My Life as a Kiwi

So it is the end of my American birthday, and the day after my New Zealand birthday.  It's as easy as travelling across the world to be able to celebrate 2 birthdays!! My birthday was pretty wonderful.  I will start with late the night before when Jeff surprised me with an amazing bouquet of flowers he secretly purchased.  They are freaking beautiful.  The next morning I woke up just as Jeff was leaving for fruit picking, and on the table was a pack of Tim Tams from Bethy (yummm), and a note from Jeff,  I got in the car and had another note saying that we could go together and pick out a special New Zealand Pandora bead! There was another note, but the directions said to read on the ride home from work ONLY!

 I got to work in a great mood even though we had events to make finger food for a group of 150 and a group of 70! (We usually do a small, daily lunch, and then events for 5-20 people).  We got it done with the help of a really nice kiwi (They are all nice).  I had made a flourless chocolate cake (and by some birthday miracle it ended up amazing!) for our lunch table. (Side note: our lunch table is composed of about 6 ladies and 1 man who remind me of my parents, the Aunt Marys, and Aunt Ranie, and some funny ass guy (so uncle Larry, Rich, Paul, or my Dad) but in 10-20 years, so a bit more tamed).  The lunch group enjoyed my cake, and gave me a gift!  It was definitely one of the most thoughtful things someone has done.  I was almost in tears.  They bought me a book of New Zealand slang, and they all signed the inside of it.  They have made such an impression on me in these past 2 weeks, and I hope to stay in contact with some of them.  They have gone out of their way to tell me all of the best places to see around nelson, the best ways to do it, and even helped Jeff and I find a place to live for Christmas and the following week.  One of them offered us their motor home for the weeks following the end of our lease.  The kindness is just so refreshing.

The note on the way home was basically reminding me of our plans to go to dinner that night at a neat looking restaurant called 623.  It was even more exciting because we really haven't gone out to eat once in New Zealand (other than pizza and take-aways).    It was all you can eat pizza night, and we had to oblige.  We started with a chicken, cranberry, and brie pizza. (They don't really eat plain pizzas here)  That was enough on the savoury side, so then we got a banana chocolate dessert pizza.  It was pretty delicious.  The waitress seemed unimpressed that we could only eat 1 savoury and one dessert pizza, but we were stuffed and passed out shortly after getting home.  It was really nice to get dressed up, look like a girl, and enjoy really good food with my best friend.


So Tom, Jeff's brother, had posed a series of questions about what it's like to be a kiwi, so I am going to answer them on here to give everyone a better idea of how I feel about being an American kiwi after settling down a bit in Nelson.  I hope that Jeff will post with his answers soon too.


 What do the kiwi people think of you? Hmm, well I would say that those that I have been able to talk to and have a conversation with generally like me, or at least don't mind that I am an American either traveling or working in their country.  Sometimes I do get a vibe from a sales person or someone I breifly encounter, that doesn't seem to appreciate that there is an american asking about products, or more so taking their order in the Nelson, New Zealand airport.  Generally though, people ask where I am from and why I am here, and are very neutral about my presence.


Do they work strictly for financial gain like here in the US? Is it a 9-5 like daily routine? Is it laid back?
Well they certainly aren't working for fun, but, at least in nelson, it does not appear that they are as competitive, and business is certainly nowhere near as evolved or present as it is in the US (Jeff would be better at expanding upon this topic).  Their work weeks are almost strictly 9-5, with even retail stores only being open until about 5:30.  The only stores in the entire city open after 5:30 are select restaurants, the grocer, and the warehouse (like Target).  Most retail stores are open on Saturdays, and most aren't open on Sundays, but if they are they have very short hours like 19-1 or something.  Let's just say you can't get any kind of food/snacks after 10pm, except MAYBE a gas station.  In terms of a work environment, it is very laid back.  One woman at the cafe even said to me "This is not a race, just take your time, and it will all get done."  At my current cafe job we have 11 am tea for about 15-20 minutes, and 1:30 lunch for 30 minutes, and I leave at 2:30, but people who work full time get another afternoon tea at 3.  So during their 8-9 hour work day, they spend an hour drinking tea/coffee and eating.  The cafe even has a tv and pool table for the employees.


Are you guys hanging around the locals after work drinking beers together? We don't drink beer with the locals, not because they don't hang out after work and drink, I presume they do, but because we don't drink out often.  Beer is its cheapest at about $5 a pint, and that's really low, and my cocktail last night was $14 and was tiny.  It would be nice to have that disposable income, but it isn't practical currently.  But if the question is whether they drink socially the same way we do in the states, then yes they definitely do.


 What is different about the living accommodations you're used to in the States? Hmm well we don't have cable but we get the same stations you would get if you could still use an antennae in the states.  The TV isn't too bad, except Tuesday nights, but I don't watch it much anyway.  The scenery is much prettier.  The houses are generally one-story, and have toilets and showers separate (which is quite convenient).  Almost everyone dries their clothes on a line, rather than in the dryer.  You don't see big houses.  They are basically built for utilitarian purposes and only have one living room, and no, extra rooms or large foyers.  Of course, there are exceptions but this seems to be the vast majority.  Everything just seems much simpler, and people don't have much more than they need.


Have you felt a tiredness to the scene? Will it get old? Do you see yourself preferring to live there over here?  I have not felt tired of the scene.  You can always go to the beach hire a bike, enjoy amazing coffee, read a book, or go for a nice run, or anything outdoors in the neighborhood.  Within a 2 hour drive is more amazing beaches, hundreds of hikes varying in difficulty and length (up to 5 day treks), rock climbing, kayaking, and tons of other water sports.  I think it would take years to tire of the scene.  I do not see myself preferring to live here.  Although it is beautiful, and offers everything I could ever want in the way of leisure activities and social life, it lacks careers in Neuroscience, and most sciences in general.  If I had my MD I could possibly have a job, but I don't so really my degree is useless here.  Also I deeply miss the dining out experience of the US.  I know it sounds simple or silly, but grabbing some apps or brews and catching some sports game out was one of our favorite things to do at home, and here it is way too expensive, and THERE ARE NO GOOD SPORTS TO WATCH :(  We would need some kind of NFL football package for the TV.  Lastly, we are missing the most important thing of all if we stayed here.  OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.  They are absolutely the only thing that could make this trip, and this location, any better.  We miss you!!


Hopefully that will suffice, but I love the feedback and welcome more, and I will add anything that pops into my noggin.  Also, Jeff will probably respond soon.  


Cheers mates!  And thanks to everyone for all of the thoughtful birthday wishes!  It makes me feel very special!