The Truth To Farmwork & Working Hostels: 88 days of slavery or a mix of your favourite reality TV?

My first & favourite farm, Mildura

You think you had drama at school and university? Try living in a working hostel. Once perfectly described to me by a friend as a mix between Big Brother, Love Island and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here the working hostel life is quite something. It’ll be the best decision of your working holiday visa; there will be tears (I’m not a crier and I cried... a lot) but you’ll only look back with the most amazing memories and more importantly the best of friends. 

Of course the I’m a celebrity part refers to the work - the original reason you go to these hostels. Be it squatting every 10 seconds for 8 hours to plant watermelons, sweating profusely in 40+degree Celsius heat for 8-10 hours or being made to stand in silence and pack vegetables for 10-12hours, 7 days a week. Don’t get me wrong, if you get lucky the jobs aren’t too bad. But the majority absolutely are. And of course you’ll encounter all the famous crawlers - snakes, spiders, rats, cockroaches and if you’re really unlucky bed bugs. You’ve been warned. 

Watermelon Farm

Love island... pretty self explanatory. You will find someone you’re 'compatible' with, you will fall in love and then you probably will break up. Or you’ll have lots of one night stands. It’s drama central and it’s amazing. Every day there’s something new in the love world of working hostels but Sunday mornings were always my favourite. Hey my bus driver once said to me on Kiwi Experience - better an awkward morning than a boring night and there is nothing boring about these hotels. 

Big brother, well I’ve probably touched on it with the Sunday morning gossip / confession sessions but there is no such thing as privacy or secrets in these places. Everyone knows everything so if like me you’re in a happy relationship at the time you can just watch it unravel or if you were like one my best friends on the farm you’ll have to hide in your friends room for a day to let someone else take the heat away that night and rest assured they shall. 

Whilst I was on the farm, and admittedly too far in to give up but not far enough in to be happy I used to cry a lot. I remember ringing my mother and grandpa and telling both of them I wouldn’t recommend anyone doing their farmwork but rather to concentrate on enjoying your first year to it’s fullest. However with the wonderful power of hindsight I tell almost everyone to complete their days. When I returned to Australia the only people I contacted were all from the farm. They really are my best friends and we cry with laughter about everything that happened now. Not to mention provided you have consistent work you really can save up a healthy penny and of course it allows an extra year in the beautiful sunny climate that is Australia.

Huge thank you must go to all my wonderful Mildura and Griffith friends.. would never have completed regional work without you!

But yes if you aren’t prepared for drama, tears, lots of heavy nights and a few awkward mornings then the working hostel environment probably isn’t the place for you. 

All the love, A x