Pamela, from a New Zealand WHV to permanent residency

My name is Pamela. I’m 28 and I’m originally from Belgium. I am a trained psychologist but this has led me to many other horizons. I’ve been travelling since I was 17. I’ve lived in the USA and in the Bahamas and I’ve now been living in New Zealand since 2019.

I went on a WHV to New Zealand (best decision of my life!). I don’t know why, I’ve always been attracted to Oceania, and even more so after living in the USA because I wanted to discover other parts of the world. Australia made me dream: its size, its particularities, its animals unknown to us and its beaches. In the end, I chose New Zealand because I knew even less about New Zealand than Australia: I was curious to discover this country that had begun to intrigue me. What’s more, its smaller size was reassuring. New Zealand seemed a bit more ‘cozy’ and ‘chill’ to me. So I said to myself, let’s go!

So many things!

Workwise, I mainly worked in the Abel Tasman National Park (working for the water taxis and kayak companies). I’ve also worked as a blueberry picker, kiwi packer, barista in a café, modeled for a commercial, and done some voluntary work… As I’m a school junkie, I’ve also done a 2nd masters degree by distance learning (in psychotraumatology and victimology), taken a course in existential therapy, trained to become an English teacher, and I’m currently taking a course in positive psychology. I generally work from September to May and travel the rest of the time.

In terms of accommodation, I lived in a youth hostel (backapckers) for a year and a half, had a studio and a flat, lived in my car for about a year (alternating with the rest), and then, I lived in a van for about a year.

Travelwise, I’ve been extremely lucky to explore New Zealand again and again. Working in Abel Tasman, I’ve done a lot of hiking, kayaking, tried canyoning and even went skydiving! I’m also addicted to swinging in canyons, so I’ve fallen into the void more than a dozen times. In winter, I travelled the country’s magnificent roads in my converted car, my little house on wheels (yes, in winter!). I saw subtropical forests, incredible beaches, sand dunes as far as the eye could see, fjords, mountains, cliffs overlooking the ocean, waterfalls… I also saw all kinds of animals: dolphins, penguins, seals, sea lions, whales and… orcas !!!

Lastly, in terms of relationships, I met some extraordinary people. Some friendships were just passing as these people were also travelling. Other people are now part of my very close circle of friends. And still others are very close to me on a daily basis although they’re far in distance. I think that each of these friendships has marked my trip in some way. And even if some people are no longer part of my life at this moment, I will always cherish all the moments we shared together.

My working holiday literally changed my life. It taught me to trust and follow my instinct. Ever since I arrived in New Zealand, I’ve been trusting my feelings to make decisions. I follow what makes me tick, what makes me happy. I also dare to seize opportunities, even if it’s a bit scary sometimes. The WHV showed me that I am capable of a lot more than I thought. And then, with all that, I’ve also learnt to live spontaneously, which I think is a mixture of instinct and trust in life!

Thanks to this, I also have the feeling of being more aligned, of living more in line with my values, and leading a life centred on what’s essential. My life in New Zealand taught me to live in the present and to find happiness every day. I follow the thread of life, opportunities and instinct… and then I see where it takes me while enjoying the journey. I usually end up in situations and moments in life that I’d never imagined but which, in the end, have a lot of meaning and who bring me lots of happiness.

And finally, with the WHV, I dare to keep dreaming… because dreams always come true!

It’s hard to choose among all of the moments of discovery, friendships, adventures and challenges… So here’s a quick top 3. The first memory is of a moment shared with the family I was volunteering for. We were on the whenua of their whanau (the land belonging to their family in the broadest sense). Our job was to set up a section of land so that the family could go there more often. That evening, we built a huge fire under the starriest sky I’ve ever seen in my life (we were in the middle of nowhere and there were no lights or clouds on the horizon). We told stories and shared memories, sang Maori songs and learned some haka. It was incredible.

The second memory is probably my solo hike to Mueller Hut, in the Mount Cook area. I’d just been through a particularly difficult phase and was starting my very first solo road trip. Having grown up in the city, I’m not used to hiking, even though I love it. So this one was an incredible challenge for me, and one that made me feel a lot of emotions. When I reached the top, I cried with pride and happiness. The next morning, I was also rewarded with the most beautiful sunrise of my life.

And the last memory is about a childhood dream that came true in New Zealand… Seeing orcas. After missing this opportunity about 6-7 times, I no longer believed in it. However, one day I decided to take a little boat trip with work. I remember saying to the friend who was with me, “Will today be the day? Of course not, I’m on board”. However, 30 minutes later, a passenger reported to the skipper that he had seen “dolphins”. So the skipper headed for the supposed spot. At this point, my friend exclaimed “they’re not dolphins” and I shouted “THEY’RE ORCAS!” A shower of tears followed these words as I was so happy and surprised.

Unsurprisingly, the best advice, in my opinion, would be to follow your instincts! I think it will be your best compass to guide you on your adventure. Don’t ask yourself too many questions and be flexible. Don’t follow a pre-established plan. Instead, live your WHV according to your desires, friendships, opportunities and… surprises!

Accept that not everything will be perfect. Don’t have too many expectations and let yourself be surprised by your adventure. I don’t think any WHV goes according to plan: you experience unexpected things, you experience difficulties that you wouldn’t have imagined, but you also meet incredible people, you experience beautiful and improbable things, you are challenged by one thing or another. So be a whiteboard that the WHV can come and fill with drawings, scratches, tags, photos and all kinds of beautiful things.

And lastly, go for it !

When I left for New Zealand almost 5 years ago, the idea was to follow it up with a WHV in Australia. But between the lockdown, the closed borders, my love for New Zealand, the job opportunities and, now, the New Zealand residency, I still haven’t made this big dream come true!

However, even though it’s taken a bit longer than expected, I’ll finally be flying to Australia in a few months’ time! I can’t wait!

Back from a 3-month trip to Asia with my boyfriend, we picked up our van and were soon back on the roads of New Zealand. First night? I locked us out (we got the keys back thanks to a ladle and my friend’s long arms) and my boyfriend did dishes with olive oil instead of dish soap. Absolute winners !