You have recently arrived in a new city, booked yourself into a hostel that you found

online from www.hostelworld.com and are ready to hit the ground running – making new

friends, exploring the local cafés, and finding bars hidden down poster-pasted alleys. That was

my mindset when I arrived to Wellington, New Zealand in the middle of January. I did not have

many expectations when I first arrived, but I knew I wanted to try and find a temporary part or

full-time job and a place to live. On my second morning at Nomads Hostel, the kind receptionist

who knew I was new to the city and looking for work let me know that there was an opportunity

to do Work for Accommodation at the hostel. For those of who haven’t heard the phrase “work

for accommodation” it is where you do work at the hostel in exchange for free accommodation

plus other perks; these perks can vary by hostel from free wi-fi, complimentary laundry, and

even a free meal a day. The hourly commitment per week also varies per hostel and usually you

need to make a small bond payment to ensure that you will be there for the minimum two-week

commitment. Work for Accommodation was such a nice way to become familiar with the city

and attend local events such as walking tours, or Music in the Park with other people who have a

working holiday visa here or travelers passing through. And since you are only working up to

four hours per day, you can have the rest of the day to look for a job in the city. I recommend

Temp Agencies; these may require that you come in for an interview, but after the interview and

receiving your contact information they will contact you when they have a job that needs filling!

Extra eyes to help you on your way to saving some extra cash, so you can explore the rest of this

beautiful country! So if your goal is to giving life in the city a-go, then think about the work for

accommodation as an option to help keep some weight in your pockets, so you can go out for

that drink with your new friends in the bean bag chairs and enjoy the harbor view.