“You should apply to House Hunters International so they can help you find a place! I love that show. You two are a perfect fit.”
As soon as Lexi’s uncle suggested this, Lexi got on her phone and headed to their website. Within minutes, she submitted our initial email application. All it asked for was a photo of us and a description of the move we were making.
This all took place at a going away party that Lexi’s family threw for us before moving to Madrid for her MBA program. Finding an apartment was the one detail we didn’t have worked out at all. We would have never thought of House Hunters International if her uncle hadn’t (semi) jokingly brought it up.
The Response
“Babe! We got the email! They want us to send them a video. Let’s sit down and do it right now.”
“Wait…We really got it?”
While Lexi was excited, I was a bit nervous about the whole idea. I didn’t know what to expect, but a part of me thought it would be cool to be on TV. So, I went along with it!
The Interviews
“Where do you two anticipate conflict coming up in the home search?”
The interviewers really wanted to know everything about us. They explained that the show is more than just touring houses in a foreign country- it’s about relationships.
“We think it’s important for you to know that being interviewed doesn’t mean you’re automatically in. These recordings will be reviewed by a team to see if you two are a good fit.”
I know those words were said, but I don’t think Lexi ever heard them. For some reason, she was certain we were a shoo-in.
Selection and Preparation
When we got the acceptance email, I was excited, but Lexi was over the moon. I’m pretty sure she was certain this would be her big break and she’d become a movie star.
“Lexi and Oscar, it’s nice to meet you. I’ll be the Producer for your show. We have a lot to cover to make sure we’re ready.”
Our Producer regularly met with us via Zoom to make sure we were on track for filming. He dove deeper into our backgrounds, our relationship, and our interests. They wanted to know about anything that could help them select the right homes for us to view.
It was really cool to see how intentional they were about everything. They really cared about making a great show for us, as much as for themselves.
“Make sure you are wearing solid and bright colored tops with no logos. Anything with small patterns doesn’t look good on TV.”
I never realized how many of my tops weren’t solid, bright, or logo-less until we had to pick our wardrobes for filming. We weren’t as camera-ready as we thought!
Filming
“I don’t like this feeling. What is it? My stomach feels weird.” I remember Lexi asking anxiously as we waited in between shooting scenes.
“I think you’re nervous. Which is odd, because you’re never nervous.”
It turns out that I had a lot more fun in front of the camera than Lexi did. Neither one of us expected that since she’s usually the theatrical one! However, I always did feel like a performer when I was in front of the classroom as a teacher or leading an assembly as a Principal. I think it paid off this time!
“Remember to meet us at the address in email tomorrow at 8am. We won’t be done until late in the afternoon, so bring everything you’ll need.”
Our days were a lot longer than we thought! I never realized how much work went into creating a 22 minute segment for House Hunters International. They shot 4 days worth of footage just to create one episode. The film crew did their best to make sure they took quality shots from every angle.
“We want this show to be something you’re proud of. We do this all the time, but it’s your only show. We’re going to do our part to make sure you look good.”
Since we were new to Madrid, they helped us feel at home. They gave us great recommendations on what to do, where to eat, and what to see.
The Relationships
“What was it like being a Principal?” one of the crew members asked me.
“Oh, I loved it! Wait, how did you know I was a Principal?”
It hit me right after I asked them that question. They watched all the interviews! It turns out that certain members of the crew spent as much time as possible reviewing all the information we gave them. They knew everything about us even before we even met them.
During our downtime, Lexi and I got to know the crew. They were awesome people with incredible stories. By the end of our time together, I felt sad. We had built these amazing relationships, and then it was over.
Our Producer was right. The show really is about relationships. Both on, and off the screen.
Click here for upcoming air times of our episode “Expanding Horizons on a Shrinking Income”!
