American YouTube family settle in Scottish countryside after ditching US mansion

An American YouTube family with a following of over four million swapped their opulent US lifestyle for a fresh start in Scotland’s stunning countryside.

The eight-strong Bennett family, better known as The Ohana Adventure on their popular YouTube channel, traded in their expansive desert mansion, complete with a swimming pool, for a charming, rustic Scottish cottage that is older than the United States.

Documenting their move from the States, the family landed in Edinburgh last April with a whopping 23 bags, before setting off for an idyllic, undisclosed rural location, Edinburgh Live reports.

Rachel, 41, and her husband Jase, 44, are originally from Hawaii and launched their channel in December 2015, by which time all six of their kids had been born. They moved several times before settling in a luxurious Utah residence in 2021.

As Mormons who’ve enjoyed various international trips, they sought a destination where they could engage in charity work and make a meaningful impact. And, after selling most of their possessions, they made the move to Scotland.

The family – which includes Shae, 17; Wyatt, 15; Evee, 14; and Cora, 11 – found the chilly climate and the unfamiliar concept of oil heating a challenge when they first moved, but have now settled into life in Scotland.

Rachel said: “It’s so crazy. One conversation led to us moving halfway across the world. [It was] so hard saying goodbye to our home and starting a new life in another country. But we’re thrilled to be on a new adventure.”

Although the family love their stunning new location, Jase admitted there were some new issues to grapple with early on. He said: “One of a few things we need to get used to is oil heating. We had never heard of this before and woke up freezing [one] morning.

“Next is actually using a fireplace to heat our home. I made my first coal fire – I actually went outside and filled a bucket with coal to make a fire.”

The Bennetts – who have two older daughters, Klailea, 20, and Rykel, 19, who don’t live at home – share every aspect of their life with their 4.6mil YouTube followers, becoming one of the most prominent family vloggers on the video site.

They have posted footage from trips to the Scottish Deer Centre in Fife, visiting Highland cows, climbing mountains, and celebrating Christmas together when Klailea and Rykel joined them for the holidays.

They recently celebrated their one-year anniversary in Scotland, with Cora performing a dance routine out in the countryside. Speaking about the huge change in their lives, Rachel said: “Each day I try to look for things I can be grateful for here. I fully believe gratitude is the path to happier days.”

But the Bennetts recently revealed that it may be five years before they are all together again. Klailea has moved on to work on her own career, with Rykel set to go on an 18-month Christian mission in Rome and Shae and Wyatt also set for missionary work in the coming years.

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