All language subtitles for Suddenly.Amish.S01E01.en

[Vernon] In the Amish world,

we abstain from electricity,
we abstain from cars.

[woman] We don't wear makeup
or jewelry.

[Allen] We work the fields,
we go to church.

[Vernon speaking
foreign language]

[in English] Our youth
are leaving in record numbers.

[James] Dating
in the community is hard.

If I look around,
I'm related, I'm related.

[Vernon] Our population
is shrinking.

So I will be inviting
people in from the outside

in hopes of repopulating
the church.

[Kendra] Modern life
is exhausting.

Having a chance
to live a simpler life
like the Amish...

hell yeah.

I want to be Amish
'cause I love that lifestyle,

I love the traditional sense.

[Judah] I don't like
that I wake up,

the first thing I do
is get on Instagram.

I feel like it would be better
for me, like, spiritually
to become Amish.

I ain't never seen
no cornfield up in person.

You'll need to integrate
into the Amish community.

In our Amish house,
there is no electricity,
no AC.

This is our outhouse.

[Billie Jo]
You've got to be lying.

[Esmeralda]
Women do the laundry.

Oh, no. Ew.

[Sarah speaking]

-[Billie Jo] Oh,
like period pads?
-[Sarah] Yes.

[sighs] Oh, my gosh.

We left a completely
different world.

This is a huge
culture shock to me.

They're not gonna make it.

[Kendra] Real change
only happens

when you're willing to get out
of your comfort zone.

I'm so used to living
a certain way

that I'm coming here
and it's completely different.

You don't feel like
you owe all of us an apology
for how you both acted?

[Esmeralda] Giving, like,
mean girl energy

like, a gaslighting situation.

-[sniffles]
-Wait. What?

-Are you kidding me right now?
-[squeals]

I just felt the need
just to yell it out!

[James] I'm escorting you
off the property. Go!

They're going to want
to go back to their easy life.

Do we or don't we accept
these applicants to continue
finding their way here?

My life completely
changes after today.

[Kendra sobbing]

[Vernon] You are
willing to conform,

you are willing to submit.

[sobbing]

[congregation singing]
♪ Amazing grace ♪

♪ How sweet the sound ♪

♪ That saved a wretch ♪

♪ Like me ♪

My name is Vernon Coblentz,

and I am the bishop
of this community.

Primarily,
bishops make the rules.

In the Amish way of saying it,
it's called Ordnung.

If you're disrespectful
to theOrdnung
of your own church,

that's just a no-no.

To be Amish is like
a culture, faith and lifestyle
all in one.

We have our own language,

which is a German dialect.

[speaking foreign language]

[in English]
In the Amish world,

we abstain from electricity
and from cars.

Amish means no tattoos.

Amish means no jewelry
and definitely no makeup.

Your clothes are homemade.

Men will always wear hats.

Women will always
wear coverings.

This simplicity,

along with our need
to keep technology
out of our community,

allows us
to draw closer to God

and the nature around us.

[Emma]
♪ Thank you for the valley ♪

♪ I walk through today ♪

♪ The darker the valley ♪

♪ The more I learn to pray ♪

♪ I found you where the lilies
Were blowing by the way ♪

I love that
I got to grow up Amish.

I love to hang out outdoors
and just live off of the land.

It's so peaceful.

It's like heaven on earth.

[John speaking]

Hey!

This is my cousin John.

For us Amish,
community is everything.

If somebody comes
and asks for help,

like, we'll just go
help them, you know.

We'll come together
whatever the project is.

Everybody raises produce
during the summer.

This is what they do
for a living.

[gasps] Strawberries!

I'm glad I grew up Amish,

but I'm just really concerned

the world that I love
will disappear.

I got some duck [bleep]
on my finger now. Gross.

You don't know
what duck [bleep] smells like?

I guess you didn't
grow up on a farm.

[laughing]

I got you there.

I want to show you
a couple of stuff

that I have hidden away here.

Of course, you're not
allowed to see this ever.

Like, you tell the bishop,
you will have me on your ass.

I keep getting into trouble.

Like, I am the "black sheep"
of the community.

This is probably my favorite.

Chambord.

Oh, that's good.

Actually, I'm thirsty
right now.

I realize I broke the rules,

but I still take my culture
and community very seriously.

I do not have a good standing
in my community right now.

I am shunned.

Being shunned
is kind of considered

the ultimate punishment.

I was shunned for owning
and using a cell phone.

As a shunned person,
you'll feel like an outcast,

like an outsider,
kind of outside looking in.

You can't partake
in Communion.

You can't eat
with your family.

You can't do
business with them.

There's a lot of shame
involved in being shunned.

You no longer feel like
you're part of the community,

which is your whole identity
because you grew up in it.

It is the whole goal
of shunning

is to make somebody feel bad
about themselves.

I moved to Lancaster

because I'm hoping
to start a new life.

