Well, after some extensive research into the seedy underbelly of the Australian fruit harvesting world, I learned a good number of things. There is plenty of work around Australia, but there are many people going for these jobs. Not that there is not enough work to go around, but you definitely have to look around a bit.
To get a job, you first have to show up someplace in Australia. Make sure there is some sort of harvest going on in that particular region. Call a government office number and say something along the lines of, "Hey dude, I'm in Midura and I'm looking for a harvest job. What's available?" They'll hook you up with farms that may have work available and you just do an interview and get a job.
There are various ways of finding accommodation for the work. You either sleep on a lumpy mattress in some hut on the property, sleep in a tent outside, or live at a hostel or hotel at the nearest town and commute out to the farm. If the area has lots of work, it can often be hard to find a place to sleep. That is why it is best to research ahead to the area you plan to visit and make sure there is accommodation.
The work is extremely strenuous and all is done outside in the direct sunlight at sometimes 100+degree temperatures. So, you put on your big brimmed hat w/fly netting, a litre of sunblock, long sleeve shirt and pants, heavy boots, and gloves. Be sure to tuck your pant legs into your sock. This makes you a walking oven and ensures the copious snakes, insects, and spiders won't kill you. You lug around giant baskets on your back that will weigh 50 or more pounds all day long. Most work is either up in trees and involves going up and down ladders or on the ground and involves lots of bending over. The first few days will be the worst few days of your entire life. You get up early and start picking at sunup and go until 2 in the afternoon when it gets too hot to work. After a few days, a part of your soul dies, or at least goes into hibernation until the picking season is done. Once your soul leaves, the work still sucks, but at least you don't wish you were dead anymore, that's already happened.
So everyday, you get up early, work your ass off, sweat gallons of perspiration, for $100 a day. You go home in the afternoon, open a six pack and embrace a soul-less stare into space until you are too tired to stay awake or it cools down enough to go to bed. Often you will do this blank stare with others and have soul-less conversations about your travels and whatever. Suddenly, it is one month later, the endless field of fruit is picked and packed, then you either move on to another farm for more work, or you wake your soul up, pick up your backpack, and start spending the money you were too tired to spend for the last month.
This is simply called character building, bank account padding, or "being whipped into shape". Whatever word you have for it, it sounds like something I'd do for a month. Why not?
To get a job, you first have to show up someplace in Australia. Make sure there is some sort of harvest going on in that particular region. Call a government office number and say something along the lines of, "Hey dude, I'm in Midura and I'm looking for a harvest job. What's available?" They'll hook you up with farms that may have work available and you just do an interview and get a job.
There are various ways of finding accommodation for the work. You either sleep on a lumpy mattress in some hut on the property, sleep in a tent outside, or live at a hostel or hotel at the nearest town and commute out to the farm. If the area has lots of work, it can often be hard to find a place to sleep. That is why it is best to research ahead to the area you plan to visit and make sure there is accommodation.
The work is extremely strenuous and all is done outside in the direct sunlight at sometimes 100+degree temperatures. So, you put on your big brimmed hat w/fly netting, a litre of sunblock, long sleeve shirt and pants, heavy boots, and gloves. Be sure to tuck your pant legs into your sock. This makes you a walking oven and ensures the copious snakes, insects, and spiders won't kill you. You lug around giant baskets on your back that will weigh 50 or more pounds all day long. Most work is either up in trees and involves going up and down ladders or on the ground and involves lots of bending over. The first few days will be the worst few days of your entire life. You get up early and start picking at sunup and go until 2 in the afternoon when it gets too hot to work. After a few days, a part of your soul dies, or at least goes into hibernation until the picking season is done. Once your soul leaves, the work still sucks, but at least you don't wish you were dead anymore, that's already happened.
So everyday, you get up early, work your ass off, sweat gallons of perspiration, for $100 a day. You go home in the afternoon, open a six pack and embrace a soul-less stare into space until you are too tired to stay awake or it cools down enough to go to bed. Often you will do this blank stare with others and have soul-less conversations about your travels and whatever. Suddenly, it is one month later, the endless field of fruit is picked and packed, then you either move on to another farm for more work, or you wake your soul up, pick up your backpack, and start spending the money you were too tired to spend for the last month.
This is simply called character building, bank account padding, or "being whipped into shape". Whatever word you have for it, it sounds like something I'd do for a month. Why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment