Are you our next Woofer?

Are you our next Woofer?

My adventure here at Rock Solid Backpackers actually started as a coincidence. I arrived in Auckland from Belgium on a Working Holiday Visa, and at first, I wasn't sure where to go. Because I had applied for a visa before Covid, I also had to confirm my identity with IR for an IRD number.

Auckland is a very big city and like many other backpackers, I didn't really enjoy staying there (Everyone their own choice of course ;) ) 

As all offices and banks are closed then, I left during the weekend. I booked a ticket to Rotorua and Wellington with an Intercity bus.

When I got off the bus, I at once got a good feeling about this city. I don't know why but it happens sometimes. The small scale of Rotorua probably. At least I knew I probably wouldn't travel to Wellington again.

When I checked in, I got to know Dale. He was the receptionist on duty that night. When I asked if there were many jobs here, he recommended that I put my resume in a number of places. People in the city were looking for workers very hard. So did the hostel Dale told me. A job in a hostel where you received accommodation and extra pocket money. It couldn't get any better, could it? However, I still had to confirm my identity and open a bank account to get started.

It is not difficult at all in Rotorua. The bank is a 2-minute walk away, the IR office is 2 blocks away. On your way, you pass the library yourself, which is handy if you still need to print some things. Don't feel like cooking yourself? McDonalds and Burger King are around the corner. Just like the Countdown supermarket and Pack n Save. Do you want to relax? No problem, plenty of spas on our street. In short, everything is within walking distance here.

At the time of writing, I am on my 3rd week at the hostel, and I can assure you it is AMAZING! The team I have the honour to work with is so much fun. A team that helps and supports you and where you can laugh while you work.

 

I work as a housekeeper and that's really cool. The day starts with a nice breakfast and coffee to start at 10 am. We have a list of all the beds we make that day. We strip it first, and then make it up in detail. After that, there are cleaning tasks, divided among the team so that you don't do the same thing every day.

Around 2 pm (on busy days it can take a little longer) your working day is already over, and you are free for the rest of the day. You work 5 days a week, of which 14 hours for accommodation and you get all the rest paid out, which is a nice bonus. And trust me, here's more than enough to do in your spare time. Going to the spas, lugging, mountain biking, hiking in the Redwoods, going to the geysers… something for everyone.

Are you also planning to travel to New Zealand? Do you also love that everything is close by and that there is a lot to do? Would you also like to work in a hostel, meet people from all over the world, and work in a super cool team? Then come to Rotorua and maybe this will become your new home away from home.

Posted by on July 23, 2022