KIWI CULTURE

HAVING SPENT THE LAST 8 YEARS IN HAWAII AS A MINORITY OF CAUCASIAN EUROPEAN DECENT, I HAD BECOME QUITE COMFORTABLE AND INTEGRATED WITH THE POLYNESIAN AND VARIOUS ASIAN CULTURES. I WAS AFRAID I WOULD MISS THIS DIVERSE MELTING POT OF ETHNIC CULTURES WHEN WE RELOCATED HERE IN NEW ZEALAND.

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BUT EQUALLY DIVERSE MIX OF CULTURES HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. INDIGENOUS MAORI, BRITS, SCOTTISH, AUSSIE, IRISH, MOST RECENTLY MANY ASIANS GROUPS LIKE JAPANESE, CHINESE, AND INDOCHINA, AS WELL AS THE INDIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN CROWD THAT BRINGS IN SOME OF MY FAVORITE FLAVORFUL DISHES.

IN THE BEGINNING I DID FEEL SOMEWHAT FOREIGN EVEN THOUGH I WAS AMONG A MAJORITY PEOPLE WHO LOOKED LIKE ME, THEY SPOKE A DIALECT OF ENGLISH WORDS I RECOGNIZED BUT WITH A FLAVOR I HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING. THEY EQUALLY HAD A TIME UNDERSTANDING ME, ASKING ME TO REPEAT THINGS AND FREQUENTLY COMMENTING ON “MY ACCENT”? THERE IS A WIT THAT TRANSLATES IN THIS LANGUAGE THAT IS SUBTLE BUT AMUSING IN THE TERMS USED AND EVEN ON TELEVISION COMMERCIALS, THAT IS BOTH TO THE POINT BUT ENTERTAINING.

ALL IN ALL FRIENDLY, HELPFUL, AND UNASSUMING WOULD BE HOW I WOULD BEST DESCRIBE MY TAKE ON KIWIS IN GENERAL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR NATIONALITIES.

THINGS REALLY WORK HERE WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS, A REFRESHING CONCEPT. IT SEEMS THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN OTHER COUNTRIES IDEAS AND IMPROVED UPON THEM WITH KIWI INGENUITY TO MAKE FOR BETTER EFFICIENT WORKING COMMUNITY.

IN ESSENCE, TAKE ALL THAT IS GOOD AND MAKE IT BETTER! NO PLACE IS WITHOUT IT’S PROBLEMS BUT THEY ARE DEALT WITH EFFECTIVELY ANS RESOLVE IS A COLLECTIVE EXPECTED EFFORT.

BETWEEN THIS AND HOW GOOD THE FOOD TASTES WITHOUT ANY ADDITIVES, I AM GROWING SPOILT.

CHEERS (AS THE LOCALS SAY).