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Working holiday in the UK
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244
Working holiday in the UK

Hi everyone!

I'm seriously considering taking a plunge and using my working holiday visa before it runs out. I applied for it just before I turned 31 (the cut off) and am reaching the end of the allocated time next June without having left my home land. So I'd like to use the last 6 months of it starting Dec/Jan.

I'm thinking of looking for some casual primary teaching work, and maybe ESL if there is work available. If I want to stay after the visa expires I'm hoping I can apply for a regular holiday visa and travel a bit. I have a couple of things I'd like to do: a cycling trip or a horse trek tour around the country (not through a tourist company though, so I'd have to find some tour buddies).

The thing is, I've never left Australia and it's a loooong way away. It's a bit scary. So what I'm asking is: Is there anyone here from the UK who can offer any guidance, advice, friendship, contacts (work, places to live, social, travel, anything to do with horses!!!) or even just a friendly reassurance that it will be a great experience???

I've even thought a little about Wwoofing as I love farms, and I reeeeally like those great British Food shows (like The Hairy Bikers, River Cottage, even good ol' Jamie Smile
I have visions of little farms with overflowing vegie gardens, chooks and horses wandering around and rolling green countryside spotted with old-fashioned church steeples and bordered with hedges.

Sooo.....what do you think?

Post Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:50 am 
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MysteryGirl
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Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 3419
Location: I come from a land downunder


Hey WW...I cant unfortunately give you a bit of advice on the UK, having never been there myself. But I can urge you to travel whilst you can...it changes your whole outlook on life and people in general. It is good for the soul. And then, when you return to OZ, you will know for sure we have the best place in the world RIGHT HERE.

Hope someone else here can give you some ideas.


HugZ, MG
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Post Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:54 am 
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SexyKaz



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 124


Jobs in that field are hard to come by unless in private nursery schools.However i would say search the internet using various local authority website.You would be able to pick up casual work say in bars or stores easier.Tracey and i are in east ayrshire in Scotland and you could have a bed here no problem .Just give us a weeks notice so we can make sure we are home and not on vacation ourselves. lol Good luck, Karen
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Post Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:00 am 
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244


Thanks MG! I appreciate the encouragement as I am feeling that everything is too much at the moment.

Kaz, thanks so much for your advice and kind offer Smile Retail or hospitality might be a much needed change from teaching anyway! And I would definitely love to meet you and Tracy, so I may just take you up on it!

I mentioned the idea to my mother and she said "but you won't know anyone". That's ok, I'll meet them! Here, there are about 5, 000 head of cattle and 50, 0000 acres to each person, and as much as I love the land and the animals, I MISS PEOPLE!

Post Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:05 pm 
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Tracey



Joined: 30 Dec 2005
Posts: 1489
Location: Ayr, Scotland


but you do know people here!!
you know me and karen, plus mel & pip squeak and not forgetting angel & MB! there is plenty others here but too many for me to mention without forgeting someone!!
you may not of met any of us yet but you do know us from talking on here, in chat and on fb
so we're not complete strangers!
as karen say's your most welcome to come and stay with us! whether for a night or a weeks! we don't mind! and would love to see you!
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I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

sometimes i wonder... ' why is that frisbee getting bigger'... and then it hits me

Post Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:05 am 
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244
Current thoughts...

Thanks Kaz and Tracey!
I would love to meet you both, and the other lovely people you mentioned. Smile

I am getting quite excited by a couple of ideas: one is doing a cycling tour (or several in different places) and the other is doing some Wwoofing or HelpXing - basically staying on small farms and working in exchange for room and board. I'm wondering if I may even be able to combine the two - cycling and working - and maybe even doing the odd supply teaching day if it can be arranged.

There are so many listings on the HelpX website that sound awesome. I would love to find a place where I can work with horses, and learn about different farming techniques, animals, everything!

I wish I'd done it years ago.

Post Mon Oct 01, 2012 12:29 pm 
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PipSqueak



Joined: 04 Jul 2008
Posts: 987
Location: S.W. England


Will message back in the morning. Sounds great, I'm in the South away from Trace & Karen but could probably find you a place to stay. We have pretty poor schools here so there is education work as the teachers get stressed out! I'll message you links tomorrow. Are we friends on fb?
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Post Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:56 pm 
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244


Sounds great Pip! I sent you a friend request on facebook.

I have decided to definitely do it! I have given my notice at my current job and now comes the exciting and scary time of researching and planning my next moves. So much to do before then though! 4 very busy weeks of work, packing and driving back to Sydney, Christmas, paperwork, probably emails galore...not to mention my sister's wedding. I'm tired just thinking about it!

I'm looking forward to meeting some awesome people in the UK and Europe, including some of you lovely ladies. Smile

Post Sat Nov 17, 2012 8:05 am 
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Tracey



Joined: 30 Dec 2005
Posts: 1489
Location: Ayr, Scotland


wooohoooo! WW is coming to the UK!

it was only a few weeks ago since we had our shiny Darkchylde here

WW, does this mean we can corrupt you as well???? Rolling Eyes Laughing
_________________
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

sometimes i wonder... ' why is that frisbee getting bigger'... and then it hits me

Post Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:23 am 
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244


Hehe maybe I will corrupt you instead!

Post Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:50 am 
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WonderWhy



Joined: 25 Jun 2009
Posts: 244


Life sure throws a spanner in the works sometimes!

I am finally breathing easy again after a very tiring and worrying couple of weeks. I thought getting packed up was a big enough worry, but apparently not!

A couple of weeks ago, my gf's mother was rushed to hospital (2000km away and only about a week after my gf had returned form visiting her). Natural my gf was concerned (her mother is ok, thankfully) so booked a flight to go back and be with her mum. She left for the 3 hour drive to the airport at 7am, and at about 7.20am called me to say she had rolled the 4WD on the loose gravel dirt road that reaches most of the 60km to the nearest town. I threw some thongs on (shoes), grabbed my purse and ran next door to ask my boss if I could borrow her car. At this stage I didn't realise how serious the crash was (as she had said she was fine, on the phone) and thought I could just drive her the rest of the way to the airport so she would make her flight. By the time I arrived at the crash site 20 minutes later, the adrenalin was starting to wear off and my poor girl was feeling decidedly stiff and sore. I helped her into the car, then crawled into the wreck to pull out her travel bag and other important items. The vehicle was laying on the drivers side. She had crawled out through the opening where the front windscreen had been. Later, when she was in a better state of mind to talk about it, I learned that the rear wheels had slid out of control, sending the car sliding sideways where it hit a bump and rolled approximately 3 times before coming to rest. Instead of going on to the airport, we decided to stop in town (pop 200) and get her checked out at the hospital.

Lucky for us, there was a doctor there that day (often there isn't), so she was quickly neck-braced, had a needle stuck in her arm and probed for details on the accident, after which the doctor decided she needed more tests than that particular hospital could do. The nearest hospital capable of carrying out a CAT was 600 km away, so the flying ambulance was requested and while it was on its way, she had a neck x-ray. In the mean-time, I alternated between hovering by her side, and making a multitude of phone calls including the airlines, the mechanic and her parents.

Finally the call came to meet the small plane that was to take her to a larger hospital, and while she was driven off to the tiny airport, I called my boss who very kindly agreed to let me take her car on a 1000km + round trip to hopefully pick up my gf, and if not to stay with her until she was discharged.

Thankfully the hospital was efficient, and she had been CAT scanned, x-rayed and otherwise declared safe and sound by the time I was still a couple of hours away. However, by that time I had driven straight into a fierce storm - strong winds, lighting, thunder, rain so hard the visibility was close to zero, and some hail to add to the mix. Tired, stressed and alone, I was caught between pulling over and waiting it out, and pushing on slowly with the wipers on full speed. The storm was so full on, and so all encompassing that stopping was just as scary as going, as I was plagued by thoughts of being struck by lightning, or having a road-train losing control and barrel into me from behind, or other fates just as terrifying.

Eventually, I tried a little of each, keen to get there as soon as I could and see my girl but without becoming the third hospital patient myself. I discovered the effectiveness of positive self-talk bordering on insanity as I continued on my way slowly and carefully. Eventually I came to a small town and glimpsed the lights of a small pub. Pulling over, I jumped out of the car and risked a 3 second soaking as I ran for cover under the verandah. It was surprisingly full of life, with several locals and travelers standing out on the verandah to watch the storm. After a trip to the ladies, my emotions got the better of me. A kindly old lady came over to see if I was ok and gave me a hug, while the equally kind bar lady gave me a coke to soothe the nerves. I waited about half an hour until the wind and rain had settled down to a steady drizzle, and continued on my way.

Finally reaching the hospital at about dinner time, I picked up my relieved gf and booked into a motel for the night - although we were lucky to find a room as there were No Vacancy signs all over the place. Apparently that is normal in that particular city...

Despite having been given the all clear, my gf was getting progressively sorer and sorer and the trauma of the accident took effect. We ordered some dinner, showered and had an early night so we could wake up early to drive home the next day.

After another hectic, but thankfully less traumatic day, we arrived home laden with groceries, chook feed, dog feed and horse feed (without a car, who knew when we would get to the shops again!). We stopped at the mechanics on the way home to see what remained of our vehicle. It was not a pretty sight. It is such an odd feeling to see something that has been a fixture in your life, suddenly and completely destroyed. We scrounged around to collect our remaining belongings before leaving it there for the insurance to take care of.

Several days on, my lovely gf is feeling much better but still experiencing some neck and back pain. The new problem, we quickly realised, was how to get home with a large box trailer, 2 kayaks and more belongings than we came with, with absolutely no vehicle. Especially seeing as home is over 2000km away, and our current location is the middle of nowhere, where things such as hire cars, airports, and even second hand vehicles are not easily come by.

More to come...if you'd like to know, of course.

Post Fri Nov 30, 2012 11:42 am 
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Tracey



Joined: 30 Dec 2005
Posts: 1489
Location: Ayr, Scotland


sound's like your going through it!
hopefully your gf will be feeling better soon, she was soooooooo lucky by the sounds of it

hugs for you and gentle ones for you gf

(((((((hugs))))))))


tracey x
_________________
I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

sometimes i wonder... ' why is that frisbee getting bigger'... and then it hits me

Post Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:06 pm 
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MysteryGirl
Moderators


Joined: 02 Jun 2007
Posts: 3419
Location: I come from a land downunder


Pats on the back for your bravery WW and a gentle, careful hug for your poor GF, hope she is feeling a heap better now.

Let us know how you both get on.


HugZ, MG
_________________
Be yourself.............everybody else is taken!

Post Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:57 am 
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SexyKaz



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 124


Hope things are improving .Hang in there.Hugs to you both. Exclamation
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To write with a broken pencil is pointless!

Post Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:30 am 
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SexyKaz



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 124


Hope things are improving .Hang in there.Hugs to you both. Exclamation
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To write with a broken pencil is pointless!

Post Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:30 am 
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