Norman Conquest

Some say it's hard to make friends with Kiwis. I can't say I have had that problem but I have found that Kiwis tend to have limited conversation skills, somewhat hesitant and lacking a wide range of topics. It seems that the education system has not encouraged pupils to extend their range of general knowledge but, rather, concentrate hard on one or two subjects. It particularly shows up in the youngsters in what is fast becoming a "know nuffink" generation. So, I suppose it is hard for immigrants who are used to "chatty" society, to break the conversational ice with Kiwis. By contrast, the average Irish laborer can talk to you for hours about a very wide range of topics and tell you more about world politics than you can read in the New Zealand Herald.

Pom_Chch

Nah, just us wingin' Poms migrating over and bringing it to your attention

Norman Conquest

I think its mainly Kiwis who are complaining about cold, damp homes. It's true that central heating and double glazing are relatively new installations in average New Zealand homes. Also, it's more of a mission to insulate Kiwi homes due to their frame construction, rather than cavity walls. Quite a bit has been done on the cheap in spite of tougher building codes.

But, I have been to meetings in public buildings that have been heated up to hell on a warm Summers Day and found Kiwis complaining about the cold while I am sweating like a pig. I think Kiwis like a lot more warmth than immigrants are used to.

Parnell

Silo and tunnel visions don't help the locals


The issue is the senior positions are held by people with high mortgages with real concern for their jobs. They see people coming with ambition and ideas and it scares them shitless.


They have no Plan B as they are enter their 40's and 50's

Norman Conquest

The problem is that no-one thinks bad driving applies to them, but poor driving skills are endemic in New Zealand - about the 35th least safe driving nation and one of the very worst in the developed world. In fact, New Zealand ranks 1st or 2nd worst for just about every fatal accident of any kind in the developed world. That's what the stats say. Kiwi drivers with some sign writing on their utes are the worst. They seem to think a bit of sign writing endows them with some sort of official status which allows them to break the driving laws. It's a similar fallacy to the go-faster stripes on boy racer clapped out heaps. I once knew an old lady who used to love to drag those clowns off - she always won.

Norman Conquest

They don't even have a Plan A