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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us December 13, 2004 Family hops across the pond for a new life By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings A desire to break the monotony of their lives and give their three children a new experience brought the Stewart family from their native England to Ashland. After having only visited Ashland for several hours in 2003, Adrian Stewart, his wife Jo, and their three children, ages 17 to 11, bought a home and moved to Ashland in June, moving from the town of Minchinhampton, population 8,000, located about 100 miles away from London in the Cotswolds, where they had lived since 1985. The Stewarts said they had been talking about moving to America for about five years. After living in England their whole lives, they wanted to experience another culture and way of life. "We had a mid-life crisis," Adrian Stewart said. "We wanted one more adventure before the children left home." Adrian Stewart, an investment banker, worked in London and would stay for the week before returning home for the weekend. He said that he missed spending more time with his family and wanted a change. "The children grew up all their lives in the same town and with the same friends," Jo Stewart said. "We just felt the need to show them the greater possibilities in life. ... We like that can-do attitude in America, that anything is possible." A wake-up call While they had thought about it for awhile, Jo Stewart said the move was triggered by her mother getting ill and eventually passing away in 2002. Her mother told Jo that she always wanted to live in a gypsy caravan and regretted having never done that. Jo Stewart said her mother told her that if she had her own gypsy caravan, she needed to pursue it. "We had talked about it, but this made us think if we waited for the right time, it would never happen," Jo Stewart said. The family, who had been to the United States on vacation, went to work to find the perfect place. They found Ashland on a school site, greatschools.net, and saw it had a high ranking. The couple visited 20 communities in California last summer, but said none of them felt right. While in Ukiah, Calif. they decided to fly into Ashland for an afternoon visit. Unlike the other towns they visited, Ashland just felt right. They liked the look and vibe of the town. While they lived in a small town in England, Jo Stewart said it had an alternative feel like Ashland, which they liked. After working with an immigration lawyer, they got everything in order, buying a home in February and moving the entire family, including a dog and two cats, to Ashland in June. New experiences Their oldest child, Jay, said at first the idea of moving wasn't too appealing. "It was strange," he said. "It was 17 years of my life and we were just going." While the boy had his doubts, he has enjoyed his time in Ashland. He said he likes the friendliness of people here and those he has meet at Ashland High School, where he is a senior. Jay also likes the less stringent and open atmosphere of the school. Before, he went to a private, all boys schools where he had to wear a uniform, blazer and tie. Jay helped form a rugby club at the school, which will participate in their first tournament in Portland in February. They have 18 members, although only Jay and a student from France have played rugby before. "It has been great," he said. "I haven't played in so long. I just craved it." Jay said now, he understands what his parents were trying to do. "I understand I'm not losing 17 years, I'm gaining an experience I can use for the rest of my life," he said. Middle child Camilla, 14, went to a more alternative Waldorf school in England and said she liked that the vibe at Ashland High was similar. She said at first, she and her friends in England did not want her to go, but she has gotten used to her new surroundings and is enjoying her new home. "It's sort of like one big family here," she said. "And they have parades for all occasions. Everyone seems more comfortable and open here." Youngest son, Angus, 11, is a student at Ashland Middle School. Jo Stewart said the only family member that is still having a hard time adjusting is one of their cats. "It's still sulking," she said. "They're creatures of habit and they don't want things to change." Banker no more After being an investment banker, Adrian Stewart plans to raise Alpacas on his large property. He did it as a hobby in England and thought it would be a fun business to pursue. He expects his first Alpacas to arrive in a few weeks. In England, Jo Stewart owned and managed a couple of Internet-based companies that specialize in vacation rental properties. The move to Ashland has not effected that work. She has also written and published four books on the subject of childbirth. While they have enjoyed their new home, living in America has taken some adjusting to. Adrian said it took time to figure out where to buy things like a vacuum and to adapt to subtle differences in everyday life with things such as buying stamps, doing taxes, or driving, all different than England. Jo Stewart said she was surprised at how open people were on who they were voting for in November's election. "The British are known for their reserve when it comes to politics. It's a complete secret," she said. "It was fantastic to see the openness here. They tell you if they like someone or not." The family has been welcomed with open arms in the community. Shortly after arriving, they were invited by a neighbor for dinner and had Thanksgiving with another family. On Saturday, they had a celebration with all their new friends at a barn on their property, which included music by the Ashland Old Time Fiddlers. Overall, the family said their experience in Ashland has exceeded their expectations. "I can't think of an element here that has not been better than we thought it was going to be," Jo Stewart said. " This has been a character builder." DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ceramic Piggy Banks Fanny Mae Eloans Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation helzberg diamonds Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams