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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.
00:08I absolutely love it here.
00:10Who've made the Sunshine State their new home.
00:13This is what sold me out. 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 sub.
00:24Cheers, Biggers!
00:25Ding, ding, ding!
00:26It's our little piece of paradise.
00:28Get it right and life in Florida can be like a dream come true.
00:32Every evening do this with your glass of wine.
00:35But getting here and staying here takes hard work.
00:38I do pinch myself every day.
00:41Grit.
00:41We just lost the starboard motor.
00:44And determination.
00:45Good job. Well done.
00:46These are the Brits who've made their own Escape to Florida.
00:54Today on Escape to Florida...
01:00Can dance teacher Sarah and her class make it all right on the night?
01:06Guys, what's happened?
01:12Ta-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?
01:36Celebration.
01:37A 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 kettle in America.
01:54I couldn't believe it.
01:55Apparently you can make hot water out of a coffee machine.
01:59But that's just wrong.
02:02Absolutely 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.
02:12This 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.
02:20It was for you too because you told me that night I was amazing.
02:23You stopped me and you were like, you're amazing.
02:25I 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.
02:34This is a Picky Rolla photo.
02:36This is Cinderella meets Picky Blinders overlooking the city of Belfast.
02:39And have now welcomed two-year-old daughter Saoirse to the family.
02:44Saoirse what?
02:44Why does an alligator go?
02:46Chomp, chomp, chomp.
02:47Good 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
03:03for many years.
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.
03:20I spoke to the lawyer and said, you'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.
03:41So 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 Kaka!
04:07Thankfully, her mum Eileen is visiting from Northern Ireland.
04:11She's got her rally boots on?
04:13Yeah, because it came out of water.
04:15Eileen loves life in Florida, loves her little breaks out here.
04:17I love to escape the winter.
04:19Yeah.
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.
04:35Right, okay.
04:37What's Kaka got for Baba?
04:39She had seven children.
04:41And while she had seven children, she worked a full-time job as a teacher.
04:45Now 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.
04:52Saoirse, I put the tableclothes back.
04:54Well, mum, I didn't want, look, you're going to get stained.
04:56It doesn't matter.
04:58We'll put it in the washing machine.
04:59Saoirse, 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,
05:07she would drive me in a heartbeat.
05:09You danced on the Great Wall, I remember.
05:11I've got a photo of that.
05:12This is me dancing on the Great Wall of China.
05:16That's right.
05:17I've seen that.
05:18Do you remember that?
05:19It was so cold.
05:19It must have been during the winter because you're all wrapped up.
05:21It's one of the shows.
05:22Today, Sarah is off to make sure that her students are performance ready.
05:28Telling Gaga we have a very busy day today.
05:30Baby, yay, yay.
05:34What are you going to do, Saoirse?
05:35We have the very last rehearsal for St Patrick's Day at class.
05:39Ooh.
05:39We have to go to class and we have to teach all the boys and girls how to dance, don't
05:43we?
05:43St Patrick's Day is our biggest and best day of 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, with the final one at the same Orlando Irish bar where Sarah
05:58met Scott.
06:00Where is the performance?
06:01It's in a lucky leprechaun.
06:03Oh, right.
06:03On St Patrick's Day.
06:04It's going to be bunged.
06:05I know.
06:06It's going to be jammed.
06:06I 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.
06:16Hello!
06:16It's a special place for Sarah, but today her attention is firmly on getting the students ready to perform.
06:22The girls are all nervous.
06:24It's their first time working together with the harder steps and the harder choreography.
06:27But we just need to get into the class, get working with the dancers and hopefully it all goes well.
06:38Orlando in Central Florida, the theme park capital of the world, where it's guaranteed sunshine 233 days a year, but
06:50not today.
06:52Well, whenever you see the trees start doing this, when you see everything start waving and getting a little bit
06:57crazy, you 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 quite a 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.
