My backpacker jobs during my Working Holiday Visa in New Zealand

Workaway: assisting a tetraplegic person

To start my WHV with peace of mind, I decided to do a Workaway as my first “job.” Workaway is working a few hours a day in people’s homes in exchange for food and accommodation. So I was hosted by a Māori family whose father is tetraplegic from a work accident. This family regularly hosted travelers to help them with small projects around the house. The different jobs were quite varied: painting the house, fixing the roof, squeezing oranges, making food, setting up a “holiday container”, etc.

Pros

I think that starting your WHV with a Workaway is really ideal. It allowed me to arrive without being anxious about money and finding a job. I was able to open my bank account, apply for my IRD number, and buy a car without pressure because I had very few expenses.

Secondly, the Workaway is also perfect for getting up close and personal with the local culture. I really felt like I was part of the family and we created beautiful bonds. Plus, I was able to really learn a lot about Māori culture, history, values, customs… and I am extremely grateful for that. After 6 weeks, I was even starting to understand a tiny bit of what the parents were saying when they spoke Te Reo (that’s the name of the Maori language).

One of my best memories in New Zealand is the time we spent on their ancestral land. We had worked a whole day under the sun. In the evening, we lit a fire and shared stories, sang songs, and expressed gratitude or highlighted things we liked about people. It was truly a magical time.

Cons

If I had to highlight one negative element of this job, it was the fact that the atmosphere was so relaxed, that in the end, I never really knew when the family wanted me to work. So I felt like I was always on hold and didn’t have as much free time as I would have liked.

Bottom line: tested, approved.