Greenheart Travel

Author: Emmy Scott

Exploring New Zealand on a Shoestring Budget: 5 Places You Can See for Free

One of my favorite things about New Zealand when I was working abroad, besides the nature, the beer, the people, the waterfalls, and well pretty much everything, was all of the access to what I call “free culture and nature.” All of the national parks, managed through New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, have zero fees for admittance. Compared to some of the national parks in the United States, such as Yosemite, with daily admission fees usually $20 or more, I found the “freeness” of nature in New Zealand to be especially refreshing.

Even more unique, again especially compared to the United States, is the free access to art and history museums across New Zealand. Let me make this clear for you, in case it has not set in yet. National parks, art galleries, museums and I almost forgot my favorite, the botanical gardens, are all FREE in New Zealand. (No, not only on Tuesdays if you have kids under the age of 10, or only on the third Wednesday of the month, or even only if you buy the price of one full regular admission do you get all of these cultural, art, and nature opportunities for free.)

These parks and museums are free ALL OF THE TIME.

If you are looking to explore New Zealand on a budget, here are my top 5 favorite FREE cultural experiences on the South Island of New Zealand.

#1. Canterbury Museum and Christchurch Art Gallery: Canterbury Region

One of the biggest museums I came across in the South Island was the Canterbury Museum in the heart of downtown Christchurch. The museum has four floors, with two of those being the galleries, one of administrative and museum offices, and the café on the fourth floor.

The range of exhibits in the museum vary greatly and you could easily spend an entire day exploring and learning in all of their different exhibits. When I went, there were exhibits on: the water cycle, Antarctic expeditions, Fred and Myrtle’s Paua Shell House, Japanese motifs portrayed through tattoos, nineteenth Century Christchurch, and an Egyptian mummy.

Paua-Shell house exhibit.

While museums as a whole are not usually my thing, the mix of the exhibits here, plus their admission price, made it well worth my time and exploration. The museum is a great way to spend the day learning about local New Zealand culture and anything else they happen to be teaching that day.

Inside Christchurch Art Gallery.

Just down the street from the Canterbury Museum is the Christchurch Art Gallery. This two story building has several different ongoing and rotating exhibits and a number of different free events going on each month. Their current focus on local artists was especially interesting to me. Additionally the gallery has free Wi-Fi, a lovely store, and a game area where cards and other board games are available if you are just looking for a free and safe place to hang out with your friends or kids for a while.

#2. Arrowtown and Queenstown trail system: Otago Region

Arrowntown trail through an abandoned Chinese gold mining settlement.

While most people go to Queenstown for the party atmosphere and the awesome skiing, I was fascinated by the area’s extensive walking and tramping trails. Forty-Three trails in all are listed on the Department of Conservation’s Wakatipu Walks brochure, covering both Queenstown and Arrowtown.

The walks here vary from 15 minutes to a full day and cover the entire area. While staying in the area, I walked daily from Frankton into Queenstown along Lake Wakatipu, enjoying great views of the lake, local houses, and several small waterfalls along the way. Longer trails can take you up into the mountains surrounding Queenstown, such as the Ben Lomond trails.

The view from the Frankton Walkway into Queenstown.

If you are in Arrowtown, the Millennium Walkway guides you along the Arrow River, connecting to the Gibbston River Trail, crossing the historic Kawarau Bridge, and leading all the way back into Frankton and Queenstown if you walk or bike long enough. The endlessness of these trails and the great signage along the way make it a great way to enjoy the scenery for minimal to no cost.

#3. I-Sites: All Across New Zealand

Signs outside of one of the many visitor centers in New Zealand.

In most towns across New Zealand, both North and South Islands, there are the New Zealand version of Visitor Information Centers, called I-Sites. There are over 80 sites across the county and they were always my first place to go when I visited a new town.

The most useful thing to me was the free maps, but like any tourist office, they also have tons of brochures about local attractions, events, restaurants, shopping, and accommodation in the area. They also have staff available to help you with any questions or directions and can even assist in booking local attractions, sometimes at a discounted rate compared to booking directly with the company.

The sites usually have free Wi-Fi and as they are almost always in the center of town, I have frequently seen them utilized as the main bus stop in town for local transit, and also for some of New Zealand’s cross country bus systems such as Naked Bus and Intercity. As I was traveling during the winter, I would sometimes stop by just to warm up for a few minutes and explore local information that I might not have been able to find elsewhere.

The I-Sites are certainly not the most exciting place to go in New Zealand, but they are great at connecting you to the places that are, and in case you haven’t picked up on the theme yet, their maps, brochures, and booking services are all free.

#4. Invercargill’s Queens Park: Southland Region

The Southland Museum has a successful breeding program for the Tuatara with their most famous Tuatara being Henry who is 110 years old.

While I will openly admit that Invercargill is not the most exciting city in New Zealand, it does have a few cool things going for it and Queens Park would probably be number one. I had seen it on the list top attractions for Invercargill and that was about as much as I knew about it going in. This led me to find a number of surprises as I ventured through their little over 200 acres of land.

First, I visited the I-Site (see entry above as to why) and continued on through the local and always free museum, Southland Museum and Art Gallery. Like most other museums I had come across in New Zealand, there was an interesting montage of exhibits from Antarctic Exploration, Maori culture, Geology, Southland’s role during WWI, and the live Tuatara, an ancient reptile like creature, now extinct across the rest of the world.

View of the Japanese garden.

I then ventured out into the actual park starting in the Rose Garden and into the other specific gardens of this massive park including a Japanese Garden, NZ Native Garden, Winter Gardens, and the Sub-Antarctic Islands Garden.

Unexpectedly to me at least, the Tuatara is not the only animal living in the Park. There is an entire aviary and animal reserve including guinea pigs, wallabies, alpaca, and an ostrich. While the ostrich and wallaby may not seem out of place in an American or Australian zoo, I certainly did not expect to come across them in the middle of a park in Invercargill.

Wallaby siting during my visit.

My last but not least favorite attraction of Queens Park was the bathrooms. Yes I am well aware of how weird that sounds, but seriously these things were pretty cool. Officially called Exeloos, these trumped up porta potties are by far the fanciest public restroom I had ever seen. They come equipped with automatic doors which open at the touch of a button, automatic toilet paper dispensers, and a toilet that does not flush until after you wash your hands.

One of the exeloos in the park area.

Upon entering, you are informed by an announcer of sorts that you have 10 minutes to go about your business which is then followed by some mood music for the rest of your visit. There are three Exeloos across the park, and while I would not visit the park solely for this feature, it is well worth checking out when you come across one.

#5. Every Department Of Conservation Park and Map, Ever: All Across New Zealand

Arthurs Pass National Park.

Undeniably, one of the best things about New Zealand is the nature. Not being a particularly old country and learning from the lessons of the rest of the world, New Zealand in my opinion has done a fantastic job of preserving and protecting their natural environment.

There are Department of Conservation managed parks all across the North and South Islands, so no matter where you end up in New Zealand, you are guaranteed to be near DOC managed land. The special thing about DOC managed land versus just any other park is the guidance that comes along with it.

DOC sign in Ross Gold Town West Coast.

While DOC maps are available for purchase in their local offices, you can download them all for free from their website. Keeping them on either my phone or iPad, these maps were tremendously helpful in my hiking expeditions. The maps, brochures, and DOC website tells you exactly where trails start, which can sometimes be tricky to find in the NZ wilderness. You can also learn how long a trail is expected to take, the level of difficulty, and what you are likely to see along the way.

Orange or white arrows along the trails keep you on the right path, again extremely helpful in the remote NZ wildness and especially useful to me as I often hiked alone and on trails not being utilized by anyone else at the time. Some of the best natural wonders of New Zealand, such as Milford Sound, Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers, Arthur’s Pass and the Great Walks, are all on DOC land.

Walking path maintained by the Department of Conservation in New Zealand.

Make sure to take advantage of the resources offered by DOC to plan and enjoy your journey, without getting lost or ending up on a 6-hour, steep-graded trail when you were only looking for a one hour stroll through a preferably level forest.

Did I miss any free sites in New Zealand to add to this list? Share your added tips in the comments below!

September 21, 2017
Top 10 List of What to See and Do While You Work & Travel in New Zealand
The best part of doing a work and travel program in New Zealand is the emphasis on the importance of BOTH working and exploring. Gaining international job experience is a fantastic way to boost your resume, but so is having interesting stories about what you learned and places you explored along the way.

To help you get started in outlining a few must-see places to check out during your time in New Zealand, Greenheart Travel alumna, Carolyn Ross, shares her ten favorite spots on the North and South Islands.

1. Hiking in the Catlins

My favorite place in all of New Zealand was The Catlins. It is a series of towns along the South Island east coast with absolutely spectacular views, wildlife, waterfalls, and overall nature. You absolutely need a car to get to it and most of the roads are gravel so plan for lots of extra driving time.

I came up from Invercargill—which is absolutely freezing by the way—and meandered on through The Catlins up to Kaka Point. There are 21 different walks or sites listed on The Catlins official tourism brochure with all but one taking an hour or less to get to and back again, called an hour return in NZ speak.

You can visit the southernmost point of the South Island called Slope Point and also see the Nugget Point Lighthouse, an iconic photo opportunity especially at sunset. The Catlins is also advertised as one place to see the yellow-eyed penguins. The best time to go is either at sunrise or sunset so either get there early or stay the night either camping along the beach or in one of the area’s motels or hostels.

While I did not see any penguins during my trip, I did get to see two New Zealand sea lions up close and personal. The weather was spectacular the day I went. It was raining off and on but this only led to countless rainbows appearing all day long, adding an extra special element to this area for me.

2. Enjoy a Pint During Speight’s Brewery Tour in Dunedin

Even if you are not a beer drinker, the Speight’s Brewery Tour and Café in Dunedin is fantastic. I decided to do the brewery tour and lunch deal which was $59 and was worth it just for the meal. You get an entrée with a side, appetizer or dessert, and beer included for lunch, and it was enough good food to fill me up for the entire day. (Without the tour, this could almost cost you that much on its own so I highly recommend the deal.)

The tour I first expected to be exceedingly awkward as it was only me and a Speight’s staff photographer with the tour guide, but it ended up being very enjoyable. I had Rob as my tour guide, and he was highly personable and energetic. Unlike the Cadbury tour also in Dunedin, you are encouraged to take all the photos you want on the tour and you go into many of the manufacturing areas, getting a full feel for their location, history, and the role Speight’s plays in the local community.

One unique thing about their beer in Dunedin is the factory runs over a waterway which is where they get the water for their beer. The factory has a tap out front where locals are welcome to come get some of their natural water for their own consumption. Speight’s Beer is a New Zealand staple, so if you are in wonderful Dunedin, I would highly recommend stopping by.

3. Seek Out the Blue Glacier Waters

Make sure you get a chance to see the blue water in New Zealand. This may seem like a weird and non-descriptive thing to look for, but it is well worth it. Lakes and streams near the glaciers in New Zealand have a type of sediment called glacier flour, or finely ground rocks from the glaciers, that rests at the bottom of some waterways. Sun reflecting off of the glacier sediments gives the water a very distinctive blue color which is unlike anything I have even seen and cannot even be fully portrayed in photos.

You will know it when you see it and there are a number of places across New Zealand to find it, like at the Blue Pools Walk, one of many walks along the Haast Highway.

4. Road Trip Along the Haast Highway and Hike the Haast Pass

Which brings me to the Haast Highway/ Haast Pass walks. The Haast Highway, or Highway 6, is one of a few ways to get over to the South Island’s West Coast. The West Coast is a well worth it experience in and of itself, but make sure to enjoy the journey over to the South Island as well.

