ODD Things Kiwi’s Do! Part 2 🇳🇿 Live in New Zealand with Kiwi Americans

Join Chantal and our dear friend, Tara from KiwiAmericans, for Part 2 of Odd Things that are not so odd in New Zealand.

Watch Part 1 at Kiwi Americans: https://youtu.be/nxqnY_xcijk

Chantal kicks it off with something both ladies found very strange upon arrival, but in reality, it’s a common sight in New Zealand — barefoot people! No matter how unusual it sounds, walking without shoes is a common practice among locals, especially children who sometimes walk barefoot to school or while playing in the street.

Unlike the US, where wearing shoes is mandatory in public areas and, honestly, dangerous to walk around without them, here it seems like people are just not afraid to get a cut or a bug bite.

The next odd thing was realizing that Tea Time has plenty of other meanings depending on the time of the day. From coffee and biscuits in the morning to a late-night dinner, be careful when you invite guests over for Tea Time as they might be expecting to see some food on the table.

Talking about food, supper has a totally different meaning in New Zealand. When someone invites you for supper here, they are actually asking you to share a late dessert or a glass of milk, not dinner.

Kiwis also have another word for dessert and...wait for it... it’s pudding. So, if someone tells you they are having pudding, chances are they are having anything but.

Moving on from food, the next thing we found odd in New Zealand, was air-drying clothes out in the open. This would be a rare sight back in the US, but it seems it’s quite normal here on the Island.

And while still at it, Chantal said that seeing people wearing summer clothes during wintertime was one of the strangest things to get used to. Even at home, they rarely use heating. It's like Kiwis don’t feel the cold at all.

The next two things are fun facts that come from the geography books. Believe it or not, in Zealand, there are many active volcanoes that are huge tourist attractions and there are almost six times more sheep than people on the island!

And if you thought we were done with food, you were wrong. The next thing we found unusual is the meat pies. They are literally everywhere; you can even find them at your local gas station. The traditional ones are made of beef and cheese and the recognition for the best pies is not something people take lightly in New Zealand.

But meat pies are not the only thing you can find around every corner. In the absence of countless Starbucks, Kiwi came up with the Pop-Up Coffee Truck idea. Not only do they serve amazing coffee, but they are also a place for socializing. People, especially students, love mingling over a cup of coffee around these coffee trucks and carts.

And the last, but not the least odd thing on our list is about money. If we could give you one piece of useful travel advice, it would be to put money on your debit card. Don’t be surprised if a restaurant or a store won’t take your cash. New Zealand has a simple yet effective banking system, and people here pay for almost everything via PayWave.

So, if you are interested to find out more about Odd Things You’ll Find in New Zealand, you can check out Part 1 on the KiwiAmericans channel.