Program Reviews

I was set up with a family that has two young kids, two sprawling farms, and too many animals to keep count of. While life can be quite chaotic, I've learned so much while feeling useful and enjoying myself. I work on the farm, in the garden, in the house, and with the kids. When I'm not working, the family lets me pepper them with endless questions about farm life and New Zealand. Not only did I learned how to drive an off-roader and heard sheep, but I've learned about the lamb and wool industries and the ongoing struggle between rural and urban politics. It's been an enlightening experience and I'm terrifically impressed with both Internex and the country of New Zealand for what they have to offer.

After my Abitur I was not really excited to start Uni right away, so I decided to do a gap year in between. It was the best decision I could have made.

I researched in Germany about the opportunities I would have and my interests in suitable countries. My main goal was to find a professional, valuable placement in an English speaking country, to have a working experience for my current studies in Univerisity. Since I did not have any personal contacts myself it was the best choice to go with a placement agency through which I got in contact with InterNex, the supporting agency in my country of choice, New Zealand. The enrollment process was easy and professional and shortly after my skype-interview with Chris I received my offer from a global Real Estate consultancy.

The internship was very professional, and the company could not have been a better fit. I did not have much work experience before, but there I was of high- value to the CEO and my supervisor. They were very positively surprised by my can-do attitude and my great knowledge of English, therefore I was offered diverse opportunities in the company. I was able to work in multiple departments and even visit their second office on the South Island. I was offered to come back any time I want and I hope one day I will be able to return for a job opportunity. I still think about my time there a lot and currently hope to use my reputation and contacts to get an internship at a different location within the same company.

The support from InterNex throughout my stay was also really supportive. I initially wanted to stay within a host family for a month before moving to a Hostel for the rest of my time in Auckland, but already after one week within the family I felt really at home. I decided to stay within the host family for the whole stay and through them Auckland really became my home away from home. The communication with the InterNex team always went smoothly and I took part in multiple of their activities offered.

I can only recomment their services, since they were really supportive and I met great people through my stay in New Zealand. Applying for an internship with InterNex was one of the best experiences I had in my life so far!

Finding an internship abroad isn't easy, but INTERNEX sure made it look like it. I had a lot of requirements from school and INTERNEX ensured I had the challenging internship I was looking for. I had already been to New Zealand before so for me the internship was more about the quality and content of the internship and not so much the exchange itself (However this was a nice bonus!). INTERNEX met every requirement while looking for an internship and I have absolutely loved my 7 month long internship in Auckland. Great support from INTERNEX with regular check in's. It couldn't have been better really!!! Thank's again for the amazing experience

One of my highlights during the time in New Zealand was the family I was living with and I am still so thankful that Internex picked them for me. It was a crazy, very busy, a little bit chaotic, fun loving and loveley family. The way they indluded me into the family from the very first second was such a great experience for me. Even the youngest kids (5 and 6 yo) were already so open that there was no chance for homesickness. During 4 month there was not one minute that I was bored. For example - In my first week after i finished my work in the stable the kids took me frog hunting one day when they were wearing their favourit princess dresses. Of course that didnt went well and after only 10 minutes I came home with two wet and dirty princess who were falling in the pond, a dirty wet dog and not even a frog. But i noticed very quickly that this is the normal life on the farm. And I was so happy about that. I think they are typical Kiwis... so open-hearted, enjoying their lifes and just having lots of fun. And they supported me a lot with travelling around and see as much of the country as possible. So at the end of my trip I saw more of the country then I first planned.
After 1-2 month in NZ I already noticed how the time aboard is changing me. When I first arrived I always said "No, I will never to something like skydiving or bungy" and I always was a real worrier. But the love of life from the Kiwis and all the other travelers I met was just infecting me and I learned how to enjoy and live the life. Just have fun and try to do as much as you can. So at the end of my trip I couldnt wait for finally jumping out of a plane! I love the Kiwi way of life and hope that I can keep it for me as Long as possible!

First we stayed on a quite small Dairy Farm in Dargaville. There were a wife with her husband, a daughter and Harley the dog. The work on the farm was very and there was always something to do. We were allowed to drive this little vehicle (polaris) to reach the workplace.
Once we had to clean the trughs which was quite disgusting because of all the weed and little insects inside. So we took the polaris to get to all the 50 paddoks and when we nearly finished this job and wanted to go to the last paddok which was so far away from the house and everything, the polaris just stopped and we couldn't move it any further. So we had to WALK all the was back and then it just began to rain so that was so funny!

Going to the airport and saying your family & friends goodbye the coming 8 months. Something I totally don’t regret and that moment when I jumped on the plane... I didn’t know it was going to be so AWESOME!

Before I jumped on the airplane I had good contact with INTERNeX. They helped me with my visa and gave me lots of information before I travelled to the country with great views, outdoor activities and sheep.

I did a internship for a Youth Travel Company which suited me perfectly. The internship was so cool and the friendliness of the kiwi colleagues was every day a warm welcome. I did an internship focussed on marketing, so my English increased very properly.

