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NZ is strangely similar to Canada. I was randomly chatting with a guy at a bar the other night (when I was dressed like a zombie for a zombie prom--hard to have a serious conversation) and we had the usual chat about where I was from and what I was doing here (which always happens because of my accent). He said, "So can I ask why you came all the way across the world to live in a mini version of Canada?" And I laughed since it's so true! It's not the landscapes (they're quite different), or the language (also different), but the people. The culture is so similar.
The biggest similarity is all the stuff going on under the surface. Take a work environment or party environment, for example. Everyone's getting along and having a good time but so much is not being said. There is so much subtext that you have to read. People are really polite all the time and never really saying what they mean. This is apparently really hard for people to adjust to when they come here, but I had no issue at all. I feel like I can speak with authority on the culture here, to other international friends of mine, as if it's my country. It's weird. But it's definitely been an easy adjustment for me.
There are lots of funny little differences though. Like:
Language/Sayings
- How you going/how are you going? (how's it going?)
- How'd you go? (how did it go?)
- Sweet as (sweet/awesome)
- TomAHto sauce (ketchup)
- d*** (idiot--used ALL the time)
- Togs and jandals (bathing suit and flip flops)
- Fringe (bangs)
- Washing (laundry)
- I have to go to the toilet (self explanatory)
- Their vowels are backwards, they pronounce I like U (fush and chups) and E like I (pin instead of pen, Bin instead of Ben)
- They also do the English thing of not pronouncing their Rs but putting Rs after As where they don't exist
Food
- Marshmallows are pink and white, flavoured (vanilla and raspberry) and sweeter
- Ketchup (tomAHto sauce) tastes like cinnamon
- Mayonnaise is very white and tastes funny, which means I don't buy burgers ever (which is a great thing)
- Green pepper = capsicum
- Zucchini = courgette
- Squash = pumpkin
- They have pumpkin EVERYTHING (because it's squash) but they don't have pumpkin pie
- Sweet potato = kumara (Maori name)
- There are three kinds of kumara and they eat it all the time too
Things I can't get and want:
- Bagels for a reasonable price
- Cheerios (they only have Multigrain, but they're just called Cheerios)
- Most regular cereals for that matter (except they have 7063 different kinds of muesli)
- Graham crackers
- Cool whip
- Kraft Dinner
- Turkey (it's very hard to come by)
Other Stuff
- People say "Thanks, Driver!" when they get off the bus, at the front and back doors
- Tall Poppy Syndrome - It is deeply engrained not to talk yourself up about ANYTHING (they cut tall poppies down to size if they get too tall)
- Most people my age can drive standard
- Everyone is about 2 degrees of separation from everyone else in NZ, and I'd say it's closer to 1.5 in Wellington. I have been here for 9 months (!) and I can't go anywhere without running into people.
- You have to pay to see doctors (semi-private, subsidised system)
Right, that's what I can come up with for now. I've been meaning to write that list for a while.
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