps up to show them how it should be done.
22:48I think the guards are under pressure.
22:50I'm just worried that they can get the steps for the St. Patrick's Day performance.
22:54But the question is, will they be show ready in four days' time?
23:12At the stadium, it's three hours before kick-off.
23:17And soccer club founder Kay is joining fans to share in the buzz.
23:21How are you?
23:22I'm good.
23:22How are you doing?
23:23Well.
23:24She is at a tailgate, an American sports tradition where fans gather together before the game.
23:31So tailgates are pretty much the equivalent of going to the pub before the game, having a drink, chatting with
23:36your mates, talking about what the game's going to be like, who's going to win.
23:40Everyone comes to Orlando to vacation or to be a tourist, but then they fall in love with a certain
23:44aspect.
23:45And then they move here.
23:46Yeah.
23:47And then you become another thread in the fabric of the tapestry of the town.
23:51You guys are like, this is who you are.
23:53And this is how we show up.
23:55And this is how we support and celebrate our club.
23:58All good teams are built on the people who make the team.
24:02Yes.
24:03And this is, I think, truly a community of teams.
24:06Yeah.
24:07There's no team without the supporters.
24:09Without the people.
24:10Without the people.
24:10Without the people.
24:13I love meeting with the supporters, especially the ones who've been there since the beginning, who believed in us when
24:19we were still a teeny tiny minor league team, but who believed in the journey and have stayed with us.
24:26And here they still are, ringing the noise, coming to games.
24:32Back inside the stadium, it's time to check on the food stalls and vendors.
24:38I've seen the people in the stands wearing these.
24:41What the heck?
24:42No thank you.
24:43It's hilarious when, like, the 10-year-old kids have it.
24:46Yeah.
24:46They're, like, hanging down at their knees.
24:47Down there somewhere.
24:48On match days, sales of merchandise, food, and drink account for nearly a fifth of the club's income.
24:55Here's everyone getting ready.
24:56We've got people bringing ice and water.
24:58We've got people getting ready with the food.
25:01There's going to be thousands of customers arriving very, very soon.
25:05So it's getting, being as ready as you can be for when they get here.
25:09I am very excited.
25:11Yeah, it's game day.
25:12Game day.
25:13Like, woo-hoo.
25:14Can't wait.
25:15The fans are queuing, eager to get in and claim their spot.
25:19This is the supporter section, also known as the wall.
25:22And it's where the most passionate, the fans who want to jump and dance and sing and chant for the
25:29whole 90 minutes.
25:30This is where they will be.
25:33Match days are one of the favorite things.
25:36That shared experience.
25:37I think it's something as humans, it's what you want.
25:42OMG, look at this dude.
25:44Give me a high five.
25:46Wooshka.
25:46Come on.
25:47All of a sudden, you're a tribe.
25:49And it doesn't matter what country you come from, what culture you have.
25:53You are all together supporting one thing.
25:59Whose number is it?
26:00Kyle Smith.
26:01Oh, Kyle.
26:04To the fans, Kay is an icon of the club.
26:08Part of my role here is obviously still very much involved in the community.
26:13But it's all about getting the word out there and for people to perceive and know that Orlando City and
26:21Orlando Pride are right here in your community.
26:26Community is hugely important to me.
26:28Number one, your fans are the heartbeat of your club.
26:32There is no team without the supporters.
26:36She's from the beginning.
26:37Kay was before any of us.
26:38It was their idea that got us our dream, essentially, up here in Orlando.
26:43Oh, it's everything.
26:44I literally gauge our schedules.
26:46We have five children total.
26:47All of our lives are scheduled around these games all the time.
26:51With kickoff approaching, the stadium is filling up fast and Kay is in constant demand.
26:57Can we get a quick picture together?
26:59Of course.
27:03The atmosphere has changed.
27:06Everyone's excited.
27:07You can feel it going on in the background.
27:09There's noise.
27:10There's bustle and hustle.