There are 14 official walks along the Pass with some well-worth-it waterfalls and good lookout points. I started from Wanaka to head towards the coast and you get some spectacular views of the backside of Lake Wanaka, especially at sunrise.

Continuing on through the Pass there are a number of different marked stops and walks along the way, but lots of other great views to see even without being officially designated. The waterfall here was my favorite I saw all day, and it was one I just noticed along the road and spontaneously stopped at. If you are traveling anywhere by car in New Zealand, make sure to never be in a hurry because some of my favorite places have been those unexpected surprises.

5. Check out the Glaciers and Take a Walk along the Callery Gorge in Franz Josef

I headed to the South Island’s West Coast with the intention of seeing the glaciers. I started with Franz Josef and then headed on down to Fox Glacier. But as the glaciers are becoming more unstable, you cannot get as close to them as before, unless you want to pay $200 or more on a helicopter flight to the top. (I certainly did not.)

So while in the Franz Josef area, I tried to make the most of my time there in a cost effective way, and I checked out some of the other designated walks in the area. Here I found my favorite sight of the weekend trip, even including the glaciers themselves. The photo below is from the Callery Gorge Walk, an easy trek from the Franz Josef village.

Being so close to actual glacier walks this was obviously an exceedingly less popular walk, but this allowed me to be the only one on it and really enjoy the sounds and feels of New Zealand nature. Despite the fact that there are several glaciers along the West Coast, this area is a rainforest with tons of large plants and that “in the jungle” feel to it. It was also the first time I got to see the blue glacier water up close and seeing it appear in the middle of this rainforest was a sight to behold.

Connecting to this trek is another walk called Tatare Tunnels, a possible viewing spot for the glowworms and a great example of man-made tunnels in the middle of the rainforest. While the main glacier walks should not be skipped, neither should the other walks in the Franz Josef and Fox areas. If you have the time to make a full day of it, be like me and do every single one.

6. Enjoy the Art and Culture of Christchurch

I greatly enjoyed exploring Christchurch, from seeing the still present earthquake damage and long term recovery process, to the art and culture. One of the best attractions was the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, usually just called “Christchurch Art Gallery.”

Like most museums and art galleries in New Zealand, this location has free entry and several free events. They have a number of rotating exhibits and due to having a decreased stock of art from the 2011 earthquake, are currently featuring a number of local artists. The museum has free daily tours if you want to learn more about the backstory to some of the artists, but I chose to explore the museum on my own as well.

185 chairs and Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch.

If you are able to plan your travels in advance, check out their free events such as the “late night Wednesdays.” I attended one themed around Adventure, where local entrepreneurs and local athletes discussed their travels and how to make money in the process.

7. Indulge in the Food, Beer and Coffee Selection in Auckland

Almost everyone starts in Auckland when they first arrive in New Zealand. While I would highly encourage you to get out of the big city as soon as possible and go explore all of the nature and culture of New Zealand, there is still plenty of fun you can have in Aukland.

One of the best aspects of large cities is all the wonderful food to eat (and beer of course). The best café I found is called Little and Friday with a few different locations around Auckland. When I was working in a café in Mount Eden, the Newmarket Little and Friday was a great place to relax after a shift. You would think after working in a café the last thing I would want to do is go hang out in another one, but the delicious food here made it well worth it.

The beautiful collection of desserts was by far my favorite but they of course have sandwiches, coffee, and over beverages as well. The tables fill up fast so try to go in at off time but even with a wait, the chocolate and raspberry cake was well worth the line. While you are in the area, check out the Auckland Domain and Mount Eden, both near-by with Little and Friday and perfect half way spot between the two.

8. Take in the Views from the Top of Mount Maunganui

Not to entirely forget the North Island, one of the best views I got to see during my limited time there was from the top of Mount Maunganui. An awesome town in itself to explore, the climb to the top of the actual Mount is well worth the trek.

I will admit I was huffing and puffing a bit on the way up this one, but the view from the very top was well worth the effort. You are not so high that you cannot see the details of the town, which makes it cool to have an aerial view of places you can actually recognize. Locals claim to be able to do it in 30 minutes or less, but plan for more like an hour if you are in more average shape like me.