I love being Amish,

but dating in my community
is a little different

than where you guys
do dating. [laughs]

For one, I am related
to almost everybody.

I go to the youth group,
I look around...

I'm related,
I'm related. [laughs]

Third cousin once removed.

[Emma] Lot of
Amish communities,

they populate so fast.

It only takes 15 years,

and they look around
and they're, like,

"Everybody's related."

So youth end up
leaving the Amish

because they have no options.

There are some communities
that are very inbred.

It's just like that
you work with cattle, right?

I know that
I can't take brothers
and sisters and cousins

and breed them to each other

and expect
to have a good calf.

That's just not
the way it works.

[Vernon] Not having new people
in a community

sadly causes infants
to be born with mental
and physical challenges.

But another reason people
are leaving our community

is simply because
of the technology.

It's hard to keep it out.

And it changes
the young people.

[music playing on earphones]

My plan to fix this
is an unconventional one.

I will be inviting
English people
into our community

in hopes of repopulating
the church.

As Amish, we're forbidden to
use smartphones and computers.

So I've asked
an English friend

to be the go-between

to spread the word
about this opportunity.

I realize not all my brothers
would agree

with integrating people
from the outside,

mostly because they're afraid
of sin and temptation

coming into our Amish circles.

This is not something
I can do on my own.

[James] The bishop
approached me and asked me

if I would help
take care of the English

that wanted to
actually join the Amish,

and I agreed to it.

[Vernon] By helping me,

I'm offering James
a chance at redemption.

I'm going to have to have
a woman help...

So I'll have my cousin Emma
help me.

It is a risky endeavor
for all of us,

and there's always
the chance that these English
might destroy the community.

They could cause
enough disharmony
to the point

it topples the church.

[Emma singing]

[Vernon] I believe that God
would be pleased

to open the doors
and embrace new people
in the community.

Bringing people in
from the outside
is always a risk.

It can be a good thing,
and it can be a disaster.

♪ He'll carry you through ♪

My name is Kendra Bates.

I'm 32 years old and I am
from Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

living in Los Angeles,
California.

LA is so dirty
and it's stinky,

and there's literally
poop everywhere.

People are always yelling.

And if you're walking
past someone on the sidewalk,
no one says hi.

No one says,
"How are you doing?"

I feel like
when I first moved here,

I was just trying
to get to know people

and having that,
like, Wisconsin mindset,
I went to a party

and this girl literally
told me she could not
be friends with me

'cause I didn't have
enough followers.

[hip-hop music playing]

I am a dancer.

I'm constantly
trying to train,

constantly trying to network,

meet new people,
go to auditions.

A lot of people
misunderstand my appearance
versus my personality.

My faith is really important.

[people cheering]

Me getting baptized
was the hugest thing.

Like, I've completely
given myself to Christ.

And then that's where
I get scrutinized
is because people are like,

"Well, you say
you're a Christian,

but then you're posting
all of this, like,

sexy stuff on your Instagram."

Guys see my Instagram

and they automatically
think I'm a hookup girl.

And so, it's like this weird,
like, counterbalance.

Before I got baptized,

I was, like,
at the lowest point,

and I did decide to do
OnlyFans,

and at that time,
I was like, "I don't care.

"Like, I really don't care
who sees me."

And it stemmed from me

really not having
any love for myself.

I really, like...

Sorry, um...

I really did, like,
hate myself so much.

And I felt so dirty
about myself.

And, like, I just,
I wasn't respecting myself.

I was giving myself
to other men

who, like,
really did not respect me.

I don't know, you just feel
so gross about yourself.

Even though it's been
five years since I've done it,

even though I go to church,

even though
I, like, barely drink,

I don't sleep with people,

like, I live a completely
different lifestyle, like,

forgiving myself for that
is the hardest thing.

I feel like
there's something more
that I want to be living for,

something more
that I want to be doing.

I first found out
about this opportunity
on social media.

I was like a chance
to live with the Amish?
Like, "Absolutely."

I actually fell
for an Amish boy in the past.

Basically, my friend grew up
next to an Amish community
and she was like,

"Hey, they're all in..."
Rahmspringer?

Is it Rahmspringer
or Rumspringa
or something like that.

And she was like,
"They're having a party.
You wanna go?"

And I was like,
"With Amish? Yes."

And I saw a boy
across the way who was Amish,

and I thought
he was the cutest thing
I've ever seen.

And when I left,
I was like, "I'm in love."

I was, like,
"I want to be with him."

But unfortunately,
he was, like, very tied
into his Amish roots.

And so we just, like,
couldn't keep it going.

I feel like God is giving me
this opportunity

to become Amish.

Being in a community
that is more pure
and God-centered,

I'm hoping it'll help,
like, release the pain

and the image
that I view of myself.

I'm Judah. I'm 22 years old.

Growing up,
we didn't have much, for real.

Money was tight.
We had to boil water
to get hot water.

People died every single day.
My best friend died,

you know, from a senseless
act of violence.

It's hard out here.

We don't even call it
Kansas City.

It's really called
Killer City.

I've always been ridiculed
for who I was

as far as the way I dress,
the way I act,

caring about my appearance.

I like to get a haircut
pretty much every two weeks.

Manicure, pedicure
at least once a month.

I've never really felt,
like, a sense of belonging
in our community, for real.

In the Black community,
where I grew up, at least,

a lot of that stuff, like,
depression and anxiety,

it's like, "Oh, boy,
you don't got that."

Like, you just...

We don't really talk
about mental health,
for real, in my community.

Recently, I've been
thinking about how it is
to live off the grid,

like, really connect
with nature.

And then, the next day
I seen this posting

of people looking for people
to join the Amish community,

and I started
to enquire about it.

But I felt like it was God,
because at that point,

I'd never heard
of the Amish community.

I didn't know what they was
or who they were.

And so after that,
I started doing my research

and looking into it,

and I just felt like
it was just, like, "Ah!"
a moment.

It's me and Mom.

Okay.

A whale.

[laughter]

My mama knows my fascination
with the Amish community

and how I want to
slow things down.

And now that I'm
actually about to do it,

and have the conversation
with her,

I'm a little nervous

because I know she's gonna
be caught off guard.

I have a few
different phobias.

She knows I don't like
to do the farm stuff.

So I don't know
how it's gonna go.

I know she thinks I'm crazy.

I hope the Amish
don't play like y'all
'cause y'all be cheating.

Basically, I'm gonna be
going to the Amish community
for some time.

I'm sick.

Literally nauseous,
my stomach. [chuckles]

The little that I know
about the Amish

is they live off the grid.

Off the grid means bugs,
I'm sure farms,

and some other things
that Judah is just
not accustomed to.

You just can't say,
"I'm going to be Amish."

You don't just say it
like that to your family.

-It's a way to tell us...
-Introduce.

Yeah, to introduce it,

and then you need to know
'cause you are Muslim.

So are you okay?
Who are you living with?
Who are you going with?

Like, those are the questions
that I have.

And are you gonna be okay?

[Judah] Everything
I've been through

I feel like is leading me
up to this moment.

All roads right now is leading
to the Amish lifestyle.

I feel like it'll be better
for me, like, spiritually.

I got to ask
the hard question.

I'm not being racist,

but are there
Black Amish people?

Because I don't know.

I'm doing things
that my heart feels.

I feel like God has blessed me
with a good discernment

to realize where I need to go,
where I shouldn't go.

I don't know
how many Black people
are gonna be there with me.

I don't know
if they're gonna accept,
like, me and my lifestyle,

the things that I do,

so I'm a little nervous
about that.

There's something about me
that the Amish might accept

or they might not.

They're either gonna accept me
and work with me,

or they're gonna
throw me away.

[Vernon] God has chosen
the six outsiders

that he wants
in our community,

and he's chosen me
to watch over them

to see that
they're properly integrated

into the community,

Which is why
I have to be careful

who I choose
to help the English.

And for this reason,
I've chosen my brother, Allen,
and his wife, Sarah.

They have adopted children
from the English world,

and they have
learned not to fall prey
to temptation.

I've also asked James.

James is already shunned
from his community.

I believe
he is highly motivated
to be unshunned,

therefore he will be
on his best behavior
in my community.

-Have a seat.
-[Allen] Thank you.

[all speaking
foreign language]

[James] Mm-hmm.

[Allen] Mm-hmm.

[in English] The bishop
and his brother Allen

are from
a more liberal church.

I figured it would be easier
to become unshunned here

in the Lancaster community
than my own,

which is more strict.

What is it that makes you
good candidates
for people coming in?

Well, obviously,

we've fostered
several children.

[speaking foreign language]

[Vernon] Mm.

[in English] We have
four adopted children...

and our youngest son
passed away in November
of last year.

He was out late one night
and had an accident,

and he didn't make it.

[Vernon speaking
foreign language]

[Allen in English]
I want to help my brother

bring in new people
into the community.

I think it will be a benefit
to the community

and give somebody
an opportunity

to live a more simple life.

We all have a void
that needs to be filled.

[Vernon] My plan
is to give them one month
to prove themselves,

which means your job
is to prepare them

for the day of reckoning.

At the end of the month,

we will have
a day of reckoning

to see how well
they have integrated
into the community

and whether they can continue
pursuing membership.

It will be your jobs
to integrate them,
to teach them,

to disciple them,
to embrace the Amish life.

[James] I have seen plenty
of people from society

try to join the Amish Church.

Once they see how
tough it actually is
and actually experience it,

it's way harder
than they think.

I don't expect these English
to last more than
a couple days.

They're going to want
to go back to their easy life.

