The ski fields have just opened, winter storms are forecast….and the cherry blossoms are blooming.

Yes, despite the official start of Winter nearly one week away, the Signs of Spring are everywhere!

The daffodil shoots have emerged from their long Winter’s slumber, the birds are singing (actually, I do not think they took a break), lilies are in bloom, rhododendrons are budding, the magnolias have gorgeous, pink flowers on them with many more to follow.  These examples are plants just around our yard, but in other areas, flower gardens, hedges, climbing vines, and trees are acting like Spring has already arrived.  Winters (except for this one, apparently) are generally mild enough to sustain blooming roses year round, and many native plants have beautiful flowers on them throughout the seasons.

Clearly, these plants must be confused, as I am.  What’s going on?  Climate change?  Transplants (no pun intended) from the Northern Hemisphere?  Perhaps, as new Kiwis, we are simply not used to seeing this level of Springtime explosion so early.

So, does this mean that we can declare Winter over before it even officially begins?

The last several months have been exciting indeed!  Rus and I have done some weekend travelling to Kaikoura, Mt. Herbert, Hanmer Springs (which I did not write about because it was such a brief trip, and we took no pictures), and Blenheim/Picton.  We have seen the mild Summer blend into a delightfully crisp Autumn (with a few cold and rainy tastes of Winter thrown in!).  Snow now covers the tops of the distant Alps and is breathtaking to see.  I have further delayed starting a job until after we return from our long holiday to United States starting in late June.  Our Austrian roommate has relocated to a flat down the street, paving the way for a new resident at 20 Derby any day now.  Above all, Rus and I continue to learn and discover.  Here are a couple of new observations we have made:

1. The houses are, indeed, drafty (or “draughty”, as it is spelled).  No central heating, single-pane windows, and poor insulation mean chilly days and cold nights.  While the temperatures do not stay below freezing for long, it is hard to get and stay warm.  As I naturally prone to feeling cold, this also means that I constantly wear a beanie and my turquoise puffy vest off (inside or outside).  We now understand why Kiwis drink so much hot tea (4-8 cups per day!) and have likewise followed suit.

2. People constantly lose their pets.

We have had three fliers delivered to our door regarding missing cats.  Furthermore, we see fliers in the supermarket and shopping areas, on utility poles, on TradeMe, etc. - everywhere!  I have certainly seen fliers for missing animals in the States, but it has been many years since a person has knocked on the door and hand-delivered notices about their missing pet.

3. The Christchurch police do not carry weapons.

Having come from a place where the police are to be feared and incidents of police brutality and mistreatment run rampant (type in “police brutality” on YouTube for thousands of examples caught on video), this is a welcome and pleasant change.  The police are friendly and have a laissez-faire attitude.  For example, all last summer, Rus and I routinely witnessed kids openly walking around with and drinking beer, seemingly drunk, with police around.  As long as they were not bothering people or damaging property, the police just left them alone.  I feel like I could actually go to them for help if necessary.

4. Mobile phone use, especially in public, is not often seen.

Since talking on a mobile phone is expensive, most people communicate via text message.  This means that while we see a lot of people focused on their phones, feverishly texting back and forth, there are few people who are yakking while driving, shopping, or riding the bus (although, curiously, we have both seen several people texting while cycling?!).

5.  The moon is upside down.

The “face” of the moon, typically tilted toward 10 o’clock, is now situated at 4 0′clock.  It also waxes and wanes in the opposite direction, too.

6. Kiwis are notoriously poor spellers.

From advertisements to menus and everything in between (see the photo I took of a Blenheim grocery store aisle label), it is surprising - albeit amusing - how many misspellings the Kiwis make.  As a self-proclaimed “grammar queen” and a fan, I think I could also keep Bethany over at the “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks busy for months!

7. There is a man spa called “ManScape“.

Yes, you read that right!  If you do not know the definition as most Americans know it, you can educate yourself from the highly-reputable and equally hilarious Urban Dictionary. Kiwis (clearly) do not use the term in exactly the same way, but Rus and I still continue to have a laugh at the name.  On another note, it is professional and a very hip place for a man to get a haircut or another relaxing spa service (dare I use the word “pamper”?  Nah.).

8. Grapefruits look like oranges (size and color); the oranges are the best we have ever had.

Comparing the two side-by-side, it is difficult to differentiate a New Zealand grapefruit with an orange.  Their skins are the same color, similar texture, and they smell similar too.  A grapefruit here is about the size of an American orange.  When cut open, the flesh is yellow-orange.  The taste is sweet, sour, tangy - almost as if an American orange and an American yellow grapefruit were blended together.  As a fan of Florida oranges, it is hard for me to believe that there are more brilliant oranges.  New Zealand oranges are smaller, sweeter, and picked when ripe, so they are exploding with flavour.  Rus and I lovingly refer to them as “orange candy” for their sweetness and our ability to eat too many.

9.  Amidst all of the world headlines about wars, crises, and flus, it is refreshing to see the main local headlines proclaiming the “pandemic” of people ticketed for driving on the wrong side of the road.  A few months ago, there was also an indepth article about how the recession/depression was affecting the local prostitution industry, and how brothels were having to come up with creative promotions such as “lunchtime specials” and “2-for-1″ deals.  Such a nice change of pace from the stabbings and shootings and other violent crimes in big cities in the States.

The last several months have certainly flown by, and it has been a joy getting to know this country and its people.  Hopefully, as we continue to acclimate and make friends, we continue to enjoy some novelty as well.

We have reverted back to Standard Time (this puts us only 16 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time), and there is a chill in the air.  The leaves are turning a rainbow of colors as their trees ready to shed them for the winter.  Autumn is here in full force, along with all the smells, cool breezes, flavours, harvests, scarfs, boots, and sweaters that go with it.  I am still not used to April being Autumn instead of Spring, and according to one shopkeeper I talked to recently (who is an expat from the UK), it takes three years to re-program.

While there are distinct seasons here, they tend to be mild overall, as I discovered this past Summer. Growing up on the East Coast of the United States meant consistently hot and humid Summers, comfortable Springs and Autumns, and cold, windy winters with frequent snow. Christchurch’s Summer was, on most days, more like mid-Spring on the East Coast.  I am told that the average Winter temperature here hovers around between 5-9C (around 45F), which is considerably warmer than the Winters I am accustomed to (I guess numerous palm trees around the city also gave that one away).  Temperatures, however, are quite deceiving, as there are other factors that determine weather here.

Dissecting Crazy Christchurch Weather

Christchurch is located on the East Coast on a plain between the Southern Alps and a smaller mountain chain.  Weather comes from the warm Tasman Sea in the West, from the ocean in the East, and from Antarctica.  Occasionally, weather will even make its way down from the North.  Basically, Christchurch is in the middle of a battle between all of these winds, which contributes to its fickle and inconsistent weather.  Because it is next to impossible to predict even a few hours ahead, the weather reports are all over the place.  Combined with graphics a few decades behind, they are the butt of jokes everywhere.

Temperature means next to nothing based on the wind and the sun.  If the wind is coming from the South and it is brisk, this will quickly drop the “real feel temperature”. This means that you might need a jacket on a 24C (75F) day.  Additionally, the intense direct sunlight can easily add 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit to the “real feel temperature”, which, to my pleasant surprise, makes a 13F (55C) day feel more like my ideal weather of 24C (75F).  Strange!

Understanding some of the weather factors, the arrival of Autumn and (eventually) Winter does not seem so daunting as it did living on the East Coast of the United States (I have always equated it with walking down a long, dark tunnel with Spring at the distant end).  For example, last night was downright cold (and we might even have had frost); today, although the temperature started out near-freezing, the clear skies and bright sun has made it a beautifully crisp and pleasant day.  If Winter is like this, I think I am actually looking forward to it.

Like some of the other countries I have visited, and unlike the United States, I find that New Zealand does not sugar-coat the uglier parts of reality.  For example, there are actual photos of mouth, throat, and lung cancers on all packages of cigarettes and tobacco. And images of war and disease and injury are shown in the press.  The goal is to keep the public informed.

Along these same lines,  there are public service announcements (PSAs) nearly every television commercial break.  This is in sharp contrast to the advertisements pushing pharmaceuticals, banks, cars, sales, food, etc. on American television.  I am not sure if New Zealand simply does not have enough advertising companies or if they just prefer education over rampant consumerism.  *Just to be clear, I am not saying the United States does not have PSAs, and that New Zealand refrains from anything but PSAs during commercial breaks, since neither are true.  My observation is that there are many more PSAs (often back-to-back) and much less emphasis on consumer products in New Zealand.

A couple of the PSAs I have noticed (I’ve tried to add the actual video where available) :

1. “It’s not the drinking, it’s how we’re drinking” There are two PSAs I have seen revolving around this issue.  Kiwis love to party, and both of these ads show people drinking from the afternoon long into the night, doing things that harm themselves and others (fights, etc.), and feeling bad about it later on.
   
2. There is one promoting sunglasses use by kids, why it is important, and where you can take your kids to get them a pair.
3. Similar to #2, there are a few PSAa advocating the importance of making sure kids wear sunscreen.  It depicts a little girl getting badly burned by the sun while outside playing, and then fast-forwards to her life in her 50s when she has skin cancer.  There is another called “slip, slop, slap” in reference to applying sunscreen for both kids and adults.
4. There is one advocating breastfeeding is the best way to feed an infant.
5. I have seen two about the dangers of speeding:
   
   
6. There are several about water conservation; using a bucket to wash your car; only pouring biodegradable liquids down the drain; conserving water now for generations later.
7. There is one about putting smoke alarms in your house: “Not having working smoke alarms in your house is just plain stupid”.
8. There are two campaigning for people to learn how to swim (drowning is one of the largest causes of preventable death).
9. There is one that promotes milk or water instead of sugary beverages for kids:
   

These are the ones I have noticed, and I haven’t watched much TV.  I am guessing there are many more I have missed.  The bottom line is, production value aside, the message is good.  If people are going to watch TV, they might as well learn a thing or two, right?

It’s been a month since we moved here (whoa, it’s gone by fast!) and adjusting to living on the other side of the globe has been smoother than I thought it would be so far.  I’ve gotten used to living with four new people, drying laundry on the laundry line, not having a car (this is probably a good thing from a safety perspective!) and taking the bus (in addition to walking and biking) to get around.  I am still enjoying the novelty of different slang terms, which I update continuously on the NZ Thesaurus post.

There are, however, some differences!  A few of these disparities surface through various shopping excursions.  First, there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to the way things are priced here as compared to the States.  Some things are cheaper (like wine), and some are more expensive (like shoes).  Second, shops are open from about 10:00AM and close by 6:00PM, with few exceptions; some grocery stores and malls (which, by the way, are mini compared to American ones) are open until 8:00PM on certain days.  Third, if something isn’t in stock, you can order it, with the promise it will be at the store “in a couple of weeks”.  Two weeks?  Four weeks?  Who knows…  Definitely an adjustment to the just-in-time, on-demand retail experiences in America!

Actually paying for things has some weirds twists too.  For example, there are coins instead of paper bills for $1.00 and $2.00 denominations (kind of cool).  Also, since the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) does not have a denomination less than $0.10, prices are rounded to the nearest $0.10 when you pay with cash (electronic payments like debit or credit card charge the exact amount).  I equate it to New Zealand’s version of “give a penny, take a penny” - sometimes you get more money back and sometimes you get less.  Recently, I bought something where the total was $11.63; on the receipt, one of the line items was “rounding”, which subtracted $0.03 from my total; I received $4.40 in change.  Interesting!

It’s also worth noting:

1. The rap music is hilariously bad.

2. There are only about 30 cable channels (several American, British, and Chinese stations) as opposed to hundreds.

3. Few houses have sink disposals (they cost upwards of NZ$1000!) - ours does not.

4. The majority of houses have a laundry line, an electric tea kettle, and no screens on windows and doors (there are few bugs here, so they are not necessary - awesome).  The ovens have a smaller compartment called a “griller”, what we Americans would call a “broiler”.

