New Zealand isn't radically different from America. The culture here is pretty Westernized, and walking around I see a lot of the same brands, food types (except for RICE shaped as really fun things like SANDWICHES and BALLS!!! SEE BELOW), and in general except for the fun accent and in general being really helpful and super nice and a little crazy in this college town (Dunedin is known for its incidents of burning couches outside of people's flats when things get super rowdy on saturday nights)
the people and culture here really aren't too "foreign."
However, there is some awesome Kiwi slang that you should know about.
"Chur"
"yeahnaw sorry Larisa"
"BUT I MISS MEXICAN FOOD AND I'M POOR :("
"you keen to go to the octagon (where all the socially motivated kids go to meet members of the opposite sex and fist pump to da top 20s) and get crazy tonight?!!?"
"yeahnaw let's watch the Matrix again"
"chur yea I'm keen"
But my life actually
But portion sizes here are actually reasonable, and they have pies
However, there is some awesome Kiwi slang that you should know about.
- Sweet As= Cool, good, agreement, yes, looking forward to it. Sweet can also be replaced by positive adjectives like "big," "nice" "I just got a sweet as deal at New World (grocery store here). Jar of salsa was only $29.95!!"
- Chur = yes
"Chur"
- Yeahnaw = sarcastically saying yes to something, then crushing the dreams of the person quickly afterwards
"yeahnaw sorry Larisa"
"BUT I MISS MEXICAN FOOD AND I'M POOR :("
- Keen = do you want to do _______
"you keen to go to the octagon (where all the socially motivated kids go to meet members of the opposite sex and fist pump to da top 20s) and get crazy tonight?!!?"
"yeahnaw let's watch the Matrix again"
"chur yea I'm keen"
But my life actually
- Mackers = McDonald's
But portion sizes here are actually reasonable, and they have pies
- Chips = Fries
Super confusing when I am trying to get some sea salt and vinegar chips (freaking delicious), but they bring me fries instead. Both good, though.
- Ay = like the way Canadians use it. A sound you can pretty much stick anywhere to express anything
"That test was pretty hard, ay?
"Ay you got a hole in your pants"
"what did you think of the new Korra episode, ay?"
"Brent I'm really sorry I wasn't in a good frame of mind last night and I ate all your salsa. Forgive me, ay?"
IN GENERAL THOUGH: BIGGIE SAYS IT WAY BETTER THAN ME (see below).
This post has inspired me to write a whole nother post about Kiwi food. Which again isn't that different but is generally exciting...Here's a taste of what I ate on Friday night last week...RICE SANDWICH...and tonight!!!! SO FUN!