Carrying a "working holiday visa" and "working for survival" when funds are low is becoming a new way to travel the world. A new travel philosophy for budget travelers: work and travel
What can you do with $200? Buy a second-hand 8GB Apple phone, or maybe the cheapest version of the latest Sony Blu-ray drive. Either way, it’s definitely not considered a "fortune." Over the past year, Wu Fei, a post-80s Shanghainese, traveled around New Zealand for a year on this travel budget—chasing sunsets, climbing mountains, and working as a farmer in a kiwifruit orchard.
"To be honest, I wasn’t too dissatisfied with my original job. I gave it up because New Zealand was just too enticing." On a breezy spring night, while surfing the internet at home, Wu Fei read the story of a Hong Kong boy in his early 20s who worked part-time, saved money, and trekked New Zealand’s classic trails by following a map. It hit him like a thunderclap. That was the first time Wu Fei had heard of such a visa: the working holiday visa.
Quitting his job, applying for the visa, and traveling abroad while working—Wu Fei resolutely packed himself up and headed to the Southern Hemisphere. Studying abroad doesn’t necessarily mean sitting in a classroom. Nowadays, a group of backpackers is expanding the definition of study trips. They break free from the rigidity of reality, and not all of them have strong financial backing. In 2009, New Zealand issued 1,000 working holiday visas, and Wu Fei managed to get one.
What can you do with $200? Buy a second-hand 8GB Apple phone, or maybe the cheapest version of the latest Sony Blu-ray drive. Either way, it’s definitely not considered a "fortune." Over the past year, Wu Fei, a post-80s Shanghainese, traveled around New Zealand for a year on this travel budget—chasing sunsets, climbing mountains, and working as a farmer in a kiwifruit orchard.
"To be honest, I wasn’t too dissatisfied with my original job. I gave it up because New Zealand was just too enticing." On a breezy spring night, while surfing the internet at home, Wu Fei read the story of a Hong Kong boy in his early 20s who worked part-time, saved money, and trekked New Zealand’s classic trails by following a map. It hit him like a thunderclap. That was the first time Wu Fei had heard of such a visa: the working holiday visa.
Quitting his job, applying for the visa, and traveling abroad while working—Wu Fei resolutely packed himself up and headed to the Southern Hemisphere. Studying abroad doesn’t necessarily mean sitting in a classroom. Nowadays, a group of backpackers is expanding the definition of study trips. They break free from the rigidity of reality, and not all of them have strong financial backing. In 2009, New Zealand issued 1,000 working holiday visas, and Wu Fei managed to get one.
Ditch the tie and become a "farmer" in New Zealand
Wu Fei, born in 1984 in Jiangxi Province, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Fudan University. "Like most clueless youngsters who don’t know how to tie a tie properly, I accidentally ended up in a very impressive office building." Wu Fei speaks slowly, but you can tell he chooses his words carefully and has a maturity rare among his peers.
Before going to New Zealand, Wu Fei worked at a trading company in Shanghai. If everything went smoothly, in a few years he would have had people working under him—but also debts on his back—buying a house, a car, just like everyone else his age. Until 2009, he learned about the "working holiday visa" from the blog of a pair of travel enthusiasts. This visa allowed entry into New Zealand for travel and permitted short-term work to earn travel expenses. He changed the course of his planned life.
"I did the math—if I live to 80, one year is just 1/80th of that. It’s nothing. Look around us—everyone rushes to be first, afraid of falling behind, but life is a marathon." He spoke quietly to the reporter about his "reasons for leaving."
In 2010, he had already worked for five years. He talked to his boss about resigning, visited clients as quickly as possible, and handed over his work. In May of that year, he boarded a flight to the Southern Hemisphere. He arrived at Auckland Airport at midnight, and the first thing he did was rush to the bathroom to inspect the toilet, checking out the rumored "clockwise swirl" to prove he had reached the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, the vacuum toilet sucked the water away the moment the valve was pressed.
His dramatically comedic first encounter with the Southern Hemisphere seemed to set the tone for the rest of his trip. Looking at his work history over the next year: kiwifruit picker, prison extra, professional slot machine player, old hunter’s assistant, apple packer at a packaging factory, hotel cleaner, grapevine pruner, Japanese cuisine chef, ranch hand... From May 2010 to April 2011 when he returned to China, he held 11 different jobs in New Zealand. Some say it was a "grand collection of work experiences."
Whether it’s because New Zealand is an agricultural country with highly seasonal work, or because the New Zealand government encourages travelers to try different jobs, the working holiday visa has a quirky rule: no single job can last more than three months. "So, before getting bored, I’d move on to the next job," Wu Fei said.
