Decided to work on a farm for a few months..am I mad?

LegacyUser

I have a degree related to the financial services industry. Relatively straight forward to get a good paying job, low stress and free coffee all day. But I have decided to leave this life for a while and go work on a farm in Australia for a few months. I guess I just wanna know if im being an idiot.

Ive kinda always wanted to see Australia and thought going to the outback for farm work, whilst tough, would be a great way to see the real country side of it. To be honest the office job done nothing for me. yes the pay was nice but i didnt enjoy the work. This whole thing is probably going to go one of 2 ways, I'll hate working on a farm or ill enjoy the outdoor life. I guess I just feel bad because my grandmother and mother are being all negative about it as its all part of a bigger plan.

I told them the plan was to do my 4 or so months on the farm, come home for 3 months at Christmas and go back out travelling to teach English in Asia followed by 6 or 7 months on a second working visa in Oz. After that i'll try settle in again at home or maybe ill not want to come home. I'll be 27 anyway by the end of all this. I spoke to my mother yesterday and she said my grandmother will be very disappointed to see me taking off and coming back only to take off again. I get the impression both of them just want me to settle down and try find a steady job in Ireland and an Irish girlfriend. Is this what I should be doing? i'm their only child/grandson so I feel bad for leaving them after they brought me up. my flight is in 2 days so i guess this might be just last minute doubts.

DoctorBoo

Do it! Your mam and granny have their own lives. You should live your own life.
Sounds like an exciting plan!!

kylith

Do what makes you happy, is what I'd advise. You have the rest of your life to be 'sensible', you don't want to be looking back when you're 50 and thinking 'I wish I had...'.

bp

Go for the first stage anyway! Nothing ventured nothing gained :-)

Rubberchikken

take it one step at a time. do the farm work for the summer. see how things go. while your family will miss you and you them, you have to do what interests you. enjoy Oz

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Do it. Think if you stay in your current job, in 6 months or a years time you'll be staring out the grimy window of your communal office drinking crap coffee and wondering what could have been.

Aimeee

Go! Your Mother and Granny should let you go without the guilt. They raised you well, they love you and want the best for you.
They obviously did a good job as you have the confidence and self assurance to go on an adventure, and try something completely different.
I hope my own children have wings when it's time to fly.
I also hope I'll be able to let them go without guilt.
Totally normal though considering you are the only child/grandchild, and for some people the older they get the bigger the world seems. I'm not that old but I do notice the less I travel I forget how wonderful the world actually is, we get so caught up in our own little country and lives.
Keep in touch, include them in your adventure (ie email, photos etc) and Enjoy yourself!

elephant85

I worked in a pub in the outback of Western Australia for 3 months about 10 years ago. It was without doubt the most amazing and toughest experience of my life!

The people were amazing.. it was like stepping back into the 80's. The 'town' I was in had a pub and a wheat bin. That was it. It had a shop but had closed down a few years before. Nearest town was 60 miles away. It was like another world. I got to see and do stuff you just don't get to see when your in the Australian cities.

The local Sheep shearing contractor had a 'hangy' in my honour before i left. We shut the pub for the night. I sheared sheep. Worked as a Rosie for a day. (picking the sheep poop from the fleeces), drove tractors the size of a house for another farmer when he needed help... played golf on a course where you had to rake the green before attempting to putt!

So I'd say do it.. Definitely.. but its not a long term thing. The long termers out there were very lonely. Virtually impossible to meet women, unless you travel the 500 mile trip to Perth... but if you just want the experience.. Go for it!

LegacyUser

Wouldn't it be great to have parents and grandparents who would just wish you the best of luck and say:

"wow, that sounds like an amazing experience. Sounds like you'll have a ball... "

Enjoy your trip... sounds like an amazing experience.

Lollipops23

People will always have their own opinions and idea of what you should be doing.

I was told I was mad leaving a steady job to go work in Toronto for a year.

Now I'm coming home, I'm being told I'm mad for not staying longer.

Everyone has an opinion, even when it's none of their business.

Do your thing, screw everyone else

LegacyUser

Do it! You will always regret it if you dont give it a shot! Worst case you can always come home if it doesnt work out. Im going in june and cant wait! It will be amazing

groovyychick23

Go! You will always regret it if you dont give it a shot! Worst case you can always come home if it doesnt work out. Im going myself in June and get nervous all the time but I know its going to be amazing you will have a great time and dont worry!

LadyAthame

Seriously you have to go for it. In a few years you might be in a relationship or have kids etc. DO IT!

RhubarbCrumble

Get on that plane! Seriously, go and have an amazing time. At the end of the day it's YOUR life and not anyone elses, so do what YOU want to do and what makes you happy.

Sephiroth_dude

Do it! If you don't like it you can always try something else.

5rtytry56

If you do decide to do it OP, let us know how you got on!

qwerty1991

I think you should go for it!! You are totally not crazy at all!

I remember being told years ago as a student by a group of young professionals at an event (all under 30) to not settle down in an office job without travelling first as they had because once you start to move up the ranks in your career it will be soooo difficult to do once in a lifetime trips like you mentions due to being used to being on good wages, not having enough time off/ annual leave etc.

I think you should do it now before you settle down because you may always regret it otherwise. Think, if you don't go now, can you imagine being able to go in 5 years time? You will be in your early 30s, maybe have a girlfriend/fiance/wife, you might have a child, you might have a mortgage... you might have a lot of responsibilities. Go now while you are relatively free!