My name is Esmeralda Podaka.
I am 27.

I think I do put a lot
of pride in the way I look
and I present myself

just 'cause
I always grew up that way.

My mom
will not leave the house
without makeup on.

My mom's the one
that raised me.

She always worked full time
to, you know, support me.

I grew up in El Paso,
so it's like a border city.

Very Mexican culture.
Spanish Catholic.

Since I didn't grow up
with, like, siblings

and, you know,
it was just me and my mom,

I didn't have that, like,
traditional Mexican family,
I feel like, growing up.

I was very much, you know,
an only child, basically,
and kind of grew up alone.

So I never got that big sense
of family around me.

My dad wasn't around,

so we aren't really
close at all.

It just felt alone,

and it felt like
I wanted someone
to be there for me

and, like, I don't know,
just have that, like, role
of just a man in the house.

I want to be Amish
'cause I love that lifestyle.

I love the traditional sense
of, you know,

they're really strict
about divorce

and, you know, the way
that they are very traditional
in the marriages.

I love the man providing,

I like the woman
taking care of the house,
taking care of the kids.

Like, I love
traditional roles.

Even though
I didn't grow up like that,

I feel like that's always
something I wanted for myself.

I'm not like someone
that's, like, super, like,
career-driven

and, like, wants to work
and be like a girl boss.

That's just, like,
not ever something I wanted.

Like, the Amish way
of doing things,

it kind of just makes
more sense to me.

I don't have to, you know,
have to find out what I have
to wear for tomorrow

and have to go out
and buy a freaking outfit
for every single thing.

I'm always weighing myself.

Like, that's, like,
the first thing that,

like, I wake up in the morning
and I weigh myself.

I, like, go to the bathroom,
like, weigh myself.

I'm constantly comparing
myself to other people.

So I feel like maybe
going into Amish culture,

like, everyone kind of
looks the same,

so I feel like it might
make me feel less pressured
to care about my appearance.

That's why I really think
I need to go Amish.

I feel like it'll kind of
give me that sense of

being part of something
bigger than me.

But, my God,
I'm nervous, I'm ready,

but I don't know
if I can really do this.

I am Aaron Noble.
I am 42 years old.

In my life,
I try to really fit in,

to be like everybody else.

That's a lot of pressure.
That's exhausting.

But my spirituality
and integrity

will always be what I pursue.

I've not really dated
a lot of people.

I've just never
really been interested.

When I was 11,
I went to a little conference.

Speaker's like, "Yeah,
save yourself for marriage."

But when I was growing up,

I felt this
overwhelming pressure
from the whole world doing it.

And then...

I lost my virginity at 32.

Unfortunately,

it was kind of
a forced situation
on her behalf.

So, yeah.

Correct.

I kept my virginity

because I wanted to wait
till I got married.

You know, I wanted that
to be really sacred.

My dad was a pastor
and an evangelist.

My dad was very good friends
with the Amish people,

and I think that
that's what intrigued me

in the first place
with the culture.

He one day
just gave one a ride,

and then his name got around,

and so he became
an Amish driver from there.

That is really where
my relationships
with the Amish came.

I'm really excited coming in.

If I'm accepted
into the community,
I'll feel like I have peace.

And I'll feel like I have
a place where I belong.

I mean, I understand why you
want to join that environment

and that kind of lifestyle.

-But it is a sacrifice.
-[Aaron] Yeah.

And they do it
because they feel like

it will keep them
from being tempted

to go into
the things of the world.

But it's really hard.

To be honest,
I have a disability,

and I hope
that the Amish are willing
to be understanding.

I think that unless
I take that risk

and take that journey
for myself,

that I'm never gonna know.

Currently boarding.

[Judah] Oh, my gosh,
this is crazy.

[Vernon speaking German]

♪ Baby, I'm a beast
I'm a monster ♪

♪ I always do it proper ♪

♪ Make sure you keep me
On the roster ♪

♪ I'm the only one of me ♪

♪ Everybody else imposter ♪

♪ A beast, I'm a monster
I always do it proper ♪

I ain't never seen
no cornfield up in person.

-[driver speaking]
-Yeah, I've never.

Like, I've never done
anything like this.

I want to be able to get
more immersed in nature

and learn more skills.

Like, to even be able
to communicate with a horse.

Like, that's just
so dope within itself.

[Judah] I think
it's such a beautiful thing.

I guess this is my stop.

-Okay.
-Thank you for the ride.

-I appreciate you.
-You're welcome.

Oh, my gosh.

I cannot believe
I'm here right now.

-[Kendra laughing] Hey!
-[Judah] What's up!

How are you?

-Kendra.
-Kendra. I'm Judah.

-Nice to meet you.
-Judah? Nice to meet you.

-Oh, my God.
-You smell good.

Not for long.

I feel like we're about
to get real stank up in here.

[Judah] Hi.

