Michelle is happy Kulig on a year full of adventure and carefree travel. Together with her friend Kevin from France, the 24-Year-old from the Rheingau Australia wants to discover. “In 2020, my journey should be the year,” she told FOCUS Online. Then the Bush fire, and then Corona came in the first place. Michelle and Kevin are losing their Jobs, she as a waitress, he a event company. The two are sitting in a Hostel in Perth on the southwest coast of Australia.
think of to stop the journey and fly back to Germany. However, a flight costs about 5000 euros and is often fully booked. “I thought: Oh, God, we come here never get out,” recalls Michelle.
their savings are almost depleted, the typical Job calls for Backpacker Restaurants, cafes, farms, or Event, companies are closed. Everywhere signs: “No work available” no work available.
“Adopt-a-Backpacker”: Australians take stranded travelers to
a friend are the two on the Facebook group “Adopt-a-Backpacker” attention. The site connects travelers with Locals who offer accommodation for free or in exchange for a maximum of three hours of work.
the site was Founded by Miguel Fuentes and Nikki De Weerd, also a former Backpacker, as the Corona-pandemic exploded worldwide in March. Countries closed their borders and flights were cancelled. “Most of our friends are backpackers and have lost your Job”, tell the two FOCUS Online. private Miguel Fuentes and Nikki De Weerd founded the “Adopt-a-Backpacker”
After the emotional farewell of a friend at the airport, they finally came up with the idea: in the same night, they established the Facebook page for Western Australia, meanwhile, there are “Adopt-a-Backpacker” in all Australian States. In new Zealand, and Canada.
Fuentes came four years ago, even as a Backpacker from the Philippines, he now works as a nurse in Perth. De Weerd traveled one and a half years with the “Working Holiday”visa from the Netherlands, who studied a psychologist works with children in need.
Australia is a Mecca for backpackers: 25,000 German in the year
Australia is considered to be the most popular destination for backpackers. Good weather, beautiful nature, a relaxed Lifestyle and English as the official language of curls each year, a number of “Work-and-Traveller”. Australia awards per year to about 150,000 foreigners a so-called work visa for vacationers.
Including about 25,000 German, according to estimates. Many work in hospitality or on farms. Because they are willing to take on some of the poorly-paid Jobs, the Backpacker also for the economy in Australia a vital role.
However, by the Corona pandemic, that’s the end of it: It incommunicado, travelers are invited to travel back to their home countries. However, numerous flights are cancelled or are so expensive that it can not afford Backpacker. More and more young travellers are trapped. Thousands of miles away from home.
Michelle and Kevin are adopted by Miller family “”
as Michelle and Kevin. Finally, write a post on “Adopt-a-Backpacker”. Looking for an accommodation, provide support in the household, the garden, with the children. To do this, you post a photo of yourself.
Quickly many of the answers will come – including those of the Miller family from Bridgetown, a West Australian, a small town about three hours South of Perth. in private, Michelle and her boyfriend Kevin, he is in Australia
remained, “I had a good feeling,” remembers Michelle. On the question of when they could come, answers to your future host mother: “whenever you want.”
a Few days later, you pull into the apartment on the Farm of Johanna and David Miller and their three children. “We have felt ourselves directly as a part of the family,” says Michelle.
After two weeks of quarantine support you in the household, cleaning out the dishwasher, cleaning, help children with homework, teach them English and French. Kevin helps a lot in the garden, repaired the roof, helps paint a house. The connection is becoming closer and closer.
Nevertheless, Michelle meets after two and a half months, the difficult decision to want to go back to Germany go. You don’t want to be the Miller’s forever in the bag, a Job is in sight.
“everyone has to decide for themselves,” she says. But she always wanted to travel, and want to come back, if you can have more of Australia to explore.
“Happy that it happened, like it
is going on,” Nevertheless, you would want the experience to trade. “Without Corona, I would never be so close with Kevin, the people in the Hostel and the Millers grown together.” While the backpackers stay in an otherwise rather under himself, had Michelle and Kevin, so the possibility of the real “Australian Lifestyle” meet “the food, the TV Shows, the great sense of Humor”.
The decision to go, it does not fall easily, even the flight is very expensive. “Without the financial support of my parents, would not have gone,” she says. Meanwhile, Michelle is back home.
Michelle and host mother, Johanna, have regular contact. The Millers want to visit Michelle next year in Germany. In an emotional farewell post, Johanna writes: “good-bye, MY German daughter! I haven’t cried so much. I knew we couldn’t retain my Backpacker, but I never thought that the relationship would be in just nine weeks so tight.” Kevin remained in Australia, he still lives with the Millers.
Corona-loose Situation for Backpacker> more difficult <p Even when the Corona-relaxed restrictions in Australia, slowly, the Situation for Backpacker more difficult.
Numerous Australians have lost due to the Corona pandemic, their Jobs, and “local companies are, understandably, primarily Locals,” explains Fuentes.
Fuentes and De Reed are currently working in a Team of four people about six to eight hours a day on the project – in addition to their full-time jobs. So far, they don’t deserve a Cent of it.
But: “We want to help young travellers, so they are during the pandemic in security.” Currently the two are working on an interactive website (so far only forward messages), and an App, the travelers, the backpackers and international students, free accommodation from Locals to view. The most beautiful spots in Germany: Here, nature brings you to Marvel PCP The most beautiful spots in Germany: Here, the natural Marvel of “Self-blame”: German tourists expect debt with the ball on the man-hosts from FOCUS Online “Self”: German tourists expect the ball to man-of hosts from
