Wwoofing or HelpX to get 2nd year WHV. A lonely route?

Pisco Sour

Obviously there's 2 main ways of getting your 88 days specified work for 2nd year WHV: Fruit picking and staying in a working hostel, and WWOOF/ HelpX volunteer work.

They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but given the fact I felt a bit tight for time to get my 88 days done I felt the HelpX method would be the best bet for me. Given the nature of the work, it is more likely to be on a full time basis, so there's a better chance of getting weekends off. The hours are generally less each day than fruit picking, the work is more varied, and most importantly you are less likely to be let down at a moments notice, which is a common theme in fruit picking.

I knew I wasn't getting paid, and I had saved plenty of cash so that wasn't a problem. However one big disadvantage of Wwoofing/HelpX which I didn't anticipate was the incredible loneliness of the whole thing.

I'm now on my 4th host. The first place I stayed 5 days, it was boring as hell and there was nothing for me to do in the evenings (no vodafone signal, no internet). The 2nd place was a bit better and I did 7 days. There were 2 other fellow wwoofers which was good. After that I went travelling with 12 days already in the bag, and the plan being to do the remaining 76 after. When I got back from travelling, I did another 17 days on a different farm, again by myself.

However as I wasn't in any of these places long enough loneliness didn't kick in too badly. It is only since I've been in my 4th place where I have really realised how tough at times this really can be.

I am currently out in the middle of nowhere, close to the tiny town of Glenrowan. The host family wanted me long term for 2 months, which suited me perfectly as I still had 59 days to go, and as they realised how isolated the place is they strongly encouraged me to go back to Melbourne each weekend. The actual setup is how all wwoof hosts should treat their helpers. They have provided me with my own cottage, any food, snacks etc that I want, an unlimited supply of beer (though drinking this by yourself doesnt exactly help the situation tbh), TV, DVD's, CD's, and a Telstra internet stick which I could then put money onto, to help me stay in touch with the outside world. As wwoofing goes it is a pretty good deal, and for the first few weeks I didn't have a problem.

As time goes on though the isolation really has gotten to me though. I honestly have never felt so lonely in my life. Nobody my own age to interact with during the week, no opportunity to meet members of the opposite sex, and in general just nothing to do, but lounge around on the internet and watch TV, which isn't good for your state of mind after awhile. I hadn't intended on going back to Melbourne each weekend, due to the fact my funds are slowly erroding and getting set up for my 2nd year will cost a bit, and the fact that I dont want to outstay my welcome at my friend's place, but it is honestly such a lonely experience that I have ended up heading back every weekend bar 1. Getting back on the train each Sunday is a horrible feeling.

The actual work itself is fine, and I feel I am learning a lot of life skills and I am taking a lot from this time. But over time it has just got harder and harder to get motivated. Getting out of bed in the morning has got tougher, and at times it is easy to feel a bit down and depressed about being completely alone.

In addition there aint much to do in Glenrowan, the nearest town. There is some Ned Kelly stuff which I hope to do some afternoon if there isn't much work to do, but besides that there is literally nothing in this town.

I think the Wwoofing experience is something which is far more suited towards couples. Doing it on your own has been a hell of a lot tougher mentally than I could ever have forseen. I've 4 weeks left now. It doesnt sound like much but the time really does drag painfully.

I guess I just wanted to share this with people, as it is good for people to know the positives AND the negatives of the methods of getting the 2nd year visa.

Has anybody else had similar experiences?

hussey

04072511 wrote: »

Obviously there's 2 main ways of getting your 88 days specified work for 2nd year WHV: Fruit picking and staying in a working hostel, and WWOOF/ HelpX volunteer work.

You can also work in mining/construction in a regional area
http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/specified-work.htm

Jimoslimos

I have experience of wwoofing on a farm for 4 months. Fortunately I had my gf and there was usually another wwoofer as well, the place also took in tourists on farmstay visits so always new faces.

However one great advantage I found was the lack of tv/internet/phone. In fact we were out of coverage even on Telstas next G network. Made the experience far more worthwhile IMO.

I do sympathise with the OP though. You seem really unhappy and even though it appears you found a decent host family there doesn't seem to be a connection there. Although from my experience, hosts can be slightly aloof for the first couple of weeks until they know you better - you gotta remember they see loads of wwoofers and guaranteed will have been let down by a fair share.