Through different nice activities of the PR team of INTERNeX I met more and more people. Every week there were dinner and drinks organized and we went of different trips. Personally I really liked the surf trips. INTERNeX arranged often a bus and we went with more interns off to the beach, got surf lessons, saw the great scenery and ate the best fish&chips together. The PR team were more as friends to me and it was great get this opportunity to meet more people.

With help of INTERNeX I found a room in a shared flat, which was great. I stayed in the middle of Auckland and close to the busstop which brought me to different great beaches to sport and swim.
After my internship I really wanted to see more of the country. The PR-team advised me for all the different travel options and I could book met discount by them. Those weeks of traveling were amazing and I travelled everywhere I wanted to go! Saw pigeons, albatrosses, went sand boarding, rafting, skydiving and bungeejumping.

Thanks for this great adventure! Cheers!

I chose New Zealand as my internship country quite randomly. The range, InterneX's German partner offered, was worldwide and I decided by one simple thought: Get away and out in the world as far as possible. So I ended up in New Zealand, and nothing better could have happened to me.

After my Abitur I wanted to gain work experience, to see, if this is really, what I wanna study. I was placed in a big company and got to see not only my department, but also a few others. The people there were really friendly and gave me different things to do. In that way I learned a lot about how a company works and which part I would like to do after my studies. But it was not only working all-day long: The atmosphere in the office was good, I chatted and laughed a lot with my colleagues and if I wanted to have a day (or even 3 weeks) off for traveling, my boss encouraged me to do it.

Due to the location of my company I decided to live with a host mother. She is really on of the loveliest people I've ever met and made me feel like being home from the very first day. It was a perfect mixture of family (with dinner together and long conversations about pretty much everything) and flat-sharing (with your own fridge shelf and freedom to come home whenever you want).

InterneX offered the chance to meet the other interns on the Pizza Night or the Bar Crawl every week. The PR team was always there and so they were more friends than "officials" and I did some great activities, such as Surftrips they organized or a Mud Rush, with them.

Besides all that I traveled this beautiful country, saw stunning scenery, did crazy stuff (skydiving and bungy-jumping should be on everyone's NZ To Do-List!), met awesome people along the way and learned a lot about myself. I could have made no better choice than New Zealand!

I had an Internship at an Intermediate School in Auckland and stayed not far away with the most amazing Hostfamily! I really enjoyed my 11 weeks with them, to see what a real Kiwi-Family lives like. My Internship was also one of the best things I've ever experienced. The People were extremely nice and helpful and I felt very comfortable the whole 10 weeks. I learned a lot and has an unforgettable time with all the Kids and Teachers. After my Internship and Homestay I went travelling for 5 weeks and the whole time was just one Highlight. During my whole time in New Zealand I've met so many inspirational People and saw so many incredible places and things I could'nt have asked for more!

It was one of the best experience in my life!
I lived on a sheep station in the mountains with a great family! I learned so much more than I expected to about sheep, life in general in NZ and about myself.
I really felt like part of the family. I was not only doing one kind of work, but all sort of stuff. I was doing what needed to be done and what any other family member would have done.The family included me in everything! Christmas with all of there family, day trips, rodeos, cowboy shooting, you name it! It was fantastic.
They also took me hunting, which I love and was a great envy from my brothers back home!
I also picked up a new hobby with painting antlers, which I hope the next helper will pick up were I left.
I got home sick sometimes and had some pretty bad days, but just remember to enjoy the time you have with these special people!
I consider New Zealand and the family as my second home.
You just need to have faith in the family and come with an open mind. But you also need to understand that you are not going on a relaxing Holliday. You are there to help out and learn. If you like to get your hands dirty and talk to different cultures, you are perfect for the job!

I have joined the farmstay program for 8 weeks in 2015 and stayed on a dressage horsefarm that also offers riding lessons, mainly for kids but also for adults who bring their own horses. My stay was off-season so most of the competitions were over and winter break was coming up but I still got to visit some dressage competitions or 3DEs (dressage, crosscountry, showjumping) together with my hostfamily. Since I am not a well experienced rider, I was afraid that a horsefarm might not be the best match for me and that my jobs would mainly be about cleaning out the stables and doing housework but because they have all kinds of ponies and horses on the farm I got to ride a lot and also learnt a lot about riding horses.
My day usually started with preparing the horse food and feeding the horses as well as the cats. After breakfast, I did whatever needed to be done, like gardening, cleaning paddocks, collecting lost food buckets, cleaning out the horse truck, sweep up hay or other spilled horse food and riding the horses. Around lunch time, I usually had a break not just to eat but also to read emails, catch up with friends or do some other spare time activities. In the afternoon I helped my hostmom with the ponies and in the evening I helped her son with the competition horses and fed the horses their dinner and supper.
My hostfamily has been very nice and kind and I never felt like a worker but a part of the family. Therefore, I didn't pay attention to working hours but always talked to them about my plans for weekend trips or a curfew on a day off during the week, just as you would at home. They also took me out often and introduced me to the Kiwi life which I appreciated much. Even though I couldn't spend much time on the farm in NZ, I would do it again anytime!