Fiona loves her job at the youth hostel

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 47, 14 May 1985, Page 6

Fiona loves her job at the youth hostel

Although it is more popular during the ski season, Ohakune's youth hostel still hosted more than 650 hostellers during December and January. Eighty-three percent of these were from overseas. "Such a large number of overseas visitors using the hostel signifies the important role youth hostelling plays in the international tourism industry," says Mr Ray Keall, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand. "However, we give every encouragement to New Zealanders to use the service which we provide. "New Zealand travellers should take advantage of the off-peak season in particular when the hostel is not so full." Fiona Mills has been the warden at the Ohakune hostel for five weeks and says the job is even better than she had expected. Before taking up the job at the hostel Fiona had been living in Strathmore, Taranaki, but she grew up in Rangataua, so she has a good knowledge of the area and its history. Fiona lives in the hostel with her two daughters, Aniwa, aged seven, and Alicia, aged five, who both go to Fiona's old primary school at Rangataua. "They really love it here too." she says, "Aniwa is really good at playing games like backgammon with the hostellers and running messages for them." The majority of hostellers who stay are not New Zealanders says Fiona. "In the time that I've been here, I've counted just five New Zealanders. At this time of year there are usually between 10 and 1 5 people staying in the hostel each night. The hostel sleeps 32 people and is full almost every night during the winter. Most of the hostellers speak English as a first or second language, although a HHHHHHHI

few don't speak much English at all. However, Fiona says she usually manages to communicate with everyone. Because of her children, Fiona says she tries to run the hostel like a family home and thinks that the hostellers feel they are part of the family. Fiona, who is part Portugese and part Maori, enjoys teaching the visitors to pronounce Maori words and telling them about the history and legends of the area. She works mornings and evenings at the hostel five days per week. In her spare time she writes poetry, something she has done for the past two years. Poetry is. a way for people to express themselves, she claims. On her days off, Fiona is relieved by Karina Kelland

who is originally from Taumarunui and now lives in Rangataua. Karina also started at the hostel five weeks ago. Karina will relieve Fiona when she attends a hostel managers' conference in Christchurch at the beginning of June. The conference is an annual event, the aim of which is to bring managers together to gain experience and swap ideas. Last Sunday Fiona held an open day at the Ohakune Hostel and welcomed mem-

bers of the community along for lunch. A treasure hunt was also staged for children who came to the hostel with their parents. Ohakune Youth Hostel is one of a chain of 5,000 hostels in over 50 countries. Ninety-four thousand overnights were recorded in youth hostels in New Zealand over the summer period this year. On any one night between December and February there were 1,000 travellers using hostels throughout the country.