27:12It's great.
27:13It's so cool.
27:14All these people are here because we started a little old team back in 2011.
27:20The game is about to start and Kay needs to hurry and take her seat.
27:31In celebration, dance school owner Sarah is up and getting set for the busiest day of her year.
27:39Today is St. Patrick's Day, our favourite day of the year, isn't it?
27:44It's our favourite day of the year.
27:46Say yay.
27:48Can you say yay?
27:50So she's wearing a shamrock shirt.
27:52And then we're going to change into a pretty, pretty dress, aren't we?
27:54To match Mummy's eyes.
27:56Yeah.
27:57So we have a very busy day, so Mummy has to get her makeup on.
28:02With Sarah and her students performing at three shows today, Mum Eileen is making sure
28:07that she is fuelled up with an Ulster fry.
28:10We have the black pudding and the white pudding, the sausages, potato bread, and the soda bread.
28:16So it's, and of course the eggs, they go last.
28:20They're made, made to order.
28:23So this is not the healthiest of breakfast, I have to tell you.
28:26Well, it's a one-off.
28:28With brother Michael over from Belfast...
28:30You usually take two eggs, do you want another one?
28:32Mike, stop it.
28:33You have your own breakfast, you'll be around.
28:35No, Michael here, take another egg.
28:36Sarah has all the comforts of home.
28:39St. Patrick's Day, it's also a day where I would feel really homesick.
28:42I feel really homesick for home, even though I've been out here 13 years and living in Florida,
28:47I still call the UK and Ireland home.
28:49Because of my performance schedule, we'll have a breakfast together,
28:53just so I can feel less homesick and a little bit of Ireland before the craziness of America
28:57starts again.
28:58Has Sorka been eating her breakfast?
29:00Yeah, she's been a good girl, so I have to run up and get changed,
29:02and then I'm heading out for the first performance, so you're in charge of Sorka.
29:06Today, Sarah's schedule is packed, so she needs to get going.
29:11Mummy loves you.
29:12See you later.
29:14First up for Sarah is a show at a local nursing home.
29:19Hi, Tyler.
29:21We love going to the nursing home, Windsor.
29:23It's such a beautiful, beautiful resort.
29:25We love to go and visit all the elderly and retired people and bring some joy to them.
29:30We have some of our little beginners here.
29:32We're going to go along and they're all going to say their names.
29:34So what's your name?
29:35What's your name?
29:36I don't know.
29:38Anastasia.
29:38And how old are you, Anastasia?
29:41I don't know what's my number.
29:43She doesn't know how old she is.
29:45I'm seven.
29:46Across the US, St Patrick's Day gives Irish Americans the chance to honour their heritage.
29:52And then to start our show, a little Irish drum and Irish shoe piece.
30:02Americans make such a big deal out of St Patrick's Day because it's a link and it shows who they
30:08are and their heritage.
30:09America is a melting pot of so many different cultures.
30:12People on St Patrick's Day love to show that their ancestors came from Ireland.
30:21While Sarah and her students entertain the residents of the nursing home, husband Scott is out shopping.
30:31I'm looking for some flowers.
30:33Do you have tulips?
30:34Yes, sir, we do.
30:35Pink, purple.
30:37It is St. Patty's Day.
30:39So it's a crazy day for Sarah and for us in general.
30:41But it's also the day we met.
30:43You don't have green ones for St. Patrick's Day, do you?
30:45Unfortunately, no.
30:46No?
30:47Okay.
30:47We have carnations green.
30:50She'll kill me if it's not tulips.
30:51No, so we have to do tulips.
30:53To celebrate it and to maybe surprise her a little later on, I was going to go get her some
30:57flowers and a gift to her at the Lucky Leprechaun, which is where we met.
31:00The little St. Patrick's Day.
31:02Oh, look at this.
31:03Wow.
31:03There you go.
31:04We're going to act like this was all my idea, obviously.
31:06You guys can be my witnesses, am I right?
31:08Yes, sir.
31:09Okay.
31:10She got me some tulips.
31:11She hooked me up with some shamrock, so I think we're good there.
31:15Scott is all set for their anniversary.
31:18Sarah, though, still has a few more performances before she can celebrate.
31:23You, too.
31:24Have a good time to stay feeling.
31:25Say that to yourself.
31:26Bye.
31:34Over in St. Pete Beach, hotel pool attendant Oliver is reporting for duty.
31:41Morning, morning.
31:43Lovely day out.
31:45He works at the Don Cesar Hotel, fondly known as the Pink Palace, a landmark on the Gulf Coast that
31:51has welcomed guests,
31:52since 1928.
31:54How are we doing today, good?
31:56We are, this is, we're living the dream coming here.
31:58We love coming here.
32:00Hotel's iconic.
32:01It's not a bad place to be.
32:02A lot of guests that come for the Pink Palace vibe and aesthetic, but it's also very expensive,
32:07so people do expect very good service, very good experience.
32:10You guys need anything?
32:12Let us know.
32:13The hotel has two pools.
32:16On this shift, Oliver's covering the South Pole.
32:19This is obviously my office.
32:20This is Reggie.
32:21Yeah, I was the person who trained him.
32:24So we have 60 beds out here.
32:26What we do is we keep the pool in check.
32:28We do all the umbrellas.
32:29We set people up in the morning.
32:31We're kind of the muscles of the operation.
32:33And Oliver is clearly keen to get those muscles working.
32:37Before you open it, I'm going to move it forward, just so you actually get some shade.
32:40Perfect.
32:42As well as a free workout, the job here also gives Oliver some financial independence.
32:48Working at the hotels, since I got my green card, I was like, I just want to get a job,
32:51finally, because throughout high school, some of my friends had jobs, some of them didn't.
32:55But not being able to get a job was just making me want a job even more, just have my
32:59own money.
33:00And today, proud parents Donna and Dan have made the short walk over to the hotel to see Oliver.
33:07Oh, they've got rid of the fish tanks.
33:09Oh, that's a shame.
33:11Do you remember?
33:12Yeah.
33:13This hotel holds a special place in their hearts.
33:16The hotel means so much to me.
33:19It's been in my life pretty much all my life since I was four years old.
33:23I have so many amazing memories there.
33:25My first holiday with Dan there.
33:27I still can't believe my parents invited him on a Christmas holiday three months after we started dating.
33:34And today, they're feeling nostalgic.
34:05Would you mind taking a picture of us?
34:15We've been here for ages.
34:18No apology.
34:21I distinctly remember taking Oliver there because it's a happy memory.
34:26We first went to the hotel with him when he was four months old.
34:31He's now almost 20.
34:34Oh, still actually can't believe when I'm sitting here that Oliver is working here.
34:42He's just taken our order.
34:44It's all coming full circle, isn't it?
34:47Being a pool attendant isn't his dream career, but the internship he's applied for is.
34:54If Oliver gets the internship, I'll just feel so happy for him, relieved and proud.
35:00Talking of the devil.
35:02Butter, butter, chicken.
35:02Butter, lettuce with a grilled chicken.
35:04Blacked chicken.
35:05And chicken case of the old half of me.
35:07Oh, nice.
35:08With only 1% of applicants accepted, Oliver winning an internship would be his chance of a bright future.
35:16If I get the internship, it's 50, 60 hours a week.
35:18You have to stay driven today in America.
35:20Everyone's competing for the same thing and it's essentially like the American dream.
35:24So just try and be better than the person next to you and work harder and your dreams will come
35:29true.
35:30But until he hears back, Oliver is going to carry on earning his money poolside.
35:36How are we doing over here good?
35:37Umbrella good?
35:39Of course.
35:40If I get the internship, I'll be very happy.
35:56Over in Orlando, the game is about to begin and club founder Kay is at time for a quick outfit
36:03change.