It is a great pity you don't have someone to share the experience with, even a friend if not a partner. Although you need to be prepared for the occasional friction that comes with being each others ONLY company for 3 months! Personally I feel even without my gf I would have been fine on my own, I'm quite introverted and don't crave human interaction but was definitely grateful to have her nonetheless.

I'd love to suggest sticking it out but if you're that unhappy might be time to consider moving on. Have a chat with your hosts as well and let them know your reasons.

Pisco Sour

Jimoslimos wrote: »

I have experience of wwoofing on a farm for 4 months. Fortunately I had my gf and there was usually another wwoofer as well, the place also took in tourists on farmstay visits so always new faces.

However one great advantage I found was the lack of tv/internet/phone. In fact we were out of coverage even on Telstas next G network. Made the experience far more worthwhile IMO.

I do sympathise with the OP though. You seem really unhappy and even though it appears you found a decent host family there doesn't seem to be a connection there. Although from my experience, hosts can be slightly aloof for the first couple of weeks until they know you better - you gotta remember they see loads of wwoofers and guaranteed will have been let down by a fair share.

It is a great pity you don't have someone to share the experience with, even a friend if not a partner. Although you need to be prepared for the occasional friction that comes with being each others ONLY company for 3 months! Personally I feel even without my gf I would have been fine on my own, I'm quite introverted and don't crave human interaction but was definitely grateful to have her nonetheless.

I'd love to suggest sticking it out but if you're that unhappy might be time to consider moving on. Have a chat with your hosts as well and let them know your reasons.

Oh I'll definetely stick it out. No doubt about that. I'll be glad once I do as I'll have my 88 days done and dusted with a month to spare and so will have a whole 13 months to try find sponsorship (didnt bother in my first year as that was all about travel for me).

In fairness to the host family, this is the first time they have ever done HelpX and I am their first helper. (They didnt even know what a 2nd year working holiday visa was. I had to explain the whole thing to them. They are a commercial sheep farm though and the work I have been doing 100% counts as specified work so it doesnt matter if they need a bit of helping hand with regards what they need to fill out and all that). They have only recently moved from Sydney, and jacked in their office jobs to set up life on a farm so it is only natural they will not be used to all of this, and they don't particularly want me in their way all the time. They are very nice and helpful though.

I'm not the type of person who has problems being by myself. I travelled South America solo, did a lot of long buses by myself. I am very comfortable with my own company for a certain length of time. But I've found this a totally different kettle of fish. I am a very outgoing person and love to get out and meet new people, and will talk to anybody, anywhere, so it is definetely not fun, spending weeks on end by myself.

Wwoofing is definetely an experience built for couples IMO.

jank

Doesnt sound too bad to me. Nice way to de-stress!

Pisco Sour

jank wrote: »

Doesnt sound too bad to me. Nice way to de-stress!

Yeh thats how I felt for the first 2 weeks, but it doesnt take long for that novalty to ware off!

Mellor

hussey wrote: »

You can also work in mining/construction in a regional area
http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/specified-work.htm

+1
A lot of people I know go this route.
I think a lot of peopel get hung up on doing "farmwork" or "fruit picking"

Pisco Sour

Mellor wrote: »

+1
A lot of people I know go this route.
I think a lot of peopel get hung up on doing "farmwork" or "fruit picking"

Yeh fully aware. Had to rule out this type of work though as I am an asthmatic.

Cooperspale

Fair play to you. 4 weeks to go is the home run. You'll probably reminisce about the tranquility when you're in some noisy dorm of backpackers in 6 months time.
Glenrowan is off the beaten track, I've often pulled in off the Hume heading back to Melb to get a good meal there and most drivers seem to use the petrol stations adjacent to the freeway rather than drive the few km, a shame really.
Best of luck and thanks for sharing your experience

Mellor

04072511 wrote: »

Yeh fully aware. Had to rule out this type of work though as I am an asthmatic.

I can see how mining is off the list for an asthmatic, but surely some types of construction where there is no dust or stuff like that is fine.
apologies if i'm missing something

Pisco Sour

Cooperspale wrote: »

You'll probably reminisce about the tranquility when you're in some noisy dorm of backpackers in 6 months time.

I very much doubt that. This has been probably the loneliest time of my life. Have nowhere to stay in Melbourne this weekend, and nobody seems to be about so am stuck here for the whole weekend. Should be great craic!

