Hi everyone! Can you believe it’s been 6 months since I began this adventure?! It’s been a wild ride but I’m having a blast!
I’ve had a variety of jobs in Australia. I worked in a restaurant, a hostel, checked people into a cruise ship, and in the Fremantle markets for a plant boutique. By working in the hostel, I made lots of friends and was able to cut down on costs by having free accommodation in exchange for two hours of work every day. I formed friendships with people from all over the world, including South Korea, the U.K., Israel, Papua New Guinea, Germany, France, and Canada.
Then, I au paired in Perth for 4 months. The kids were lovely, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a healthy environment for me. I decided to leave when an incredible opportunity on Fraser Island landed in my inbox.
My experience au pairing isn’t isolated. This article from The Guardian (published last year in 2018) surveyed close to 1,500 au pairs in Australia and found that nearly 40% of au pairs experienced serious problems during their placement. 8% experienced verbal abuse, and 26% felt compelled to do more than their duties called for. Nobody deserves to be yelled at, berated, and disrespected in any environment.
After I left, I flew across the country to Queensland where I volunteered for a fabulous tour company on Fraser Island. It was a month-long position and in exchange for cooking and cleaning, myself and another volunteer had free food, accommodation, and got to go on all of the tours! Every day was a new adventure and I got to experience the best of Fraser with great, fun-loving, and kind people who became family.
I spent the days floating down Eli Creek, playing volleyball on the beach, and seeing whales, sea turtles, and sharks from the top of Indian Head. The stargazing is some of the best in Australia, and I’ve seen dingoes, kookaburras, monitor lizards, and even a sea snake! Not many people get to live on Fraser for an entire month and my time on the island will always be incredibly special to me. At the end of my position, I felt so relaxed and truly understood the timewarp that is island time.
I didn’t have a car, wifi, or a washing machine, but I didn’t care. I learned that life is best enjoyed simply-with good people in a beautiful, happy environment, and spending the evening kicking a ball of straw down the beach with your friend at sunset can be a very viable source of entertainment. I was sad to leave Fraser behind, but travelling and working is what a working holiday is all about.
If I had to do it all over again, I would have come to Australia with more savings and more practical skills. I may know AP style and have a degree in journalism, but damn do I wish I could bartend! Because of visa restrictions, it’s extremely difficult to find a high-paying, career job. But I’m not disappointed! I’ve learned so much while I’ve been here and gained so much life experience that I wouldn’t have had if I’d stayed at home.
Next, I’ll be working as a receptionist in tropical north Queensland to complete my 88 days of regional work for my second-year visa! Americans and people from these countries (462 visa) can do hospitality work instead of the farmwork that other WHV holders must complete.
I can’t wait to experience the next chapter, I know it’ll be a lot of fun! When it comes to actually finding work, I recommend:
Word of mouth Socialize with other backpackers and ask what they did to find work. Walk around and call people with resume in hand. Having connections is hugely helpful!
Employment agencies like The Job Shop
Facebook groups like Australia Backpackers. You can look up groups for any city. Ie: “Jobs in Cairns” to find an employment page. Also, try posting an ad for yourself with a brief bio and list of skills!
Harvest Trail for farmwork
Working Hostels Peruse backpacker pages and ask people where they stayed! A working hostel will help you find work, but some are better than others.
I have a few more posts on tap for you guys, so stay tuned!
As always, feel free to use the contact form above to ask any questions or pitch an idea. And subscribe to my mailing list for updates. I’ll never spam you and you’ll only receive emails when I post. Love hearing from you guys!
Ciao,
Christina