Going to work out in New Zealand

[PSQ]

NZ is well worth visiting, gorgeous scenery, better weather, friendly folk.
I suggest that you find a compromise with your OH - like home for Christmas to see 'the olds'. If she sees it and doesn't like it, then work it out from there.
If it wasn't for 'the ties that bind', I wouldn't have come home...

 

[ollie989898]

Both 21- get gone there, NOW.

 

[CornishTone]

I've been traveling both on my own and with friends. Have to say I much preferred traveling by myself. If she doesn't want to go for 6 months she could go and catch up with you for a few weeks. If it's serious, she'll be there when you get back.

If I can persuade my wife to emigrate, 6 months is not a big deal. You'll be back before you know it and wondering where the time went.

There's a big wide world out there to explore, you can't live your whole life beholden to others!

 

[BenB]

You're both 21...you have time in your hands. I would be careful about you both leaving if her close family members are in bad health. At the very least she needs to have enough cash in case she needs a ticket back at short notice.

 

[Kidds]

You're both 21...you have time in your hands. I would be careful about you both leaving if her close family members are in bad health. At the very least she needs to have enough cash in case she needs a ticket back at short notice.

You can buy return tickets with no fixed return date. STA Travel do good deals on these (as do others no doubt)

 

[multi power]

You can buy return tickets with no fixed return date. STA Travel do good deals on these (as do others no doubt)

In any case you have to have a return ticket in order to get a visa

 

[uztrac]

You have to go,I expect to hear on this site that you have ticket & flight booked. I commenced my overseas travels at the age of 20 and never looked back.

 

[Zippy768]

If you do go make sure you actually see the country while you are there. It would be terrible to spend 6 months there and come back having not seen the country.
I cancelled my plan to work in Canada for 7 months and instead spent 6 weeks travelling from the east coast to west coast.
Had great time but have still never lived in another country.
You have to go, even on your own. 6 months flies by. It was 5 months ago we started harvest this year.... feels like last week.

 

[Zippy768]

Also get a stop over in Singapore is a must. You planning on north island or south? There are agricultural placement companies that can help you out. I'm excited for you!!!

 

[FonterraFarmer]

Thanks a lot

I don't think that reference was relative to you.

 

[EssexNZ]

Canterbury is where it's at. Trade me (nz eBay) is a good place to look for jobs. Either that or call up some big contractors (Google) and tell them what you've done.

 

[Condi]

Just for balance I wouldnt ever want to live there....

NZ is great, the scenery is stunning, the people are friendly, the roads are quiet, the rugby is everywhere, the beer is fine.....

BUT

For me, once you were past the nice scenery there wasnt much depth to it. There wasnt much culture, very little history (my local pub is older than their oldest building) and it felt literally like the end of the world. The Pacific is a very very big ocean and it feels that way, with music, films, culture etc all coming from Aus. The wages arnt great either, hence why a lot of Kiwis are moving to Aus for work.

I had a great time there for 6 months, working and playing, but have no reason to go back. Actually, thats a lie, Queenstown is a reason to go back, loved that place. The rest of it, kinda been there and done that thanks.


Guess the advice is to go with an open mind and experience it yourself. You may love it, as many do. You may hate it, in which case nothing lost. Either way you'll be a better person for trying.

 

[Kidds]

Good post Condi.
Home is where the heart is and it is travel and experiencing something different that teaches us this.

 

[BLG]

I'm from NZ and I employ young (in there 20,s) people from Europe most spring/summer planting season. I have also spent about 10yrs living and working in other countries both on my own and with a partner.
At the moment there is a English lad and Irish lass working for me and another has just gone home after spending two seasons with me. We find that the experience does nothing but good not only on the work side but also outside of work, for example the English lad with me at the moment came here as a self confessed mummy's favourite, hadn't ever operated a washing machine, and now is able to look after himself has gained a heap of self confidence - and can even operate a washing machine!!
The other guy that has just gone home, came in 2015, worked for a season, made enough money to travel around NZ for the winter and came back for another season.
My suggestion is for you to both come on working holiday visa's as long as long you're happy to travel together, and as long as you're both not too fussy you should be able to get jobs in the same area. Don't expect her to sit around on her own doing nothing while you're doing long hours on the tractor. If there is two of you you have to learn to compromise.
Or you come out first for a few months and then get her to join you while you travel around.
Just remember the first step is the hardest.

 

[mojo4900]

I was planning on going, had a job lined up etc. Didn't due to some woman. Now to old for holiday visa and the woman won't move there as it's too rural/backward.

What a fudgeing mistake that was. My biggest regret.

Don't ever plan your life around a woman. There are loads of them about. If this one is good she will follow you. If she's not, there will be another one that will. Pretty much every serious mistake in my life can be traced to a woman in some way or other.

Live your life for yourself. Be selfish. You will regret it if you don't.

A very harsh but true post, probably the most sense ever spoken on this forum.

 

[mojo4900]

Just for balance I wouldnt ever want to live there....

NZ is great, the scenery is stunning, the people are friendly, the roads are quiet, the rugby is everywhere, the beer is fine.....

BUT

For me, once you were past the nice scenery there wasnt much depth to it. There wasnt much culture, very little history (my local pub is older than their oldest building) and it felt literally like the end of the world. The Pacific is a very very big ocean and it feels that way, with music, films, culture etc all coming from Aus. The wages arnt great either, hence why a lot of Kiwis are moving to Aus for work.

I had a great time there for 6 months, working and playing, but have no reason to go back. Actually, thats a lie, Queenstown is a reason to go back, loved that place. The rest of it, kinda been there and done that thanks.


Guess the advice is to go with an open mind and experience it yourself. You may love it, as many do. You may hate it, in which case nothing lost. Either way you'll be a better person for trying.

I'm just on my way back from WA, been contract baling for 3 months, did same last year. Winters are long wet and lean in the contracting game in the UK nowadays imo. If you've slightly more than half a brain, have some useful experience and arnt a total pee head ( the OP doesn't sound like he is) you will find plenty of good work in NZ. Saying that, 80% lads I've been with are from NZ wanting a better life or better money ?? After saying the above, home is where the home is and I have no desire to live in Australia at all but working there is a fantastic mind broadening experience. Get your backside into gear and go, what's the worst that can happen?

 

[nick channer]

Your friends with my cousins boy Toby on facebook
He's out there now and loving every min of it I hear
Send him a message he'd have good contacts

 

[AndrewB]

Go for it, if you don't you'll regret it for the rest of your life. 6 months is nothing when you come back your same mates will be going to the same pub and nothing will of changed.
I would suggest you go out yourself and work for a contractor for 4 moths or however long the season is, then get your girlfriend to come out and spend a couple of moths travelling and spend all your hard earned money.

I did 3 harvests in Western Australia 10 years ago, worked Nov, Dec and beginning of jan, then would travel oz and Nz and come home march/April.