20. Extending the visa for another three months and moving accommodation again.

 

Between April and May, I had the idea that it was time for me to apply for an additional three-month visa extension. Even though there were still several months left before my current visa expired, there was no prohibition against doing it early. Since I was determined to stay here and save money for as long as possible, I thought I should get the ball rolling.

However, there is one important rule for this visa: the applicant must have at least three months of legal agricultural work experience and have paid taxes legally. They must also have sufficient funds in their account to cover their stay in New Zealand for the remaining period and the cost of their return airfare.

At that time, I was just thinking playfully like a child that I had about 1000 dollars in my account, which I thought would be enough. But as it turned out, I received an email back from Immigration stating that my financial situation was still a concern. So, I sent an email clarifying that I had just used a large sum of money to buy a car, and I took a screenshot of my savings account balance to show them the account activity and attached it to the email. Normally, I would transfer about 300 dollars into this account per week, which I would do immediately after receiving income. However, Immigration did not send any response email whatsoever.

So, I used my determination, or perhaps you could call it stubbornness, by taking photos of my savings account balance and sending them to immigration every week, even though they didn't ask for it. In fact, I didn't even know if anyone was reading them because I never received any email replies. Each week, the money in my account increased by at least 300 dollars. I did this to confirm my intention and build credibility with the person handling my case. I once asked a friend who works at the factory how much money I would typically need in my account for immigration to approve this visa. The answer I got was around 3000 dollars. Knowing this roughly, I just kept waiting patiently and sending emails showing my account balance without fail. And finally, the week I showed that my savings had reached three thousand dollars, unexpectedly, just a few days later, immigration sent an email back saying they had approved my visa application. I sent a final email back to thank them for their kindness in giving me the time to prove myself.

Shortly after receiving my new visa, the apple packing plant job happened to be ending, and the new job I intended to take during the upcoming winter was grape pruning.

During the winter season here, which is June-August, the country is at its coldest. Some parts of the South Island are likely to have temperatures below zero degrees, which I can tell you I definitely wouldn't dare go down there during this time. And since my intention from then on was to save as much money as possible to return to Thailand, what I had in mind was to work continuously. The job with the highest demand for labor this season was pruning grapevines, or trimming grapevines after harvesting. The purpose of doing this in the wine production business is to shape the grapevines. Over eighty percent of the old growth is removed, leaving only a portion of good quality branches to prepare for spring, when the little grape leaves will sprout again and begin to grow.

For convenience and to ensure the continuity of my savings, I decided to stay in Hastings for two reasons: First, I could easily find work during this winter season. Second, although this isn't the northernmost point of the North Island (which I assume is the warmest), I don't think it will be brutally cold, as there are many Thai people living in this town as well. Even though I didn't change cities, I did change jobs and accommodation, which I felt was at least a little exciting.

Choosing which city to be in during the winter was one thing, but choosing where within that city was another. I moved from a backpacker hostel to a shared house owned by a Thai family, which had one room available. The main reason for this was simple: the job I intended to do in the next three months was said to be quite demanding, but also offered good income if done correctly. I also heard that most of the Thai people in this city usually work in this field throughout this season, having done so continuously for many years. This gives them valuable experience and techniques to make their work more efficient. Since I will be doing similar work in the near future, staying with Thai people who have experience in this area should be beneficial, both in terms of job training and finding new employers (due to the visa requirements I hold, which necessitate changing employers every three months).

Some of the less specific benefits that have emerged are lower rental prices along with increased quality. Most Thai families in this city don't own their own homes; they rent as well. Of course, the family members have to pool their money to pay the weekly rent, and having vacant rooms in the house and someone asking to rent them out, so that at least the room isn't empty, is considered a very good thing. This is because they have someone to help supplement the rent they already have to pay. Meanwhile, I got a more private room at a lower price. Therefore, this kind of event benefits both parties. And what you won't find by renting elsewhere is the opportunity to join Thais in a Thai meal, sharing Thai hospitality. I often reciprocated this kindness by washing dishes and cleaning the house to a reasonable extent. Additionally, talking with Thai society helps me not miss home too much.