5. It’s hard to find fresh mozzerella cheese.

6. Toilets have two flush options: #1 and #2 (hehe).

Things I Love (I will expand on a few of these in a future post): Frank Ginger Beer, Juice 2 TV (plays videos from the 80s and 90s - F-A-B), astoundingly friendly people, the Metro bus system, and bountiful natural and local fresh food!

Things I Miss: Simply Orange and Simpy Grapefruit juice, reliable cable internet, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Craigslist, TJMaxx/Marshalls, Trader Joe’s, and (it goes without saying) friends and family!

Regardless of the little differences, I will be just fine as long as I continue to have access to my American creature comforts like Crocs, peanut butter, chocolate milk, and Law & Order reruns.

In an attempt to keep up with my “acclimation process” (and general fascination with goofy UK spellings), I am going to continue “utilising” (see what I just did there?) the UK version, which is also the NZ version, of various words.  You know, words like “colour” and “yoghurt” (yeah, they add in an “h” on that one).  I may even get bold and use “t” instead of “ed”, like in “learnt”.  Switching out “z” for “s”, that’s what I am all about.

Your Spell-Check will likely go nuts; my apologies in advance!

We’ve been here in Christchurch (”Chch”) almost a week, and we’ve seen lots that both reminds us of the United States and also that reminds us we’re “not in Kansas” anymore.

Some observations:

1. New Zealanders drive on the left side of the road

It hasn’t been too much of a challenge re-training our brains to look right and then left before crossing the street; however, we have to be conscious and cautious at all times, lest we get up-close-and-personal with one of the many buses zipping around here.  So walking around isn’t too hard - check back with me when I start driving!

2. Lots of backpackers

I’ve definitely seen a lot more backpackers here than ever in the U.S. - people of all ages!  There are lots of hostels and cheap rooms for rent available.  I think, along with the ability to trust strangers and the general friendliness of New Zealanders, this is a popular stop of people from all nationalities.  Which brings me to my third observation…

3. Many different nationalities reside and travel here

Christchurch is a small city by U.S. standards (about 330K people), but there is so much diversity here!  I’ve seen many nationalities - from Australian to Greek to Swedish.  I’ve even run into a group of students from Virginia Tech. (I asked how many of them were there, and one girl told me: “There is a shit-tonne of us here - like 40″; Stay classy, U.S.A!  BTW, I don’t think a “shit-tonne” is an actual form of measurement, even here).   At any rate, the variety of food available because of all of the different people is astounding for such a small area (as a comparison, you’d see the same number of different restaurants somewhere like New York or Los Angeles).  Since we’ve been here, we’ve patronized Greek, Turkish, New Zealand, Chinese, Indian, and Japanese restaurants.  Look for more information about restaurants in a later post!

4. The weather is “temperamental”

The weather here has totally thrown me for a loop.   One day it’s 85 degrees (29C) and sunny, the next it is 52 (11C) with raisin-sized hail literally covering the ground and torrential downpours that flood the streets.  Since we’re only six miles (9km) from the coast, it tends to be quite breezy with often strong gusts.  How fast the wind is blowing typically determines if you need a jacket.  It can be an ideallic 75 degrees (24C), sunny - and you might need a jacket - or you just might not (seriously, just bring a jacket already!).  At the same time, New Zealand is close to the equator, so the sun is very intense (sunburn alert!).  In our first week, we’ve ventured out in clothes ranging from fleeces/jeans/sneakers to tank tops/shorts/sandals.  The bottom line is that the daily high temperature is deceiving, and I can’t base what to wear day-to-day based solely on temperature.

I’ve also noticed there are people (I’ve seen at least 15 so far) who don’t wear shoes.  I find this bizarre since the city isn’t like, perfectly clean or anything, and there’s quite a bit of broken glass in places.  On the streets, in the stores, in the restaurants - no shoes.  So, this morning, I asked the barrista who made my mocha, a native New Zealander, if these people were part of a particular group whose identity includes going barefoot, (foot-nudists, perhaps?).  He said, “No, I just don’t think they like to wear shoes”.  Fair enough.