So, we know how New Zealand is one of the coolest places in the world to live. We are consistently ranked in the top 5 countries in the world to live in which is pretty neat. That’s why it’s easy to understand why so many people head over here to live. Whether you’re a Brit, American, Canadian, Aussie, Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean…the list goes on, you’ve definitely made a first-class choice deciding to live in our beautiful country.
If you are still planning a move out here, there are a few things you need to know about living in New Zealand.
It’s not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes, it can be tough for those who are new to the country. There are certain things that we know our overseas visitors find a bit weird at first but usually grow to love and accept.
So, if you’re planning a move to New Zealand in 2018, here are 12 things that are going to happen whether you like it or not.
1.     You will learn to love rugby
No matter whether you’re from a non-rugby nation like the USA or the North of England, you will learn to love the egg-chasing rugby union team known as the All Blacks. Whenever the ABs are playing, you will find people all around the country huddled around the small screen so even if you don’t love it, it pays to pretend!
2.     New Zealand can be cold. Fact.
Insulation? Central Heating? Double Glazing? For many places, these things are just myth and legend. The newer houses in New Zealand are starting to incorporate some of these warming elements but for houses without, they get blumming cold in the winter! Don’t forget to pack your winter warmers when you head out here and be prepared for some chilly nights.
3.     Instagram will be your favourite social media app
When you live in one of the most beautiful countries on earth, you will find that your phone or camera is rarely too far away. From stunning landscapes to cultural sites to great selfies – New Zealand must be one of the most photographed places on earth and where better to showcase these amazing photographs than Instagram. Try not to make the folks back home too jealous though – once a day should be enough!
4.     People love to go barefoot so get over it
If you’re not a fan of bare feet on display, this post is here to prepare you. Kiwis love to go barefoot pretty much everywhere. From school kids to the golden oldies, bare feet are literally everywhere during the summer months. Don’t think twice about walking into the supermarket with no shoes on. It feels a bit weird at first but you will soon get used to wearing no shoes and come to embrace the feet!
5.     You will never say ‘fish and chips’ the same way again
Fish and chips are a New Zealand staple. From Cape Reinga in the North to Bluff in the South, we’re fish and chips mad! When no place in the country is more than 150kms from the sea, it’s easy to see why. It won’t be long after you’ve arrived that you will be calling them ‘fush and chups’ – it’s just easier! However you pronounce them, they are truly delicious.
6.     Our coffee is the best in the world
A bold claim maybe but we reckon we’ve got the baristas to back it up. We love our coffee out here in New Zealand. And we’re not talking about loving huge quantities – we’re all about the quality. We’re the country that introduced the flat white to the world and look how big that has gone! Wherever you go, you will always find a cool and quirky independent café who will serve you up a mean coffee so you can get your fix for the day. Yum.
7.     The roads are small and it can take ages to get places
One thing you will soon learn, especially if you are coming from somewhere with big highways, is that New Zealand’s road are much smaller. There’s not that many of us so we would rather not have roads everywhere. For the first few months, you may well be late for a few things whilst you adjust to the fact that getting 50kms can take over an hour despite the fact that you are on the main highway! We’re pretty laid back so once you realise we don’t have to zoom about everywhere, you will learn to love the beauty of the journey rather than trying to get to places as fast as possible.
8.     We can be a bit behind the times
It’s true. New Zealand is not always at the cutting edge. We’re ok with that though. We don’t always get to see the latest release movies until six months after everyone else has seen it. We’re also a bit behind with our soaps (although we do love British shows like Coronation Street) but that’s all good – what we don’t know doesn’t hurt us. Being behind the times can be good – everything is done at a slower pace out here and we quite like that!
9.     Apparently, lollies are called lots of other things around the world
OK so if you come from the US or UK in particular, you’re going to have a lot of debates about this and in the end, you will lose. Whether you call them sweets or candy where you come from, all of those little sweet treats are called lollies in New Zealand. Not just the ones on sticks. Everything. Gummy bears, liquorice, pineapple lumps, jaffas, Starburst – they’re all called lollies. You can try and stick to your sweets and candy, but in the end you will come around to our way of thinking!
10. You’ll be in good company
It may seem quite daunting coming to live in another country from the other side of the world but don’t worry, you’ll be in good company. New Zealand welcomes people from all over the world and whether you’re staying for a week, a month, a year or forever, you will soon get to meet lots of Kiwis as well as people from your home country and people from around the world. That’s another part of what makes New Zealand such a cool place to live.
11. You will never be bored
This one is never going to happen. We can guarantee you will never be bored in New Zealand. Whether you live in a busy city like Auckland or Queenstown, or somewhere a bit more remote, there is always something cool to do. Whether it’s taking a road trip or exploring the local area – New Zealand is such an amazing country there will always be something going on. Say goodbye to lazy weekends and days off and hello to a world of activities!
12. You will never regret it. Ever.
Now this one we can guarantee. If you come to live in New Zealand you will never, ever regret it.
