1/28/2012

rerun 5/09


It's weird living in a wee country that you lose a day of your life getting to. You find that you have taken most everything around you for granted.

Like television. In Kansas, I knew that the shows I saw were relatively new. I always figure the American shows we get here to be those that didn't make it very well--you know, the ones that TVNZ can buy cheap, after all, this is a small country with a small budget for EVERYthing. So, I was surprised to find that "Legend of the Seeker" is only a year old. Some of the BBC stuff on The Documentary Channel (Doco, in Kiwi) is 6 or 8 years old. On the bright side, all the BBC stuff is new to me.

OTC Sleep aids. I got something for Hubby last year and had to give his name and address because it is a "pharmacy only" medication. That's sort of halfway between a prescription and the first-aid cream and tylenol. As for myself, the only ones that work have doxylamine in them and they don't sell that in any form here.

Same stuff, different name, sort of.  They sell 'Snakes and Ladders' game for children here. I recall it as 'Chutes and Ladders' in the US.

We also have a Kiwi version of Monopoly, which is kinda strange for me, but fun.

I found a NZ cracker that is exactly like a Ritz. It's called Jatz. I can even find Ritz brand occasionally.

TV hosts are called 'presenters' here.

Dairies here are convenience stores--without the gas pumps. There are several in each town, even the smallest of places.
Pudding here is dessert. So when we have instant pudding for dessert, it get very confusing.
Even though this is a 'metric' country, they measure television screens by the inch. And eggs are sold by the dozen, not by 10s.

Main streets here are referred to as High Street, no matter what they are named.

There are about a billion types of cheese that you can get here (ok, not that many, but there are a lot, since dairy is one of the top exports). But, I have been trying to find my favorite, Muenster, ever since I arrived.  Hubby tries very hard to help and we have found some that are very good and a couple that are pretty close. Without his encouragement, I don't think I would have bothered to try new ones.

Different attitude  Any vehicle doing anything but driving straight down the street is subject to being passed, whether you're waiting for a space or slowing down to turn. Room is made on all the streets for this, with lanes for all traffic. Also, drivers here don't stop and let another car out of the angle parking along the main street, unless, of course, they want the parking space. 

I don't think it will be any time soon that I just fall into step and take my new homeland for granted.

4 comments:

charlotte's menagerie said...

Some interesting distinctions. But it makes since that a small country away from mainland large ones would have trouble affording the latest. But the people are able to set their own culture away from a lot of influences from bigger places.

Belle said...

I found that interesting about passing cars. Sounds like it might lead to accidents. Your TV choices sound abysmal. There are quite a few differences between Canada and the U.S. too, especially in food. I find the meat tastes a lot different and the Coke and Pepsi. They taste more watered-down in the States. I find American drivers are slower than in Canada and I appreciate that!

merinz said...

Some of the differences are quite subtle - but they are enough to remind you that you are in another country! (I am talking about when I lived in North America!)

Kel said...

you used to be able to buy 'Dozile' in NZ, but that was a few years ago, the 'rules' may have changed....but you probably have to go and ask for it from the pharmacist, it won't be on the shelf where you can get it yourself

when I was in Nth America, it was amazing the stuff you could buy off the shelf... Commonwealth countries tend to be a bit of a nanny state when it comes to consumers having rights to choose