I followed Shane, a petite Malaysian woman with short black hair and a commanding presence, to the break room. She introduced me to the pack house workers, a group of eighteen Malaysian women, one Singapore woman and one butch German woman. “Everyone, this is Sam and she is working with us today. She came from … More Cherry Processing
Getting a job here was easy. Keeping said job proved more challenging. I arrived in Blenheim the first week of December. After a ten minute meeting with Nicolette, the labor coordinator for the Marlborough area, I had a name and number. I called Julie about vineyard work. “Do you know about how long the position … More Vineyards & Cherry Picking
Partially clothed bodies line the sandy beach at Anchorage Bay Campsite. The sun is strong but the wind fierce, leaving people braving a swimsuit or some fully covered. To my right girls giggle and Kung Fu around a curious bumblebee and next to them a couple spoon on a blanket. In front of me are … More Abel Tasman: Wekas & Wetas
My apologies for not posting anything in a few weeks – I’ve been busy enjoying the beautiful summer weather of the Southern Hemisphere! After leaving Blenheim, the worst city in New Zealand, I headed northwest and camped at Riverside Camp near Motueka. After passing the camp twice, I turned onto the gravel with a small … More Riverside Campground
After only two days of work we had two days off. I took advantage of this to explore the Richmond Range, just an hour east of Blenheim. I followed road signs to Mt Sunday along the logging roads, twisting and turning along the gravel. The carpark was empty, which was a good sign since … More Mt Sunday Bivvy
I have a job! Finally I’m putting the working holiday visa to good use. I was hired with J2 Contracting in Blenheim. Heath, from the previous exchange stay, told me about PickNZ a website specifically for seasonal work. I texted Nicolette, the labor representative of Marlborough County, and we planned a time to meet. The … More Mini RT & Friendly Strangers
introverted explorer 