I can hardly believe that it’s been over a month since I stepped off the plane in Auckland. Well a month and a half now as I’m back in Europe for work and my poor blog took a backburner for a week. My bad. It’s been 30 days of ups and downs, highs and lows, everything you might expect from a big move abroad.
New Zealand has been everything I wished for and more. It’s almost hard for me to articulate my feelings and emotions so far on this adventure. That being said, it takes a lot for me to be at a loss for words. Born an overly verbose person who has trouble shutting up at the best of times, I’ve spent the past few weeks contemplating this big transition abroad and how best to share it with you all in the least wordy way possible.
Reflecting on my first month in New Zealand, if I had to sum up my experience in one sentence, it would be, “wow, that was a learning experience.”
Let me just tell you, I’ve learned a whole hell of a lot. From improving my kiwi slang vocabulary to acquiring some profound life lessons, the old adage “you’re never too old to learn something new” has never been more true than my first month down under.
Check out 20 things I’ve learned during my first 30 days in New Zealand
1. New Zealanders are the friendliest people in the world
Before I bought a one-way flight to Auckland, I had heard mysterious rumors of the friendliness of the kiwi people. And over the years when I was backpacking around the world, I often met people from New Zealand, and I was struck by how kind they were. That being said, I was not prepared for just how friendly and sweet EVERYONE is in New Zealand.
And I mean EVERYONE! Not even exaggerating.
From the shopkeepers to the bartenders to the average person walking down the street, if there is one thing you can always count on in New Zealand is just how lovely and friendly everyone is.
Moving abroad is scary. Moving abroad to a new country without knowing a single person is absolutely terrifying. However, picking a place with super friendly people has made all the difference.
If I don’t leave New Zealand in a year a completely changed person, I don’t even know myself.
2. What Kiwi really means
Kiwi is the name of people from New Zealand as well as New Zealand’s flightless bird. Kiwis as we know them in America are called kiwi fruit. This is an important difference, as I’m sure you can imagine, especially if kiwis are your favorite fruit.
3. Driving on the left is fun, until you get to a roundabout, then it’s terrifying
If I die in a road accident while living in New Zealand, there is a 80% chance that it happened in a roundabout. While in general I think there are a more logical way of directing traffic, it doesn’t make going through them in the wrong direction any less scary. I pretty much scream every time I go through one here, especially the ones with double lanes.
4. The more sheep than people rumor is not false
So the rumor that there are more sheep than people in New Zealand is not exactly false, as I quickly found out. After leaving sprawling urban Auckland, the complete lack of people took me by surprise. Driving down to Wellington, I would drive for ages and sometimes not see other cars.
Once you get outside of the cities in Wellington, you quickly realize that there are just not a lot of people about. New Zealand really is the end of the world. And yeah, there are a lot of sheep. Everywhere.
But now that spring is here, all the lambs have been born which means adorable, fluffy, baby sheep EVERYWHERE!
5. New Zealand is freaking expensive, but not as expensive as Australia
When I was packing for New Zealand, I made an executive decision to leave my hiking boots at home. I figured I since NZ is such an outdoorsy place, I could pick up a nice pair once I got here. My old ones needed to be tossed and I didn’t want to waste the luggage space.
What a stupid decision, my god!
I went to go buy hiking boots in Wellington, and the pair I wanted was 450 NZD – that’s roughly 375 USD which is roughly twice as much as back home.
Because everything is virtually imported to NZ, things are expensive. For example, I usually drop around $80 on my weekly groceries.
But then I went to Australia and realized NZ was cheap in comparison.
Looks like I’ll be hiking in my running sneakers!
6. NZ has the worst internet in the entire world
No, I am not exaggerating. I’ve had better internet in Africa. In Jordan. In rural Turkey.
When I first heard rumors of shoddy internet in NZ before moving there, I laughed it off. I thought those stories were not up to date or relevant any more. Boy, was I mistaken.
As I understand it from my tech friends, NZ is literally at the end of the under-the-ocean-magic-internet-cable. Literally, it’s the last stop for internet, which means it’s really bad, really slow, and really expensive. It’s also limited. LIMITED!! I didn’t even know limited internet was a thing!
Without a doubt this will be the hardest challenge I have to overcome this year.
7. There are a lot of foreigners in New Zealand
New Zealand is an amazing, empty place. I think one of my favorite things about this country is that it’s so remote with so few people. That being said, there are a surprising amount of foreigners to be found around the islands.
