Name?
Nic
Where are you from in NZ?
Auckland for High School and Dunedin for Uni but home is Christchurch now.
Where are you currently living?
Melbourne, Australia
How long have you been living here?
8 years. But also 2 years before that in the UK.
What is your current profession and who are you working for?
I work in food and beverage marketing. I’m currently the Brand Manager for Peckish Crackers for a company called Monde Nissin.
Tell us what it is like where you are living?
Before COVID the city was humming. Lots to do with heaps of food festivals on and plenty of gigs/events on every month.
But it’s getting back to normal now with restrictions easing.
What have you done for fun/entertainment throughout Covid and the lockdown?
Testing out my off set smoker with different cuts of meat for slow and low cooking.
Plus enjoying walks in the park, picnics with my wife and daughter. And loads of playgrounds.
Are there any particular challenges throughout this period that stand out for you?
Being made redundant in July due to COVID and tackling the huge amount of applicants for each role that I went for.
So many interviews and knock backs before landing the role I’m in now.
Beer or wine?
Beers round the BBQ and for watching the ABs, but a wine with friends for sure.
Choice of takeaway?
Thai or Vietnamese.
Are you more of a hunter or gatherer?
Hunter for sure. I have always felt that if you want something you need to work hard to get it yourself. No one is going to drop it in your lap for free.
Anything that is truly amazing in life comes from working hard to get it.
What inspires you?
Friends and family mostly. But more importantly the people in my life that strive for their dreams and are not afraid to give life a crack.
What is the most useless talent you have?
Knowing the lyrics to most Beastie Boys songs. Doesn’t exactly pay the bills.
What is your favourite place in the world, and why?
Probably Albania. The food was amazing, it was such an understated country with such friendly people that were so happy to see tourists. The beaches were amazing and not touristy at all. We danced with locals, drank with locals and ate delicious food. Definitely worth a visit.
What is your funniest travel story?
When I was in Galway in Ireland I was in a pub with a DJ playing. The pub was packed and the DJ shouted out that he would give a bottle of Buckfast wine to the first person to give him their undies.
I ripped mine off straight away and threw them at him... needless to say it was a large night and yes I won the bottle haha.
If there was one thing you could recommend to someone about to go on there OE, what would it be?
Just be completely open to new experiences and cultures. Be fluid with your plans because your situation can change quickly and it’s less stressful if you just go with the flow.
What is something that people don‘t know about you?
I’m terrible at remembering people’s names. I even forget my friends names sometimes haha.
Do you have plans on moving back to NZ?
Definitely in the next couple of years.
What home comfort do you miss the most?
Being close to beaches and not having to travel huge distances to see people.