Crossing My Fingers

Well y'all, I decided to take a leap of faith and reached out to the SWAP program and New Zealand's Immigration to ask them if I could still be eligible for a 1 year working holiday visa. If you guys remember, I went on a similar visa to Ireland a year back and it was one of the best experiences of my life! Unfortunately, my time is running out to apply for the same visa for New Zealand and that's why I've reached out hoping they would be willing to work with me.

Essentially, once you turn 35 years old, you are ineligible for the Youth Mobility Visa which grants you a one year "citizenship". This allows you the opportunity to live, work, and travel in another country, essentially becoming a citizen for the year. My 35th birthday is in February of 2021, 5 months from now which would make me too old for the program. What I am hoping through reaching out to these programs is that they will allow me the opportunity to apply for and be granted the visa but hold on to it past my 35th birthday until border restrictions loosen up allowing me the opportunity to enter and stay in the country preferably without a 14 day isolation period.

It's a reach for sure but I'd be crazy to not have at least tried. All I'm hoping is that I can have some additional time because of covid and everything being closed as it is outside of my control. What's the worst that could happen? They could deny me of course and then I'd be left to try and plan out what my next moves would be although I already have a pretty good idea.

I would then rent an apartment for the year followed by a move to Canada's east coast. This potential move also excites me because I've actually never seen the east coast which is reputably some of the most beautiful spots in Canada. I love the idea that I could start in let's say, Prince Edward Island, and move on to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick whenever I felt like change was needed. I also love this opportunity because I'm still within my own country which means that I won't be returning to my home with absolutely zero dollars and nowhere to really stay. I'll be free to kind of pick up and go whenever I please.

For now, I'm holding out hope that the NZ government will grant me the opportunity to apply for the visa which would mean sometime late summer next year I'd be flying out to New Zealand. I'll keep my fingers crossed that everything falls into place and I can head out and explore a new country. I also love the idea that I could do some travelling through Australia as well as a trip to Japan which has now become like, life goals for me. Cross your fingers for me y'all ;)

HAPPY VEG