36:04Ta-da!
36:06Now I feel better.
36:08Now I'm ready.
36:09I don't have a lot of superstitions.
36:11I do obviously always like to wear my jersey, the same sneakers.
36:14So we are ready to rock and roll.
36:17Dressed in her club shirt, Kay is ready to cheer the team on.
36:21But first, it's time for that all-American tradition, singing the national anthem.
36:27If you perform, God bless America, please welcome Avalon School of Music.
36:34Orlando City are playing Montreal.
36:36So obviously a Canadian team.
36:38And I think something British fans find different is we do the anthem before every game.
36:46So both anthems will be sung.
36:48As the smoke clears, the match gets underway.
36:52Kay watches from a team suite with her colleague Louise.
36:56Come on, let's go!
37:00Oh, come on!
37:02Oh, my God!
37:04It's a dream, and you've got to get everyone on board.
37:09And I think that's one of the most incredible pieces of this whole journey,
37:14is all the people we brought along with us who bought into that dream.
37:18It was a lot of hard work, but we were building towards something huge.
37:29Yes, exactly!
37:31Vamos!
37:32While the action plays out on the pitch, Kay's job continues as she checks on the VIP suites.
37:38We are going to another suite because we have some special guests in there tonight
37:44from our early days of the club.
37:49Oh, my God!
37:51Oh, my God!
37:54It's an English reunion.
37:56I know.
37:56You're like, here we are, we're all back together again.
37:59The band's back together.
38:00The band is back together.
38:01The band is back together.
38:01Hi, Timmy.
38:02This is Adrian Heath, who was our first-ever coach.
38:05We love him.
38:06We always love when he comes back to the club.
38:08So this guy here scored the first-ever goal in Orlando City.
38:12Lewis Neal, another UK escapee.
38:15From the beginning, we were building at that time,
38:18and so everyone got really close because we were all in this big dream together
38:24that we were going to get this club to be an MLS club.
38:28Kay did a really good job in the very early days from a community spirit standpoint.
38:32If it wasn't for Kay, at that time, building that type of momentum for us as a club,
38:37that community spirit, I don't think we'd be here today with where we're at.
38:42Wow.
38:42That's how much of an influence Kay's had on the club and the time we've got here and why this
38:48is here, really.
38:49It's not long before Orlando City take the lead.
38:54Uh-oh.
38:56Phew!
38:58We're bringing a sign of relief now.
39:01One-nil!
39:03Yeah!
39:04The game ends with a one-all draw, but for Kay, the day is still a success.
39:10Another result we wanted.
39:12Three points would be better than one.
39:14You just have to pick yourself up and move on and get on with the next game.
39:19I'm proud of Orlando, but I'm proud of having a team, building a team,
39:25that puts community front and centre of everything that we do.
39:30It's the gift that keeps on giving.
39:32I love this team, I love this community,
39:35and this has been just one of the best things that's ever happened to me.
39:47In St Pete Beach, Oliver has been working this summer as a pool attendant,
39:52but he's been holding out hope that he'll receive a coveted internship at a global accountancy firm.
39:59Nice, uh, quarter zip.
40:01And there's good news.
40:02I got the internship.
40:03Today, it's my first day, so yeah, it's pretty nerve-wracking.
40:06I'm choosing my first outfit for the day, choosing what I'm going to wear.
40:10Hopefully, I'll prove myself during the next ten weeks
40:13and secure an opportunity for me to come back to work there full-time.
40:17Nervous?
40:18I mean, it's just, I messed up today. I messed up everything.
40:22Oh, no. No. Just be yourself. That's the main thing.
40:27So, it's a really big thing that Oliver's secured this internship so early on in his college career,
40:35and I think this is a really good sign for him and his future.
40:40Don't forget to ring me. Will you be able to ring me?
40:43I'll ring you at lunch. That's probably the only time.
40:45I mean, I'll be in a room with 300 other people, so I don't want to just stop while I
40:49call my mum.
