Peaks and Places | Travel and Adventure Blog

We just quit our jobs.

Even now as I read that sentence, it feels so surreal. Eric and I recently quit our jobs in Alabama and are in the final preparations for our next adventure: Moving to the other side of the world. 

I am thrilled to announce that New Zealand will be our new home for the rest of the year! We begin our long journey on April 23rd, and will arrive at our first destination on April 25th. While it feels sudden, we have actually been in the preparation process for quite some time, and I am so excited to share our process and progress so far with all of you. 

When we first moved to Alabama, very quickly we both realized that it was not the state for us. We started researching backpacking trips across Europe, or Mediterranean cruises. The price tags on these extravagant trips gave us pause, but I was determined to plan a trip to get us out of the country and explore the world. 

Eric is the one who actually discovered the potential for opportunity in New Zealand. There were two Visas that stood out to us:

Visitor Visa: People traveling on a passport from some countries must apply for a Visitor Visa to visit New Zealand. You can stay for up to either 6 months (multiple entry) or 9 months (single entry). You cannot work, but you can study for up to 3 months

Working Holiday Visa: You can apply for this visa if you are 18 to 30 years old and a citizen of the United States. This visa allows you to work and study in New Zealand for a short amount of time. The Visa is valid from the date of entry for 12 months.

After research and careful consideration of all of our options, we opted to apply for the Working Holiday Visas. Within a few weeks after applying, they had been approved, and we were now both in possession of our own Holiday Working Visas.

Once the Visa has been processed, you have 12 months to make it to the country, before your visa expires. Once you are in the country, your 12 month Visa duration officially begins. We were accepted at the end of April/beginning of May 2023.

As you can probably tell from those dates, we ended up staying in Alabama longer than initially planned, and are cutting it pretty close to our Visa travel expiry date. Once we had mutually decided that this was our next step, we both decided to extend our stint in Alabama, focusing on putting us in the best financial spot for a move like this, and beginning to plan our travels.

We are so excited to not only embark on this new journey together, but to share all of it with you!

While our impending departure may result in fewer blog updates as we spend time with our friends and family, rest assured, I’m committed to chronicling our adventures in New Zealand and shedding light on our planning process.

So, bear with us as we navigate the unknown, stumble, learn, and revel in this exciting new path. Let the adventure begin!