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Working holiday in Australia - running away from my problems or a great idea?


roro1990

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The replies on here have been very positive and got my psyched up about going but I was brought crashing down earlier when I read a reply to a post of mine on a different website. I was basically told I'm an idiot for wanting to go to Thailand for a month wasting a chunk of my savings doing nothing useful.

 

And apparently I'm even more stupid for contemplating going to oz with no idea of what job I want. I'm apparently just throwing my money away.

 

I didn't take the stupid jibes personally but it has made me reconsider. Am I just blowing my money with this plan?

 

What site? Just ignore them. Unfortunately not all the sites are as nice as this one. Loads of people go over and do hospitality jobs etc.. are they all wasting their time? doubt it!!! I bet you have a great time. I don't agree with them with Thailand either - you've got £8000? Well that's a lot more than most people seem to go with so I'm sure you'll be okay in Thailand and still have plenty left especially if your careful. Obviously theres some people who could blow thousands on drink, drugs and god knows what else lol. You don't sound one of those people. You'll probably have a few more doubts before you go but if you really want to do it then you should! However if you feel like your wasting your time then maybe just go a holiday instead. I don't think your wasting your time though

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Follow your gut feeling,and do what makes you happy. I'm not into the "If you don't do it,you'll always regret it"brigade. You make decisions,based with the knowledge you have at this time,not in years to come right? If you don't go,I will assume your life will go on. Always evolving,always changing,and moving forward in which ever way you wish it to.If you go,the same will happen. You have some experience travelling alone already. How did this go for you?Did you meet a few people?Did you feel more confident?

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I suppose but like you've already proved you can build up a social life so in some respects it's easier for you to do. You're clearly naturally more sociable than myself, in fact you seem like the stereotupical person I compare myself to to on the likes of Facebook. Going to oz will be fine for you socially.

 

 

You're only coming for a year, so why are you so worried about making friends? The more interesting life is, the less aware of loneliness you'll be - and you'll find life very interesting while you're in Australia because everything is new. Also bear in mind that living in backpacking hostels breaks down the usual barriers and even shy people find themselves drawn into conversation.

 

Let's face it: you can stay at home and be certain that you'll stay lonely and miserable. Or you can come to Australia for a year and maybe be lonely and miserable - but maybe you won't. And at the very least, you'll experience a lot of new things and see a lot of new places. IMO you'd be daft NOT to do it.

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The replies on here have been very positive and got my psyched up about going but I was brought crashing down earlier when I read a reply to a post of mine on a different website. I was basically told I'm an idiot for wanting to go to Thailand for a month wasting a chunk of my savings doing nothing useful.

 

And apparently I'm even more stupid for contemplating going to oz with no idea of what job I want. I'm apparently just throwing my money away.

 

I didn't take the stupid jibes personally but it has made me reconsider. Am I just blowing my money with this plan?

 

There are always trolls on the internet who like to drag people down - ignore them. Whoever said that doesn't understand the Working Holiday Visa. It's not a chance to get experience in your future career. You can't work for one employer during your stay, you'll have to take temp jobs, so there's no point "deciding" what job you want - you'll sign up to a few temp agencies and take what's going. That's a good thing, because it means you can work for a few months to save up, then take some time off to travel around (or move to the next city).

 

I'd tend to agree that going to Thailand first wouldn't be the best idea. I'd be inclined to come straight to Australia, then stop off in Thailand on the way back - that way if you've got a lot of money left you can splash out, or if you're short on funds you can have a quiet one!

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Hey! Ive been here 2 months and My problems sound quite similar to yours. I had fair bit off savings.Not many friends no girlfriend no idea career wise. Could say pretty down depressed not much of a social life and all that etc. Buts its been the best decision of my life earning plenty off money slowly meeting new people . You will love it if you come out here.

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Hey Ellis Coates,

 

How hard was it to find with there might I ask? One of the biggest concerns for me is is leave job and such here, go there and work, move on, work, move on and such for however long, then the time comes to head home and start from scratch, it's a daunting thing.

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If you are worried about coming to Australia and not having anything or anyone to turn to, no job, no idea of how or what to do......

 

Maybe sign up to Camp America first?

 

This will force you into a group of young adults from all around the world in the same situation. Not much cash, not much idea and most looking to make new friends. It's a secure environment where you can meet lots of people from Australia (and all over the world).

 

You will trade facebook/email/skype details and always have someone you know to ask for advice if and when you get to their country. And generally you will have a place to stay for a bit as well when you land.......

 

Its also fairly revenue neutral. You put in 4 months and have few expenses whilst you are there.