NZ has a very open working holiday scheme which means many people from around the world can come and easily get a visa to work and travel around the country. Also NZ is a popular travel destination. Pretty much everyone I’ve met has NZ on their travel bucket list.
This means there are lots of foreigners around town, which for me is both a positive and a negative. Negative because I want to go native and fit in with the locals which can be challenging, but also awesome because I get to make friends with people from all over the world.
8. But no Americans in NZ
That being said, there are NO AMERICANS IN NEW ZEALAND. Fellow countrymen, where are you?
This past month (ok, month and a half) I have flown to NZ from the US, and I have flown from NZ to Europe. From San Francisco, Auckland is a 12 hour direct flight. From Wellington to London, it took me approximately 40 hours of travel time and 4 flights.
How many Brits have I met so far on my journey? Dozens. Germans? A million. How many Americans? One.
What the hell?
Expect a lengthly post about this phenomenon shortly.
9. Rent is per week not per month
Completely random but for those curious-minded folks, apartments are listed with rent prices per week not per month. It’s a confusing but interesting phenomenon which somehow makes the extremely high cost of living more palatable.
And speaking of apartments, they are called flats like in the UK and the deposit is called a bond. Speaking English is hard.
10. Getting the bill in the restaurant
The first time I went out for a meal at a sit-down restaurant in New Zealand, I was surprised by several things. Firstly, the food is phenomenal. Seriously, there are some damn good restaurants to be found in this part of the world. And don’e even get me started on brunch.
However, at the end of the meal I was confused. When were they going to bring the bill? We sat and waited and waited and waited before getting the attention of someone to bring the check. Quickly they explained that you pay at the register and not at the table. Soon I figured out this was standard around NZ.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Instead of having the waiters bring you the check, it’s standard for you to get up when you’re finished and head to the register to pay directly.
This is not universal but I’ve definitely encountered it way more here than anywhere else in the world.
11. Likewise, you usually have to go up and grab a jug of water and cups
Same goes for water. Most of the time they don’t bring water to you, even if you ask. They have sinks or jugs set up for you to grab it yourself.
I haven’t decided how I feel about this yet. It’s an internal struggle between my inherent laziness and my urge to be in control of everything. First world problems.
12. The brunch culture will blow your mind
Hi my name’s Liz, and I am addicted to brunches.
Heavy pancakes. Crispy French toast. Fluffy poached eggs smothered in decadent Hollandaise sauce. Swoon.
One of my favorite things about home was brunching with friends on the weekends. One of the things I hated most about Spain was the total dearth of brunch spots to be found. Lucky for me, NZ is the best of both worlds and has an amazing brunch scene. Everywhere.
13. NZ has the best coffee in the UNIVERSE
In addition to a great foodie scene, there is a thriving cafe culture which means awesome coffee all the time.
I have not had a disappointing cup of joe since I arrived which says a lot considering I’m the world’s biggest coffee addict.
And just like there are new words for everything in NZ, I’ve learned a lot of new coffee vocabulary too. For example, when I get a nonfat or skinny latte, here they call it a trim latte. Makes me feel so classy.
Same goes for a flat white, a type of espresso coffee in New Zealand. A new favorite.
14. Wellington is actually the coolest little capital in the world
I talked before about how much hype Wellington was getting and how it initially put me off living there. But then I arrived and fell head over heels in love with this city.
Proudly named the 2011 Lonely Planet “Coolest little capital in the world,” the buzz around town actually lives up to expectations. In short, Wellington rocks, and I am so so SO happy I decided to make it my home.
15. Everyone in Wellington knows someone who works for WETA or the Hobbit
Sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone is as big of a nerd as me, and they don’t realize that part of Wellington’s fame comes from the fact that it’s home to WETA, the design studio behind the Lord of the Rings.
Now with the Hobbit franchise in full swing, WETA employs tons and tons of people, which means when I go out at night, there is a good chance I’ll meet someone somehow associated with the project. That is, if they ever leave the studios.
I think you can imagine my reactions when this happens.
16. Finding Peter Jackson has been harder than I thought
One month into my time in Wellington and I have yet to find and shake hands with the most famous son of New Zealand (apart from Sir Edmund Hillary), the man, the myth, the legend – Peter Jackson.
Of course I count this as a giant failure. Luckily I still have 1o months to go.
Anyone can make an intro for me?
17. Windy Wellington lives up to its name
Wellington is nicknamed “Windy Welly” and let me just say, a more accurate epithet never existed.
I’ve been to some windy places over the years, but nothing could have prepared for Wellington. Most days it’s just average level of winds that will mess up your hair and might blow your skirt up. However, in just a month I’ve witnessed some wind storms where I thought the world was ending.
I’m talking wind that will blow your clothes clean off. One week we had 140 km/h winds for three days. I couldn’t leave the house. Those are the moments where you realize you’re living at the end of the world.
18. Earthquakes
My first week living in Wellington we had an earthquake. I had gone out for a wine tasting that evening, so it’s safe to say I was pretty sloshed by the time I rolled home a few hours later. Climbing into bed, I was closing my eyes when the room started to shake. My hopes that it was just a big gust of the famous wind were dashed when my roommate popped his head in to check on me.
I’m from Virginia. We don’t get earthquakes. I don’t know how to react.
I know there are more and more bigger earthquakes happening in New Zealand, and let me just preface this by saying I am SO not ready for a big one.
In fact, they are so prevalent, many Kiwis I’ve met have an earthquake app on their phone that let’s them know about them. Can I just stick with Candy Crush?
19. No drunken behavior
I learned real fast my first month in NZ that I had to bring my passport out with me to the bars to show ID. I haven’t had to show ID to go out drinking since living in the US, let alone bring my passport.
NZ is also pretty vigilant about drunken behavior. They don’t let belligerent people in bars and will kick you out without a second thought.
One of my last nights in Wellington I was out at a bar with friends and while we were waiting for drinks, a group of young drunk guys were getting rowdy on the dancefloor. Suddenly, I saw one of the bouncers head over to kick him out. Causing a scene, eventually the guy picked him up and carried the dude out on his shoulders. The kid was so waster he was high-fiving and cheering everyone on his way out. Hilarious.
20. The wildlife is slightly different from what I’m used to back home in Virginia
21. Shit happens and you can’t plan for everything
So basically I’ve had the worst luck in the entire world my first month in New Zealand. I legally cannot write the specifics so far, but let me just say there’s a reason I’ve not been online as much as I meant to. My first month was a struggle, but I’ve been trying to make the best of it.
Something bad happened which I’m trying to deal with that’s costing me a lot of money.
If anything, it’s been a good lesson on trying to look on the bright side and be positive. Fingers crossed it will all work out for the best.
22. No matter where you are in NZ, you are approximately 15 minutes from somewhere spectacularly beautiful
New Zealand is ridiculously beautiful. No matter where you are in the entire country, you are likely a stone’s throw away from a place that will make your jaw drop open in awe.
This is probably my favorite thing about NZ. I need beautiful landscapes and lush natural spots to feel comfortable and at peace. Lucky for me, New Zealand has that in strides.
23. I already love New Zealand to pieces and I never want to leave
Only a month in and I can already see myself settling in NZ permanently. It already feels like home to me.
My whole life I feel like I’ve been searching for that special place where I can settle down. Maybe it’ll be New Zealand.
Have you ever been to New Zealand? Is it on your bucket list? Ever transitioned abroad before? What’s something you learned in your new country?
About the author
Hi, I left a comment days ago, just thought I should add something interesting to your post: One will notice that the most shock will come from places where social classes are really well defined, i.e. America, Canada, south america and European countries. The expectation one has when they land here is the same as back in their home countries where the services are generally provided by inferior class/working class individuals. Hence the shock. reading up on comments that becomes very clear to me where the commenters are coming from and their own backgrounds. Fortunately New Zealand has a controversial “one social class”, and that clear non-division becomes evident in restaurants, bars, banks and so on, where the person servicing you may be as wealthy or as important in many aspects of life as you, who has the money to spend. Last night I was speaking to a close friend, who was born here in New Zealand and he pointed this out to me, it’s not that New Zealanders are rude, it is the fact that foreigners expect to be treated differently that makes then react in what appears to be a rude manner, all they are saying is literally: put your flag down honey, you are no better than anyone here, so slow down and dont you dear to give us orders, even if you are paying for it. That really made me realise that in fact we the foreigners need to come to NZ with open minds and bring our noses down, because they will not look at at us the way we may be used to back home. This is a little food for thought. Nzers are awesome people, as long as we dont try to step on them, which is really a fair thing for all of us.
Controversial one class system??? You have got to be kidding. So you want an oppressed underclass catering to your every whim. Wow
I think you may have missed the message Ricky was trying to send… by a long shot.
thanks for the information of NZ, we will be moving there this next summer, my sons job is there. I come from USA, but i have chose to live outside of it for may adult life. i come from the caribbean islands, and this is what i learned. Visitors and tourists demand special favor, are rude about it, and bring their bad habits of expectations with them. It takes a while to mello out, or islandfy as we call it. I hear NZ people are very kind and fun loving, enjoy relaxed life, compared to the rush rush rush, of USA. i am hoping to find that out to be true.
