Working Holiday to Freelance Freedom

I’m going to be honest,

I thought my seasonal work would be more fun!

I was so desperate for a job when I got to New Zealand.

It took about a month to find my first gig, and I mostly liked it! My coworkers were great, but it was only about 20 hours a week— not enough to break even, but better than nothing after a year without work.

But I had this one supervisor who constantly micro-managed and finally crossed the line— speaking to me like I’m an idiot because I didn’t… -checks notes- try to upsell a table to sparkling water.

Sir, we are not saving lives here. Please calm down. 

I used to let people talk to me like that. I don’t know if it’s my age, having worked in a professional setting, or just having seen enough of the world to know how absolutely small this moment in time is, but it’s not going to fly anymore.

I started looking for new jobs that night.

I’m in a better place now, with better hours, better pay, and better management, but it’s still not what I want. A year of freedom has me feeling resentful about showing up on someone else’s schedule and dependent on the hourly wage (even with New Zealand’s generous holiday pay!).

So I’m leaning hard into my writing career and searching for freelance and remote jobs online. I’ve started pitching articles to magazines and submitting to creative writing contests. I also created some graphics detailing the virtual assistance services I offer and shared them within a few of my circles.

I’ve even started writing a book about quitting your job to travel the world on a budget!

It’s about time I start taking myself seriously and create something that I can be proud of.

In the mean time, I’ll keep putting in the hours to fund my life of adventure.

If you’re a writer or searching for remote work, I’d love to connect!