Kiwi Culture

It's only been two months since arriving in the land of Kiwis but we've picked up on so much of their culture that we reckon it's time to share what we've become accustomed to. Certainly we could have chosen from a list of countries like India or South Africa whos cultures are so completely different from our own that the experience would have been nothing short of rich and educational. Instead we thought it best to stay somewhere within our comfort zone and WWOOF in a country where English is a primary language and there isn't as much possible danger... which brought us to New Zealand. Even though the country is occupied by a majority of white, English speakers who also watch TV, use the Internet and eat Subway, there are many idiosyncracies that provide us with the cultural exchange we'd hoped for.

I've divided this post into the following sections:

1. How Kiwis live
2. How Kiwis eat
3. How Kiwis speak

DISCLAIMER: Being that we're only eight weeks and one island into the trip, there will be many additions to this post which will most likely warrant follow-up posts before the trip is through. I've become frustrated knowing that this post is incomplete, but I've gotten over it.  It's also important to note that these are observations we've made from the folks we've met thus far. I'd hate to be unjust to the rest of the population.

How Kiwis live

Kiwis are known for there can-do attitude and sense of adventure. They take pride in this. New Zealand is also quoted to be the "adventure capital of the world," inventing activities such as bungee-jumping. (The term "bungy" is Kiwi slang for an elastic strap). Their most recognizable skyscraper, Sky Tower in Auckland (the one that looks like Seattle's space needle), offers bungee-jumping off of their observation deck - right in the heart of the city! And with all of the well-kept scenic reservations, beaches, and native bush, New Zealand offers extraordinary outdoor recreation.

One thing we've gathered from talking to our hosts is that they tend to shift (move homes) a lot. Studies have show that the typical Kiwi moves every seven years. That proved correct for Colleen, the host who shared that information. Colleen and Mark uprooted their bakery in Auckland and moved out to Te Puke to farm kiwifruit.  Perhaps one reason why Kiwis are more keen to pack up and shift their lives somewhere else is that benefits such as health care are taken care of by the government, making them less afraid to leave their jobs. It might also be safe to say that Kiwis are just more restless than most Americans and prefer to mix it up.

New Zealanders drive on the left side of the road and thankfully we've become accustomed to it rather quickly.  I'd have to say that the strangest part of the whole experience is sitting in the passenger seat on the right side of the car!  What's nice about New Zealand's roads is that they make use of roundabouts and use very few intersections involving stoplights or stop signs.  Roundabouts allow for a nice flow of traffic with less chance of accidents.  The golden rule is that you give way to traffic on the right of you.  This rule makes perfect sense in most situations except for this: if you're making a left-hand turn, you must give way for opposite traffic making a right-hand turn (see image).  This rule has earned me a few angry hand gestures because I can't grasp its importance.  If I'm making a simple left-hand turn - which is sharp, mind you - why couldn't the traffic making a right (wide) wait for me to complete my quick turn?!  The rule doesn't apply when there's traffic behind me, so if there's no one following me then would it hurt them to wait the extra three seconds?!  I hope the rumors are true and this law is abolished because it bugs the hell out of me!  (Can you tell?)

Some other things to note about the Kiwi way of life:

• It's quite common for New Zealanders (and Australians) to have an overseas experience, or "the big OE."  This typically involves an extended holiday (vacation) some time between the teenage years and the thirties, most typically after graduation from university.  Often times this will be a working holiday such as teaching english in Japan or South Korea.  Obviously we love this concept being that it's exactly what we're doing right now!
• Kiwis dislike Aussies.  Nobody has given me a clear explanation of why, for I don't think they have a reasonable answer.  It could be that the Aussies take credit for celebrities like Russel Crowe and have rougher accents.  Or because of the global recognition of Australia over neighboring nations in the South Pacific (prime example: some refer to this part of the world as Australasia). Who knows?  Whatever the reason, it's quite hilarious and reminds me of a certain rivalry we have in the Buckeye state.
• This is rugby nation.  The All Blacks are the worshiped national team (and just as commercial as any NFL team).  There's also the New Zealand Rugby League with teams representing the major regions in NZ.  The Rugby World Cup 2011 will be held in Auckland next September.
• The commercials have been very entertaining and creative.  This one has especially struck a chord with us every time we've seen it:

How Kiwis eat

I have never drank so much tea before in my life!!!  Tea when you wake up, tea for breakfast, tea break, tea for lunch, tea after lunch... maybe not that much, but at least 4-5 times a day.  I've become so accustomed to it that I crave it now!  All of that tea drinking creates the need for an electric kettle (or jug) in every kitchen.  It's so convenient to fill up your jug and flick the switch for boiling water in a matter of minutes!  No stove, no microwave.  As far as coffee goes, cafes serve up espresso coffee in the form of a short black, long black, flat white, latte, mochaccino and cappuccino.  Some basic coffee is served using a plunger (french press), but is typically served using instant or freeze-dried coffee grounds.  I've gotten used to the instant stuff but it doesn't compare to the fresh ground coffee I'm used to.

Desserts are HUGE in New Zealand!  Pavlova, trifle, hokey pokey, the list goes on and on!  I don't think there's been a dessert that has let us down - and we've had one at just about every meal.  Our host's Kerry and Bron were gracious enough to give us their Edmond's Cookery Book - the definitive and classic cookbook that's a necessity in every Kiwi kitchen!  We told them that we'll be preparing Kiwi meals and desserts for our grandchildren out of that book.

Perhaps it's just the midwestern life I've grown up with, but I've never seen people eat pumpkin the way Kiwis do.  They chop it up and add it to their roast veggies (roasties), and even make a delicious pumpkin soup.  At our practice Thanksgiving with Kerry and Bron, we made a pumpkin pie and it astounded people (disgusted some) that we consume pumpkin in a sweet way, not savory.  I think that Carly and I will be doing a lot more than just carving pumpkins when we return to the states.

Sure, Kiwis have McDonalds and Burger King, but some popular, traditional takeaways (fast food) for Kiwis has long been fish and chips as well as a variety of savory p

ies.  Think chicken pot pie, then substitute in some beef, cheese, gravy, etc.  They're quick, delicious, and horrible for you... the way takeaways should be!

One last thing that's important to note is that the majority of beef and milk is derived from grass-fed cows as opposed to our grain-fed, hormone-injected cattle like in the states.  Unfortunately the same doesn't necessarily go for the majority of poultry and pork farming, but regulations are a topic of conversation which shows promise.

How Kiwis speak

The kiwi accent can be many things: warm and welcoming, adventurous, rebellious, fun.  We probably don't notice it as much any more, but every once in a while we notice new words or phrases that wouldn't sound right if we said them.  Kiwis use what we would consider very British words such as "bugger" and "bloody" or Australian terms such as "crikey" and "mate."  It seems like every day we're picking up on something new, and every day I delay posting this blog.

Here is a list of words commonly used by Kiwis (thus far):

• “P” = crystal meth
• "Holiday" = vacation
• "Primary school" = elementary/middle school
• "College"= high school
• "University" = college
• "Cooly Bag" = cooler
• “Torch” = flashlight
• “Mince” = ground beef
• “Nappy” = diaper
• “Flat” = apartment
• “Shifting” = moving (to a new house OR moving your entire house!!)
• “Ute” = pick-up truck
• “Togs' = Swimsuits
• “Fortnight” = 2 weeks
• “Jolly” = silly (“that jolly cat!”)
• “Heaps” = used often for “lots” or “tons”
• “Tea” = Not only the hot drink that they drink heaps of, but also refers to a meal like dinner. This confused us greatly for a while.
• “Chook” = chicken
• “Push chair” = stroller
• “Trundler” = cart (shopping, golf, etc.)
• “Biscuits” = cookies
• “Zip” = zipper
• “Wah” = beer bong
• “Pudding” = dessert
• "Cheers" = thanks, good luck or goodbye
• “Boot” = trunk of the car
• “Bonnet” = hood of the car
• “Jandal” = flipflop
• “Mozzie” = mosquito
• “Capsicum” = bell pepper (green, red, yellow)
• “Courgette” = zucchini
• “Zed” = letter 'z', as in N Zed
• “Bits” = pieces, stuff
• “Roster” = work schedule

Some common phrases:

• “Do up” = put on ('Do up your seatbelt')
• “Get stuffed” = screw you
• “Good on you” = good for you
• Adding “as” after “sweet” or “cool” is common. i.e., “That movie was sweet as!”

So for those of you who thought we might return with Kiwi accents, doubtful. But rest assured that we'll return with some new habits, new recipes, and new slang.

Cheers!