Hi Liz, I stumbled upon your awesome t journal while seasing a few interesting facts about NZ which Im struggling with as a foreigner myself. very interesting take, and I actually read all the 23 facts, believe it or not! 😉
One think I would point out as well as the fact that the locals are by far some of the most intriguing and complex people I have come across. Hard-to-crack would be the one adjective I would give a typical local. I’ve been living here for about 10 years now and I have a very small handful of friends I can actually call real friends, most people meet you, great you and smiles at you, but man, do not expect them to become your best buddies so easily. That is where most foreigners fall into the rap of thinking everyone is “friends” because of their extreme sense of politeness in a very broad sense (of course things can get quite rough if you push their wrong buttons).
Also “best coffee in the world”? kidding right? I dubbed it “teaffee” because it’s so mild I only taste milk…maybe my backgrounds with real strong and fragrant Italian coffee upbringing is to blame here, but I honestly don’t even bother buying coffee, it’s hideous, in my view (solely)
Thanks for sharing you ideas! a post with new development on your experience with more advanced views /maybe changes to what you might have shared here? would be an awesome take too! would be very interesting to see what has changed from your perspectives since.
Cheers
the maori are racist killed an eat the native new zealanders who were white . The red haired pale skined green/blue/haze eyed people of there myths that were here before they invade and cannibalised the indigenous caucasian
You are kidding right? Did you learn NZ history from a book written by Texas’ public education system? Why don’t you try that again, but this time get your order of events and cause/effect a bit more accurate.
Or you are an awful troll and need to rethink of your efforts are worth your time. Either way, try opening a history lesson.
Um the Maoris did kill the original Moriori people whom were gentle and lives by a strong moral code of anti violence they invited the taranaki Maori’s to a gathering and butchered them all, I’m a kiwi and have lived here all my life have a degree in New Zealand historic and classical studies
*And we’re butchered my them all
Ugh stupid auto correct the Moriori were killed by the Maori.
Um, no. Moriori were one of many related groups who arrived in New Zealand. Moriori were not ‘the original inhabitants.’At some point they relocated to the Chatham Islands and the distinctive Moriori culture continued developing there. Nobody was ‘Maori’ until Europeans arrived. Maori just means normal/ regular/ usual. Nobody cannibalised the Moriori out of New Zealand.
What did happen in the 1830’s was that a group of Taranaki Maori decided to invade the Chatham Islands. They killed many Moriori and they cannibalised too. This was easy for them to do because of the anti-violent tikanga that Nunuku laid down for Moriori people. After 30 years the population had been reduced from 2,000 to only about 100. There are several thousand descendants of this 100 alive today. Moriori are not extinct, but they did suffer enormously.
Hi Liz: it was so great to read about your adventures in NZ, especially Wellington. I was born in Otahuhu, Mangere NZ which is in Auckland 39 years ago on a vacation trip my parents were on visiting there friends in Mangere. Anyway, fast forward thirteen years after my birth, my parents allowed me the opportunity of a lifetime by letting me be a transfer student at Auckland Seventh Day Adventist High School (I had been attending the Seventh Day Adventist High School in Tailevu, Fiji Islands prior to that)…. This was the time of my life 🙂 I got to experience NZ for the first time all by my self as a teenager and it was very liberating. My love for travel grew then, I can honestly say this now. I have always wanted to travel and explore the world. At age 19, my entire family migrated to the California, USA and we have been here since. I have been back to NZ twice since my teenage years (once I took my little girl who was 5 yrs old for her fifth birthday and then again April 2013). In April 2013, I visited Wellington with my parents and had the opportunity to explore Welli and I too fell in love with the Windy city. I can now say that I too love Welli better then Auckland.
I am bringing my teenage daughter (who just turned 16 a couple days ago) to visit Wellington at the end of this month and I hope she too will enjoy it as much as I did. What is there not to love about Welli. My aunt and her family lives in Welli and it is wonderful. I am looking forward to visiting again.
I wish you all the best with your adventures.
Hey, who knows if we run into each other, that would be great then you can say you actually saw 3 Americans in Welli (I am traveling with my sister & daughter)…. LOL
Take care Liz… If you want to meet us, please email me…. God bless.