Is it really the differences?
#17
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Re: Is it really the differences?
I thought the same actually until I had lived here for a while, I had Aussie friends in London and never had any difficulties with them, assumed Kiwis would be similar. They're not and I should have listened to those Aussie guys, cos they all laughed and thought I was mental coming here, as has every other Aussie I have met since.
If you asked all of those other nationalities; I bet most would have similar difficulties getting on with Kiwis. I talk to all nationalities German, Spanish, Indian, Philipino, African, South African, Serbian, Bosnian, Russian, you name it and the same negative themes come to the fore when discussing the pros and cons of this country and it's people. Other nationalities make the mistake of thinking us Brits are interchangeable with Kiwis also and expect us to just slot right in, they are often surprised to find that we're not very much alike and that we will actually talk to them.
There's an awful lot of sad and lonely expats out here and not all of them are Brits.
If you asked all of those other nationalities; I bet most would have similar difficulties getting on with Kiwis. I talk to all nationalities German, Spanish, Indian, Philipino, African, South African, Serbian, Bosnian, Russian, you name it and the same negative themes come to the fore when discussing the pros and cons of this country and it's people. Other nationalities make the mistake of thinking us Brits are interchangeable with Kiwis also and expect us to just slot right in, they are often surprised to find that we're not very much alike and that we will actually talk to them.
There's an awful lot of sad and lonely expats out here and not all of them are Brits.
Last edited by billingham; Aug 4th 2011 at 11:16 am.
#18
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Re: Is it really the differences?
No I don't get it at all, birds of a feather usually flock together. I could for example go on holiday to Bali *some chance sigh* next week, meet some totally random English, Irish, Scots in a bar and likely become lifelong friends with them. I can see the same Kiwis week in and week out for the past five years and never get much past that nonsense; How's it going? 'conversation'.
#19
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Re: Is it really the differences?
It's this kind of bollocks actually, why so many Brits choose NZ, then they get here and find the every day reality is quite different to the travel brochure pictures.
When the reality is more like being an extra in an episode of Life on Mars, including the the added real life detail of bad clothing, mullets and large moustaches they've every right to be disappointed.
When the reality is more like being an extra in an episode of Life on Mars, including the the added real life detail of bad clothing, mullets and large moustaches they've every right to be disappointed.
#20
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Re: Is it really the differences?
No I don't get it at all, birds of a feather usually flock together. I could for example go on holiday to Bali *some chance sigh* next week, meet some totally random English, Irish, Scots in a bar and likely become lifelong friends with them. I can see the same Kiwis week in and week out for the past five years and never get much past that nonsense; How's it going? 'conversation'.
I could have written that about the UK.
#21
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Re: Is it really the differences?
Exactly what I inferred Genesis....
#22
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Re: Is it really the differences?
billingham, I understand perfectly what you mean! I just said to my other half last week, that at times I thought I was not thousands of miles from the UK, but in some wet, boring place in the UK. When I've lived overseas before, I've also got a buzz from being there - from the pure differences in climate, the scenery, the differences in culture. I've never got that buzz here in NZ. In fact, when we first arrived here and saw Auckland I thougt if looked very much like Greenock in Scotland! This might not be so strange as both have ports along the front by the river and both look quite industrial for a city. We also went running around trying to find the 'city centre' and were really disappointed that Auckland didn't indeed seem to have an exciting core. However, where things have really moved on in many places in the UK, I feel that NZ has been like this for ever. Another thing I remember from my childhood which I hadn't seen for some time are those grey, hard pavements which are everywhere here.
#24
Re: Is it really the differences?
FWIW
Climate - different more sunshine hours and I had high levels in UK.
Education - can't comment as use different sectors in both countries.
Driving - similar day to day for me in Wellington. Miss motorways though, never get over 60km here.
Food - supermarket food in UK is better than NZ choice wise. Otherwise if you can pay for it you can get excellent food/meals out in both countries. They really don't excel in cakes though the recipe must have been corrupted on the journey over in the 19th Century.
Scenery - more dramatic and wild here - only parts of Scotland in UK come close. I've driven all over North and South Island NZ and am still blown away by scenery.
People - would you not say, in all honesty, that the difference between say, an Italian / French / German / African / Indian / Chinese / American etc and a Brit, is greater than the difference between a Kiwi and a Brit? Come on.
Yes I agree we are more similar to the Kiwis than the others - the language/original shared culture of Pakeha at least, makes it so.
Climate - different more sunshine hours and I had high levels in UK.
Education - can't comment as use different sectors in both countries.
Driving - similar day to day for me in Wellington. Miss motorways though, never get over 60km here.
Food - supermarket food in UK is better than NZ choice wise. Otherwise if you can pay for it you can get excellent food/meals out in both countries. They really don't excel in cakes though the recipe must have been corrupted on the journey over in the 19th Century.
Scenery - more dramatic and wild here - only parts of Scotland in UK come close. I've driven all over North and South Island NZ and am still blown away by scenery.
People - would you not say, in all honesty, that the difference between say, an Italian / French / German / African / Indian / Chinese / American etc and a Brit, is greater than the difference between a Kiwi and a Brit? Come on.
Yes I agree we are more similar to the Kiwis than the others - the language/original shared culture of Pakeha at least, makes it so.
#25
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Re: Is it really the differences?
UK average yearly sunshine - 1700 hours
NZ average yearly sunshine - 2000 hours
Where I am now average - 3500 hours
Relative to where I am now, UK and NZ are very similar - pretty poor.
#26
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Re: Is it really the differences?
I think the scenery is amazing in NZ I remember coming home (UK) from my first visit here and thinking I could never love the hills and moors again as they where so plain. It is breathtaking and the plants and flowers are vibrant.....But
I do think that NZ men are the teeniest tiniest bit chauvinistic and neanderthal I did fall in love with one but we where in the UK at the time and everything is different in the UK. My father in law is amazing (not in a good way) I thought he would need regular medical treatment when NZ had a woman for a PM.
I do think that NZ men are the teeniest tiniest bit chauvinistic and neanderthal I did fall in love with one but we where in the UK at the time and everything is different in the UK. My father in law is amazing (not in a good way) I thought he would need regular medical treatment when NZ had a woman for a PM.
#27
Re: Is it really the differences?
[QUOTE=billingham;9539058]
UK average yearly sunshine - 1700 hours
QUOTE]
Sunshine and cloud
A sunny spring dayThe average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.[17][18]
Just like the 25,000 feet mountains found in "many places in the world"
UK average yearly sunshine - 1700 hours
QUOTE]
Sunshine and cloud
A sunny spring dayThe average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.[17][18]
Just like the 25,000 feet mountains found in "many places in the world"
#28
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Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Somerset
Posts: 226
Re: Is it really the differences?
I think the scenery is amazing in NZ I remember coming home (UK) from my first visit here and thinking I could never love the hills and moors again as they where so plain. It is breathtaking and the plants and flowers are vibrant.....But
I do think that NZ men are the teeniest tiniest bit chauvinistic and neanderthal I did fall in love with one but we where in the UK at the time and everything is different in the UK. My father in law is amazing (not in a good way) I thought he would need regular medical treatment when NZ had a woman for a PM.
I do think that NZ men are the teeniest tiniest bit chauvinistic and neanderthal I did fall in love with one but we where in the UK at the time and everything is different in the UK. My father in law is amazing (not in a good way) I thought he would need regular medical treatment when NZ had a woman for a PM.
#29
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Re: Is it really the differences?
[QUOTE=DC10;9539124]
"The counties of Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Kent have annual average totals of around 1,750 hours of sunshine per year" -Wikipedia. I have compared where I used to live in the uk, to where I lived in NZ (Auckland) to where I live now.
Still crap though, isn't it, compared to 3500 hours. Nz is crap, compared to 3500 hours - go on - admit it. You can't can you.
UK average yearly sunshine - 1700 hours
QUOTE]
Sunshine and cloud
A sunny spring dayThe average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.[17][18]
Just like the 25,000 feet mountains found in "many places in the world"
QUOTE]
Sunshine and cloud
A sunny spring dayThe average total annual sunshine in the United Kingdom is 1339.7 hours, which is just under 30% of the maximum possible.[17][18]
Just like the 25,000 feet mountains found in "many places in the world"
Still crap though, isn't it, compared to 3500 hours. Nz is crap, compared to 3500 hours - go on - admit it. You can't can you.
#30
Re: Is it really the differences?
Yes, I'll admit that. And (as with the UK) the sunshine situation is much worse the further you go from the equator (Dunedin, Invercargill c. 1500hrs).
Rather tempted to move myself somewhere genuinely sunny. Morocco has some appeal...
Rather tempted to move myself somewhere genuinely sunny. Morocco has some appeal...