"...I got to experience Kiwi culture first-hand and be a part of many fun traditions, especially at Christmas time"
Testimonial: Gabby from Canada
Four months in New Zealand
My four months in New Zealand was the trip of a lifetime and truly was not long enough! Being paired with the most lovely host family made all the difference. I was able to live with them as part of the family, so I got to experience Kiwi culture first-hand and be a part of many fun traditions, especially at Christmas time.
There is no lack of things to do and see in New Zealand, especially in beautiful Taranaki where I lived. Surfing was by far my favourite! Hiking, camping, and touring through the country are easy with freedom camping and public huts. I always felt safe no matter where I went, even in big cities. Canadians and farm travel workers are well-loved and respected. I couldn't help making friends out of strangers! I would recommend New Zealand for any young person looking for a beautiful, unique country to explore on the first solo overseas experience.
Gabby from Canada
Testimonial: Ruben from Sweden
Six months in New Zealand
I was in New Zealand from October 2022 until March 2023. It was an amazing time! The work was awesome and the people I met have all been amazing to me. When life happened and times got tough, I got really good support from RENZ. I made lots of friends both through work and the meetings with the other exchange workers. It was a trip I’ll never forget or regret!.
Ruben (21) from Sweden
"When life happened and times got tough, I got really good support from RENZ."
"For most trainees, I think my farm would be a good placement, but I would say that knowledge about tractors is necessary."
Testimonial: Nikolaj from Denmark
Twelve months in New Zealand
Going to New Zealand was a great experience! My self-confidence, and English speaking ability has improved a lot. And, now I know people from all over the world!
I worked on a cropping farm, and my main task was tractor driving. It was an interesting farm with lots of possibility to get more responsibility. For most trainees, I think my farm would be a good placement, but I would say that knowledge about tractors is necessary.
I had a car from my workplace that I could use for work and for private use. I travelled the South Island for two weeks in January, spent one week in Queenstown in June, and spent one week on the North Island in July.
I recommend people to travel and see Queenstown, the glow worm caves, the glaciers, Rotorua, and Mount Hutt : ) Also, go river rafting and hot air ballooning in Methven!
Nikolaj from Denmark
Testimonial: Jonas from Switzerland
Seven months in New Zealand
My time in New Zealand is already over, but it will remain in my thoughts as a huge adventure.
In July, I came from the warm summer in Switzerland to the cold winter in New Zealand. I spent my internship on a dairy farm in Darfield with very helpful farm manager family. On the farm live 380 cows. I lived in my own accommodation where I Iooked after myself an became very independent.
The work on the farm included milking cows, feeding them, caring for calves, maintaining equipment and many other tasks. At my request, I was even allowed to learn how to inseminate cows myself. I was able to learn a lot on the farm that I can now use at home.
The lovely host family made my time in New Zealand a lot easier. They helped me with administrative things, sometimes invited me to dinner and took me jet skiing and surfing.
In order to get in touch with other interns in the region, RENZ organized a pub night. At the first meeting I was alone with around 10 Danish people who welcomed me very well into the group. Every subsequent pub night new people joined.
I hope we will continue to stay in touch in the future.
I had two days off every week. On these days I went hiking, surfing, skiing or did something with colleagues.
In order to get to know the country better and explore the beautiful landscape, I travelled around the two islands by car for a month. I met many new people. Was able to do cool activities like river rafting, canyoning, paragliding and explore the beautiful nature.
I can only recommend such an adventure in New Zealand to everyone. In the end, I was happy to go home meet my family, friends and share about my adventure.
Jonas from Switzerland
"The lovely host family made my time in New Zealand a lot easier. They helped me with administrative things, sometimes invited me to dinner and took me jet skiing and surfing."
"During our time, we managed to do every “must do”: climb mountains, hike in the most gorgeous places, skydive in Queenstown and much more!"
Testimonial: Maya and Kaja from Denmark
Six months in New Zealand
Six months as a trainee has now come to an end, an internship that became the adventure of a lifetime!
In July, we decided to jump on a plane to the other side of the world in hopes of learning about the New Zealand way of dairy farming. Luckily, we got placed together at a farm in Southbridge just 40 minutes from Christchurch with 1300 cows. We had a great host family who provided us with our own house of a high standard with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a huge living room all to ourselves. A few times during our stay, they invited us for dinner at their place and made soup the day Kaja got sick. On the farm, our main job was calf rearing, and after only a few weeks with a daily amount of 40 new calves, we got full responsibility! As calving saw its end, we started to get more jobs, and after all the calves were weaned, our main jobs became milking, fencing, feeding out and farm maintenance.
A month after our arrival, RENZ arranged a dinner for all the trainees, who at the time were about 12 people, to meet up and get to know each other. Kaja and I made a chat group that night and initiated the weekly pub tradition. As more trainees came, the group got bigger, and at one point, we had 45 members around us! But especially, the first 12 of us got really close and did a lot of stuff together, including a few parties. Friends we hope to stay in contact with back in Denmark.
On the weekdays after work, we tried to involve ourselves as much as we could in the local community. We think a big part of travelling to a foreign country is to learn about the culture and the people living there. We, therefore, joined the local target-shooting club and went to yoga class every Monday. I joined a tennis team, and Kaja met the nicest lady who let her ride her horse a few times a week. All the people we came across were extremely nice, open and welcoming. Some even invited us home for dinner despite the fact they just met us!
Every second weekend when we were off from work, we used the time we had to travel around the South Island and experience the stunning nature and wildlife. During our time, we managed to do every “must do”: climb mountains, hike in the most gorgeous places, skydive in Queenstown and much more! We even spent a one-week holiday in the North Island.
The trip has offered fantastic acquaintances, friends, experiences and lots of agricultural knowledge. But we have also learned about ourselves and our limits, which has clearly contributed to our development. We can safely say travelling to the other side of the world, far from friends, family and boyfriends, has been hard at times, but nonetheless, it has shaped us into a stronger version of ourselves who we look forward to bringing back home.
A piece of advice, if you consider becoming a RENZ trainee in NZ, is to be open-minded and involve yourself in the community. Go to the local pub, even if you're alone, we promise you at least one person will come up and talk to you! And who knows, you might get a bunch of new friends and never want to leave the country again!
Maya and Kaja from Denmark
Testimonial: Lena from Germany
Six months in New Zealand
I had the best time in New Zealand. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and I worked with wonderful people on a wonderful farm! My Host family is a great family, and I always felt welcome.
The main tasks of my job included milking, fencing, and cleaning.
I travelled around New Zealand both during and after my RENZ work placement. On my days off, we had the opportunity to travel and see New Zealand. Two weeks before I left New Zealand, my mother came to see me, and we travelled.
I recommend new trainees to go biking and experience some winery tours in Malborough. I also went on a sailing trip in Akaroa and went bungy jumping and sky diving. I also recommend new trainees get in touch with the trainees already in New Zealand through the weekly pub night events and the Facebook community.
New Zealand changed my life. I learned more about myself and my personal targets. I have never regretted the decision to go abroad for one year. It's the best experience I've had in the last few years because I met amazing people and interesting characters.
Lena from Germany
"I also recommend new trainees get in touch with the trainees already in New Zealand through the weekly pub night events and the Facebook community."
"I had the most amazing time while I was in New Zealand. My host family was lovely, and they treated me like family."
Testimonial: Freja from Denmark
Six months in New Zealand
I was in New Zealand for six months in total, where I was located in a little lovely Ski-Village named Methven in Canterbury. Here I was working on a dairy farm with around 800 milking cows, which was crossbreed. In the beginning of my internship back in July and August, I was a big part of the calving season, where 20 and up to 40 calves were born every day. In that specific busy time, my daily task included picking up all the newborns’ calves from the paddocks and taking care of them afterwards, which involved feeding them with fresh colostrum and teaching them how to drink from a milk bar. All the cows who had calved were straight ahead separated from the rest of the pregnant cows, and became a part of the milking herds.
Slowly, when we reached a point where all the calves were born, there started to be a regular milking schedule twice a day, and we had to feed all the calves with milk. My roster was six days work and two days off, which gave me plenty of time to travel around the South Island and hang out with a lot of different trainees and do several kinds of activities like whale watching and dolphin swimming in Kaikoura or staying in your hometown and figure out what you can do there instead. For me, I could do a couple of interesting stuff in Methven. For example, I tried the hot air ballon and flew around in the area. Otherwise, almost every little town has a local pub, where me and the other trainees would plan to meet up every week to have a chat together and some food.
I had the most amazing time while I was in New Zealand. My host family was lovely, and they treated me like family. I would recommend anyone thinking of coming to New Zealand with RENZ to just do it! You will make lifelong friends and have the best memories forever.
Freja from Denmark
