Time to Leave Your Mum’s House
Are your folks finding it hard to let you go? Well, there are plenty of parent-pleasing reasons to take a gap year in New Zealand. Not only will you grow as a person, but it’s also a great way to take responsibility for your life and come home with a new bunch of transferable skills! Even the most overprotective parents can’t say no to that! Alternatively, the reasons listed below could be the sign you have been waiting for to convince yourself to travel or be a good reassurance that you are doing the right thing.
1. You Can Explore The World Before Dedicating Yourself to a Career Path
Studying can be long and tedious at times, take the time to explore the world before you have to repay your study loans and start a career.
2. You’ll Obtain Valuable Life and Work Experience
Nobody can deny that travelling is the best life experience there is. Most people grow tremendously as a person. Put it this way: would you learn more while flipping burgers at McDonald’s at home, or while making your way through New Zealand getting experience in different jobs?
3. A Gap Year Will Help You Decide What You Want to do with Your Life
In fact, it will give you a chance to explore a couple of career paths. Short seasonal jobs in different industries may help you figure out the right career path for you before spending money on expensive tuition fees. Plus, thanks to a working holiday visa, you will be able to work to fund your trip.
4. Colleges Love Travellers
Applications and interviews for universities/colleges are now centred more than ever around personality and life experience. Find out more about How to Use a Gap Year as Valuable Experience on Your CV / Resume.
5. You’ll Learn to be Efficient with Money!
With a working holiday visa in New Zealand, you will be able to work to break even during your year abroad. Who else can say that they travelled across the world and it cost them next to nothing?! Budgeting will become second nature to you.
6. You Will Become Bilingual
Thanks to the internet we are now living in a global workplace. In New Zealand, you will be able to perfect your English and separate yourself from the rest of the pack in the job market.
7. Your CV Will Stand Out
Employers value more and more cross-cultural communication skills and foreign languages skills. You will also be able to gain work experience and use initiative.
8. You’ll be Super Cultured
The New Zealand Maori culture is rich and captivating. Discovering it while living in New Zealand will truly open your mind to different ways of living.
9. You Will be More Independent
Staying in your bedroom at home won’t help you find independence and use your initiative. New Zealand will though.
10. It Will Build Your Confidence
Taking a gap year in New Zealand is taking a calculated risk. Nevertheless, a risk it is, so being able to tackle it on your own will build confidence for both your professional and personal life.
11. You Will Give Back to New Zealand
There are volunteering opportunities out there, such as volunteering for the Department of Conservation.
Find Out if it Was Actually Your Parents Who Convinced You to Take a Gap Year…
… They probably read our article: 9 Way to Convince Your Kids to Take a Gap Year in New Zealand.
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Tourism New Zealand (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Immigration New Zealand (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
- New Zealand Customs Service (Customs and Biosecurity - Updated [2024])
- New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD online platform - Updated [2024])
- Tiaki Promise (Care for people place and culture - Updated [2024])
- Safe Travel (NZ travel advisories - Updated [2024])
- Stats NZ (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
- Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Road and transport tips - Updated [2024])
- DriveSafe (Road safety - Updated [2024])
- Council websites and freedom camping maps (Local travel advice region by region - Updated [2024])
- AdventureSmart (Know before you go - Update [2024])
Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
About The Author
Robin C.
This article has been reviewed and approved by Robin, who is the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. With more than 15 years of experience in the New Zealand tourism industry, Robin has co-founded three influential tourism businesses and five additional travel guides for South Pacific nations. He is an expert in New Zealand travel and has tested over 600 activities and 300+ accommodations across the country.