Ah hostels aren't so bad. Obviously party hostels are a pain, and that seems to be what many of the hostels in Australia are like, and I could never for a second live in one during a WHV, but I've stayed in numerous nice, homely, chilled out hostels throughout my time in South America, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Zambia

I am only going to say this once, no matter how bad it gets stay away from the sheep.

Pisco Sour

Zambia wrote: »

I am only going to say this once, no matter how bad it gets stay away from the sheep.

Can't beat an original joke!!

Pisco Sour

Mellor wrote: »

I can see how mining is off the list for an asthmatic, but surely some types of construction where there is no dust or stuff like that is fine.
apologies if i'm missing something

I was advised by my doctor, who treated my asthma when I was growing up, to NEVER work in any form of construction, so for the sake of my health I have to go by that advice.

Mellor

04072511 wrote: »

I was advised by my doctor, who treated my asthma when I was growing up, to NEVER work in any form of construction, so for the sake of my health I have to go by that advice.

Fait enough, but copnstruction is a general term, working on the farm would be a lot worse than certain aspects of "construction"

Pisco Sour

Mellor wrote: »

Fait enough, but copnstruction is a general term, working on the farm would be a lot worse than certain aspects of "construction"

Agreed, and it's not like wwoofing is safe means of getting the visa either. Have done a bit of minor damage to my back partly as a result of this work (and partly because of my sprinting training) and not having a strong enough core strength to deal with the work, and the training. My body has just given up and had enough, hence the injury.

Having to go to a physio as a result. Been twice now, and will probably be there another 4 times, clocking up a total of about 300 dollars by the time I'm done. Well, at least I will get value for the 78 euro I pay every month to the VHI. About time I get to claim some stuff back

jamiecoins

op you said 2 options and mentioned fruit picking and staying in a working hostel is it aa requirement to actually stay in a hostel while fruit picking for it to count towards the 88 days ?

Pisco Sour

jamiecoins wrote: »

op you said 2 options and mentioned fruit picking and staying in a working hostel is it aa requirement to actually stay in a hostel while fruit picking for it to count towards the 88 days ?

Of course not. It's just the way most people do the fruit picking as the hostels find the work for you.

cage999

can anyone on here help me im trying to take an overnight bus trip from iguazu to buenos aires in jan and have trouble finding the right one can any one recommend one and how much you should expect to pay ? any tips also ?

thanks !

Pisco Sour

cage999 wrote: »

can anyone on here help me im trying to take an overnight bus trip from iguazu to buenos aires in jan and have trouble finding the right one can any one recommend one and how much you should expect to pay ? any tips also ?

thanks !

Completely wrong thread mate. But as luck would have it, I did that route. Cruzeiro del Sur I think were the name of the company I took. Best bus journey of my life. No joke.

xmuldoonx

hussey wrote: »

You can also work in mining/construction in a regional area
http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/working-holiday/417/specified-work.htm

Hi i was just wondering if anyone has any experiences of getting jobs on a mine? I have a friend over there that said he can get me a job no bother but I dont want to be rushing it as im not fully convinced by this promise of a job ???:eek:

hussey

xmuldoonx wrote: »

Hi i was just wondering if anyone has any experiences of getting jobs on a mine? I have a friend over there that said he can get me a job no bother but I dont want to be rushing it as im not fully convinced by this promise of a job ???:eek:

Do a forum search - there are lots of mine threads

xmuldoonx

helpful :rolleyes:

hussey

xmuldoonx wrote: »

helpful :rolleyes:

Mod No need for rolleyes
a simple search of the word 'mines' resulted in 1000+ hits
If you cannot find this helpful, then please go elsewhere
http://www.boards.ie/search/?q=mines&showmore=1&f=1121

Daisies

I completely sympathise OP. I found work like that for my second year (due to me running out of time to complete my 88 days). The first place I was was a disaster. The farmer had been kicked off the wwoofing list due to complaints from workers (something he failed to mention until I had got to the farm), he was the most unreasonable, horrible person I have ever met. Lasted 2 months (don't ask me how) and there is NO way in hell I could have lasted without another Irish girl there. We were only 40mins from Noosa but we weren't allowed to use the ute when not working and there was no public transport. No TV, rat ridden accommodation, extreme budget with regard to food and no pay.

In contrast, for my final month I went to a macadamia farm that i found on HelpX and I could not have had a more different experience. Even though I was on my own, the farmer was very sociable and had his friends over most evenings. He said "thank you for your hard work" every day (a complete contrast from just getting a list of things you had done wrong in the previous farm.)