OVERSEAS

We moved from Essex to Bali to find the perfect school

How one family changed continents so their children could be happy — and help to make the world a greener place

Ryan Jackson with his wife, Justine, and their sons, Raphael and Remy, in Bali
Ryan Jackson with his wife, Justine, and their sons, Raphael and Remy, in Bali
The Sunday Times

For most of us Covid-19 is the nightmare that never ends. But for a lucky few the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise. Ryan Jackson, an entrepreneur from Essex, and his wife, Justine, did some soul-searching during the first lockdown and decided that the best future for their family was not in Britain but in the tropical paradise that is Bali.

“Sometimes it takes a crisis before you make a change,” explains Jackson, 39, who has a successful career running his own parking management company in the UK. “During the initial lockdown we had time to reflect and look inwards. We realised you can have all the material possessions, but if you are not happy it is just pointless. Day-to-day life had become mundane.