culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sundaystartim...4152a6442.html

Anyone moving to banjo country?

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

Oh look, people from the UK wouldn't understand what it's like for these rural communities where in many cases they've never even met someone who doesn't speak English as a first language. You're lucky in the UK that people of different countries have been around all your lives - my mother is actually nervous around black people - she is 72 and never saw a black person unless it was on the telly until about 5 years ago. What do you do? It'll work out. It always does - after a fashion and after a while.

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

Very good point. Top comment. Karma on its way:thumbup:

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

A a little light hearted reply in the form of an copied email from an expat in southland, just to show a sense of humour.....

ADVICE FOR NORTH ISLANDERS


Rules for visiting the South Island are as follows:




1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.




2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.




3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a Ute because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.




4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it ? SH1 goes north, find it and F**k off




5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Harvesters that are driven only 3 weeks a year.




6. Every person in the South waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.




7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/quail are comin' in during the season, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.




8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and duck. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.




9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of duck season. It's a religious holiday , we will observe it !.




10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.




11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.




12. When we set a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and Watties Tomato sauce ! Oh, yeah We don't care what you folks in Ponsonby call that stuff you eat . . IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!




13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.




14. College and High School Rugby is as important here as the All Blacks, the Highlanders and the Crusaders and a heap more fun to watch.




15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards – it spooks the fish.




16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump cr @ p ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!




A true Southener will send this to at least 10 others and a few new friends that probably won't get it, but we're friendly so we share in hopes you can begin to understand what a real life is all about!!!

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

About 5 years ago when my son in law came to NZ he was offered a house for a $1 in Invercargill by the Government if he relocated there to work. At that time it was the second highest paid town out of Auckland cause no one wanted to go there to work! Not sure what strings were attached to take up the offer but needless to say he didn't take it up. LOL!!

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

I lived in Invercargill for a couple of years back in the 1990s. My mother and brother still live there. It's a very "white" city with a very low level of migrant intakes and unfortunately there's a lot of skinheads around - particularly troublesome, you soon learn fast to keep out of thier way and ingore them if they start to hassle you. In all fairness Invercargill's a great city, only drawback is the weather, it can be very cold in the winter & very changeable in summer with a lot of showery & windy days. Very friendly people but thier way of thinking is quite conservative (this is changing a bit nowadays). Cheaper to buy houses of course & cost of living is much lower (has one of the highest disposable income rates in NZ) & good standard of living. Be very, very prepared for the winter - a huge must, power bills can skyrocket through the roof! Beautiful scenery & PT (Polyteck or Tafe) is free - only one of it's kind in NZ.

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

Yes, I find this fact very interesting - have wondered why this model cannot be duplicated elsewhere in NZ, or is it somehow connected to the part about 'highest disposable income in NZ' and somehow funded out of that income?

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

I too spent a year there in the 90s. Its a fantastic place as a base for exploring Fiordland, Stewart Island etc from. I believe the polytech free tuition fees were introduced by major - Tim Shadbolt , as an incentive to encourage people to move to Invercargill . The population at the time , was was steadily decreasing. Dairy farming has given it a bit of a boost in recent years.

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

No, this link should help explain more:

http://www.sit.ac.nz/

Due to this, Invercargill in recent years has undergone a revival especially in the city centre with cafes/restaurants popping up.

It's fairly cheap to rent but has seen increases due to influxes of students.

It's funny because Southlander's are not particularly fond of Aucklanders, yet they go and vote an ex-Aucklander, Tim Shadbolt, to be their mayor. He's done a great job of putting Invercargill on the map and is responsible for the revival. He's a good mayor in many Invercargillian's eyes. :D

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

I spent a day in Invercargill a while back before a local tramp and I really really liked the place! It was a beautiful day and I was walking around thinking "Why do people criticise this place?".

But....I don't live there and one day is not really representative of living there 24/7 year after year.

My gut feeling is that I would really like living there cos im outdoorsy type of person - but I am also intolerant of rednecks...:confused:

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

This is what becomes of tourists in the south island...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4726018a11.html

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

That's awful.:blink:

But it's not Southland is it - it's Nelson ... the thread is about Southland so I'm not sure what the relevance is??:confused:

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

Surely it's relevant to point out that most tourists to NZ meet their sticky ends at the hands of homicidal maniacs? People need to be warned!

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

thats because the homicidal maniacs are much more effective at their jobs. The regular run of the mill maniacs need to tighten up a bit i think.

Re: culture clash in Southland as migrants isolated and ignored
 

Yes and the North Island - what about the poor innocent Karen Aim from Scotland murdered last year in Taupo - it is not only the South Island -dont keep having a dig at the South Island for stuff that goes on everywhere!!:frown: