"Do y'all have ______?" is a question I get asked ALL.THE.TIME. I'm no longer shocked by what fills in the blank. I've been asked if we have tomatoes, sea food (ummmm...we're an island country), McDonald's, doctor's offices, etc. Yes, we have all of the above, and no we do not sell edible bugs at our local super market. The second question I'm asked, usually as a follow up to my response, is "How much does it cost?" Well let me tell you....it can cost quite a bit.
This post is for those curious about prices, and for those thinking about coming to New Zealand. New Zealand is a beautiful country with a smaller population. We're at the bottom of the world (as Ben says), and in some ways, we pay for it. The price of goods and services aren't as cheap as they are in the States.
Here is a sample price list from some of our recent trips to market:
3.79 liters (l) = 1 U.S. gallon
1 kilogram (Kg) = 2.2 pounds (lb)
1 pound (lb) = 16 ounces (oz) = 453 grams (gm)
1 cup (c) = 8 U.S. fl. ounces (oz) = approximately 237 milliliters (ml)
Milk 2L - $2.97
Milk 3L - $4.45
Yogurt (Plain Unsweetened) 600gm - $2.99
Sour Cream 250gm - $2.29
Cream 300ml - $2.17
Mild Cheddar Cheese 1Kg block - $8.99
Broccoli - $1.99/bunch
Fancy Green Lettuce - $2.99/head
Iceburg Lettuce - $1.69/head (on sale)
Cabbage Half - $1.69
Onions (Brown) - $1.99/Kg
Carrots - $1.99/Kg
Potatoes - $2.49/Kg
Tomatoes - $6.99/Kg (out of season)
Lemons - $5.99/Kg (out of season)
Asparagus - $2.99/bunch
Garlic - $22.99/Kg
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - $2.99-$3.49 each
Baby Spinach 130gm bag - $4.29
Raw Sugar 1.2Kg - $2.99
High Grade Flour 5Kg - $6.99
Wholemeal Flour 1.5Kg - $2.49
Cornflour (Corn Starch) 300gm - $1.42
Eggs Size 6 or 7 - $3.50 - $4.50/dozen
Wholemeal Bread 600gm Loaf - $2.00
Canned Tomatoes - $0.99 - $2.00
Mayonnaise 405gm - $4.89
Coca Cola 2.25L - $2.79
Coca Cola 2L - $3.71
Snack Crackers 175gm - $2.29-$2.89
Granola/Nut Bars 6 count - $3.49
Chips 150gm - $1.49
Keri Apple Based Orange Juice 3L - $3.99
Rotisserie Chicken (Size 14 1.35-1.50Kg) - $11.90
Deli Sliced Ham - $9.90/Kg
Beef Mince (Ground Beef) Prime - $14.00/Kg
Beef Mince (Ground Beef) Standard - $10.00/Kg
Pork Shoulder Roast - $12.99/Kg
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - $19.99/Kg
Whole Size 14 (1.35-1.50Kg) Chicken - $10.00 - $12.00
These are prices from some of our recent shopping trips. Prices vary from store to store, you can often find specials, and prices differ depending on rather the item is in season or not. If you want to find out more about the prices of groceries, here is a link you might find handy.
To save money (and eat healthier), we often stock up on meats while they are on sale, we make quite a bit instead of buying convenience meals, and we shop/eat seasonally. We've also started meal planning and a grocery price book. I'll let you know how that goes...lol Any suggestions or tips to help me stay on track?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Part 2 of Cloth Diapers/Nappies/CD/MCD/MCN/You Get The Drift...
Okay, so, last time, I talked about what diapers we picked and why, along with a few negative things I've been told about using cloth. What I really didn't do was go into much detail about what to do once your nappies have arrived. So, here we go...
We decided to use disposables during the newborn stage, and we also needed Little Stevie to be big enough to fit in her cloth. Babies need to be around 4 to 4.5Kg (9-10lb) to really fit BG. Let me just say, I couldn't WAIT to get her in cloth. We had more blowouts in those blasted disposables than I care to count! It's 2 am, I'm trying to feed her in the dark, and I'm like "what's that wet spot?!?" Yep, leaky diaper, and more often than not, it was poo. It would come out the back, out the sides, and it didn't matter what size she had on...they leaked!! We tried a couple of different brands, and still, they leaked. See why I'm not afraid of rinsing used nappies? Rinsing cloth isn't nearly as bad as snuggling your baby against you only to realize you're drenching yourself in baby poop.
