Paige’s Working Holiday Experience in New Zealand

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO DO A WORKING HOLIDAY IN NEW ZEALAND?

I didn’t actually have any plans to come here at all. I was working in Canada and was going through Facebook and saw Stepabroad’s Working Holiday Program to go to New Zealand, so I thought why not! Better than just staying in Canada, and for me, it was a perfect time to go traveling before I started university.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE EXPERIENCE IN NEW ZEALAND SO FAR?

My favourite experience has probably been a weekend trip I took with a bunch of people I met at the hostel I was living in. We went to a small, laid back beach town called Raglan and rented a really nice Airbnb and the weather was just perfect. We all cooked great food together, drank, stargazed, went to the beach and some of us surfed. It was just an amazing time and a great chance to get away from city life.

WHAT JOB DO YOU HAVE? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT WORKING THERE?

I am working as a waitress in a great little cafe in Auckland by the beach. I love working there because the food is amazing and I get a nice discount. Plus I really love the people that I work with there, they are all so nice and great to talk to.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT PEOPLE IN NEW ZEALAND?

Everyone in New Zealand is super nice. They also have a funny sense of humour – kind of like Danish people (where I’ve also lived abroad on an exchange). If you get the chance, ask one of them to pronounce deck.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD IN NEW ZEALAND?

I tried a drink called Lemon Lime and Bitters here. Its made with lemonade, lime cordial and Angostura Bitters. It was so good, I drink it all the time now. It’s nice and refreshing, and sweet too! Lots of places in Auckland make it from scratch, which is the best way to enjoy it.

HAVE YOU VISITED OTHER COUNTRIES WHILE ON YOUR WORKING HOLIDAY?

Yes, I have! I went to Australia for ten days and the Cook Islands for eight. I went with a friend that I met at the hostel I was living in. In Australia, we travelled to Sydney and Melbourne. We went to the big Queen Victoria food market in Melbourne and it was amazing, I have never fallen in love with a place as fast as I did here. We also went camping in Jervis Bay south of Sydney and had Kangaroos 5 feet from us. In the Cook Islands, we visited Rarotonga and mostly relaxed at the beach. I also went swimming with sea turtles which was super cool!

WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND YOU STAYED IN A HOSTEL. HOW DID YOU LIKE IT?

It was weird at first because I had never lived in a hostel before. Once I made friends, however, it was amazing. It’s so nice living with people and usually having someone to hang out with. I became a lot more comfortable in the hostel once I figured out how to organize my stuff and put blankets up for more privacy.

HOW LONG ARE YOU DOING A WORKING HOLIDAY IN NEW ZEALAND?

I arrived in the middle of May and plan to stay until Christmas, so in total, my working holiday in New Zealand will be seven and a half months!