07:20I quit school at 17.
07:22I 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.
07:33I 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, one of the people who brought soccer to Orlando.
07:57We're playing Montreal tonight and I have a good feeling I think we're going to win.
08:01The other founder was her now ex-husband.
08:04One of the biggest challenges for me was when me and my ex-husband split up.
08:10We'd done all the hard work, we'd started a team, we'd gotten into major league soccer,
08:16we'd started a women's team in 2016 and now we were opening a stadium.
08:21That was a really challenging time.
08:23The marriage didn't last, but 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 where, you know,
08:41we were always around together, everyone knew us as a couple.
08:44And all of a sudden I now became the face of the club.
08:49There are very often occasions, especially driving into the stadium,
08:55where I have a pinch me moment of, oh my gosh, we did this.
09:00Like this isn't just a place that I work in.
09:02This is somewhere that I help to design and build and 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.
09:15But today is match day and 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 in 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.
09:36So this whole project is a series of a minimum of 13 different garments
09:41that you can select your graphic and put it on baby gear, t-shirts,
09:45women's gear, tank tops, sweatshirts.
09:48Oh, wow. Very cool.
09:49Well, I know some of the academy coaches just had girls,
09:51so we should be sending them some of the Marta ones for sure.
09:55Tonight's kickoff is five hours away
09:57and it's time for Kay to make sure everything 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, it was still a great experience.
10:19St. Pete Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast has 35 miles of white sandy beaches.
10:26But today, London-born Donna and Dan and their two sons,
10:3219-year-old Oliver and 14-year-old Billy,
10:35Oliver!
10:36are starting their day in the pool.
10:39Oh, my God.
10:40I feel blessed every single day.
10:42It's everyone's dream to live somewhere like Florida.
10:45They moved to the Sunshine State four years ago.
10:48This 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.
11:03It'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.
11:21He 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.
11:43So, yeah, this is my uniform.
11:46My 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.
12:13My mum, I think, first came here when she was about 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, everyone was like, oh, like, who's this?
12:37Like, let me go speak to him.
12:40It's just a great place.
12:41I'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 and also something I'm good at and
12:58just maximise it.
13:00To convert his green card to citizenship, Oliver needs a steady, well-paying job.
13:06My ambition is to graduate college, have an internship or two while I'm in college and then hopefully graduate and
13:13have something set up for me.
13:15So, this summer, he's applied for a highly sought-after internship with 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.
13:30But 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.
13:46So, 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.
14:03Oliver'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.
14:17They're really nice.
14:18Are they?
14:18Oliver is off to work at the hotel to earn himself some dollars poolside.
14:23Love you. Have a good day.
14:25Love you. Bye.
14:31It'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 realize 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 $6,500 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.
15:28Make sure they feel welcome.
15:30Check that the suites are all clean and ready and set up.
15:35Hello ladies!
15:36Hello, how are you doing?
15:38How are we?
15:39How are you?
15:40Good, good!
15:41Getting ready for the game?
15:42And you will see straight out the mask.
15:45None of those sticky fingerprints on there.
15:48No, this is awesome.
15:49So 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.
15:57Because they're the ones who keep it all going and are behind the scenes.
16:01The unsung heroes of Orlando City.
16:04Kay's next stop is the locker room to visit Ricardo, the club's sporting director.
16:10Hey!
16:10How are you?
16:10I'm good, how are you doing?
16:13Strategising and...
16:14Yeah, just thinking about the team.
16:16Yeah.
16:16As you always do.
16:17Ricardo is one of the people who brings all the amazing players that come to play for Orlando City.
16:23Again, ready for the game.
16:24Montreal.
16:25Good points, baby.
16:26Yeah, I think so.
16:28Kay's teams have a keen eye for talent.
16:30With players like former World Player of the Year Kaka, U.S. women's icon Alex Morgan.
16:36And 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'Heda.
16:49Their names are over there.
16:50And they are killing it right now.
16:52So DP stands for designated player.
16:56And each team is allowed three on their squad.
16:59They can be paid outside of the salary cap.
17:02So that's how you can have some of those really big marquee players.
17:06I mean Lionel Messi is an obvious one.
17:09Plays for our rivals down the road.
17:12Orlando City is part of Major League Soccer.
17:15The U.S. equivalent to the English Premier League.
17:18But still no detail is too small to escape founder Kay.
17:22This 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.
17:33We'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.
17:44But here, it's a lot hotter.
17:47So kick-off is at 7.30.
17:50And anyone who's ever lived in Orlando will know.
17:54We can't do the three o'clock kick-off.
17:56It's hot as blazes at that time.
17:59The supporters will soon arrive to begin their pre-match festivities.
18:03And this whole stadium will come alive.
18:11In celebration, it's the final day of preparation for dance school owner Sarah.
18:20Step, down, up, down.
18:24St. Patrick's Day is just four days away.
18:27The biggest date in her school's calendar.
18:30St. Patrick's night is very important.
18:32Everything 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.
18:45And I'm going to put all the dancers through their steps.
18:47I'm going to make sure they're in sync.
18:49And 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, okay?
18:58Five, six, seven, go.
19:00Jump, jump, point half-back.
19:02Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Good girl.
19:06Right foot. Left foot. Go. Jump, jump.
19:09Irish dancing is 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. Ten years later, I have 13 locations over two states and I
19:50have four teachers that work for me. Over 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.
20:23Oh my God, it's gorgeous.
20:26It's really great.
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. It's absolutely gorgeous.
20:36They cost anywhere between two and a half thousand dollars to four thousand dollars.
20:40So it's a massive financial commitment.
20:44Emma, do you love that?
20:45Yeah.
20:47Oh wow, where's the crown?
20:49Let's see the crown.
20:51Oh my, it is so gorgeous.
20:53Oh, best of luck in it.
20:54Girls, what do you think? Isn't it stunning?
20:56So great.
20:57So gorgeous.
20:58The highlights of St. Patrick's Day will see Sarah's top students perform at an Irish bar in Orlando.
21:04As soon as you just walk out, you're 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.
21:19Some 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 learnt back in the day when
21:39I was in a professional show.
21:40Do it by yourself.
21:42Do you understand?
21:44Do you hear that?
21:44You're missing a down.
21:46Yeah.
21:46So I'm going to do it again.
21:48But this rehearsal is nowhere near Sarah's standards.
21:57Guys, what's happening?
21:58It was only eight points.
22:00We did eight points.
22:01Right, but then why is there three people in dancing?
22:04After we do the songs, then it's eight points.
22:05Girls, I was not wrote this.
22:07What's going on?
22:08No, but you dance.
22:09That's the wrong dance.
22:10You can't get your dances mixed up.
22:12It's eight points.
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.
22:26It's a new dance, but it has to be perfect.
22:29I need just to focus.
22:30I need just to practice.
22:31I need to go home.
22:31And if he's of any questions, just need to let me know now
22:33because this is the last chance he's had.
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.
22:42I need you to up on practicing it.
22:44And so Sarah steps up to show them how it should be done.
22:48I think the girls are under pressure.
22:50I'm just worried that they can get the steps for St. Patrick's Day performance.
22:54But the question is, will they be show ready in four days' time?
23:11At the stadium, it's three hours before kick-off.
23:16And soccer club founder Kay is joining fans to share in the buzz.
23:21How are you?
23:22I'm good. How are you doing?
23:23Doing well.
23:24She is at a tailgate, an American sports tradition where fans gather together before the game.
23:30So tailgates are pretty much the equivalent of going to the pub before the game,
23:34having a drink, chatting with your 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.
23:44And then they move here.
23:46And then you become another thread in the fabric of the tapestry of the town.
23:50You guys are like, this is who you are.
23:53Right.
23:53And this is how we show up.
23:54And 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.
24:06There's no team without the supporters.
24:09Without the people.
24:10Without the people.
24:10Without the people.
24:12I love meeting with the supporters, especially the ones who've been there since the beginning,
24:17who believed in us when we were still a teeny tiny minor league team,
24:22but 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.
24:37I've seen the people in the stands wearing these.
24:40What the heck?
24:42No, thank you.
24:43It's hilarious when, like, the ten-year-old kids have it.
24:45Yeah, it's down there somewhere.
24:48On match days, sales of merchandise, food and drink account for nearly a fifth of the club's income.
24:54Here'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,
25:04so it's getting, being as ready as you can be for when they get here.
25:08I am very excited.
25:10Yeah, 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, and it's where the most passionate,
25:25the fans who want to jump and dance and sing and chant for the whole 90 minutes, this is where
25:31they will be.
25:32Match days are one of the favorite things, that shared experience.
25:38I think it's something, as humans, it's what you want.
25:42OMG, look at this dude.
25:44Give me a high five.
25:45Whoosh.
25:46Come on.
25:47All of a sudden, you're a tribe, and 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.
26:03To the fans, Kay is an icon of the club.
26:07Part of my role here is obviously still very much involved in the community, but it's all about getting the
26:15word out there,
26:16and for people to perceive and know that Orlando City and Orlando Pride are right here in your community.
26:25Community 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.
26:42Oh, it's everything.
26:43I literally gauge our schedules.
26:46We have five children total, and all 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.
27:05It seems like everyone'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.
27:14Yeah, all these people are here, because we started a little old team back in 2011.
27:19The 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.
27:38Today is St. Patrick's Day, our favourite day of the year, isn't it?
27:44It's our favourite day of the year. Say yay! Can you say yay?
27:50So she's wearing a shamrock shirt, and 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 make-up on.
28:02With Sarah and her students performing at three shows today, Mum Eileen is making sure that she is fuelled up
28:08with 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.
28:22So 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 every round.
28:35No, Michael here, take another egg.
28:36Sarah has all the comforts of home.
28:38St. 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,
28:52just so I can feel less homesick and a little bit of Ireland before the craziness of America starts again.
28:58Has Sarah 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 Saoirse.
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.
29:18Hi, Tyler.
29:19Hello, nice to meet you.
29:21We love going to the nursing home Windsor.
29:23It's such a beautiful, beautiful resort.
29:24We 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.
29:37Anastasia.
29:38And how old are you, Anastasia?
29:40I don't know what's my number.
29:43She doesn't know.
29:43She doesn't know how old she is.
29:45I'm seven.
29:45Across 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
30:07who they are and their heritage.
30:09America is a melting pot of so many different cultures.
30:13People 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,
30:26husband Scott is out shopping.
30:30I'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.
30:38So it's a crazy day for Sarah and for us in general, but 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.
30:49She'll kill me if it's not tulips.
30:51Ah, no, so we have to do tulips.
30:52To celebrate it and to maybe surprise her a little later on, I was going to go get her
30:57some flowers 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.
31:08Okay.
31:09She got me some tulips.
31:11She hooked me up with some shamrock, so I think we're good there.
31:14Scott is all set for their anniversary.
31:18Sarah, though, still has a few more performances before she can celebrate.
31:22Have a good time.
31:24Have a good time.
31:24Say that to yourself.
31:26Bye.
31:34Over in St Pete Beach, hotel pool attendant Oliver is reporting for duty.
31:40Morning, morning.
31:43Lovely day out.
31:44He works at the Don Cesar Hotel, fondly known as the Pink Palace, a landmark on the Gulf Coast
31:51that has welcomed guests since 1928.
31:54How are we doing today, kids?
31:55We are, this is, we're living the dream coming here.
31:58We love coming here.
31:59The hotel is iconic, not a bad place to be.
