As we all know, being a backpacker in Australia is a pretty tough gig. The fun-filled year has to come to an end prematurely due to the 88 days of regional work rule. (For those who don’t know if you want to stay in Australia for a second year you need to do 88 days of regional work, seriously regional not just a wee field in the city).
When you first arrive in Australia, you think oh great I’ll do a year of this and probably head home and sort my life out – become an adult etc, etc. In reality, you meet people who change your life and make you realise there is too much left to see and do for only one year. Which is then when you get caught short.
This happened to me. Two of my friends specifically told me I couldn’t leave, just when I really wanted too (you know exactly who you are), they told me I had too much left to see and do and so many things that I hadn’t had the chance to experience. This caused panic to settle in, I had five months to find farm work and complete my 88 days to extend my visa. Then I had four months, and then three and a half.
I cannot lie to you, the last two months have been ridiculously stressful, my poor mum has received too many a phone call from me crying and saying I’m done, I’m coming home (sorry mum). I’m pretty poor at decision making so this has been a serious challenge in itself I was constantly asking myself, do I find a flat and leave in October when my visa runs out? Do I stay and do my Farm work? Do I just head home now? What happens after I’ve done my Farm work? (Honestly, this is still an everyday question, along with; have I made the right decision – told you it’s been stressful).
At this point, I feel as though I have Covid-19 to (partially) thank for me still being in Australia. If I had gone home I would have been quarantining in my family home with no job, nowhere to go, no car and some seriously strict lockdown rules. Since staying, most things have actually gone really well – at that time I got a job and bought myself a car.
(That’s about as good a filler for the last two months as you’re going to get)
Anyway, as I said earlier, I had three and a half months to complete 88 days and find farm work. So that’s what I’ve done, I began my 88 days five days ago – which meant I had to leave my job and the most amazing people behind. Thankfully, my trusty new car got me to the farm in around 3 hours, with the freedom to visit my friends and job as much as I can.
I’m currently living on a dairy farm near Shepparton, north Victoria. I’ve been woken every morning by the sound of the calves outside my window ferociously mooing at each other (over what? We will never know) and the smell of cow poo. My blinds are broken so I have the perfect sunrise view followed by wondering calves eating their breakfast/lunch/dinner of grass. I’ve been peed on, pooed on and I stink 90% of the time. I’ve almost lost a welly to the quicksand of cow poo and discovered what it feels like to touch an electric fence. One minute I’m enjoying it and the next I’m not.
I already have many a story to tell, with my emotions going up and down like a yo-yo, but the bottom line is that the cows are absolutely hilarious, gross and super cute all at the same time.
I guess you’ll just have to wait for the next post to hear about the worst morning I have ever experienced. (Yes I got full-blown pooed on).
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