Yao Yu

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hi! I’m Yao-Yu from Taiwan. I’m currently in the South Island of New Zealand on a working holiday visa. I studied educational psychology and later worked in software quality assurance and test automation before coming to New Zealand. I’ve now spent about a month in New Zealand and have done gardening, mowing, cleaning, meal preparation, basic maintenance, and other general physical tasks.

Here are some of the practical skills and experience I’ve picked up during my Workaway stays so far:
- Vehicles: 2008 Subaru Forester (owned), quad bike, Ranger, trailer handling
- Gardening: mulching, mowing, weeding, planting small plants, securing/reinforcing garden beds
- Household: room and window cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, meal preparation
- Labouring: digging, carrying, operating ground compactor, working on one-story ladders and scaffolding, handling materials around 5–30 kg (in teams of 1–3 people)

When something is new to me, I’m happy to learn how it is done first and then work independently once I understand the routine. I’m comfortable with different kinds of practical work, and I’m also happy to help with things related to my background in computers, software, education, or Mandarin if they happen to be useful.

I’m usually quiet and a little reserved at first, but I enjoy getting to know people and become more playful once I feel comfortable. I’ve also been learning adult ballet for about one and a half years, and I’d like to keep taking classes when I can while I’m in New Zealand.

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Chinese (Mandarin): Fluent

More details about my language interests
Mandarin is my native language, and I’m happy to help others learn or practise it. I’m comfortable communicating in English and would like to become more fluent through regular conversation while I’m in New Zealand.

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Being an elderly companion

Light gardening

Animal Care

Life at a Farmstay

House & pet sitting

Babysitting and creative play

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Some knowledge of:  

Teaching

Languages

Light maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

Helping around the house

More details about your skills

I’m used to living independently and managing regular cleaning, laundry, dishwashing, preparing simple meals and taking care of small household tasks. I can assemble basic furniture, change light bulbs and replace simple broken parts. Through Workaway, I’ve also done room and window cleaning, gardening, mowing, weeding, mulching, planting potatoes, reinforcing garden beds, digging, carrying materials and other physical work. I’ve used ladders and scaffolding, handled materials around 5–30 kg, and driven a quad bike, Ranger and trailer. I also own and drive a 2008 Subaru Forester.

My professional background is in software quality assurance and test automation. I can also help with general computer troubleshooting, Wi-Fi and basic network problems. I have experience teaching mathematics and English to middle-school students, reading with younger children and working as a university teaching assistant.

I’m comfortable following instructions and learning new routines, and can work independently once I understand how something is normally done. I now have some hands-on gardening experience and would like to keep learning more. My animal-care experience is still limited, though I’m comfortable around family dogs and interested in learning more.

Age

28

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements