Make it Work

Finding work as a backpacker isn’t always easy. No one wants to invest time or energy on someone who will likely move on before the next season. As such, I’ve come to expect rejection once the “working holiday visa” words reluctantly come out of my mouth. Sure, it’s insulting to be denied constantly from jobs you couldn’t pay me to do back home, but at least I’ve developed some pretty thick skin and become quite “industrious” as my mom says. 🙂

My life as a traveling temp-tress has been interesting to say the least. Never in my life did I think I would be thrilled to score a job that required me to wake up at 5 am daily, or one that requires me to report to someone a decade younger than me.

Over the past 10 months, I’ve performed the following roles to supplement my time in Australia:

From the vault – waitress/model for the Bondi cafe

• Cafe waitress
• Buying Assistant at David Jones (most legit job thus far)
• One day stint as a street charity salesman
• Gelato scooper and barista
• Rugby game attendant, reporting to a 16 year old
• Technical Team Member at a mail warehouse (data entry at 6 am)
• Fashion eyelash, hair mascara and hair gem trade show salesman
• Scarf salesman at markets around Sydney
• Corporate receptionist temp, ear piece and all
• Pier check in agent for international cruises leaving the Sydney harbor
• Cider promo girl
• Music festival beverage seller (upcoming)

I’m currently working a slew of odd end jobs to add to my diverse Australian work history. Until recently, from 6 am till around noon everyday I was working on developing my carpel tunnel at a data entry job in southeast Sydney. This brain softening job, which consisted of me mostly hitting the enter key over and over and over again, slowly grew on me. Perhaps the high pay contributed to my Stockholm Syndrome of enjoying the steady monotony.

When I’m not willingly tapping my brain into submission, you can find me moonlighting as a receptionist, a cider sampler and a saleslady, selling glamour products at trade shows and wool scarves in 80 degree heat at markets.

Who wants some fashion lashes?

A wool scarf to match your colorful new lashes?

Or do you prefer hard cider?

I’ve also started helping out casually with international cruise ships as a ground pier check in agent. My responsibilities include helping with disembarkment in the early mornings (sorting luggage), followed by an afternoon of scanning passports and sending vacationers on their voyages. This is probably my favorite rando job I’ve had in a while, as I get to work with my friends in a sweet flight attendant-esque uniform while daydreaming about travel.

With a month and half of time left on my visa, there’s still time for me to add yet another branch of skills to my repertoire. Stay tuned for future backpacker “business” memories.