-[Billie Jo] Hi.
-I'm Kendra.

Hi, Kendra. I'm Billie Jo.

-Billie Jo! Nice to meet you.
-It's so nice to meet you.

[Billie Jo] Oh, how exciting.

[Kendra] Are you Amish?

-Already?
-I wanna be.

I've been obsessed
for a very long time.

Yeah.

♪ When I was
Just a little girl ♪

♪ My momma lent me
a bunch of sunshine ♪

My name is Billie Jo Hefferin,
I'm 46 years old,

and I live in
Berkshire, New York.

Hi there. How are you?

I discovered that
I wanted to be Amish
probably 20 years ago

when I rode
on a horse and buggy
for the first time.

So the more I learn,

the more
I really want to be Amish.

I have been dressing Amish
for over ten years.

Now, Billie Jo, you said that
you did not grow up Amish.

Do you think they have
a problem with you
wearing Amish clothes?

Do you think
that's offensive to them?

I don't think of it like that.

I think, if anything,
I respect their clothing.

Because of my love
for the Amish,

I collect so many things
and I put them in this room.

I have a collection of dolls.

None of the dolls have faces.

A true Amish doll
should never have faces.

You love
getting your bonnet on
and matching Mommy.

That is such a good girl.

But let's get
this part on too.

I'm so proud.
You look so pretty.

I think I'm longing
for a more peaceful life,

another era, another time.

People call me a poser
for dressing this way.

So now it's time for me
to walk that walk.

Brixton's bougie.

And I'm Amish.

I've gone by BJ too.

-[Kendra] BJ?
-Yeah.

[Kendra] It's all good.
My last name is Bates,

so people called me
Master Bates
and, like, at school.

And I was so, like, pure.
So I was like, "What is that?"

And then I, like,
figured out what it was.

Kendra had her, uh,
chachis out and proud,

which I was kind of
cringing for her.

Of all the things
that you could wear

to go and live the Amish life,

you chose, like, the kind of
smutty cheerleader dress.

Oh, wait,
there's another person.

What's up?

-How are you?
-What's your name?

-Matt.
-Judah.

-Nice to meet you.
-I'm Kendra.

-Hi. Nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you.

Are you from Texas?

-I am from Texas.
-See, I knew it.

[Kendra] My first impression
of Matt is he's cute.

I'm just, like, "Sir."

That is my type to a T.
Like, "Sir."[laughs]

Very cute.

My name is Matthew Martin.
I am 35 years old.

I grew up doing rodeo.

My dad is a world champion
calf roper.

Rodeo wasn't really my thing.

It was my dad's thing.

So I, at some point,

started doing
what I wanted to do.

I'm the father of twin boys
from my previous marriage.

They are seven years old,

and they're the coolest kids
around, so.

But I am nowhere

where I thought
I would be in life at 35.

I thought I'd feel
more settled and grounded
in life than I do.

I feel lost.

But I don't think
everything's[bleep]
until you're dead.

I think there's always
a chance to fix things

and course correct your life.

I'm in this big kind of
transitional thing in my life

where I'm trying to
figure everything out,

and I've always
been interested
in the Amish community,

and I saw this opportunity.

I feel like the modern world
is really fast paced.

I want a simpler life
for me and my kids.

Hopefully, the Amish community

is that lifestyle
I'm looking for.

What's up?

-Hi!
-[Esmeralda laughs]

Oh, my God,
this is such a struggle.

I'm gonna go help her.

[Esmeralda] Hi.
Nice to meet you. Esmeralda.

[Judah] What up?

I'm Aaron.

I'm Kendra. I'm a hugger.

-Sorry. Nice to meet you.
-Okay, what's up, hugger?

-Hi. Esmeralda.
-Aaron.

-Nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you all.

[Vernon] Gather round.

[Billie Jo] By the way
the bishop's looking at us,

I can tell
that he's so disappointed.

So, a couple do's and don'ts

before we're dispersing you
into the community.

You'll need to integrate
into the spiritual aspect
of the Amish community,

mimic the culture

in dress, in actions,
in your talk, et cetera.

The Amish community
is built on trust.

If you break that trust,

it takes a while
to rebuild that.

You're just outsiders.
You're coming in.

You need to earn that trust.

And Kendra,
would you step inside,

and I'd like to ask you
several questions.

[laughing] I don't even know
what's happening right now.

Hi.

-Nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you. Welcome.

Ooh, Bishop Vernon,
dark and scary.

Um... [chuckles]

[Vernon] You can have a seat.

[Kendra] I'm looking at him
in the barn.

Like, death stare, I felt.
I felt it was a little dark.

I'm like, "What are we
about to get into?"

And so, what is the motivator

that causes you
to dress the way you dress?

Uh...

[Vernon] Seeing Kendra's dress
was alarming to me.

I don't know why someone
would dress that way

to coming
to the Amish community.

-I'm a dancer.
-Okay.

And we book our jobs
based off of our body.

-Yup. Mm-hmm.
-Like, when we
go to auditions,

it's literally all skin,
like, bra and small shorts.

The Amish
would see it as lust.

Lust would be the issue
with the immodest dress

or skin showing,

and we would see that

as evidence
of a lack of something.

In other words, I don't want
to see a display of your body.

We would take scripture
to be just written in stone.

-It's just the way it is.
-Yeah.

It's good for a man
not to touch a woman.

We would take that literally.

Our wives would kick you
out of the house

because they're not going
to accept any competition

from any female
for their husband's affection.

Our wives
are very, very jealous
about our affection.

My wife would be
very, very jealous

of not just my purity,
but her son's purity.

Oh.

-Very, very jealous about,
what is their son seeing?
-Yeah.

My wife might say,

"Nathan,
I don't think I want you
to look at that girl

as a potential suitor,
as a potential partner.

"Her heart's
not in the right place."

I hope you find
what you're looking for.

[Billie Jo gasps and whispers]

[Judah] Kendra.

[sobs] I, like,
want to cry right now.

[sniffles]

Oh, okay. Sorry.

-[Judah] No!
-[Aaron] Uh-oh.

I wasn't expecting it
to be that hard.

Um...

-I'm sorry.
-Can I hug you, honey-bunches?

I'm so sorry.

-It's okay.
-[sniffles]

Like, I've had to deal
with, like, slut-shaming
my whole life,

and, like...

like, I don't know,
I feel like I don't
act like a ho,

like, not anymore,
you know what I mean?

But like, the first thing
he talks about is like,

you know,
what are you wearing?

And then, like, asking me,
like, why I dress this way.

And it's just, like, hard

'cause him talking about,
like, you know,

you would never be,
like, accepted.

Like, you couldn't
even stay with us

'cause my wife
wouldn't want you around.

I wouldn't have,
like, my son want you.

And I'm just like,

I've heard this my whole life
and I'm like,

"This is what
I'm trying to get away from."

I do feel judged

because I hate, like,
having the conversations
about my past.

I hate getting that reaction.

I hate, like, having to
constantly defend myself.

Jesus, actually...
didn't He help a prostitute?

So why wouldn't He help you?

This girl is in tears,

and I think you just
called her a prostitute.

"Welcome to the group.
We love prostitutes."

I feel like I'm gonna have
a really hard time here.

Yeah.

[Vernon] We're gonna
gather this way.

Oh. Are we taking our bags?

[Vernon] So sending you off

into the homes
you'll be staying in.

So Aaron, Judah and Esmeralda,
you will be with the Troyers.

They are two blocks that way.

The other group is Matt,
Billie Jo and Kendra,

and you will be
with the Coblentzes,

and you will be just around
the corner from the Troyers

in the other direction.

[Kendra] I don't even know
what I'm getting into.

Even though I felt like
he slut-shamed me

and judged me pretty harshly,

this is what I want,
and so I'm not leaving.

[Esmeralda] I'm nervous
after seeing Kendra come out

and, you know,
have that emotional response.

It's gonna be
a challenge for me,

and it is gonna be different.

[Vernon] You're excused.

[Judah] All right.
I'll see you guys.

[Aaron] Kendra was sobbing,

but she's wearing
a sweater dress with
cleavage and everything.

And it's just like, why?

Like, you're literally
trying to be Amish.

[Billie Jo]
I am a little shook.

Yeah, that was definitely
intimidating for sure.

It was a wake-up call.

[Matt grunts]

I got it.

[Kendra] Do they
have doorbells?

[Billie Jo] I guess
we'll find out.

Oh, God, I see them.
Oh, my God.

Obviously, how I dress
is not how they dress.

I'm nervous
they're gonna think I'm a ho.

And I know first impressions
are a big thing.

-What if they don't
let me in the house?
-[laughs]

-[Billie Jo] We'll make them.
-Yeah.

I'm like, actually, afraid
they're gonna be like,

"You two can stay.
You sleep in the barn."

Oh, [bleep].

-Hello.
-Hi.

-How are you?
-Good. How about you?

-I'm Billie Jo.
-I'm Allen.

Allen. Nice to meet you.

Hi, I'm Kendra.

-Hi, I'm Matt.
-Matt.

-Nice to meet you.
-[Billie Jo] Hi.

My first impression of Kendra,

seeing the clothes
that she was wearing

was like,
"Well, wait a minute.
She can't be serious."

Come on in,
and we will get
further acquainted.

Here we go.
It's a whole new world.

[James] Me and Emma
are sitting there looking
at these worldly people.

Dressed that way,

are they trying
to join the Amish,
actually, really?

-[Judah] Hello there.
-Hello. How are you guys?

We've been looking forward
to seeing you guys.

-I'm Aaron.
-James. Pleasure to meet you.

