Holidays, in my history, typically involved 15-plus family members, 12 hours of boisterous conversation and several boxes of Grandma Fran’s red wine.
Mother dragged everyone into involuntary backyard games; a niece or nephew spilled something sticky on the carpet; at least one in-law drank too much; and each situation was handled with a hustle and smiles. Inevitably, the day’s saving meal began when Grandma shouted “There’s too many butts in this kitchen!” and we fled, our arms full of bread roles and green bean casserole.
In other words, a holiday was a fun but not all-together relaxing event that tested our ability to manage unforeseen challenges, sometimes required a little sweat and tears, and rewarded us with, overall, positive human experiences.
This is the definition I use when describing a ‘working holiday’ abroad.
Unlike a vacation – that short term stint of rest – the holiday is a period of both entertainment and hard labor. It is not just a week-long break from permanent employment, but the merging of both work and unpaid exploration in a foreign country.
“But what’s a working holiday visa?” friends often ask, when I try to break the concept down.
It’s a term still confused by many Americans, who – compared to workers in other Western countries – are lucky to receive even seven days off during a regular working year. When four to six weeks are a mandatory break in places like Australia, England and Germany, you can see why the word ‘holiday’ reminds us of a quick and crazy Thanksgiving, not a drawn-out excuse for real life.
So when someone asks you, “What’s a working holiday?” here are a few answers:
- It’s a long trip, typically granted for six or 12 months, that you earn an income to take.
- These visas are youth-oriented: with few exceptions, applicants must be between the ages of 18-30 to enter a country on a working holiday.
- Employment is not guaranteed with a visa. Like job-seekers at home, you must circle newspaper adds, pass out resumes and network with strangers.
- However, this creates a multitude of opportunities to dive into and thoroughly understand a foreign culture. From paying taxes and renting an apartment, to opening a bank account and figuring out public transportation. With a working holiday visa, you become a temporary resident – no just a tourist.
- In order to encourage both work and travel, the duration of employment with any one company is limited to three or six months.
- Because of this, visas usually result in less ‘professional’ employment. Jobs requiring little background experience, such as those found in the hospitality industry, are common.
- This doesn’t mean you can’t further your career on a working holiday. Rather, it allows you to grow laterally by seeking positions you wouldn’t normally pursue at home. (i.e. housekeeper, fruit picker or call center clerk).
- In the end, a working holiday is about surviving something special: whether it be new environments, new struggles, new job skills or new relationships. Like a family holiday, it means adapting to your surroundings, jumping hurdles and making the most of every moment, difficult or easy.
How would you describe a working holiday?
~ Until the next adventure! ~ Kelli