 

 

I had my uk ancestry visa in my hand when I did my second camp America stint. I also had a flight from Aus to London with no idea of where I was going to stay or what I was going to do when I got there.

 

I ended up meeting lots of poms whilst there and got lots of offers to visit. Two seemed happy for me to stay for a bit looking for work. I flew to London and got straight on a bus to their place in Liverpool. After 6 months sharing living expenses with them I moved out with a full time job, car, prospective wife and having had a great time.

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If you are worried about coming to Australia and not having anything or anyone to turn to, no job, no idea of how or what to do......

 

Maybe sign up to Camp America first?

 

This will force you into a group of young adults from all around the world in the same situation. Not much cash, not much idea and most looking to make new friends. It's a secure environment where you can meet lots of people from Australia (and all over the world).

 

You will trade facebook/email/skype details and always have someone you know to ask for advice if and when you get to their country. And generally you will have a place to stay for a bit as well when you land.......

 

Its also fairly revenue neutral. You put in 4 months and have few expenses whilst you are there.

 

 

I had my uk ancestry visa in my hand when I did my second camp America stint. I also had a flight from Aus to London with no idea of where I was going to stay or what I was going to do when I got there.

 

I ended up meeting lots of poms whilst there and got lots of offers to visit. Two seemed happy for me to stay for a bit looking for work. I flew to London and got straight on a bus to their place in Liverpool. After 6 months sharing living expenses with them I moved out with a full time job, car, prospective wife and having had a great time.

 

I think camp american pay you.. :tongue:

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I think camp american pay you.. :tongue:

 

I wish they did. :yes:

 

But I only recommend it for people who I think would get benefits from it.

 

Even if they don't take my advice :wink:

 

Id never advise it for any of the old farts on here for example....

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I wish they did. :yes:

 

But I only recommend it for people who I think would get benefits from it.

 

Even if they don't take my advice :wink:

 

Id never advise it for any of the old farts on here for example....

 

I did take your advice.. I'm going to try go for it but I'll be 27 probably. I'll still look younger than most of the others so I'll probably get away with it lol

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I really hope that you choose to do it, and that you decide before you go that you are going to intentionally adopt a positive thinking mindset about it. I say intentionally, because adopting a positive mindset is something that you can choose to do.

 

You're right I am quite pessimistic like that. I think it's just natural though to be doubting it.

I think you are right here - Given that you have always lived at home, and are now thinking of flying the nest, and not just to somewhere close to home, but to almost as far away as you can go, and to use your savings, which I am sure you have worked hard to earn and put aside and being one of the things that you have to show for your adult life so far, then yes, it is natural to have some doubts. To me, that of itself doesn't make you a pessimist. To my mind, it simply shows someone who thinks about things and likes to evaluate proposed courses of action, particularly with something that could be considered to be a big decision to make. Now, I'm not saying that you're not a pessimist; just that I don't think simply evaluating the decision as you have been doing and having some doubts about it means of itself that you are a pessimist. I do that all the time too and consider myself on the whole to be an optimist.

I also have a lot of respect for the opportunist: "Dear optimist and pessimist, while you have both been arguing over whether the glass was half full or half empty, I've drunk whatever was remaining in the glass. Many thanks, the opportunist."

 

Fair enough it could be amazing but if I'm having issues over here who's to say they won't follow me to Oz? Then again, maybe I'll turn into a different person and kinda force myself to interact more as the alternative would be being over the other side of the world on my own not talking to anybody.

I think this is what you need to do - force yourself to put yourself out there a little bit more. You have nothing to lose. If you make an effort to interact with people in Australia and even if it didn't work out, you know what... so what.. these people in Australia you will never see again if you choose to go back home after, they will be on the other side of the planet. But, I think you might be pleasantly surprised by how well forcing yourself to interact more pays off. I actually think that you might end up making so many friends here that you won't want to go home. There are also meetup groups on these pomsinoz forums for wherever you might go to in Oz, with people in a similar position as you would be in: in Oz and looking to make friends. Australia may very well be the perfect place for you... if you can handle people calling you "mate" all the time! ...But you'll never know unless you go.

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I really hope that you choose to do it, and that you decide before you go that you are going to intentionally adopt a positive thinking mindset about it. I say intentionally, because adopting a positive mindset is something that you can choose to do.

 

 

I think you are right here - Given that you have always lived at home, and are now thinking of flying the nest, and not just to somewhere close to home, but to almost as far away as you can go, and to use your savings, which I am sure you have worked hard to earn and put aside and being one of the things that you have to show for your adult life so far, then yes, it is natural to have some doubts. To me, that of itself doesn't make you a pessimist. To my mind, it simply shows someone who thinks about things and likes to evaluate proposed courses of action, particularly with something that could be considered to be a big decision to make. Now, I'm not saying that you're not a pessimist; just that I don't think simply evaluating the decision as you have been doing and having some doubts about it means of itself that you are a pessimist. I do that all the time too and consider myself on the whole to be an optimist.