32:01A lot of guests that come for the Pink Palace vibe and aesthetic, but it's also very expensive,
32:06so people do expect very good service, very good experience.
32:10If you guys need anything, let us know.
32:13The hotel has two pools.
32:15On this shift, Oliver's covering the south pool.
32:18This is obviously my office.
32:20This is Reggie.
32:21Yeah, I was the person who trained here.
32:24So we have 60 beds out here.
32:26What we do is we keep the pool in check.
32:27We do all the umbrellas.
32:29We set people up in the morning.
32:30We're kind of the muscles of the operation.
32:33And Oliver is clearly keen to get those muscles working.
32:36Before 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 hotel, 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
32:58own money.
33:00And today, proud parents Donna and Dan have made the short walk over to the hotel to see Oliver.
33:06Oh, they've got rid of the fish tanks.
33:10That'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.
33:22I 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.
33:33And today, they're feeling nostalgic.
33:37Would you mind taking a picture of us?
33:39Sure.
33:39So this is me and my husband.
33:41So we're going to try and recreate this picture.
33:44Try and make us look 30 years younger.
33:46It's 33 years ago.
33:47OK.
33:48The picture means a lot to me, to tell the truth.
33:50It's one of them pictures we always look back on and laugh.
33:53It's one of them special pictures to us.
33:54It's just the history.
33:55It's just the history with Oliver working there now and it's just going back full circle.
34:02That's so funny.
34:04Can we have a look?
34:04Have a look.
34:05That's quite good, isn't it?
34:1133 years on from that photo, they're back.
34:16We've been here for ages.
34:18There's no 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.
34:34I 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 come full circle, doesn'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.
34:58Relieved and proud.
35:00Talking of the devil.
35:02Butter, butter, chicken.
35:02Butter, lettuce with a grilled chicken.
35:04Blacked chicken.
35:05And chicken.
35:06Oh, 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 at 50, 60 hours a week, you 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.
35:35How are we doing over here good?
35:37Umbrella good?
35:38Good.
35:39Of course.
35:39If I get the internship, I'll be very happy.
35:56Over in Orlando, the game is about to begin and club founder Kay is a time for a quick outfit
36:03change.
36:03Ta-da!
36:05Now I feel better.
36:07Now I'm ready.
36:08I don't have a lot of superstitions.
36:10I 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.
36:26Here to perform, God bless America, please welcome Avalon School of Music.
36:34Orlando City are playing Montreal, so obviously a Canadian team.
36:39And I think something British fans find different is we do the anthem before every game, so both anthems will
36:47be sung.
36:48As the smoke clears, the match gets underway. Kay watches from a team suite with her colleague Luis.
36:56Come on, let's go!
37:00Ah, come on!
37:02Oh, my God!
37:04It's a dream, and you've got to get everyone on board.
37:08And 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.
37:25Oh!
37:29Yes, exactly! Vamos!
37:32While the action plays out on the pitch, Kay's job continues as she checks on the VIP suites.
37:37We are going to another suite because we have some special guests in there tonight from our early days of
37:47the club.
37:49Oh, my God!
37:51Oh, my God!
37:53It's an English reunion!
37:55I know!
37:56You're like, here we are, we're all back together again.
37:59The band's back together, isn't it?
37:59The band is back together. Hi, Tinny.
38:02This is Adrian Heath, who was our first-ever coach.
38:05We love him, we always love when he comes back to the club.
38:09So, this guy here scored the first-ever goal in Orlando City with Neil, another UK escapee.
38:15From the beginning, we were building at that time, and so everyone got really close
38:21because we were all in this big dream together that we were going to get this club to be an
38:27MLS 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 know where we, I don't think we'd be here today with where we're at.
38:41Wow.
38:42That's how much of an influence Kay's had on the club and how we've got here and why this is
38:48here, really.
38:49It's not long before Orlando City take the lead.