Wu Fei’s most memorable job was pruning grapevines—no phones, no internet. Daily life consisted of work, chatting with colleagues, reading books, and when hungry, walking from the vineyard to the kitchen to cook. Wu Fei never imagined there would be such a peaceful period in his life. "We chatted aimlessly, the grapevine branches snapped under the continuous snip of the scissors, birds flew overhead, cattle and sheep grazed nearby. Between heaven and earth, all you could hear was the sound of our work and conversation."
"Work-for-accommodation life"—my first time in prison
Often, Wu Fei’s jobs didn’t pay a salary—the employer only provided a bed and three meals. On a website, he quickly found an interesting work-for-accommodation opportunity: Napier Prison was hiring.
"The next two nights are our prison’s weekly regular event—Haunted Night. Wanna come play?" For the first time in his life in prison, while working in training sales and other roles, Wu Fei also served as a "temporary actor" for the prison. It’s New Zealand’s oldest prison, which closed in 1995 and was turned into a tourist attraction, hosting activities like "haunted house adventures."
The so-called "work-for-accommodation" is a budget travel method where you exchange a few hours of labor for food and lodging. At Napier Prison, the so-called dormitory was actually a jail cell. "A tiny cell with a bunk bed, a trash can, a cabinet, not even half a window. When you walk in, the iron door slams shut behind you with a loud bang, and the red warning lights in the corridor start flashing..." It felt quite like a reality show "survival game."
At Napier Prison, Wu Fei wasn’t the only work-for-accommodation participant. Daniel from Chile was responsible for cleaning the entire prison daily, Almuth from Germany handled guest reception, and Mark from the UK maintained the website.
In recent years, more and more people want to "go out and see the world," but not everyone is financially well-off. International work-for-accommodation, cross-border volunteering, and the "working holiday visas" offered by many European and American countries have made such travels possible. Domestically, Douban groups and Weibo communities like "Go Go Go Go Be a Youth Hostel Intern!" and "Gap Year Youth Salon" have become hubs for sharing such opportunities, with commenters competing for the limited available spots.
Wu Fei, born in 1984 in Jiangxi Province, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics from Fudan University. "Like most clueless youngsters who don’t know how to tie a tie properly, I accidentally ended up in a very impressive office building." Wu Fei speaks slowly, but you can tell he chooses his words carefully and has a maturity rare among his peers.
Before going to New Zealand, Wu Fei worked at a trading company in Shanghai. If everything went smoothly, in a few years he would have had people working under him—but also debts on his back—buying a house, a car, just like everyone else his age. Until 2009, he learned about the "working holiday visa" from the blog of a pair of travel enthusiasts. This visa allowed entry into New Zealand for travel and permitted short-term work to earn travel expenses. He changed the course of his planned life.
"I did the math—if I live to 80, one year is just 1/80th of that. It’s nothing. Look around us—everyone rushes to be first, afraid of falling behind, but life is a marathon." He spoke quietly to the reporter about his "reasons for leaving."
In 2010, he had already worked for five years. He talked to his boss about resigning, visited clients as quickly as possible, and handed over his work. In May of that year, he boarded a flight to the Southern Hemisphere. He arrived at Auckland Airport at midnight, and the first thing he did was rush to the bathroom to inspect the toilet, checking out the rumored "clockwise swirl" to prove he had reached the Southern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, the vacuum toilet sucked the water away the moment the valve was pressed.
His dramatically comedic first encounter with the Southern Hemisphere seemed to set the tone for the rest of his trip. Looking at his work history over the next year: kiwifruit picker, prison extra, professional slot machine player, old hunter’s assistant, apple packer at a packaging factory, hotel cleaner, grapevine pruner, Japanese cuisine chef, ranch hand... From May 2010 to April 2011 when he returned to China, he held 11 different jobs in New Zealand. Some say it was a "grand collection of work experiences."
Whether it’s because New Zealand is an agricultural country with highly seasonal work, or because the New Zealand government encourages travelers to try different jobs, the working holiday visa has a quirky rule: no single job can last more than three months. "So, before getting bored, I’d move on to the next job," Wu Fei said.
Wu Fei’s most memorable job was pruning grapevines—no phones, no internet. Daily life consisted of work, chatting with colleagues, reading books, and when hungry, walking from the vineyard to the kitchen to cook. Wu Fei never imagined there would be such a peaceful period in his life. "We chatted aimlessly, the grapevine branches snapped under the continuous snip of the scissors, birds flew overhead, cattle and sheep grazed nearby. Between heaven and earth, all you could hear was the sound of our work and conversation."
"Work-for-accommodation life"—my first time in prison
Often, Wu Fei’s jobs didn’t pay a salary—the employer only provided a bed and three meals. On a website, he quickly found an interesting work-for-accommodation opportunity: Napier Prison was hiring.
"The next two nights are our prison’s weekly regular event—Haunted Night. Wanna come play?" For the first time in his life in prison, while working in training sales and other roles, Wu Fei also served as a "temporary actor" for the prison. It’s New Zealand’s oldest prison, which closed in 1995 and was turned into a tourist attraction, hosting activities like "haunted house adventures."