I also have a lot of respect for the opportunist: "Dear optimist and pessimist, while you have both been arguing over whether the glass was half full or half empty, I've drunk whatever was remaining in the glass. Many thanks, the opportunist."

 

 

I think this is what you need to do - force yourself to put yourself out there a little bit more. You have nothing to lose. If you make an effort to interact with people in Australia and even if it didn't work out, you know what... so what.. these people in Australia you will never see again if you choose to go back home after, they will be on the other side of the planet. But, I think you might be pleasantly surprised by how well forcing yourself to interact more pays off. I actually think that you might end up making so many friends here that you won't want to go home. There are also meetup groups on these pomsinoz forums for wherever you might go to in Oz, with people in a similar position as you would be in: in Oz and looking to make friends. Australia may very well be the perfect place for you... if you can handle people calling you "mate" all the time! ...But you'll never know unless you go.

 

Very good post!

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I also have a lot of respect for the opportunist: "Dear optimist and pessimist, while you have both been arguing over whether the glass was half full or half empty, I've drunk whatever was remaining in the glass. Many thanks, the opportunist."

 

 

Where as the chemist knows it's always full.

 

As matter is only particles, liquid particles are filling some of the glass, whilst gaseous particles are filling the rest of the glass.

 

Thus the glass is always full of particles in same state or another.

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Where as the chemist knows it's always full.

 

As matter is only particles, liquid particles are filling some of the glass, whilst gaseous particles are filling the rest of the glass.

 

Thus the glass is always full of particles in same state or another.

 

The women must love it when you talk like that :swoon:

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I really hope that you choose to do it, and that you decide before you go that you are going to intentionally adopt a positive thinking mindset about it. I say intentionally, because adopting a positive mindset is something that you can choose to do.

 

 

I think you are right here - Given that you have always lived at home, and are now thinking of flying the nest, and not just to somewhere close to home, but to almost as far away as you can go, and to use your savings, which I am sure you have worked hard to earn and put aside and being one of the things that you have to show for your adult life so far, then yes, it is natural to have some doubts. To me, that of itself doesn't make you a pessimist. To my mind, it simply shows someone who thinks about things and likes to evaluate proposed courses of action, particularly with something that could be considered to be a big decision to make. Now, I'm not saying that you're not a pessimist; just that I don't think simply evaluating the decision as you have been doing and having some doubts about it means of itself that you are a pessimist. I do that all the time too and consider myself on the whole to be an optimist.

I also have a lot of respect for the opportunist: "Dear optimist and pessimist, while you have both been arguing over whether the glass was half full or half empty, I've drunk whatever was remaining in the glass. Many thanks, the opportunist."

 

 

I think this is what you need to do - force yourself to put yourself out there a little bit more. You have nothing to lose. If you make an effort to interact with people in Australia and even if it didn't work out, you know what... so what.. these people in Australia you will never see again if you choose to go back home after, they will be on the other side of the planet. But, I think you might be pleasantly surprised by how well forcing yourself to interact more pays off. I actually think that you might end up making so many friends here that you won't want to go home. There are also meetup groups on these pomsinoz forums for wherever you might go to in Oz, with people in a similar position as you would be in: in Oz and looking to make friends. Australia may very well be the perfect place for you... if you can handle people calling you "mate" all the time! ...But you'll never know unless you go.

 

Great post and thanks very much for taking the time out to write all that, it was very helpful to me. The closer I am getting to the date of leaving, the more worried I'm getting. I've been kinda looking back over how I was in college and in my first post-college job and I made nowhere near the amount of effort I should've to socialize with people and that's what i'm worried about reoeating itself. What a waste it would be to go to Oz and do the same thing and just stay in my comfortable zone of shyness and not interacting with people.

 

I know I can change all this and it's really just about putting myself out there despite the shyness until it becomes second nature but I didn't change after college so i'm worried I'll stay the same again.

 

Your very first paragraph interested me actually. About intentionally adopting a positive mindset. Is this possible for a pessimistic person? I say that because I've always wanted to be positive and I know it would help me but it's like i'm so used to being a pessimist that my brain automatically looks on the negative side of things. It's difficult to get out of.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey,

 

I just wanted to add a bit of input to this post as I can relate!