You can also do the much more flat, but still lovely, walk around the full base of the Mount. The scenery and ocean is a continual view and when I did the walk just after sunrise, it was the friendliest walk I think I have done in New Zealand. I think every single person who passed me took the time and effort to say “hi” or “good morning.”

This kind of friendly attitude is a charming characteristic across all of New Zealand and this walk is almost worth it just for the warm welcome you receive. Many locals do the walk every morning so don’t be shy, say hello to strangers, and enjoy the views of this locally embraced tourist town.

9. Sample all of the Chocolate on the South Island

During my weekend travels around the South Island, I took it upon myself to find and taste test the local chocolate shop in every town where I could find one. This was surprisingly easy to do so enjoy one of the best guilty pleasures of vacation and eat some local chocolate!

I have had many different chocolates in New Zealand, and all of them are quite wonderful A few to check out include:
- Seriously Good Chocolate Company in Invercargill
- Coco Chocolatier in Geraldine,
- She Universe in Christchurch
- Patagonia Chocolates in Queenstown and Wanaka
- Cadbury in Dunedin
- …did I mention I may have a problem?
- Theobroma Chocolate Lounge in Riccarton (my favorite!)
Theobroma’s shop is inside the Westfield Riccarton Mall, on the way into Christchurch from the south, and I will admit that one trip here was not enough for my sugar addiction. I stopped here every time I could, even once dragging my host family along. They have an awesome selection of truffles, fondue, baked desserts and chocolate drinks such as this Iced Chocolate. Theobroma also has locations Hamilton, Auckland, and Palmerston North, but I can personally attest that there is some seriously good chocolate to be found all over New Zealand.

10. Trek the Iconic Mildford Sound

Probably one of the most iconic but more challenging places to get to, Milford Sound in the southwest of the South Island is well worth the hype and the trek. Being the middle of winter, I chose to take a bus from Te Anau into Milford Sound, and also did a Jucy cruise through the Sound.

While Milford Sound’s beauty is much more impactful during the summer when all of the waterfalls are actively flowing, the place held a different kind of beauty to it with all the snow. Photos cannot do this place justice as they are unable to fully capture the magnitude of the mountains all around you.

You are driving through a series of valleys, including some filming sites from the Lord of the Rings movies, and everywhere you look the view is just spectacular, not to mention the mountains and waterfalls of the Sound itself. The cruise takes you to the brink of the Tasman Sea, and while it is often raining, this only helps to bring out the grandness of the Sound and often creates some additional waterfalls.

Winter conditions can make the roads a bit tricky and can often cause the area to be closed, so plan ahead or use one of the many bus services that start in Te Anau or Queenstown. Milford Sound is talked about as one of the best sites in New Zealand for a good reason.

What sites or experiences do you recommend for anyone working and traveling in New Zealand? Share them in the comments below!
August 14, 2017
Two Island Experiences Inspires Two Ways of Traveling and Working in New Zealand

The two words I would use to describe my lifestyle during my first three months working and traveling in New Zealand is wandering backpacker. I arrived in Auckland, like every other traveler who comes to New Zealand, and went straight to my first ever hostel experience.

I spent most of my first two months planning no more than a few days in advance, bouncing between hostels and positions I found on HelpX, a website that connects volunteers with working experiences in exchange for accommodation and food.

Working on New Zealand’s North Island

This new found freedom to explore the city and eventually more of the North Island with no concrete plan was liberating and relaxing, especially compared to my often 60 plus hour workweek I had in the United States, where the only places I ever saw were my office and the grounds of my apartment complex. I loved being able to see the sites and wander around, not knowing what I would find that day, but this quickly grew from being liberating to being exhausting and often frustrating.

At 26 years old and coming straight from working full time for the past eight years, I was older than the typical backpacker and found I am most comfortable in a more stable and quiet environment—not something found in any hostel I had come across so far. For example, I was in the process of applying to graduate school for my return to the United States in the fall and found the perpetual hunt for Wi-Fi to be quite a setback turning my peaceful wandering into a frustrating hunt for connectivity.

Plus I will openly say I hate sharing a bedroom. I am an only child who has lived alone since a bad stint with roommates my first two years of college and sharing a room with something between 3-20 other “kids” always younger and more rambunctious than me was almost as bad for my sleep as the middle of the night phone calls I got during my time working in emergency response. And a good night sleep is something I consider vital for a successful vacation.

I began to lean more towards HelpX positions, still something entirely new for me but more fitting with my volunteerism background and homely lifestyle. With HelpX while I was working for no actual pay, I lived with a local family and had all of my living costs and meals covered.

During a one month au pair position on Waiheke Island that I had found through HelpX, I started my search for jobs on the South Island, wanting to split my six month New Zealand trip between the North and South Islands equally.

A Different Way of Experiencing New Zealand on the South Island

Jack and Grace keep me busy as an au pair in New Zealand.

I ended up landing another live-in au pair position with a family of two kids in Ashburton, a rather sleepy suburban town about an hour south of Christchurch. This position would take me from the middle of May until I travel back home to the United States in August. I will openly admit that Ashburton is far from the most exciting town in New Zealand, however the set up was absolutely perfect for me. I work about 15-20 hours a week for pay, have my own bedroom, a car provided by the family, but most importantly I am included in the family life of my host parents/ employer.

My days are often filled with mundane tasks such as picking kids up from school, walking the dog, making school lunches, and playing lots and lots of board games. But I can confidently say I am part of a family. I eat dinner almost every night with my now New Zealand adopted family instead of alone in a hostel kitchen or at the cheapest fast food joint I could find in town.

I am invited and included on all family activities and through this I have gotten to see some special things I would never have gotten to opportunity to see if I had continued to travel entirely on my own.

Running with Jack during his cross-country meet in New Zealand.

I have watched my five year old complete his first ever cross county match and heard thirty kids sing New Zealand’s national anthem at end of term school assembly. I had been in the county for five months and didn’t realize until the kids starting singing that I had never even considered what New Zealand’s national anthem sounded like until getting to hear it here.

I went sheep shearing my first weekend in Ashburton. I couldn’t even properly spell shearing— I thought it was “sheering”— until after this experience. Farming is such an integral part of New Zealand’s culture and economy but something that I would never have thought to seek out on my own, especially since I haven’t seen “go see a sheep be sheared” on any New Zealand’s top 10 best things to do lists.

With the car provided by my family, I have still been able to do plenty of solo traveling around the South Island, as they have allowed me to use the car for both kid-related trips and for my own personal adventures.

Sea lions in the Catlins.

I’ve seen New Zealand sea lions under a rainbow in the Catlins, toured the Speight’s Brewery in Dunedin, checked out a ski resort in Queenstown but not actually gone skiing (Man, it is expensive… and cold. All right, let’s be real, my main issue was the cold), seen the earthquake damage in Christchurch, and cruised down the South Island’s West Coast.

185 chairs and Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch.

Christchurch earthquake damage to a local building.

While I love being able to do these solo individual trips, blasting non-kid appropriate music in the car and hiking up mountains that a three-year-old’s legs would never be able to make it up, often the best part of my weekend trips is coming home on Sunday night and being greeted by a giant hug from a five year old who tells you over and over again how much he missed you.

In some ways my life is still the same now as it was during my wanderings of the North Island. I still get woken up in the middle of the night, but it’s from an excited three year old instead of drunken teenagers showing up to the hostel room at 2 a.m. I am still incredibly broke but it’s because I am spending my funds on weekend trips all across the South Island instead of endless hostels, crappy fast food, and bus tickets. I often still wake up at 6 a.m. to try and catch by boyfriend in the U.S. on FaceTime before his day is over, but I am sharing the Wi-Fi with two working parents instead of hundreds of 20 somethings with their endless movie downloads and social media posts.

