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Lesley moved to New York in her 30s with her job at a record company, and had what she describes as a hedonistic but career driven life. Aged 39 she suddenly realised she needed more and went from having no interest in children to deciding to adopt. Having fallen in love with Vietnam, she arranged an adoption in 2006 and Lesley went over to the orphanage to collect Hwa. Hwa was four years old and the first few weeks were very rocky especially as Hwa was fluent in Vietnamese which Lesley only had a rough grasp of. On returning to New York they settled down together and after a couple of years she decided to adopt again to give Hwa family. She took a year's sabbatical from work in 2009 and moved there when Hwa was 7. Hwa was very homesick for New York and the first few months after they adopted Lan were very hard especially as Lan has a very different personality to Hwa. They remained in Vietnam for 4 years and in 2013 moved back to the UK so Lesley's parents could get to know their grandchildren. They have since moved in with Lesley and the girls. Lesley admits she has been fanatical about Vietnam for the girls, celebrating festivals and so forth - but the girls are not interested. Lesley says adopting the girls was the best thing she has ever done in her life. Hwa is currently undecided whether to go to a University in England, Asia or the USA. She has no interest in finding out anything about her birth parents.