Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

It's a well known FACT that Americans on vacation have a better time of it in the UK (and Europe...and most of the planet) if they pretend to be Canadians.

Does pretending to be Scottish in New Zealand have the same effect?

Or, to put it another way, are the Kiwis warmer towards Scots (or Celts in general) than English people or do they secretly hate all of us equally?

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Yes, helps if you are Scottish of course, but try painting some blue wode on your face, calling yourself a "warrior poet", eat a lot of haggis, have hair the colour of irn bru, display your love of Rod Stewart, wear a kilt ALL THE TIME, say "och aye" a lot and call youself a sweaty sock and you will convince the locals of your scotchness..... :blink:

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Or you could copy this chancer....

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Being a Scottish family in Nz we have found people quite friendly towards us,although they do tend to ask us what part of Ireland were from when they first speak to us:blink:
A Kiwi did say to us not long after we arrived that they weren't ready to throw the Scots out yet,just the pomms(it was said in a half joking,half serious manner)not sarcastic,because they just don't do sarcasm here..;).jacky

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

When people here hear me speak they usually ask if I am Canadian. I think they are just trying to be polite.

;)

:lol:

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

I've been asked several times if I'm Irish.

My accent's proper Yorkshire (Wakefield to be exact).

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Normally as soon as I speak someone will start to tell me about their Scottish ancestors. I'm also told never to lose my accent ( that I didn't think I had!) oh and I have been asked quite a few times if I'm Irish as well. And supposedly people with a Scottish accent find it easier to pronounce Maori words cos of our R's - so I've been told anyway!

I don't know if it helps! But I'm definitely not going to resort to drinking Irn Bru - terrrrrible stuff :)

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Just compare the fortunes of the Big Yin vs Mr Cleese and you probably have it in a nutshell so to speak.......

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Don't sweat the small stuff Avid. Most Kiwi's have some English, Scottish or irish heritage (including Maori).

I spent 11 years in the UK being asked if I was an Aussie.

It's your turn now. ;)

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

I thought the Kiwis liked everyone. :D

Call me naive if you like but my kids keep telling me how amazed they are that everyone they meet here is so very polite and well mannered and how everyone is really really friendly towards them.

So far anyway, for them NZ Rocks :thumbsup:

P.S. No-one has asked me if I'm Irish yet.

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

So why the inferiority complex?

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

I'm not sweating, I just wondered if pretending to be Scottish* would make life any better, that's all.




*or being a 'professional' Scotsman

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

don't know mate -- perhaps they spend too much time around sheep and so are all too "Welsh"...mind...boyo....fair play.....
......anyone else noticed a slight similarity between the Welsh-v-English and Kiwi-v-Ozzie/Pomm thing that goes on....??
......is it "little brother" syndrome .... or just plain defensiveness.....????

/being a Pomm who is about 25% Welsh and married to a wonderful lady who is about 50% Taff, he ducks anyway/

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

more seriously when we were in Tanzania 10 years or so ago all the Canadains in the party offered to give the Yanks their maple leaf bages to stitch onto their rucksacks when we heard that 2 US Citizens had been killed out of a group of toursists kidnapped close to Kili Airport.
Yanks couldn't bring themselves to get stitching.......:ohmy:
Patriotism can be too strong sometimes..........:confused:

Re: Being 'Scottish' in New Zealand
 

Hey Lardyl
Where in Tanzania were you? I was in Kampala, Uganda and spent some time at TATCOT (tanzanian training centre for orthopaedic technology) in Moshi, I think.