Brunettepen

Hi all,

I am not sure if this is the place for me but I thought I would say hello as I actually seem to be in a similar boat as pure expats..

I am a kiwi woman who has just returned from living in London for the last five years (Dad was English so got citizenship) and am finding it hard without my wonderful English girlfriends.

I was lucky enough to really integrate myself into English culture when overthere.. lived with English girls, worked at an English charity.. even dated English guys. ; ) got invited to few weddings, shopped until I dropped at Pri Mark, meet a couple of my greatest friends, (know all about Kebabs on the way home when drunk) and even supported England in the world cup... ok I was forced to or else drink alone in the corner.. lol..

and now I have returned to NZ, originally from Dunedin but lived in Wellington for eight years prior to move to London, and am finding that I do not really fit in with my old life and am a bit lost for people to really relate to.

I surpose I am saying that if there is any other lovely girls out there, I am 37 but act anywhere between 21 and 80, who would like to meet up or forge a new friendship I would be very interested in meeting you.

Also being a Kiwi born, I am very open if you would like to ask me anything about NZ, Dunedin or Wellington in particular or kiwis in general as I now have a very international view on things.

Wish you all a wonderful weekend
Penny

happynz

Hi Penny,
Just a quick question...sausage rolls -- what in the world are those all about? The. Worst. Food. Ever!

Have a good weekend yourself.

Boopy

Hi Penny & welcome, the Wellington girls are having a night out together on Friday night. Meeting at The Courtney Arms in Allen Street, just off Courtney Place at 8pm ish. Come & have a laugh & you'll meet a few expats. Hope you can make it.

Dawnie27

Hello, ex-pats in Auckland. I have just joined the site having been here since February (only just found out about this website last week) and would be keen to meet up. Cheers.

Brunettepen

HI HappyNZ..

lol the sausage roll is a traditional NZ party food that often comes together with mini savaloys that you must dip in a big bowel of watties tomato sauce and traditional cheese rolls, which is cheese and onion dip mixed in with a whole kg of extra cheese then spead thickly onto white sandwhich bread, which is then rolled and toasted in the grill to be finally dripped with butter before serving..

These foods are party endurance foods and fall into the similar category as the UK Kebab when drunk or the chicken mcnugget for children when hungry and needing party food.

I always have my sausage roll with lots of tom sauce as they are quite dry without it but you are correct they are not a consours food.. lol

how have your bbq's been going? I suspect the UK BBQ is very similar to the NZ BBQ?

Penny

Brunettepen

Hi Boopy,

thanks so much for the invite on Friday, how very sweet. I will most definately be joining you and will have my tarty top and clutch bag at the ready..

oh where did I put those shoes I always fall over in..

Penny
p.s I drink spritzers by the way so I hope no one will be offended.. ; )

simonmarkellis

You've obviously spent some time in Essex?

Ted Logan

is a BIG South Island thing ......... they say us North Island folk don't know what we are missing ( this from the land of Speights )

Welcome back Penny, you must of brought the weather over with you.

Brunettepen

Thanks for the warm welcome guys..

love30stm

Shame I dont live near any of you, dont know anyone who wants to meet up and have fun in wanganui!!! and am missing my girls nights out wished I lived in Wellington

BEVS

So am I

So do I for tonight. Or Hamilton for that matter. It's been ages since I fell out of a taxi.

Amanda Hart

Hi all, So is it just me or do Kiwi women not do the eating chips in taxi and then fall out of it? Iv'e been here since end July and have really settled but sooo miss the girlie nights out and popping round a pals with a bottle or two, and i'm 42!!! Perhaps I should just sober up, grow up and take up knitting! Amanda

Brunettepen

Hi all,

I talked about this on the girls night out... the difference in English and Kiwi's girls night out and my feelings were that kiwi girls retire early!

I think when they get settled or marry kiwi woman feel bad about partying without their man..

where as English woman it is a culture.. think Bridget Jones.. and it is valued as really important for your identity and the sanity of your primary relationship.. lol..

I loved the bring a bottle of wine over culture, and cheep and chearful dinners out with girlfriends... telling all and laughing about life when I was in London... the sound track to my life over there was the sound of my girlfriends feeding back to me their thoughts on anything from my Pri mark top or new shoes to my ex and family!

Maybe a London thing too. Maybe not all English??

Also I think some kiwi girls use girls nights out as a means to meet men where as English girls the goal of the girls night out is to get pissed and dance and have fun.. meeting men (if they have enough courage to approach you after they have seen you doing an enthuiastic interpretation of the time warp!!) is a fluke bonus!

If anyone has a bottle come over to my place... I have great views of Wellington overlooking the city from Mt Vic... think I might even be able to get curry delivered... ohhhhh

; )
Penny

BEVS

Maybe it's a UK thing then. I used to do the same thing in Bournemouth. A group of us would either take a bottle around to a friends house or we would arrange a cheap meal at an Italian trattoria or a curry house. We'd then hit some place or other with a dance floor and do our thing before piling into a shared taxi in the early hours or a nominated husband or three would pick us up. It was just a good laugh girls night out
Kiwis do seem to retire quite early. The first time me and him were invited to a bit of a 'do' , we got ourselves geared up for a humdinger and a late night but it was virtually all over by around 9pm.

Amanda Hart

Knitting at 80, not long to go then!! will be falling out of taxis for different reasons then!! Amanda