Working hard on the kiwi farm

Just arrived in New Zealand, now back to work. :-(

At six, the alarm clock rings; get up, get ready, have breakfast, brush your teeth, and off to work!

At the kiwi farm in Awakeri, we are responsible for 'bud thinning', which means we pick the kiwis that are too small or damaged. This allows the other kiwis to grow better. I am actually too tall for the job, I often work with bent knees and a crooked back to reach the kiwis. But that's how it is for many of us. ;-) It's sometimes quite exhausting, and the sun really bakes you. You can't do anything without a hat and sunscreen. But the work doesn't kill you. Our boss and the supervisor (the people who tell us what to do) are all Indians, and it feels like they - just like us - don't feel like working. In general, they leave you alone.

However, everything is quite disorganized and chaotic. We constantly have to chase after the boss for money or working hours, nothing happens on its own. The toilet situation is also not great. There are only two toilets on the entire farm, which are incredibly dirty and usually clogged.

We usually stay at campsites in the Whakatane area. There are also a few free campsites where we can park the car for free. We often go to Ohope, a small coastal town with a beautiful beach. Dani, an acquaintance of mine whom I met in Bali a few years ago, also lives here.

I've had a lot of problems with my car lately. I had a flat tire, the key broke off in the lock, the battery died twice, and eventually it didn't start at all. As a result, it was in the workshop several times, I couldn't go to work for several days, and I didn't earn any money. In total, I had to spend another $1500 on it. The insurance is also quite expensive. I'm already thinking about selling the car again.

Pascal and Cori have found other jobs in the meantime, so I'm alone again at the moment. But we will meet up again for Christmas.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas time! :-)

(As expected, there is no real Christmas atmosphere here. When I was visiting Dani and her boyfriend the other day, they were decorating the Christmas tree while it was beautiful summer weather outside. It's missing the cold and the mulled wine! ;-) )