Obtaining a working holiday visa is no easy feat, but you’ve already surpassed that level are on to the exciting parts of preparing for your next adventure! Once you insure all of your paperwork is in order and your flight is scheduled, it’s time to start packing!
Packing for your working holiday visa trip comes down to a few simple factors: culture, weather, necessities, and job. Once you determine the details of these factors, you can begin packing for your trip – preferably in as few suite cases as possible!
Know the culture of the country
Do your research on the location of your trip. For example, if you’re taking your working holiday visa in Canada, you’ll want to pack different clothing than if you’re taking your working holiday visa in Japan or Hong Kong
Certain countries have cultural limitations and expectations that, even though you may not be a part of that culture, you will want to take into consideration. Reason being, the last thing you want on your trip is to be ousted by the country’s citizens as this will limit your ability to make social connections, make your trip uncomfortable, and could even put your safety at risk.
Consider the weather
Some countries are going to be colder than others and vice versa. Whereas a Canada working holiday visa will likely provide you with a well rounded balance of the four major seasons, a working holiday visa in Australia is going to be hot almost year round.
You’ll want to do your research prior to packing clothing for your trip and should even consider what you may want to purchase during your time in the country itself. The less you pack, the less you have to lug around! Keep culture in mind here as well because even if it’s hot, there still may be some cultural limitations that you’ll want to abide by out of respect.
Save space where you can!
This is a yearlong adventure. You’re not going to be able to pack everything you need for an entire year in your suitcases. Set aside a few minutes to make a list of everything you’ll need during your trip including:
- Toiletries
- Bedding
- Furniture
- Clothes
- Medicines
- And more…
Make your list and then decide what items on this list can you purchase when you get to your destination. Focus on only packing what you absolutely need such as clothes, electronics, chargers, medicines, etc. Besides, purchasing items in the country you’ll be living gives you more opportunities to immerse yourself in the culture!
Pack for your job
You will want to dedicate some space in your luggage for what you’ll need upon starting your new job. Discuss the dress code with the company you’ll be joining and then pack accordingly. You don’t want to start your new job unprepared and under (or over) dressed!
Once you have laid out everything you’ll need for the weather, your new job, and your day-to-day life, you can start packing up your suitcases! You may even want to consider shipping your belongings to your new home so that it’s even less to lug on an airplane!