Carolyn at Devils Punchbowl Arthurs Pass.

To me, the most important part of visiting a new county is try to and get a sense of the culture and see what life is really like there. I want the “real view” of a place, behind the scenes of the show the tourism industry puts on for us foreigners. By living with a Kiwi family, I feel like I am having a full immersion type of experience that not only gives me unique insight into the life of New Zealand but is also most suitable for my lifestyle.

I know it isn’t the way to travel for everyone, but I would highly recommend it and most importantly, it is what works best for me.

July 20, 2017
Alumni Spotlight on Carolyn Ross: Why Working in New Zealand is About International Life Experiences Rather than a Career
Greenheart Travel recently caught up with Carolyn Ross, who is currently work and traveling in New Zealand, to hear what inspired her to work abroad, learn a few of her tips for finding a job in another country and advice she would give to anyone considering taking a break from the 9-5 to work and travel abroad.

Q: What inspired you to work and travel in New Zealand?

I decided in the late fall of last year that I needed some life changes. I left my job and career that I had been in for the past four years in September 2016, and looked at pursuing my masters degree starting in fall of 2017. I have always had a strong foundation in volunteerism and had spent my career in non-profit, so I started exploring different programs that I could do during the interim time before starting school.

A friend recommended Greenheart Travel to me and there I came across the work abroad in New Zealand and Australian visas, where I could be gone for an extended period of time. This allowed me to do one program for my time rather than trying to find two or three different places.

Between New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand was the slightly cheaper and less conventional choice so I went with that. I am also looking to do my master’s in international studies, so living abroad for a time helps me to prepare for careers in that field.

Short answer: I had six months to kill and I figured why not spend it in a foreign county?

I have been frequently moving around the United States for my entire adult life and so my friends and family are used to my sometimes less than conventional life choices as well as my moving, so this did not come as a too big surprise to them. I also have a few close friends who are very supportive of me doing whatever I think is best and enjoying opportunities and new life experiences when they arise so this was just one of those opportunities.

Q: Can you share a bit about how you researched and landed your job in New Zealand and any tips you wish you would have known?

I started doing research into jobs as soon as I decided to join the program several months before arriving. The issue I ran into is that most places and sites I looked at were posting jobs for immediate hire, and this meant I could not apply until arrival or very shortly before. This research though, did give me a general idea of what the job market was like. So while I did not apply to anything until the week before arriving, I continued to follow the job market for several months in advance to get a good idea of what types of opportunities were likely to be available.

As soon as I arrived in the county, and even a few days before I left, I hit the job market fairly hard and fortunately lucked out with getting an interview my second day in the county. I was offered a position at a temp agency, and while I initially had deemed it an instantaneous but temporary solution, I have found it offers great flexibility in being able to travel but still make some money.

My advise would be to know yourself and your priorities before you arrive. Some people focus on accommodation first and then worry about a job, or hop straight into travel. I preferred to find the job first and then let the rest follow, but that strategy does not work for everyone. Know what your general priorities are before arriving and then build your job requirements and expectations around that.

Q: Where are you working now and do you have plans to move around or stay in one location for the moment?

I am working intermittently at the moment. I have maintained my position with the hospitality temp agency, Providore , who offers serving jobs around Auckland. I have also done some traveling around the North Island with different positions on HelpX where I work with a local family or business in exchange for food and accommodation. I have decided that I have plenty of time left in life to work and my main focus of this trip will be to enjoy the “local experience” as much as possible and making an income will be secondary to that.

The temp agency is a nice safety net in that I can always come back to Auckland for work, but I am mainly focused on traveling around and interacting with locals Kiwis. I will be starting a nanny position on Waiheke Island through HelpX this week and just came from a HelpX position at a small farm outside Oropi.

Q: What are a few of your favorite experiences so far since you have arrived in New Zealand?