38:54Uh-oh.
38:56Phew!
38:58I'm 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, three points would be better than one.
39:14You just have to pick yourself up and move on and get on with the next game.
39:18I'm proud of Orlando, but I'm proud of having a team, building a team that puts community front and centre
39:27of everything that we do.
39:30It's the gift that keeps on giving.
39:32I love this team, I love this community, and this has been just one of the best things that's ever
39:39happened to me.
39:46In St Pete Beach, Oliver has been working this summer as a pool attendant, but he's been holding out hope
39:54that he'll receive a coveted internship at a global accountancy firm.
39:59Nice, uh, quarter zip.
40:00And 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 and secure an opportunity for me to come back to work
40:16there full-time.
40:17Nervous?
40:18I mean, it's just, if I mess up today, I mess up everything.
40:22Oh no, no, just be yourself.
40:25That'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, and I
40:36think this is a really good sign for him and his future.
40:39Don'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. I mean, I'll be in a room with 300 other
40:46people, so I don't want to just stop while I call my mum.
40:49This is my first step, essentially, in securing my future here in Florida. I don't want to go home.
40:55Be yourself. Go and show them. Show them what you're made of. Show them what this Brit is made of.
41:01This Brit, okay. I'll use them words when I get there.
41:05All 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 Luffy Leprechaun on International Drive. I'm
41:32absolutely exhausted. We've been performing all day.
41:35And 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, and they know what they're
41:46doing, and they're focused, and they can put it off tonight.
41:49How are you feeling?
41:51Good. Good.
41:52All right, so these are okay? You're just happy to go? Yeah. Are you tired? No. No? Are you buzzing?
41:58Are you excited? Are you, are you, are you fired up? Okay.
42:01and Sarah has a surprise for the girls she's gonna join them on stage I'm
42:07gonna jump in at the end so what spot do you start in a double travel set it'll
42:11be her first dance in public for three years the last time I performed in front
42:16of an audience would have been probably my wedding day but I didn't dance while
42:21I was pregnant and then I had the baby and just trying to get back in shape so
42:24haven't danced in a way hands up okay you think being heavy she's as fast as
42:30possible go go yeah right now with the show just moments away how are the
42:35nerves we're gonna make miss Sarah really proud with this we've been working
42:38really hard on it so we're gonna see that all tonight for today's performance I
42:43feel pretty confident we all know what we're doing we've been practicing it for
42:46a while all together we should be fine husband Scots and daughter Saoirse are here
42:52to lend their support and it's the moment of truth can the girls do Sarah
42:56proud okay happy St Patrick's Day everybody some of these girls are
43:01traveling to Ireland in April to perform in the world championships we really hope
43:08you enjoy it please welcome on stage our performance trip during summer storm
43:23Irish dancing it's my whole life it's the core of who I am and I feel like I was
43:28born to 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 and has let me
43:47pursue my passion overseas that I would not have been able to be a successful act at
43:53home and I'm so thankful for the performance is over is Sarah happy I'm absolutely really really
44:09proud of the girls the painted off they were fantastic the crowd went absolutely wild they
44:14loved it and I haven't danced in three years and I got up and down tonight and I think they
44:20loved that even more and I'm really happy with how it went it went excellent gorgeous
44:26I've been into Sarah really proud she's so proud as you can tell by her expressions after finishing a
44:31full day of performances Sarah can join Scott to mark the anniversary of when they first met six
44:37years ago right here in this bar your flowers thank you so much and they actually got tulips put in
44:45a lot of
44:45work for those oh my god they're total shamrocks these are so cute and they're white and they're
44:50like pink and white they're so beautiful thank you so much this is like this the nicest bouquet you've
44:55ever got mine I'm living the American dream I definitely am if you're gonna leave your
45:00hometown you you're gonna leave it for a better life I love you I love you too happy St Patrick's
45:05day
45:05so
45:17you
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