-Nice to meet you. Aaron.
-Emma.

Hi. Esmeralda.
Nice to meet you.

-Hi.
-Hi. Esmeralda.

-I'm Judah.
-Okay.

-Pleasure to meet you. James.
-Nice to meet you, too, James.

We come bearing gifts.

I'm not sure
if you like root beer, but...

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

So we'll be leaving
all the worldly possessions
on the porch, please.

[Judah] Okay.

That way we're not
contaminating the house
with worldly things.

Welcome, welcome.

Did you guys want water?

[Judah] I'm okay.
Thank you, though.

-Okay. Water?
-Sure, I'll get some water.

-Water?
-Yeah. I'll take one, please.

-All right.
-Thank you.

[Judah] James and Emma,

I'm guessing
they are husband and wife.

I'm walking in the house

and they're offering me
a glass of water

out of, like, a mason jar,

and I'm like, perhaps not.

Let's keep it to bottles.

[Esmeralda] Walking in,
you know, there is a flytrap.

Just everything looks
so old and dusty.

[Judah] The house
ain't got no furniture.

Where y'all couch?
Where is y'all oven?

Like, where is y'all stove?
Where is...

I can't even sit down.
They got wooden chairs.

I'm like, I'm from the ghetto,

but this is a little
too ghetto for me.

Y'all ain't hot?

-It's warm. It's warm.
-I'm a little warm.

-[Emma] There's no AC.
-No AC?

-[Emma] Yeah.
-Wow.

I don't think I have
any regrets being here yet,

but I feel like,

there's no AC,
it's hot as[bleep],

and I'm not as excited
as I was before. [chuckles]

[Kendra] I don't think you can
carry both of them.

[Sarah] I can take
one of them.

[Allen] You're over here.

They're bouncy.

[Billie Jo] Allen,
I have to go
to the bathroom.

I will take, like,
a pig trough.

When you have to poop,
you have to poop.

There's no waiting.

I have to go,
and I have to go now.

Okay, so this
is our restroom, outhouse.

Oh, no.

You've got to be lying, Allen.

I'm not a lion.

Um, these newspapers,

we can pick 'em up free
at the gas stations.

They're old ones.

So we use this
instead of toilet paper.

[Billie Jo] Oh, my goodness.

I guess what's a daily routine
for us Amish

is kind of challenging
for the English people.

It may be a hard knock
to reality, I don't know.

-Oh, my goodness.
-[Allen clears throat]

I don't know how sanitary
this is, honestly.

[Allen] There's lids on there,
so you just pick up the lid.

[Billie Jo] All right,
all right, I gotta go,

and this is just bad,
so let's get it done.

Oh, my gosh.

How bad do I really want this?

[sighs]

Oh, my God.

I should have asked
is the square number one
and the circle number two

or doesn't it matter?

[Allen] It doesn't matter.

I probably shouldn't have
sat on the square one.

I think I have
a pretty bad splinter.

I'm gonna see if Kendra
will help me with that.

[Billie Jo exhales]

I'm obviously here to
to help them experience
our way of living,

the Amish way of living
and a simple, simple life.

But I definitely didn't
expect to show them
how to use a toilet.

[James] Okay, Judah.
Are you ready?

[Esmeralda chuckles]

[James] Okay.

[Esmeralda] Good luck.

[James] We're going
through their bags

to make sure
they're not trying to sneak in

some worldly things
into our house.

We can't have them
corrupt the Amish.

All right,
the pants, already no.
They are ripped.

Oh, no ripped jeans
in the Amish?

[James] No.

[Emma] We're looking
for phones.

There's things like
bright colored clothing.

If you're Amish,

the dress code
just goes with it.

It's part of the religion,
really.

This is kind of flashy, right?

-[Judah] It's dark.
-No. I'm not hanging that
on my laundry line.

If someone was to see
Judah's flashy clothes
on my clothesline,

it would probably
start rumors.

People would wonder why.

It's literally your reputation
on the line.

I think James low-key
liked my boots.

If they had the chance,
they would wear these boots.

-Aaron, are you ready?
-I'm ready.

Is that where
all the goodies are?

-That's where
the goodies aren't.
-Okay.

[sighs] Where are
the juicy goods?

It's a tell-tale sign.

That bad boy,
I got to figure it out,
is for my hearing aids.

People see fun-loving Aaron,
but I do have a secret.

I have a hearing disability.

The first time
that I really recognized it
was in sixth grade.

I came down with the flu

and had my left ear
perforated.

It's just one of those things
where it's gotten worse,

and I just feel like
it's just continued
as I'm getting older.

When I don't have
my hearing aids in,

it's kind of like
being underwater.

A lot of things are muffled.

It's emotionally
and it's physically draining.

I'm just concerned that
you have a device somewhere

-you're going to slip in
and try to charge with it.
-I do.