Thankfully, the day arrived that we felt comfortable with the fit of her cloth. We knew how to put them on, but what happens once they come off? Well, that's easy, and it depends on who you ask. Again, everyone (you know who everyone is...the internet Cloth Diaper Guru Moms) has something different to say, but I go by the general consensus. I do the following: take them off, take out the insert, unsnap them, give them a good rinse, squeeze out the excess water, and pop the nappy into a dry pail. A dry pail, well, my dry pail, is a plastic storage container that sits in my bathroom. It has a lid that I put on, but I don't seal it. I have nothing in the container....no water, no detergent, nothing. On wash day, I tip the pail over my washer, pour everything in, turn on my washer, and clean my bucket. Often, I'll set the container outside to air out and get some sunshine. No smells!
You can also get a wet bag, which is what I use when we're out and about. Some people find them to be a great option because you can hang the bag wherever you need it to be. I find my dry pail more convenient because I have the perfect space for it to sit, and I don't have to unzip and bag. I kinda just kick my lid off with my foot. Here's the lowdown on wet bags. Wet bags work like dry pails. They're lined zipper/snap bags. You store diapers the same way as a dry pail. On wash day, pour the nappies in the wash, pop the bag inside out, toss the bag in washer, and turn on your machine!
Speaking of washing, there's a big hooplah over "the right way to wash". Basically, here's what I think, if it works for you and doesn't ruin your nappies, go for it. Again, be careful and go by your diaper manufacturers' guidelines. You don't want to ruin them or void your warranty. Other than that, it's variable based on your diaper, washer, detergent, and water. I do the following: cold wash on the longest cycle with the most amount of water possible, extra rinse, hang outside to dry. I use an eco friendly wash that's not harmful to nappies. I use 3/4 of the recommended amount because nappies will get a detergent build up if you use too much, and they won't get clean if you use too little. Build up prevention is why I do an extra rinse after the wash cycle. Sometimes I pre-rinse in the washer, if for some reason she's been really rough on the diaper, but we do a good job of rinsing them when we take them off, and we've had no issues with my routine.
Some hot wash because it gets them cleaner, or they think it's more sanitary to wash in hot. I'm fine with cold washing. We have no smell or diaper rash issues, so I know my method is fine. I can bleach them per BG with 1/4 cup once per month, but I haven't needed to. I line dry in the sun, and if it's raining, I use the clothes horse. Sometimes, the inserts get dried in the drier, but only if there's no chance of sun, or if they're just not drying inside and we're soon going to run out of nappies. I never ever ever dry my shells in the drier. It's not good for them, and again, if it is harmful to your nappies, just don't do it. I really don't like drying my inserts in the drier either because I'm convinced it will wear them out if done long enough. I don't think it really will, but I don't want to risk it. Just to be safe, and because the sun is awesome, if possible we do all drying outside.
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| Clothes Horse Drying |
Sun is nature's bleach, and each time they come in after being outside, they look brand spanking new! Also, the sun works to kill the fungus that causes nappy rash. Here's another little handy dandy sun fact. If you have a little one that has a bit of a rash, or a stubborn rash you can't seem to get rid of, stick that little bum outside in the sun. Use common sense here, don't let the little tush burn!! If you lack common sense, just don't do this, continue to use your over-the-counter products and consult your doctor.
You can tell, washing and sunning are kind of a big deal. I'm a bit anal over these two things because I want to continue to not have issues. Yes, I will admit, I've been known to get so hung up on my washing routine that I have gotten a bit grumpy at Ben over not washing the way I want them washed. He chunks them in, sets it on a quicker cycle, uses the amount of water that you would usually use wash a similar sized load of clothes, and then sets the washer for another rinse cycle. I walk in, see this, and go Mommy Dearest on him. You know Mommy Dearest? The movie where Joan Crawford spazzes out over wire hangers? Well, that's me except I'm all "No short cycle with low water!!!!"
In case you don't know about Mommy Dearest...here's the clip
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| Mommy Dearest No Wire Hangers Ever!!!! |
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| Me Being Spaztastic Over The Washing Routine |
He now uses the longer wash cycle, since I asked, but I'm still not sure rather or not he uses the water setting I prefer. I make a point to not walk by the washer if he's thrown them in because I don't want to go psycho over it, and mainly, I'm just thankful he'll take the time to wash nappies for me. I could be one of those women grumbling about how her husband never helps around the house. Nope, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and be grateful for the chance to snuggle under the cover and sleep in a bit longer while he goes on nappy washing duty.
So, what are these horrible things I'm trying to prevent? Detergent build up, ammonia build up, stink, and repelling. You read a variety of causes and a variety of solutions. Some people get worked up over the right way and wrong way to remedy each problem. Again, I think the remedy is whatever works for you based on your nappies, washer, and water type. I have no personal experience for dealing with any of these things, so I'm going to refrain from saying what does and doesn't work for each issue. If we do have any of these issues, I'm sure you'll get to read aaaaaallll about it in a blog post.
There you have it. My thoughts on washing and cloth problems. We've been in cloth full time for two months now, and I really am pleased with our decision to use them. I can't complain about BumGenius, and I would recommend them to anyone. They're user friendly, and it's nice to not feel like you're asking for your family to put forth a lot of effort when they babysit. We've had no blowouts due to diaper error, and only 2 or maybe 3 due to Mommy error. I didn't stuff the inserts correctly a time or two, and another time I didn't put the diaper on her straight. You know what happened! The cloth still did a better job containing the blow outs than the disposables EVER did!!
I like cloth so much that I'm anxious to try the different types. I really want to get my hands on a few prefolds and covers with varying blends of material. Any other children we have will be in cloth from the moment a nappy is first put on their behind, so I think it would be wise to get accustomed to prefolds now, since they seem to be the best fit for newbie babies. No, there's no newbie on the way, but it never hurts to be prepared! I am also a bit curious about the absorbency of different nappy fabrics. We don't have any complaints now, but again, for future reference it would be nice.
Any materials or brands you would recommend I try?
Friday, June 14, 2013
Cloth Diapers/Nappies/CD/MCD/MCN/You Get The Drift...
What's all that cd/mcd/mcn mumbo jumbo? That's cloth diaper world abbreviations for cloth diapers, modern cloth diapers, and modern cloth nappies (nappies = diapers in NZ, OZ, UK, etc). The world of cloth diapers has its own language. You get into things like ai1, ai2 (all-in-1's and 2's), os (one size), pockets, fitted, flats, prefolds, workhorses, pretties... You also have brands: BG (Bumgenius), FB (Fuzzibums), RR (Rumparoo), GV (Grovia), and then you have MWAH nappies (mom working from home). The list goes on and on, and THEN you get into the fabrics they're made
with: cotten, bamboo, microfleece, microfiber, minky, hemp, organic Himalayan silk (not really that last one, but it did sound good). Once all of this is mixing around in your head, you're probably thinking exactly what I was...WTH!!!! That's what the heck in case you didn't know, well, I said what the heck, but I'm sure there are other meanings.
What happened to the Gerber Birdseye diapers? I just wanted to stick a piece of cloth on my baby's butt and be done with it. In case you're wondering, the Gerbers are on the store shelf next to burp cloths, which is where they should stay unless you intend to use them for spit up rags. Back on point, selecting cloth diapers... Okay, so how did I decide which diapers to use? The same way I make every other decision...I read and researched, albeit with a few tears and eye bleeds since I was trying to figure out what all that crazy lingo is about. After countless hours, I finally decided upon a brand, much to Ben's pleasure. I'm pretty sure he was sick and tired of hearing about all of it, and he probably would have used a plastic bag with leg holes cut out if it meant I would shut-up about all of it.
So, what did I choose? Ta-da!!!!
I chose Bumgenius 4.0 with snaps, which are one sized pockets that have a suedecloth top layer and micorfiber inserts. Why did I choose these? Simple...they're user friendly. If I'm starting something new, I need it to be as painless as possible. If it's too complicated, I'm not as likely to stick with it. To use these, I make sure the cover and insert are snapped to the appropriate size, stuff the insert into the pocket, make sure the insert is correctly, and put it on Little Stevie. It goes on like a disposable, but it snaps instead of velcro-ing (is that even a word?).
If you find snaps too difficult, there is a velcro option, but I didn't want to risk it wearing out before I was finished using them.
See? Cloth diapering made easy! Everyone, and by everyone I mean all the cloth diaper guru momma's on the internet, said to start out with a couple of different brands to try. You're able to more accurately determine what will or will not work for your baby and life style. There are trial packs you can buy, or you can demo used diapers. There are a couple of different options to help you decide what you like. I decided to take a risk and go with BG. I had read both good and bad reviews, so I knew what I was getting into. For me, the pros outweighed the cons, especially when I checked out the New Zealand price.
Here, you're looking at over $30 per diaper. Back in the U.S. I could get them buy 5 get 1 free, which came out to $14.35 per nappy. As an added bonus, I got FREE shipping!!! Remember I'm a tightwad! Yes, money factors into my decisions. So, armed with my knowledge, I bit the bullet and ordered the diapers in the U.S. before I moved. I figured if I didn't like them, I could sell them and try different brands once Stevie was born. I packed them into a suitcase, and they came over on the flight with me.
Here's what a suitcase of nappies looks like.
You may be wondering why I didn't just wait until I was in New Zealand, order from the U.S., and have them shipped here. Well, for one, shipping costs ALOT, and for second, BG won't allow international shipping in order to be fair to your local stockists. I'm okay with that. I could have had them shipped over by some of my family, but I don't exactly trust the postal system. A box of my belongings took a tour of New Zealand before it arrived at my door. It somehow made its way from Auckland (northern part of the the North Island) to Dunedin (southern part of the South Island) and finally, back to Hamilton (northern-ish North Island). It arrived a little over a month after I shipped it, but I'm not complaining. It arrived...could have been worse!!! That's why I brought a suitcase of nappies with me.
So why did I decide to go through this "hassle"? New Zealand is really pretty, so I want to do my part to keep it that way. The bigger reason, I'm a tightwad!! For less than $350 Little Stevie will be diapered from birth to potty training. That's including her wipes and liners (diaper topper to make clean up easier). Yes, there are a couple of added expenses such as laundry detergent and a slight bump in power consumption, but that cost is minimal in the grand scheme of things. Here is a pretty good cost breakdown.
We decided that since we were going to be doing laundry, we might as well use reusable wipes and liners. They're much easier than worrying about throwing away wipes or flushing liners before doing a diaper rinse. We rinse it all at once and we're done. In case you're wondering, we bought the baby wash cloths to use as wipes. Fold them in half, and they fit perfectly into a regular disposable wipes container. We simply put water in there with a couple of drops of tea tree oil, and Voila! Baby wipes!!! As a bonus, the tea tree oil is a natural anti-fungal that helps keep rash away. The liners are made from microfleece that I bought and it's cut down to size.
Some think it's gross rinsing diapers. Who wants poo all over them? Well, nobody enjoys poo being all over them, but don't think you're immune if you choose disposables. I've had more disposable blow outs than I care to think about. Besides, you don't have to play in the diaper to rinse it. Oh, and did you know, you're actually suppose to dump the nasties out of disposables?!
Proof!!
I've been bombarded by people claiming I'm making the wrong choice by cloth diapering. "It's expensive!" No, it is an investment up front, but it's much cheaper long term. It's gross rinsing diapers. Again, I don't play in it. I've also heard all kinds of other reasons for not using cloth. My favorite..."Who has time to sit around and wash diapers all the time?!" Ummm...yeah, cuz that's what you do when you cloth diaper. You sit around and wash diapers day in and day out. Actually, we have a whopping 2 to 3 extra loads of laundry a week. We wash them every 3 days, and it literally consists of dumping and starting the machine. We're not using a washboard or anything. Yeah, we take a bit of time stuffing them, but no more than it takes to go purchase diapers. "It's too much work!" I'll admit, to begin with, it takes a bit of work to figure out what works for you, but by the first or two, you'll get a routine, and it's gravy from there!!
Yes, I like my cloth diapers, if you can't tell. I'll get into some of the ins and outs such as washing, some problems that may arise, and a few other tid bits in part two. For now, I'll leave you with this, and another reason you should consider cloth if you haven't. There are no disposables that can compare to PRETTIES!!!!!!
Those are reason enough to choose cloth over disposables!! That's a few pics from some of our local MWAH nappies. There are tons more out there. Do you have any favorite nappy brands?
What happened to the Gerber Birdseye diapers? I just wanted to stick a piece of cloth on my baby's butt and be done with it. In case you're wondering, the Gerbers are on the store shelf next to burp cloths, which is where they should stay unless you intend to use them for spit up rags. Back on point, selecting cloth diapers... Okay, so how did I decide which diapers to use? The same way I make every other decision...I read and researched, albeit with a few tears and eye bleeds since I was trying to figure out what all that crazy lingo is about. After countless hours, I finally decided upon a brand, much to Ben's pleasure. I'm pretty sure he was sick and tired of hearing about all of it, and he probably would have used a plastic bag with leg holes cut out if it meant I would shut-up about all of it.
So, what did I choose? Ta-da!!!!
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| BumGenius 4.0 |
I chose Bumgenius 4.0 with snaps, which are one sized pockets that have a suedecloth top layer and micorfiber inserts. Why did I choose these? Simple...they're user friendly. If I'm starting something new, I need it to be as painless as possible. If it's too complicated, I'm not as likely to stick with it. To use these, I make sure the cover and insert are snapped to the appropriate size, stuff the insert into the pocket, make sure the insert is correctly, and put it on Little Stevie. It goes on like a disposable, but it snaps instead of velcro-ing (is that even a word?).
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| Largest Size Setting |
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| Smallest Size Setting |
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| Diaper Unstuffed With Insert On Top |
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| Both Inserts |
If you find snaps too difficult, there is a velcro option, but I didn't want to risk it wearing out before I was finished using them.
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| Velcro Option |
See? Cloth diapering made easy! Everyone, and by everyone I mean all the cloth diaper guru momma's on the internet, said to start out with a couple of different brands to try. You're able to more accurately determine what will or will not work for your baby and life style. There are trial packs you can buy, or you can demo used diapers. There are a couple of different options to help you decide what you like. I decided to take a risk and go with BG. I had read both good and bad reviews, so I knew what I was getting into. For me, the pros outweighed the cons, especially when I checked out the New Zealand price.
Here, you're looking at over $30 per diaper. Back in the U.S. I could get them buy 5 get 1 free, which came out to $14.35 per nappy. As an added bonus, I got FREE shipping!!! Remember I'm a tightwad! Yes, money factors into my decisions. So, armed with my knowledge, I bit the bullet and ordered the diapers in the U.S. before I moved. I figured if I didn't like them, I could sell them and try different brands once Stevie was born. I packed them into a suitcase, and they came over on the flight with me.
Here's what a suitcase of nappies looks like.
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| Suitcase Full of Nappies |
You may be wondering why I didn't just wait until I was in New Zealand, order from the U.S., and have them shipped here. Well, for one, shipping costs ALOT, and for second, BG won't allow international shipping in order to be fair to your local stockists. I'm okay with that. I could have had them shipped over by some of my family, but I don't exactly trust the postal system. A box of my belongings took a tour of New Zealand before it arrived at my door. It somehow made its way from Auckland (northern part of the the North Island) to Dunedin (southern part of the South Island) and finally, back to Hamilton (northern-ish North Island). It arrived a little over a month after I shipped it, but I'm not complaining. It arrived...could have been worse!!! That's why I brought a suitcase of nappies with me.
So why did I decide to go through this "hassle"? New Zealand is really pretty, so I want to do my part to keep it that way. The bigger reason, I'm a tightwad!! For less than $350 Little Stevie will be diapered from birth to potty training. That's including her wipes and liners (diaper topper to make clean up easier). Yes, there are a couple of added expenses such as laundry detergent and a slight bump in power consumption, but that cost is minimal in the grand scheme of things. Here is a pretty good cost breakdown.
We decided that since we were going to be doing laundry, we might as well use reusable wipes and liners. They're much easier than worrying about throwing away wipes or flushing liners before doing a diaper rinse. We rinse it all at once and we're done. In case you're wondering, we bought the baby wash cloths to use as wipes. Fold them in half, and they fit perfectly into a regular disposable wipes container. We simply put water in there with a couple of drops of tea tree oil, and Voila! Baby wipes!!! As a bonus, the tea tree oil is a natural anti-fungal that helps keep rash away. The liners are made from microfleece that I bought and it's cut down to size.
Some think it's gross rinsing diapers. Who wants poo all over them? Well, nobody enjoys poo being all over them, but don't think you're immune if you choose disposables. I've had more disposable blow outs than I care to think about. Besides, you don't have to play in the diaper to rinse it. Oh, and did you know, you're actually suppose to dump the nasties out of disposables?!
Proof!!
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| "If nappy is soiled, empty contents into toilet" |
I've been bombarded by people claiming I'm making the wrong choice by cloth diapering. "It's expensive!" No, it is an investment up front, but it's much cheaper long term. It's gross rinsing diapers. Again, I don't play in it. I've also heard all kinds of other reasons for not using cloth. My favorite..."Who has time to sit around and wash diapers all the time?!" Ummm...yeah, cuz that's what you do when you cloth diaper. You sit around and wash diapers day in and day out. Actually, we have a whopping 2 to 3 extra loads of laundry a week. We wash them every 3 days, and it literally consists of dumping and starting the machine. We're not using a washboard or anything. Yeah, we take a bit of time stuffing them, but no more than it takes to go purchase diapers. "It's too much work!" I'll admit, to begin with, it takes a bit of work to figure out what works for you, but by the first or two, you'll get a routine, and it's gravy from there!!
Yes, I like my cloth diapers, if you can't tell. I'll get into some of the ins and outs such as washing, some problems that may arise, and a few other tid bits in part two. For now, I'll leave you with this, and another reason you should consider cloth if you haven't. There are no disposables that can compare to PRETTIES!!!!!!
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| Mini Muffets Click here for more info. |
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| Scrumptious Nappies Click here for more info |
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| Scrumptious Nappies Click here for more info |
Those are reason enough to choose cloth over disposables!! That's a few pics from some of our local MWAH nappies. There are tons more out there. Do you have any favorite nappy brands?
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
How to Adjust (As Pain Free As Possible)
Guess what...I'm not writing about what I originally planned to write about. I know I said I was going to fill you in on a haka, but I've got a bit more fact checking to do before I'm comfortable putting that piece up. Instead, you're going to get to take a walk down memory lane with me because I realized I have been in New Zealand for six months, and I'm going to talk about adjusting to life in a new country.
Before I left, everyone was giving me tips on how to adapt and what I should and should not do. Everyone also said to "give yourself six months before you decide you don't like living there". I read and researched ways to make life as an expat less difficult, and for the most part, all of the advice was spot on. I did say for the most part. So many times I have read and heard "If you don't like it, you can always move back home." I think that is the worst way to look at making a big move.
I mulled that piece of advice over in my head on several occasions, and one day while washing dishes, it hit me. I won't ever "go back home" for more than visits. I know some of you are thinking "never say never because you don't know what the future holds". No, I don't know what the future holds, but I can tell you if Ben and I ever moved to the U.S., it wouldn't be "going home". Even if we moved back to Alabama, it will not be what I left.
My life is different, my family in Alabama didn't cease to live because I'm no longer there, and my friends have moved on and filled in my empty slot. This doesn't mean that they're less important to me or I to them, but it does mean there's no going back to how things once were. Time didn't stop once I moved away, and things have changed, including me. The glasses that color my world aren't the same, so I would never see my home in Alabama like I use to. When I had this great epiphany, I was saddened by it, initially. It's hard to let go of the past, and life in Alabama is my past.
Letting go of what once was doesn't mean forgetting it, because your past is part of who you are. I thought about that for a bit, and then I cheered up. I will always be a southern girl, but this southern girl knows that she has to live in the present and future. I keep up with my family and friends, but I don't look at my life thinking I can always go back. It's made adapting to life here much easier for me.
Another thing that's made life in another country easier is realizing I'm in another country. So many expats get caught up in trying to make their new home the same as their old home. They don't like the way the New Zealand businesses shut down without notice over summer break, they don't like how kiwis are more concerned with going to the beach than driving a new SUV, they don't like the food, they don't like the dress, cost of living is too high...you get the picture. A lot of expats want here to be like "there". Sorry, it doesn't work like that, and once I realized that, things here became easier for me.
For the most part, I embrace the kiwi culture, and I love most aspects of it. Sure, there are some things I don't love, such as someone offering me tea and it being hot with milk in it, but I don't dwell on things I can't change. I incorporate what I miss into my life, but I don't expect kiwis or New Zealand as a whole to change to accommodate me and my culture. I made the choice to move here, and in doing so, I accepted the responsibility of adapting to a new way of life. I think the quicker expats learn cultural assimilation, the easier they will find life in their new home.
Part of living in a new country also means making friends with the locals. There's a whole lot of foreigners in New Zealand, and you'll also find support groups for expats, forums on the internet, cultural affiliation get togethers, etc. That's great! There's an initial base of support to help transplants get acclimated to their new life, but after a certain point it kinda becomes a crutch. See, a lot of immigrants want to hang out with immigrants, and then they get to talking about the differences between here and where-ever they're from. After that, they start grumbling about things they don't like here. They end up disgruntled, missing 'home', and angry because they expect NZ to adapt to their way of life.
This is why I say get to know the locals. You'll hear some people claim that outsiders aren't welcome, but I can assure you, that's not the case. EVERYONE knows I'm not a local. My accent gives it away, and out of all the immigrants here, I get asked "Where are you from?" I've not had anyone be rude or make snide remarks about Americans. I think it's because I'm rather friendly and don't sit around going on and on about New Zealand's inferiority to my home country. Kiwis are a proud bunch, and they're not going to take kindly to an outsider bashing their country and wanting to make it more like 'home'. The way they see it is if you don't like it here, go back home, they didn't ask you to move here!
Which brings me to another key feature of successful immigration....come here, or there, or wherever you think you might want to live!! I hear and read about so many people that up and move somewhere sight unseen, or in New Zealand's case, sight seen on the big screen. Sure, there are some people that pick up and move to a place they've never traveled to, but for the average person, you're setting yourself up for failure. I didn't move here without knowing what I was getting into. I visited last year, and I didn't stay on the tourist path either. Ben made sure I got to see what life as a local was like. I saw the prices of food, clothes, houses, gas, etc. It's easy to get caught up in the beauty and touristy parts of NZ, but I had to keep in mind life here wasn't going to be as a tourist.
Also part of not being a tourist meant I had to deal with immigration and local licensing authorities. I'm not going to get into what all that entailed right now, but I will tell you that I did so much reading before my sudden move. Do your research before deciding to immigrate, and be prepared to jump through lots of hoops. Don't expect special consideration to be given to you for your particular situation because you won't get it. I have been frustrated numerous times, but I successfully managed to work my way through it.
Now you know what I've done to adapt to life in Aotearoa (Maori for Land of the Long White Cloud aka New Zealand), and I'm sure they can be applied to any move. We'll see if my little bag of tricks are still working for me in another six months, once I'm out of the honeymoon phase.
If any of you have tips to make life in a new place easier, I would love to hear them!!
Before I left, everyone was giving me tips on how to adapt and what I should and should not do. Everyone also said to "give yourself six months before you decide you don't like living there". I read and researched ways to make life as an expat less difficult, and for the most part, all of the advice was spot on. I did say for the most part. So many times I have read and heard "If you don't like it, you can always move back home." I think that is the worst way to look at making a big move.
I mulled that piece of advice over in my head on several occasions, and one day while washing dishes, it hit me. I won't ever "go back home" for more than visits. I know some of you are thinking "never say never because you don't know what the future holds". No, I don't know what the future holds, but I can tell you if Ben and I ever moved to the U.S., it wouldn't be "going home". Even if we moved back to Alabama, it will not be what I left.
My life is different, my family in Alabama didn't cease to live because I'm no longer there, and my friends have moved on and filled in my empty slot. This doesn't mean that they're less important to me or I to them, but it does mean there's no going back to how things once were. Time didn't stop once I moved away, and things have changed, including me. The glasses that color my world aren't the same, so I would never see my home in Alabama like I use to. When I had this great epiphany, I was saddened by it, initially. It's hard to let go of the past, and life in Alabama is my past.
Letting go of what once was doesn't mean forgetting it, because your past is part of who you are. I thought about that for a bit, and then I cheered up. I will always be a southern girl, but this southern girl knows that she has to live in the present and future. I keep up with my family and friends, but I don't look at my life thinking I can always go back. It's made adapting to life here much easier for me.
Another thing that's made life in another country easier is realizing I'm in another country. So many expats get caught up in trying to make their new home the same as their old home. They don't like the way the New Zealand businesses shut down without notice over summer break, they don't like how kiwis are more concerned with going to the beach than driving a new SUV, they don't like the food, they don't like the dress, cost of living is too high...you get the picture. A lot of expats want here to be like "there". Sorry, it doesn't work like that, and once I realized that, things here became easier for me.
For the most part, I embrace the kiwi culture, and I love most aspects of it. Sure, there are some things I don't love, such as someone offering me tea and it being hot with milk in it, but I don't dwell on things I can't change. I incorporate what I miss into my life, but I don't expect kiwis or New Zealand as a whole to change to accommodate me and my culture. I made the choice to move here, and in doing so, I accepted the responsibility of adapting to a new way of life. I think the quicker expats learn cultural assimilation, the easier they will find life in their new home.
Part of living in a new country also means making friends with the locals. There's a whole lot of foreigners in New Zealand, and you'll also find support groups for expats, forums on the internet, cultural affiliation get togethers, etc. That's great! There's an initial base of support to help transplants get acclimated to their new life, but after a certain point it kinda becomes a crutch. See, a lot of immigrants want to hang out with immigrants, and then they get to talking about the differences between here and where-ever they're from. After that, they start grumbling about things they don't like here. They end up disgruntled, missing 'home', and angry because they expect NZ to adapt to their way of life.
This is why I say get to know the locals. You'll hear some people claim that outsiders aren't welcome, but I can assure you, that's not the case. EVERYONE knows I'm not a local. My accent gives it away, and out of all the immigrants here, I get asked "Where are you from?" I've not had anyone be rude or make snide remarks about Americans. I think it's because I'm rather friendly and don't sit around going on and on about New Zealand's inferiority to my home country. Kiwis are a proud bunch, and they're not going to take kindly to an outsider bashing their country and wanting to make it more like 'home'. The way they see it is if you don't like it here, go back home, they didn't ask you to move here!
Which brings me to another key feature of successful immigration....come here, or there, or wherever you think you might want to live!! I hear and read about so many people that up and move somewhere sight unseen, or in New Zealand's case, sight seen on the big screen. Sure, there are some people that pick up and move to a place they've never traveled to, but for the average person, you're setting yourself up for failure. I didn't move here without knowing what I was getting into. I visited last year, and I didn't stay on the tourist path either. Ben made sure I got to see what life as a local was like. I saw the prices of food, clothes, houses, gas, etc. It's easy to get caught up in the beauty and touristy parts of NZ, but I had to keep in mind life here wasn't going to be as a tourist.
Also part of not being a tourist meant I had to deal with immigration and local licensing authorities. I'm not going to get into what all that entailed right now, but I will tell you that I did so much reading before my sudden move. Do your research before deciding to immigrate, and be prepared to jump through lots of hoops. Don't expect special consideration to be given to you for your particular situation because you won't get it. I have been frustrated numerous times, but I successfully managed to work my way through it.
Now you know what I've done to adapt to life in Aotearoa (Maori for Land of the Long White Cloud aka New Zealand), and I'm sure they can be applied to any move. We'll see if my little bag of tricks are still working for me in another six months, once I'm out of the honeymoon phase.
If any of you have tips to make life in a new place easier, I would love to hear them!!
Friday, June 7, 2013
Football...Err...Rugby!
That's right...I use to pull for Alabama, but now I happily yell "War Eagle!" Well, not so happily here recently because they haven't been doing so hot, but that's another topic. Anyhoo, since I jumped the fence, I have never been able to live it down or forget. I'm not joking, stories are told about why I decided to abandon Alabama for Auburn. Not only are there stories, but there are embellished tales. The Legend of Callie's Conversion (as we'll call it) has been passed along and retold so many times, the real reason is no where to be found within the story, and nobody can actually remember how it truly came about. I kid you not, I'm probably the only person that can actually tell you why I changed teams. My own mother will argue with me and basically say "you don't know..." Yeah, okay, Momma. I don't know why I no longer pull for Alabama. O.o (that's googley eyes...it's my fave type expression)
I tell you all of this because it has a purpose. You see it's a bit extreme, and a tad bit exaggerated (like stamping birth certificates), but it gets the point across to you. If you had any doubts, you now know football is a big deal in Alabama. Well, I thought our extremism couldn't be matched. I. WAS. WRONG. New Zealand is right up there with Alabama when it comes to devotion to their beloved sport. The difference is, they're pulling for rugby teams, not football (grid iron as it's called here, they call soccer football).
If you're like I once was, you're sitting there thinking 'What's rugby? Oh, that's that game kinda like football without pads!' Bingo!! It's quite a bit like football, or at least I think. You have a bunch of guys on a green field with lines and goal posts, and they run back and forth trying to get across one line or the other, and then they kick the ball and try to get it between the two goal posts!! (Yes hubby dearest, I know my grammar and sentence structure was a lot worse than usual on that last one :P ) Also, like football, there's a whooooole lot of tackling and ramming into one another, and cheap head shots when they think the ref isn't looking. Unlike football, they don't wear pads, they don't throw the ball forward, they don't get lots of time-outs, and it doesn't get drug out to last forty forevers because they're trying to stop the clock to win (it's 80 minutes with stops for penalties, injuries, and halftime).
Rugby takes all of my favorite things about football and hockey and mashes it all into a game that's even better because I don't get bored watching it! On a side note, I know nothing about hockey other than it's pretty awesome when they start fighting. Keep in mind, I've only been to two games, and I'm still learning about how the game is played. My confusion is compounded by the different types of rugby. There's Super Rugby (which are the games I've attended), there's Rugby Union (the All Blacks are Union), and then there's something called League. From what I gather about League, it's like rugby, but rougher. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get bashed for not knowing the difference (I'm also gonna get bashed by both Auburn and Alabama fans, non-SEC fans, hockey supporters, and people against violence since I said I liked hockey fights).
I'll get it all figured out eventually, and as I do, I'm sure you'll get to read aaaaallll about it. It's still entertaining and fun to watch,. So, since I can't tell you a whole lot about the game, I 'll show you instead. Here we go...rugby in picutres!!! Oh, and please forgive my blurry shots. My phone camera has taken to being a royal pain when it comes to quality phots....
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| Pre-game Haka |
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| More Haka |
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| Scrum |
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| Game Play |
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| More Game Play |
Now, I would like to take a minute to point out a few things. The guy is pink is the ref, and I'm pretty sure I found that to be funnier than your average person would, hence the fact that I'm pointing it out. I would also like you to take note that there are no pads being worn. Those guys are hitting each other just like they do in football, and you don't hear them crying because someone was "roughing the quarter back". Also, those guys play the whole game with the occasional substitute player. They don't swap between offense, defense, and special teams. I'm not saying that my beloved Auburn Tigers are falling from their pedestal, but I am saying I now appreciate other sports besides college football.
Oh, and those first pics I posted, the haka, well here's the All Blacks actually performing one.
No, the All Blacks are not what started the haka. It's actually based on Maori tradition. Want to know more about it? You'll have to read my next post. I know that sounds a bit mean, but Little Stevie is awake, and we're about to run a few errands. So, on that note. I'll be back soon to fill you in on the haka. Until next time!
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