Program Reviews

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!

This experience has been very benefic for me. I think it is very interesting to work in another country even if sometimes it is hard to adapt (language, the way to live) but I met amazing people I have never met before.

Because in NZ everything is possible!

I did a farmstay in New Zealand in 2011/2012 and I still think that was one of the best times in my life. During the program I stayed on 2 different farms, where I gained a lot of experienve.
On the first farm my main work was to help my host familiy with their horses on showjumping competitions or to watch the kids. I learned a lot about horseshows and we even stayed a whole weekend at a horseshow and slept in the horsetruck - a great experience!
My work on the second farm was a little bit more like farmwork: I milked the cows, fed the calfs, builded fences or handled the horses and rode them. My hostfather also showed me how to ride the quad and the motorbike and how to work with the farmdogs, so that I was able to bring in the cows by myself. But I also worked in the house and watched the kids. Besides work I did many activities with my host family, they took me everywhere they went, introduced me to their friends and family and showed me some nice places in their area. I really felt like beeing a part of the family and it was so hard to leave after the great months I've spend there.
I still miss that time a lot and if I had the chance, I would immediately do something like that again.

New Zealand is a beautiful country. When I arrived here, my first thought was why am I going to work here, there are so many beautiful sites to visit! Nevertheless, the internship I am doing here is perfect for me to get experience in my professional field, and I regret nothing. I am staying in Auckland, but I plan on visiting at least parts of both North and South islands during weekends.

I was working in Canada for 8 months at Panorama Mountain Village and made a great experience!
It was a lot of fun working with many different people of different nationalities and to spend the free time together. It was always fun to go boarding on our days off or to meet at the bar.
The program helped me a lot to improve my English and contributed to my personal development. I think that I got a lot more independent.
The time in Canada was a nice break between finishing school and starting university and I would definitely recommend it to everyone!

Doing an internship in Auckland, New Zealand was one of the best decisions in my life. The country is very beautiful and definitely more than just a short holiday worth!
I decided to do an internship after finishing my studies to improve my English and personal skills. I applied at INTERNeX (a German company conveyed the contact) for a technical internship and after a personal interview they offered me a great one in a subsidiary company of a big German airline company in the area of project management. INTERNeX helped me also finding a homestay and all the other planning (like visa, getting to my homestay, etc.), so I felt well prepared. The homestay was the best I could ever imagine. I really found a second home there and it was great to see the kiwi-way-of-life too.
My first day at work was really good. My boss picked me up at my homestay, showed me the office and the production, introduced me to a lot of people and explained me his ideas for the tasks I should do during the next month and asked me if I'm okay with that, so I was able to mention own ideas. My normal working day was from 9 am to 5 pm and I was allowed to use the company car to get to work. For my task I had to deal with a lot suppliers and I liked to see how different working in New Zealand is compared to Germany. We had an open-plan-office, but everyone was nice, relaxed ad really helpful. They also had sometimes morning tea's or afternoon tea's to celebrate special events like birthdays, welcomes, goodbyes or maternity leaves. I really felt good there and welcomed.
Luckily there were a lot of public holidays during my internship, so I was able to travel around the north island and I was allowed to take the company car as well :) Driving in New Zealand is a bit different than in Germany. Not only that you are driving on the "wrong side", no the car is reversed too! But the traffic is more relaxed and more considerate to the people around you and I got used to it fast. I visited the first sunrise of the world in Gisborne (breathtaking), one of the rare active volcanoes (white island volcano), the black sand at Piha Beach and lots more!
I advise everyone who is thinking about an internship to do it, because it is an adventure you will never forget and I don't regret my decision one single moment. Only the fact that I didn't had more time, but there is never enough time, right ;)

I had an amazing time in New Zealand, working in a daycare in Auckland for almost 4 months.
All in all, I cannot complain about anything - my host family was wonderful and I really enjoyed my work with the children.
I wish I could have stayed longer and cannot wait to come back to NZ! :-)

I was well prepared for the progam as I got a lot of information beforehand and all my questions were quickly answered, everything was well organized. I loved my time there and wouldn't change a thing - my English quickly improved, I learned a lot about hospitality and got to know new people who were all really helpful and made this experience unique. It even helped me decide what I would like to study at some point. Of course, sometimes you have a bad day or you are tired and feel like you can't express yourself in a new language, but everyone was so understanding and I always felt supported. I was always encouraged to ask questions. In my program, the hotel even arranged some activites for me which made me fall in love with New Zealand. I met friends there whom I went travelling with after the program ended. But I also got to know the kiwi culture. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had.

I was really happy with my internship at a radio station in Auckland. The daily tasks were totally different and exciting. My homestay was nice and i have seen a lot from the country. All in all: awesome!

My farmstay in New Zealand was in one word AMAZING! I stayed with a lovely family in a little place next to the west coast. This place is in the middle of knowhere, but that made it so special. I worked every day at the stables together with another groom, working for a horsetrainer/rider. After a couple of months I feld I was really in charge of everything around the stables and especially the horses. You have to feed the horses, get them out of the paddock, brush and wash them, hack them on the hills and the road etc. Often in the weekends I was going to shows, like showjumping, dressage and eventing. One special thing that I will never forget is my very first beachride, where I always dreamed of. It was like this: Just three horses, three riders, the black sand, the sea, the breeze in my hear and nothing else! After my New Zealand experience I can say I learned a lot about, the farmlife, the horses, the stables and most important myself.