My favorite experiences in general have been the days that I have gone out on my own and gone hiking or out in nature. I have hiked up a number of different volcanoes (which are all over the place!) and the personal feeling of achievement I feel when reaching the top is yet to be beat. My favorite view so far has been from the top of Mount Maunganui. I accidentally hiked all the way around the base of the Mount before going to the top of it, so it ended up taking me an entire morning when I had only planned on a hour or two but it was well worth it!

Q: Has this experience changed any of your personal and professional priorities or goals since you have arrived?

So far, I would say not really. I honestly had very few concrete goals going into this trip as I was intentionally trying to keep a very open mind and embrace new experiences. I had been very focused and almost pigeon holed in my previous career, so I was seeking to just take it all in with this trip and go with the flow, so to speak, as much as possible. I have pushed work to the background a bit more than I think I had planned initially, but I am really seeking to gain life experience, not work experience, from this trip and that so far is going exceedingly well.

Q: What have been the biggest cultural differences you have noticed during your time in New Zealand?

The biggest challenge with cultures differences, especially when first arriving in Auckland, is that you are facing cultures from all over the world. I have so far met very few people actually from New Zealand originally but have met travelers and residents from all over the world: Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, India, England, Germany, the list goes on and on. So you are not only dealing with New Zealand culture, you are interacting with all of the different cultures that people bring with them.

It is the little things that I think tend to build up and can lead to someone getting frustrated.
- They do not seem to be big on napkins here unless you are out in in restaurant.
- None of the locals like to have a beverage with their meal.
- It has been driving me crazy that no one has said “bless you” when I sneeze.
I can say bless you in about 4 different languages, but I went though the mental battle of “well, if you do not say it to me, I will not say it back to you.” An absolutely silly thing to get worked up about but that’s what has stood out to me. There are endless little details that are different and so try not to get frustrated about it.

Simply ask questions if you do not understand something. I have not found a single person from any culture who has been mad or exasperated when I have asked what something meant or questioned what they were doing. A lot of people are here to learn just as much as I am, so embrace that and say “Hey, thanks for sharing that with me. I am glad I could learn something new today.”

Q: If you were talking with someone that wasn’t sure about working abroad because they were worried about their career, what would you say to persuade them to go for it?

With this visa geared towards people under the age of 30, I would say enjoy life while you are young. You have your entire life to work and be dedicated to your career and there is more to life than just work.

For people over 30, it is exceedingly challenging to get a work visa to New Zealand and so embrace the opportunities that come with being young. I have also learned from being in the working field full time for the past almost decade, that your career and success comes from being more than just a hard worker or good at your job. You will achieve greater success and will hopefully be happier if you are a more well rounded person who can talk to co-workers during lunch break about more than the PowerPoint presentation you were working on that morning.

Go get something to talk about. Use your life experiences and cultured-ness to be a more open and understanding person. Those are transferable skills that will serve you no matter where you go in your career.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you to get out of your comfort zone that helped you during your travels?

Stolen from one of my friends it would probably be ” You do you, boo.” So do what works best for you personally and embrace that your goals and experiences may not line up with your friends or the people you meet.

So if you want to do something, just go do it regardless of if it is what everyone else is doing. It is your life and live it the way you want. While others may certainly be impacted by the choices you make, no one has to live with your life decisions but you, so do the best you can for yourself and make sure when you look back on your experiences, you can say “Yes, I am pleased with what I did and where I am now.”

Q: Any other additional thoughts or tips you have for anyone wanting to travel and work in New Zealand?

Just be open and embrace the experience. Take an opportunity to really enjoy your time and do something that you cannot do any place else or would not be brave enough to do at home. The biggest balance I have struggled with is trying to remain present in my New Zealand life, but then still maintain my friendships and life necessities associated with my U.S. life.

For some people they may be at a point in life where they can just travel for a year with no worries at home and they can really let go of all that. However, I have car payments that still need to be made each month. I am attending graduate school in the fall so I have had to select a school while I am here, which has been challenging. So just think about how much of your U.S. life you can let go of or put on hold while away and what will still have to get done while traveling and how you will be able to accomplish those things from a distance.
April 5, 2017