Third episode of "Up and Away" Emigrants doubt their plans after a stroke of fate
Sibylle Luisi and Thomas Neyerlin from Laufen BL dare to make a new start in France. They want to take over a campsite in Burgundy.
Image: SRF
Sibylle and Thomas have to come to terms with the death of their friend René. The ex-policeman wanted to emigrate with them. But he suddenly passes away in his sleep.
Image: SRF
Nadine and Michel Burkhalter emigrate from Sugiez FR to Costa Rica with their boys. The boys are about to start nursery and school for the first time.
Image: SRF
Marc and Mirjam Dunkel with their horse in Colorado. The Thun couple have taken over a ranch.
Image: SRF
They struggle with the cold in Colorado.
Image: Screenshot SRF
Even Mirjam Dunkel's hair freezes there.
Image: Screenshot SRF
Sibylle Luisi and Thomas Neyerlin from Laufen BL dare to make a new start in France. They want to take over a campsite in Burgundy.
Image: SRF
Sibylle and Thomas have to come to terms with the death of their friend René. The ex-policeman wanted to emigrate with them. But he suddenly passes away in his sleep.
Image: SRF
Nadine and Michel Burkhalter emigrate from Sugiez FR to Costa Rica with their boys. The boys are about to start nursery and school for the first time.
Image: SRF
Marc and Mirjam Dunkel with their horse in Colorado. The Thun couple have taken over a ranch.
Image: SRF
They struggle with the cold in Colorado.
Image: Screenshot SRF
Even Mirjam Dunkel's hair freezes there.
Image: Screenshot SRF
In the new episode of "Up and Away", emigration dreams start to falter: a sudden death deeply shakes the French emigrants Sibylle and Thomas and makes them doubt their plans.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- The sudden death of a close friend and fellow emigrant shakes Sibylle Luisi and Thomas Neyerlin's plans, but they hold on to their dream.
- Meanwhile, the Burkhalter family in Costa Rica are about to make a special kind of new start: The boys are starting nursery and school.
- Mirjam and Marc Dunkel struggle with extreme sub-zero temperatures in Colorado, which freeze the water and cause problems with the electrics.
A stroke of fate in France
The search for the perfect campsite sometimes feels like an endless journey for Sibylle Luisi and Thomas Neyerlin. Places close to the beach, with far-reaching views, with seemingly everything you could wish for - and yet something is missing. "It just doesn't click," says Thomas. So they make a conscious decision to wait. "We don't have to overshoot anything. We'd rather live in the camper until the right place comes along."
This has been their reality for the past two months. They commute between Switzerland and France, sleeping in their caravan, accompanied by their two dogs. A life in a confined space, characterized by improvisation, patience - and hope. But everyday life is challenging. It often rains in France, everything is damp, muddy and heavy. "It gets on your nerves at some point," says Sibylle frankly.
Nevertheless, they hold on to their dream. They look at around 15 campsites. Each time, hope flares up. Each time they imagine how their new life could begin here. Several times they are on the verge of reaching an agreement - contract negotiations are underway, prospects emerge. And then they break up again.
The moment that calls everything into question
Then comes the turning point that overshadows everything. At the same time as the failure of a takeover, René dies - suddenly, completely unexpectedly. He takes a nap and never wakes up. René had been a close friend of the couple for many years and wanted to emigrate to France with them.
"The day before, he was still happy about the contract negotiations," says Sibylle. "And then he was simply gone."
René was a member of the "Barracuda" special unit of the Basel cantonal police - a tough shell, disciplined and strong. His death hits Sibylle and Thomas with full force. "We were extremely shocked," they say.
Suddenly doubts arise that had no place before. Is this all a sign? Should they carry on - or is this dream doomed to failure from the start?
One thought provides comfort: René did not live to see the final failure of the contract negotiations. He died believing that it would work out. That his dream would become reality.
A place that gives new confidence
And indeed, the story does not end here. In Obterre, a quiet region in the heart of France known for its castles, Sibylle Luisi and Thomas Neyerlin finally find their place. They take over "Le Colvert" - a small complex with vacation apartments and studios. Not a loud new start, but a quiet one. One that feels right.
But before their big dream can be realized, patience is once again required. The takeover papers have to be checked by lawyers. And finding an appointment is no easy matter.
First day of school in Costa Rica
When it comes to education, the Burkhalters from Sugiez FR have clear priorities. In Cahuita on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, there has been a private school with Swiss roots for three years. The project was initiated by Swiss national Pius Graf, who himself emigrated to Costa Rica around 30 years ago. Because there was a lack of suitable educational opportunities locally, he founded his own school. It all started with two children, and today the school has around 130 pupils.
Attending the school comes at a cost: The school fees are around 320 US dollars per month per child. By comparison, the average monthly income in Costa Rica is around 800 to 900 US dollars.
For the Burkhalter family of four, education is nevertheless a central part of their new start. The mood is correspondingly tense before the first few days of their new everyday life. But relief follows quickly: the start of school and daycare goes smoothly and the children feel at home.
The only thing missing now is a place where the dream can really take root. The family visits an existing hotel, but the feeling is not right. Too many compromises, the rooms are too cramped, too small. The building is in need of renovation.
They want to take their time to realize their dream of emigrating - and would rather keep looking than make a hasty decision.
Extreme cold in Colorado
Reality catches up with them in full force - and with extreme cold. On the ranch, they battle daily with temperatures that make even simple tasks on the Giga Ranch a challenge.
Even Mirjam Dunkel's hair freezes outside. Meanwhile, ranch manager Marc is faced with practical problems that need to be solved immediately: no running water, power cuts due to the cold. "Someone has to fix it - so I'll do it," he says.
For Marc, looking after the property and the cabin guests quickly becomes a full-time job. The former manager grows into a new role - as an all-rounder, a man for all occasions. He finds stability in the task, sees meaning in maintaining the ranch, in repairing, improvising and carrying on. A life that is physically demanding, but tangible.
A new start with a search for a place
For Mirjam, the new start is more difficult. In Switzerland, she worked as a horse trainer for over 20 years, alongside her job as a police officer. In Canada, she initially lacked perspective. "I didn't fall into a hole," she says, "but it was much more difficult than for Marc to imagine what I could do here professionally." While Marc gets to work and finds solutions, she is still searching - for a place, a task, a new identity.
And then there's another dream: her own tiny house. Designed by a Swiss expatriate, it is to become her new home. But it is still a dream of the future. They are still waiting. For plans, for construction progress - and for a place that finally feels like home.