 

At school I had no confidence as I was badly bullied and suffered terrible social anxiety. I could not get out of my comfort zone but here I am wanting to travel Aus... Alone! My confidence built when I left school at 16 and went to work (it came with age also, 21 this year!) my first job was in a big retail store and I was exposed to all types of people. I believe exposing yourself is the only way you will build confidence. Feel the fear and do it anyway! You can not live your life to the full with this attitude, you have the typical cup half empty syndrome. Have you ever heard the song Suncreen by Baz Luhrmann? I think this quote will apply to you ' Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum ' ... Sorry if I sound like I'm grilling you but I wish when I felt the way I did (similar to your situation) I wish someone gave me a grill on life. I do think you are doubting yourself far too much, give yourself a bit more credit! You acknowledge you can be shy and you struggle to socialize and it is not like you want to be this way. That is a great step in itself. I think we all worry, I'm very confident in myself but I'm still nervous about meeting new people. Even the most confident people worry about stuff like this as Stacey said to me. I think when you expose youself, being shy will fade away. One day at a time, forcing youself to interact will not work. Start off small, get to know a handful of people and gradually build confidence :-)

 

Beth

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Ugh it's two days before I leave and i've started to talk myself out of it. I'm thinking that if I can't go over with a positive mindset then is it really the right thing for me? I'm getting depressed about leaving my parents (i'm the only child). They've been supportive but point blank admitted they'd rather I didn't go. I'm feeling guilty for leaving my best friend, he has battled a drug addiction and said that hanging out with me has been what got him off the drugs. I'd hate to think he'd go back into that if I left, and as cheesy as it sounds I care about him a lot. I have my own routine at home, it's comfortable. What if I go over there and feel even worse about myself? Maybe I should just take a holiday to Thailand (which is where I have my ticket booked to), come home and get a bit of counselling to sort out my negative mindset, learn to drive and then go to Oz in 6-12 months in a better frame of mind. I really dunno what I'll end up doing but my head is melted trying to decide

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Ugh it's two days before I leave and i've started to talk myself out of it. I'm thinking that if I can't go over with a positive mindset then is it really the right thing for me? I'm getting depressed about leaving my parents (i'm the only child). They've been supportive but point blank admitted they'd rather I didn't go. I'm feeling guilty for leaving my best friend, he has battled a drug addiction and said that hanging out with me has been what got him off the drugs. I'd hate to think he'd go back into that if I left, and as cheesy as it sounds I care about him a lot. I have my own routine at home, it's comfortable. What if I go over there and feel even worse about myself? Maybe I should just take a holiday to Thailand (which is where I have my ticket booked to), come home and get a bit of counselling to sort out my negative mindset, learn to drive and then go to Oz in 6-12 months in a better frame of mind. I really dunno what I'll end up doing but my head is melted trying to decide

 

You already know my opinions on it.. Parents will always worry especially when your a only child but you can't live your life to suit them. Even my mum says that.

 

Im sorry to hear about your friend - that must be hard but that's not really a reason to stay either. He has to do it for himself rather than relying on you to stay. If you stayed only because of him then you would feel like you could never move anywhere incase he went back to them. Maybe harsh but just my opinion. However if you really don't want to go then don't force yourself. You could just go a holiday

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Hey there,

 

I know I have caught this at the absolute last minute but they do say that the last of a list of things you see/read/taste, is the one that sticks in your memory the most.

I just hope that what I am about to say is worthy is being the last thing you read before jumping on your flight tomorrow. Which you absolutely must do.

 

From reading how you describe yourself, how you portray your own worth, it saddens me.

It saddens me for two reasons, the first because nobody should feel that way about themselves, you are the only you in this world and you have every right to consider yourself valuable. You are unique.

 

The other is because I see my own reflection in your posts. Not much more than 2 years ago I felt all the same things you are feeling now. I was a very intelligent kid, incredibly introverted (I don't like the term shy), I did really well at school but never really applied myself. I come from a working family and everybody believed that I would be the first in the history of our family to go to university. I believed it too.

 

Then, when I went to college I was lazy, I made the wrong friends and I quickly fell behind.

To cut a long story short, I dropped out, never made it university and started working in a builders merchant. For years, I felt like I let myself, my mum, my dad, grandparents, just about everybody down.

I was a failure, working a dead end job with no friends.

 

It all changed when I took the first step and decided to quit my job and go on holiday by myself. I was absolutely terrified but I have come to learn that to feel fear is better than to feel nothing at all.

I had always wanted to ski so I decided 'what the hell'. I went away for a couple of weeks, met some incredible people and had the time of my life. That was the catalyst that changed everything.

 

When I came back, I was no longer tied down to a job that made me miserable. I decided to apply for a job as a Car salesman and I haven't looked back since. Its not the most glamorous of jobs but it forced me to approach and interact with people. I have been doing this for nearly 2 years now and my life has never been better.

 

I have 3-4 circles of friends, I earn a lot of money for my age, I work out a lot, eat well and am incredibly outgoing, but it didn't happen overnight. Changing the way you feel about yourself and your life isn't going to happen quickly, its going to take time but it will be absolutely worth it. I promise you that much.

 

I am not giving you a recipe on how to change your life here. Instead, I am giving you a list of ingredients to help transform your own life.

 

The term 'Travel yourself interesting' comes to mind when thinking about a year out in Oz.

You don't need to approach people or force yourself do things you don't like, there are plenty of people who like me, will approach you. All you need to do is make yourself available by being there, by staying in hostels, by going to bars, by getting on that plane tomorrow and having the best, most memorable time of your entire life.

 

I truly hope that something in this monologue of mine strikes a match inside you and helps you to get on that plane tomorrow and head to Australia.

 

Ps; I fly out in almost exactly 8 weeks and would love to meet with you while out there.

 

Brandon

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Hey there,

 

I know I have caught this at the absolute last minute but they do say that the last of a list of things you see/read/taste, is the one that sticks in your memory the most.

I just hope that what I am about to say is worthy is being the last thing you read before jumping on your flight tomorrow. Which you absolutely must do.

 

From reading how you describe yourself, how you portray your own worth, it saddens me.

It saddens me for two reasons, the first because nobody should feel that way about themselves, you are the only you in this world and you have every right to consider yourself valuable. You are unique.

 

The other is because I see my own reflection in your posts. Not much more than 2 years ago I felt all the same things you are feeling now. I was a very intelligent kid, incredibly introverted (I don't like the term shy), I did really well at school but never really applied myself. I come from a working family and everybody believed that I would be the first in the history of our family to go to university. I believed it too.

 

Then, when I went to college I was lazy, I made the wrong friends and I quickly fell behind.

To cut a long story short, I dropped out, never made it university and started working in a builders merchant. For years, I felt like I let myself, my mum, my dad, grandparents, just about everybody down.

I was a failure, working a dead end job with no friends.

 

It all changed when I took the first step and decided to quit my job and go on holiday by myself. I was absolutely terrified but I have come to learn that to feel fear is better than to feel nothing at all.

I had always wanted to ski so I decided 'what the hell'. I went away for a couple of weeks, met some incredible people and had the time of my life. That was the catalyst that changed everything.

 

When I came back, I was no longer tied down to a job that made me miserable. I decided to apply for a job as a Car salesman and I haven't looked back since. Its not the most glamorous of jobs but it forced me to approach and interact with people. I have been doing this for nearly 2 years now and my life has never been better.

 

I have 3-4 circles of friends, I earn a lot of money for my age, I work out a lot, eat well and am incredibly outgoing, but it didn't happen overnight. Changing the way you feel about yourself and your life isn't going to happen quickly, its going to take time but it will be absolutely worth it. I promise you that much.

 

I am not giving you a recipe on how to change your life here. Instead, I am giving you a list of ingredients to help transform your own life.

 

The term 'Travel yourself interesting' comes to mind when thinking about a year out in Oz.

You don't need to approach people or force yourself do things you don't like, there are plenty of people who like me, will approach you. All you need to do is make yourself available by being there, by staying in hostels, by going to bars, by getting on that plane tomorrow and having the best, most memorable time of your entire life.

 

I truly hope that something in this monologue of mine strikes a match inside you and helps you to get on that plane tomorrow and head to Australia.

 

Ps; I fly out in almost exactly 8 weeks and would love to meet with you while out there.

 

Brandon

 

Hey, cheers for the post - it made for some interesting reading and it's comforting to know there are people out there who can resonate with my struggles. I'm glad you overcame your shyness, fair play to you!

 

I am still definitely getting on the plane, I've not cancelled anything yet. But i'm more thinking along the lines of a 3 month trip in Asia covering Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. All I have booked is a flight to Thailand so i'm not losing any money by not going to Oz. I'm just not sure if it's right for me at this moment. The 3 month trip will cost me more than my original plan which was to chill for a month in Thailand then head to Oz and look for work, but it won't cost that much more.

 

I have parents and grandparents saying they wish I'd settle down, I've no guarantees of a job in Oz, and who's to say i'd enjoy things like working in a bar or on a farm. Them jobs might make me more depressed if I find them too much of a struggle in terms of the level of social interaction required. To be honest i'm not totally sure exactly what i'm gonna end up doing. My mind has changed about 12 times and that's just in the last 2 days. All I know is I've a flight to Thailand in 12 hours

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