The so-called "work-for-accommodation" is a budget travel method where you exchange a few hours of labor for food and lodging. At Napier Prison, the so-called dormitory was actually a jail cell. "A tiny cell with a bunk bed, a trash can, a cabinet, not even half a window. When you walk in, the iron door slams shut behind you with a loud bang, and the red warning lights in the corridor start flashing..." It felt quite like a reality show "survival game."
At Napier Prison, Wu Fei wasn’t the only work-for-accommodation participant. Daniel from Chile was responsible for cleaning the entire prison daily, Almuth from Germany handled guest reception, and Mark from the UK maintained the website.
In recent years, more and more people want to "go out and see the world," but not everyone is financially well-off. International work-for-accommodation, cross-border volunteering, and the "working holiday visas" offered by many European and American countries have made such travels possible. Domestically, Douban groups and Weibo communities like "Go Go Go Go Be a Youth Hostel Intern!" and "Gap Year Youth Salon" have become hubs for sharing such opportunities, with commenters competing for the limited available spots.
Don’t obsess over "meaning"—"the outcome floats within the process"
Back in Shanghai, Wu Fei has now returned to a regular office job. In his spare time, he writes. His book *Working Holiday* drew quite a crowd of literary youths at this year’s Shanghai Book Fair. However, this young man’s dream is to write an awesome detective story and then turn it into a movie. During his year in New Zealand, he completed his first full-length mystery novel.
"Sometimes, I get confused too. When I’m in the restaurant, cooking non-stop and my feet barely touch the ground, a thought flashes through my mind—why am I working here? I could’ve found a restaurant job back in China." While repeatedly flipping through the newspaper’s "help wanted" section, struggling to find work, he found it rather ironic. "Back in China, I mustered up the courage, went through all sorts of trouble, just to quit a job. And in the blink of an eye, I’m back to begging for another job like a beggar."
"Once you start thinking about meaning, it gets deadly. That’s how self-doubt begins!" Reflecting on his "low point" in New Zealand a year later, Wu Fei can’t help but smile. "Don’t let negative emotions spiral. Stick to your inner thoughts, and this phase will pass quickly."
Some call this time away from the routine life a "gap year." Wu Fei says, "Overcomplicating the gap year makes youth even shorter."
Many have asked Wu Fei what he gained from his year of "working and traveling." He can list many things, but sometimes he’s also at a loss for words. "The outcome floats within the process." In the end, Wu Fei quoted a lyric from Bob Dylan’s song. This melancholic tune *Blowin’ in the Wind*, known for its wise lyrics, was once included in American university textbooks and chosen as the theme song for *Forrest Gump*.
Since when did people start requiring every aspect of life to have a meaning? "People don’t allow actions without meaning, nor do they accept the idea that the action itself is the meaning. But I’ve found that, just like happiness needs to be simple to last, things that endure are often quite simple—like wheels, paper... So many high-tech products have been phased out, yet these things remain." Wu Fei said.
Back in Shanghai, Wu Fei has now returned to a regular office job. In his spare time, he writes. His book *Working Holiday* drew quite a crowd of literary youths at this year’s Shanghai Book Fair. However, this young man’s dream is to write an awesome detective story and then turn it into a movie. During his year in New Zealand, he completed his first full-length mystery novel.
"Sometimes, I get confused too. When I’m in the restaurant, cooking non-stop and my feet barely touch the ground, a thought flashes through my mind—why am I working here? I could’ve found a restaurant job back in China." While repeatedly flipping through the newspaper’s "help wanted" section, struggling to find work, he found it rather ironic. "Back in China, I mustered up the courage, went through all sorts of trouble, just to quit a job. And in the blink of an eye, I’m back to begging for another job like a beggar."
"Once you start thinking about meaning, it gets deadly. That’s how self-doubt begins!" Reflecting on his "low point" in New Zealand a year later, Wu Fei can’t help but smile. "Don’t let negative emotions spiral. Stick to your inner thoughts, and this phase will pass quickly."
Some call this time away from the routine life a "gap year." Wu Fei says, "Overcomplicating the gap year makes youth even shorter."
Many have asked Wu Fei what he gained from his year of "working and traveling." He can list many things, but sometimes he’s also at a loss for words. "The outcome floats within the process." In the end, Wu Fei quoted a lyric from Bob Dylan’s song. This melancholic tune *Blowin’ in the Wind*, known for its wise lyrics, was once included in American university textbooks and chosen as the theme song for *Forrest Gump*.
Since when did people start requiring every aspect of life to have a meaning? "People don’t allow actions without meaning, nor do they accept the idea that the action itself is the meaning. But I’ve found that, just like happiness needs to be simple to last, things that endure are often quite simple—like wheels, paper... So many high-tech products have been phased out, yet these things remain." Wu Fei said.
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