I quit my job today. I actually handed in my notice last week, it just sounds more dramatic to say I did it today. But I quit. And oh yeah – I’m leaving New Zealand.
(get ready for a bit of history of my life)
Three years (and a few months) ago I arrived in New Zealand, planning to stay only two months to travel. Then I would head back to Australia where it’s hot and where I had a Working Holiday visa.
Things changed course when I bumped into a charming Frenchman and decided to stay for a while in New Zealand instead of Australia. A while has now turned into three – and a bit – years.
Life in New Zealand has been incredible. I’ve had the chance to work full-time in social media, do freelance videography and work with tourism boards and companies with my blog.
But even better, I’ve had the chance to discover this vast and beautiful country. It had been my dream to visit New Zealand since I was a young girl, and I could’ve never guessed I would end up living here. Young me would be proud.
The New Zealand chapter is over (for now). Time to go somewhere else.
I hear you thinking: Wheeeereeee the heck are you going?
I’m going to Canada.
Canadaaaaaaa. I can’t believe it, even when writing these words. Do you have that sometimes? That life doesn’t feel real? In August I will fly out of New Zealand, but I’m not realising it. It’s like I’m looking at my life as a bystander.
I’m not going to Canada because New Zealand sucks, because it obviously doesn’t. Many articles on my blog are proof of that.
There are a few reasons why I (and my boyfriend, aka The Kiwifrog) are going to Canada.
1. It was the last chance for me to grab a Canadian Work Travel visa
I found out I had a chance to apply for a Canadian working holiday visa (called International Experience). It was my very last chance, because Belgians can only apply until they’re 30.
As you can read in my ‘Thoughts on turning 30‘ -post I turned 30 in April. I applied a few months before D-day and to my surprise I got it! Only a certain amount of Belgians get the visa, and I was one of the lucky ones.
This was my last chance to experience a working holiday worldwide, so I could not ignore it. For all other countries I’m either too old, or I’ve already used the visa.
A year for me is perfect. It gives me the chance to live, rather than travel in a country. I can taste the country, see where I like it and stay longer and work in one place. This way you experience a country from the inside, you meet locals and you discover the culture.You really getting to know a country and for me that’s the best way of travelling.
2. Apparently Canada is beautiful
The things I’ve heard about Canada are nothing but positive. People are nice, the mountains are amazing and the lakes are as blue as the bluest eyes. Almost sounds like New Zealand – only bigger.
I can’t wait to share the Canadian beauty on The World is a Circus. Let me know if there is anything I definitely can’t miss out on!
3. A bit closer to family and friends
This might look funny to some of you because I will still be living and travelling far away, but it’s already closer to home, right? ☺ I always say to my family and friends back in Belgium: it’s halfway back already! On a serious note, this destination is easier to fly to than New Zealand, because New Zealand is really really far away from Europe.
I decided my trip to Canada is also the perfect opportunity to visit my family in Belgium. So I booked a little side trip to my lovely home country in December. I’ll experience Christmas again in the cold! That will feel weird, after having it in Australia, India and New Zealand for the last 4 years.
4. It’s not a goodbye from New Zealand
I’ll have been three years and a half in New Zealand when I’ll leave to Canada and there is still so much I want to see. New Zealand is seriously an amazing country to live in.
We love it here, so it is definitely not a goodbye. We’ll be back!