- get excited to see Pepsi on the grocery store shelf
- take my phone everywhere
- bake fun treats
- play Skip-Bo on a regular basis
- consider (and actually get) our version of TiVo
- search for brand names that I recognize from the US
- never shop at Wally World
- search unsuccessfully for popcorn to pop on the stovetop
- see deer, alpaca and llama farms along the main roads
- pay $100 to fill up the gas tank
- see sea anemones
- ponder insulation
- cheer out loud when I heard Doritos are coming to NZ
- enter local photo contests
- wonder how old the tv shows are and smile to find out when one is less than two years old
- drive a big station wagon
- see lighthouses
- have a bridge built for me
- get excited to find something that tastes like hot dogs (frankfurters) and polish sausage (kranskies)
- ride a gondola up a mountain
- take an interest in the Maori language to see what town names mean
- rarely leave the house without my camera
- see ads on tv that I think are tacky and tasteless
- buy fresh veggies every payday
- make bottle rockets with vinegar and baking soda
- experiment with 'exotic' cheeses while looking for a substitute for Meunster
- have a clothes dryer hung upside down over the washer
- call orange road cones 'rabbits'
- see geysers and boiling mud up close and personal
- eat Vegemite
- see black swans, wild pukekos, waxeyes, kiwis, wild goats, fantails, tuis
- be aware when American tv shows are on--as opposed to BBC or cable stations that are mostly through Australia
I'm sure there are more, but they are a part of who I am now and the line between 'then' and 'now' is quickly blurring.
11 comments:
big changes...
Hi,
I'm a fairly new reader, but just wanted to say how much I'm enjoying your blog and seeing my own country through your eyes. I used to live in America many moons ago, and can appreciate some of these differences. I jumped for joy the day I found Dr. Pepper on the grocery shelves, and I'm still waiting for A & W's Root Beer.
Rachel L from Christchurch
i've never even been to wally world, I prefer marmite but I also take my phone everwhere :-)
I know what you mean, I am doing the opposite living here now in USA. I do miss seeing all the native NZ flora and fauna though.
lol I recognise some I didn't know you call road cones rabbits and I would love to see the mud
Have a great weekend
The line is indeed blurring!
Enjoyed the post and may your list be forever changing
So many interesting things. Funny how one detail may jump out, like having your dryer suspended upside-down over the washer!
I'm drinking a Pepsi lite right now. The drinks are available, but I keep so much water in my fridge that there's no room to keep colas, so I hardly ever buy them. We have an awesome grocery store nearby, but the products come from all over the place. I usually have to allot a solid chunk of time to explore the shelves. I know English, and some Arabic, so it takes me awhile to figure out the French, German, and whatever else! And I like cheese experiments!
Sounds like the New Zealand life has put the unusual and some zest in your lifestyle. I love coming by.
Frances
i just found your blog from another nz blogger. i am so excited to dig in and read more. i am in michigan now, but my husband and i are crossing our fingers that he might get a job he applied for in new zealand early next year. thanks for sharing your experiences!
Post a Comment