November 20, 2009

As a majority of Furnished Property tenants are in Sydney on a working holiday visa, they immediately start to think of all the ways they can apply for their second visa when they discover the joys of an Australian summer. To do this, however, involves spending 3 months taking part in regional work during the first working holiday, and fruit picking – duh duh duhhhh – is definitely the easiest and most popular form of regional work around.

Easiest? I guess the term is relative to what you consider easy. Long days in hot weather surrounded by bugs and getting covered in sweat and dirt doesn’t sound easy to me. What I meant is that the jobs are more flexible than most, and, as long as you can get there in time, there is probably plenty to go around.

A typical day might look a little like the following:

Initially, the idea of performing this repetitive and body-killing task might be quickly brushed aside. Why the heck would someone want to take part in physical labour during your time down under? Ah, but flash that little pass for an extra 12 months of Aussie bliss, and people will quickly change their tune.

Besides this bonus, there are plenty of other reasons to want to take part in fruit picking while in Australia.

• See rural Australia. Sadly, some people only see the big stuff while in Australia – the cities, the beaches, and all the big tourist spots. By taking part in fruit picking / harvest work, backpackers can see another side of this massive country.
• Enjoy nature. Ever feel the need to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and kick back in the quietness of nature? Fruit picking provides a means of experience the calming tranquillity and beauty of the rural landscape every day.
• Get fit. It’s not uncommon for fruit pickers to see a noticeable difference in the way their body looks after only a few short weeks of work. The constant activity provides and excellent way to get beach fit while gaining some cash.
• Meet other backpackers. Make friends for life by living in cheap shared accommodation and working with other backpackers while fruit picking. Who knows what future travel plans may emerge after a short stint on the farm.

Harvest work is not a relaxing job, to say the least, but by playing the cards right, a backpacker or former Furnished Property tenant might be able to step away with a hefty wad of cash in tow. There’s nothing quite like celebrating a job well done by having some money to be used for further travels around Australia.

What about you? Do you plan to fruit pick in order to get your second working holiday visa?

November 11, 2009

It appears that the old saying of the grass is always greener is true no matter where you come from. Caroline, a 21 year old working holiday maker, arrived in Sydney about 3 months ago and decided to make the move because she was just tired of Sweden. She quit her former life as the manager of a food joint, gave up her apartment, and booked a one-way ticket to Australia. Now, Caroline talks about her less-than-normal life as a Furnished Property tenant in the heart of Sydney’s Kings Cross, full of unexpected coincidences and experiences that let us know that there is something to gain by being such a positive light.

“I was walking down the street last week wanting to know how much it was to get into Club Soho, which is kind of expensive. I went up to a guy on the street wanting to find out – a very good looking guy – and he said, ‘Oh my god, I’m promoting for this night club. Do you want to get in for free? I’ll walk you… as long as I get a few cigarettes.’ It’s like you never know what’s going to happen.”

Kings Cross is notorious around the world for its vibrant night life, and that draws in a large amount of backpackers and tourists throughout the year. Caroline agrees with the hype surrounding this location, which is why she lives there, and even states, “I think it’s better than living outside [Kings Cross]. I pay a bit more, but it’s so close to everything.”

Everything here includes the pubs and clubs that shape the local atmosphere, and, after three long months, Caroline is still not tired of being considered a tourist amongst backpackers. Actually, Caroline prefers the backpacker establishments when it comes to going out in Sydney because “you get to meet a lot of new people”. And, when it comes to the cost of a night on the town, she suggests to either have a pre-party at home first to save some money, or (she jokes) to just find a nice Australian guy to buy the drinks all night.

Besides laying back and enjoying the spontaneity of entertainment brought about by living in a city a lot larger than her hometown in Sweden, Caroline explains that it was her positive attitude that helped her to find two jobs within the first two weeks of being here, and now a third.

“I found another job at a coffee place. I just went there and said, ‘Hi, are you in need of staff? I would love to work for you.’ They told me to come back next week, on Wednesday. Two minutes. It was that easy.”

Caroline continues, “Be very open, and don’t be negative. Don’t say, ‘Oh, I won’t get an apartment, I won’t get a job,’ ’cause then you won’t get either. Being positive is good for jobs. …If you are happy and speak English, it should be easy to get a job. Just smile.”

Being from Sweden, Caroline has been trained to want things a certain way, but this has not stopped her from adopting the “no worries” Aussie lifestyle while here. Sure, the buses might come 10 minutes late, but she has learned to adapt and accept the good that comes her way. She even met some of her best friends while sitting on a bus! Caroline is definitely a roll with the punches type of gal, and this image exudes from her personality and every word she speaks. I found it a bit hard to imagine, but she was actually a little excited about the idea of fruit picking.

“Actually, I did think about fruit picking because of the second year visa. But, it would be cool, even doing it for a couple of weeks really… just going out there and just doing it. It’s the experience, so you can say you’ve done this.”

Caroline wants to experience all that Australia has to offer. She has recently discovered a love for surfing, and she would even say that it is more amazing than the skydiving she did last Friday. However, more than just adventure, Caroline is looking for the authenticity that the normal daily life can bring.

“So many backpackers come to Australia, and they are so into doing all the backpacker things. They go to all the places that everyone else goes to, and I think it’s underrated to do real Australia things, like hang out with real Australian people. It creates a whole different view of it… it’s their real life, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Caroline has no real plans for after her time in Sydney, but I’m sure that with such a positive attitude she will have no problems in taking the next step.