Summer Job: Shannon Francois, Silver Ferns

Netball player Shannon Francois. File photo / Christine Cornege

What was your summer job when you were at school/uni, and what did it entail?
I worked on the family orchard in Motueka from when I was 14 to 21. Normally over summer it was thinning apples or tying new trees or just any jobs around the farm really.

How/why did you end up working there?
I suppose it was easy. Dad, he had to hire me really or else it would get a wee bit awkward. It was good fun and all my friends got jobs there too, so it was pretty cool just hanging out with my mates.

What did you like/not like about it?
I liked that we could do whatever hours that we wanted, so we used to start real early in the morning and then finish early in the arvo. We'd start at like 6am or 7am. It was nice being out in the sun all day and getting a tan. I didn't like it when it rained, dad was pretty mean at making us keep working in the rain.

Did you have any embarrassing moments working there, and if so what happened?
Probably getting busted sitting down. We're all just having an extra wee break that dad wasn't meant to know about, but he'd always seem to just rock on up, walk up the aisle and see us sitting there and give us a barrel-full, so pretty embarrassing.

What was your dream job at that age?
At 14 I thought it was pretty sweet to be honest, a pretty good lifestyle.