40:50This is my first step, essentially, in securing my future here in Florida.
40:54I don't want to go home.
40:55Be yourself. Go and show them. Show them what you're made of.
40:59Show them what this Brit is made of.
41:02This Brit. Okay.
41:03I'll use them words when I get there.
41:06All right. Love you. I'll be home at, like, five, six.
41:09All right. Will you drive carefully?
41:10I'll drive carefully.
41:18200 miles east, and it's the last performance of a hectic St. Patrick's Day for dance school owner Sarah.
41:26We are finally here at the last gig of the night. This is the Lucky Leprechaun on International Drive.
41:32I'm absolutely exhausted. We've been performing all day.
41:36And she's worried about this performance after a shaky final rehearsal.
41:40I hope the three girls who were struggling in rehearsals actually have their stuff together,
41:45and they know what they're doing, and they're focused, and they can put it off tonight.
41:49How are yous feeling?
41:51Good. Good.
41:52Okay. So yous are okay, and yous happy to go?
41:54Yeah. Are yous tired?
41:56No.
41:56No? Are yous buzzing? Are yous excited?
41:59No.
42:00Fired up?
42:01Fired up?
42:02And Sarah has a surprise for the girls.
42:04She's going to join them on stage.
42:06I'm going to jump in at the end, so what spot do you start in the double travel stuff?
42:11It'll be her first dance in public for three years.
42:14The last time I performed in front of an audience would have been probably my wedding day.
42:20I didn't dance while I was pregnant, and then I had the baby, and just trying to get back in
42:24shape,
42:24so I haven't danced in a while.
42:27Hands up. Okay, he's been being heavy. She's as fast as possible.
42:31Go, go. Yeah, right now.
42:32With the show just moments away, how are the nerves?
42:36We're going to make Miss Sarah really proud with this.
42:38We've been working really hard on it, so we're going to see that all tonight.
42:41For today's performance, I feel pretty confident.
42:44We all know what we're doing. We've been practicing it for a while all together.
42:48We should be fine.
42:50Husband Scots and daughter Saoirse are here to lend their support.
42:54And it's the moment of truth. Can the girls do Sarah proud?
42:57Okay, happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody.
43:00Some of these girls are travelling to Ireland in April to perform in the World Championships.
43:07We really hope you guys enjoy it. Please welcome on stage our performance troupe doing Summer Storm.
43:13Woo-hoo!
43:24Irish dancing, it's my whole life. It's the core of who I am, and I feel like I was born
43:29to come to America and share my passion of Irish culture with the youth.
43:42I've come here. America gave me my green card and welcomed me with open arms
43:47and has let me pursue my passion overseas that I would not have been able to be as successful at
43:53home.
43:54And I'm so thankful for that.
44:04The performance is over. Is Sarah happy?
44:08I'm absolutely really, really proud of the girls. They pulled it off. They were fantastic. The crowd went absolutely wild.
44:14They loved it. And I haven't danced in three years, and I got up and danced tonight, and I think
44:20they love that even more.
44:21And I'm really happy with how it went.
44:23It went excellent. Gorgeous.
44:24It's amazing.
44:26I've been into Sarah. I'm really proud.
44:27She's so proud of us.
44:28You can tell by her expressions.
44:30After finishing a full day of performances, Sarah can join Scott to mark the anniversary of when they first met
44:37six years ago, right here in this bar.
44:41Your flowers.
44:41The perennos, thank you so much. And they actually got tulips.
44:45Put in a lot of work for those.
44:46Oh my god, they're all shamrocks. These are so cute, and they're white. And they're like pink and white. They're
44:52so beautiful. Thank you so much.
44:54This is like the nicest bouquet you've ever got, man.
44:57I'm living the American dream. I definitely am. If you're going to leave your hometown, you're going to leave it
45:02for a better life.
45:03I love you.
45:03I love you too.
45:04I love you too.
45:05I know what you're about to say.
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