My phone is actually connected
to the hearing aids.

And so, without the device,

the hearing aids
are Bluetooth,

-they don't work.
-Okay.

You're connecting it
to your phone.

[Aaron] They go hand in hand.

You're going to have
a hard time finding
a community anywhere

that will allow you
to continue using your phone.

The Amish believe
in medical devices if needed.

He can have hearing aids,
but not some that are
connected to a phone.

Of all the things Aaron has,

having his phone
is probably the worst one.

I mean, there's temptation.

I don't know why
he even wants to be Amish

if he wants to keep his phone.

Your phone,
let's put it in the box...

and see if we can find you

some other hearing aids
fairly quick.

Listen, I can't let you
have access to your phone.

[Aaron] What James doesn't get

is that if he takes
my hearing aids away,

that messes with my head,

so I can't be present
and I can't be in the moment

if I don't have them.

[Judah] Anything
you're worried
about them finding?

[Esmeralda]
I don't know. Maybe.

I don't know
what's allowed or not.

[laughing]

[Emma] Do you have
any lotion in here?

Oh, no, no.
But yeah, this is all lotion.

Like, lotion. Skincare.

-That looks like makeup.
-No, I swear it's not.

It's, like, for your eyes.

[Emma] We wouldn't use makeup,

so we kind of expect them
to do the same.

You do see people get so
wrapped up in their self-image

that they get Botox shots

enough to the point they look
a little bit like fish.

I see you're wearing
fake nails and eyelashes.

[Emma] We have a rule that
we're not allowed to have
the lashes and the nails.

That's not how
the Amish culture does.

We'll have to take it.

[Esmeralda] No.

Looks like
we have a situation here.

We can't have these English
defying our rules on day one.

I mean,
they are here to fit in.

So I am left with no choice

except to bring Sarah
and Allen in

to see if they can work
with Esmeralda.

[Allen] If you want to
milk a cow,

you're gonna have to
take those off your nails.

Well, then, I guess
I won't be milking any cows.

You wanted to join
the Amish culture,

but yet you don't
want to give up
your nails and eyelashes.

[Esmeralda] No.

You already took our makeup.
You already took our clothes.

You're just, like, yanking
everything from us at once,

and it's, like,
so hard to, like,
just deal with everything.

I already feel like
not secure in myself already.

Growing up, like, my mom,
she also grew up like that.

Like she's always ready.

She doesn't go,
like, anywhere without makeup,

so I feel like I just grew up,
like, thinking, like,

that's the only way, um,
I guess, to feel pretty.

I don't know.

We want you to be able to feel
secure in how God made you.

Our rules and guidelines

is not to use jewelry
or makeup

or anything to make us
stand out and look prettier

to catch attention.

I was kind of astounded
with Esmeralda.

If you're going
into some place,

you have no right
to ask them to conform
to your way of thinking.

You want to fit in or not?

It's, like, the last thing
that I'm kind of
allowed to have,

so I think I'm just gonna
stand on, like, I'm not.

I'm not doing it.

If the lashes
are that big of a deal,
then I don't know,

maybe it's just not
gonna work out. Yeah.

[James] You're leaving
tonight?

Maybe.

[James] Esmeralda
is fighting me

like a spoiled little brat
over eyelashes.

She's definitely
not cut out to be Amish.

[Esmeralda] I'm done.
I don't want to do
this anymore.

[James] Then,
just leave already.

Okay.

[Judah] This season on
Suddenly Amish...

[Vernon] They're trying to
integrate into our world.

This is my saw virginity.

This might be harder
than I expected.

-[pigs squealing]
-[bleep] It's out! No!

Wow, look at that nice
Amish farmer we got here.

I think there's something
going on with Kendra and Matt.

If the opportunity
presents itself, maybe.

-Are you Billie Jo?
-I am.

[laughing] No!
Oh, wow, you really do.

Welcome to the Amish.

[Vernon] Luke, chapter four.

He has been sent to heal
the brokenhearted.

[sobbing]

There's just so much judgment
and what you can and can't do.

-[Emma speaking]
-Uh, ow.

I'm really struggling.

I feel like I'm losing
every part of me.

[Judah] I'm gonna just keep
my little secrets to myself.

It was more [bleep] drama.

How do you sleep at night?

I don't give a [bleep]
if the cameras
are watching me.

[James] I am escorting you
off the property.

He's chasing me
with a [bleep] ax.

[James] Go!

[Judah] I feel like
James is playing
a cold game right now.

I don't know
what he got up his sleeve.

[James] Kendra,
I don't want you
to run off on us.

This life is not for everyone.

None of it makes sense.

What the [bleep]
am I doing here?

[Judah] Harley, wait!

I'm braking!

It is our responsibility

to teach them what's right
and what's wrong.

[thunder rumbling]

Joining the Amish,
it's a decision for life.

[James] Do you want
the Amish life or not?