Why New Zealand should be on everyone's radar

Aprés-work beach swims, winter skiing in the mountains and one extra bank holiday per year – just three of many reasons why Róisín is glad she took a punt on a New Zealand working holiday.

After doing a J1 in NYC and working at camp in Maine for three summers, I knew I was ready to try working somewhere different. Being Irish (and on a constant mission to escape our weather), I feel like a working holiday visa in Australia is our go-to. And for good reason, Australia is class. But then, a year-long job opportunity with USIT came up in New Zealand. Despite not knowing masses about the country, I thought, ‘why not?’.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. And here's why...

The summers are hot and beachy

I don’t know why New Zealand has a chilly reputation, because Kiwi summers are much hotter than Irish summers, plus, A LOT drier. And even though New Zealand may conjure up images of snowy peaks and green hills (I blame Lord of the Rings for this), the beaches are also unreal. Golden sands, clear waters and great surf. Beach swims after work in the summer were my favourite way to end each day.

Sure, it may not be as hot as Australia, but with my Irish skin, it was perfect for me. Like Ireland, the winters are cold – but they have the added bonus of great skiing. In the words of Hannah Montana: you get the best of both worlds.

Top tip: The North Island is typically warmer year-round than the South Island. Craving a big city vibe, I lived in Auckland – which I loved. Just make sure to wear your SPF – those UV rays are not to be messed with.

It's a bit of home

Friendly locals, a national obsession with the rugby, and the craic – New Zealand is all the best bits of Ireland but copied and pasted onto the other side of the world. You may need to swap out your garlic mayo for aioli at the dairy (aka, the corner shop), but it’s close enough, right? Also, Kiwis are fond of a yarn (chat), so you’ll feel right at home.

Matching my energy and humour, my Kiwi friends were my rocks when I lived in Auckland. There’s also an incredible Irish community, which is comforting when you’re away from home for a year.

Next level work life balance

There’s a reason why the national saying in New Zealand is ‘too easy’. Kiwis are big on prioritising life over work, and we’re here for it. Expect a laid-back lifestyle and overall slower pace. Think beach hangs after work and last-minute weekend road trips to vineyards, hot pools and lakes – free from your Sunday night work fear. Which is surely the point of a working holiday, right? The ‘holiday’ part.

This more chilled mentality will give you more room to take a step back and enjoy life. I found myself with the time to pick up old hobbies and find new interests – I just know that the arts and crafts section in Kmart hated to see me coming! Plus, one extra bank holiday (we’ll take it).

Unique culture and language

Sure, it’s nice to have familiarity when you travel (there are apparently 6,500 ‘Irish-themed’ pubs in the world outside of Ireland, so that’s a hard tick on home comforts abroad). But one of the best things about travelling is surely experiencing new cultures and embracing those differences.

Aotearoa (New Zealand) has a rich and proud Māori culture, and it’s evident everywhere – from national celebrations to place names. As a Gaeilgeoir myself, I loved learning about the Māori people, language, history and culture – and it added an extra depth and dimension to my working holiday that I’m super grateful for.

Top tip: Te Reo Māori is the indigenous language, but English is mostly spoken. I say English, the accent and sayings took some getting used to! It was addictive though, and three months in, I found myself having a yarn with my Kiwi flatties over a chilly bin full of cans and subconsciously dropping ‘sweet as’ and ‘truuuue’ into my sentences. Just be warned though, ‘e’ sounds like an ‘i’ – which makes being invited over for a BBQ to sit on your mate’s ‘deck’ an interesting offer the first time it happens! I’ll leave you with that thought..

So, if you're bored of the things, and want to be more Lord of the Rings, check out our USIT Work New Zealand program. Auckland starter packs help get you settled in and set up with everything you need for your New Zealand working holiday. Including hostel nights, job workshops, CV support, travel insurance, day trips and all the nerdy tax and bank account stuff.