Carly

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

music, art, cooking, architecture & design, sustainability, painting, self discovery and exploration, allyship, museums, parks and walking tours

Description

Hello there! I'm currently in New Zealand for a Working Holiday Visa. I want to immerse myself in the culture and explore the diverse landscapes the country has to offer. I'm quite flexible in my travel plans, and I'm ready to have new experiences, learn new skills, and focus on self development while also giving back to each community I pass through. I'm passionate about music, cooking, sustainability, human rights, and learning new things. I work well with others and I do my best to contribute as much as I can to a project! I am open to learning new skills surrounding gardening, landscaping & eco-projects.

My parents owned and operated a successful family restaurant & catering business from 1994-2013. Growing up in the restaurant industry made me very comfortable working in the kitchen and I love cooking and trying new recipes and cuisines! I started helping them with catering gigs from age 10. My mother grew up on a farm, so when people questioned why I was working so young, she would usually say, "How is it any different than growing up on the farm and milking the cows?" With some experience doing prep in commercial kitchens, the majority of my actual work experience is in FOH as a server, expo, hostess, bartender and barista (2015-2021). As a homecook, I can accommodate for most dietary restrictions and allergies (vegetarian/vegan/dairy-free, GF, etc.) More recently, I spent some time volunteering at community kitchen workshops in my home city of Edmonton, AB preparing meals for food & housing insecure neighbours in the downtown core (2024-2025). The host, New Grocery Movement, partnered with a local Indigenous-led harm reduction group that does street outreach, so they would handle the distribution of the meals prepared by our team. The sessions were community-led, and featured authentic, culturally diverse recipes (Salvadorian, Indian, Slavic, Indigenous). It was a very rewarding and educational experience!

After my parents sold their restaurant in 2013, my father changed careers from head chef to general contractor/handyman. I would assist him on projects whenever I could. During my teen years, I helped my parents work on a few flip house projects. From that, I gained experience in residential and commercial renovations, primarily interior & exterior painting, as well as flooring, minor repairs and demo. I also have nearly 5 years of forklift operating experience from my previous job at a masonry supply company. I am not technically forklift certified, but I operated the forklift on a near daily basis with caution & care. Working at a masonry supply store required me to do some heavy lifting (literally). Being that it was a small company, just my boss and myself, I worked in the showroom doing sales and in the warehouse picking stone. I'm great with people, so my service industry experience transferred over well into the showroom. On the physical side, there were many days where I would move a literal ton (or 2) of material by hand; picking and re-palletizing stone veneer, flagstone, natural stone slabs, and 36 kg bags of mortar. I would always ask for help when I needed it. Thankfully, working with rocks didn't make me too hard-headed.

My interests include reading, writing, photography, astrology, tarot, architecture & design, live music shows, and social justice. As I mentioned, I'm a big music lover- I play guitar, piano, and sing, and I am certified to teach beginner level piano to younger kids or really anyone who wants to learn. I began playing piano at age 4, and took lessons until I was 16. I completed up to Grade 8 of 10 piano under the Royal Conservatory of Music of Canada, completing theoretical and practical exams with Honours, First Class Honours, and First Class Honours with Distinction. I also enjoy playing rec volleyball, slo-pitch (baseball), badminton, and basketball. After high school, a former teammate and I briefly coached youth girls basketball in our hometown's club for Grades 1-6. Our high school coach was so dedicated to the sport, and to us (the players), so it was a rite of passage for all senior players to coach the young kids who were interested in getting into the sport. The emphasis was on fun and learning how to work together as a team.

I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to travel often with my parents from a young age, and I'm very grateful for all of the experiences that they worked so hard to give me. Looking forward, I'm so excited to start this new chapter of my life and begin my adventure in New Zealand!!! ♥♥♥

Interests

History

Drawing & painting

Writing

Beach

Architecture

Culture

Photography

Astronomy

Dancing

Hiking

LGBTQ

Self development

Team sports

Sustainability

Events & social

Charity work

Books

Nature

Sailing / Boating

Politics / Social justice

Yoga / Wellness

Music

DIY & crafts

Cooking & food

Art & design

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner

More details about my language interests
If given the opportunity and under the right circumstances, I'd like to try and learn a second language!

Find a language partner

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Eco Projects

Art Projects

Light gardening

House & pet sitting

Charity Work

Being an elderly companion

Languages

Teaching

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Some knowledge of:  

Creative DIY projects

Helping around the house

Light maintenance

Helping with Computers/ Internet

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Able to teach about:  

Creating/ Cooking family meals

Hospitality/Tourism

More details about your skills

Please see description section :)

Age

26

Some more information

• 

  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies
  No, nothing that I'm aware of

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  Special dietary requirements
  No