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Sunday, November 6, 2011

10 Fast Facts About NZ


1. It's an environmental friendly country. It's common to come across reminders to use energy saving methods, i.e duvets, hot water bottles or simply layer up instead of using heaters, most homes have clothes lines instead of dryers here which is not a common sight in the USA, reminders to take only quick showers, websites dedicated to ride sharings/ carpoolings as well as having active Greenpeace campaigns which is currently kept busy with the recent oil spill off the coast of Tauranga. `

2. It's common here that people grow their own veggies and rear their own chickens for eggs.

3. Most cafes close at 6pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends which leave only bars open throughout the night. Quiz nights are popular in bars creating interactive atmosphere and winners are awarded with free food and alcoholic beverages as prizes.

4. There are significantly more butcher shops as well as fresh fruit & veggie shops here as compared to in the USA.

5. Kiwis are particular over the origin of their food. At supermarkets, you'd get to know if the eggs are free range eggs or from chickens reared in cages, which most Kiwis are against. The same goes with meat. On the other hand, for finished goods, manufacturers also like to specify that their goods are made of environment friendly materials or processes.

6. A.S felt like a VIP in busses as several times, there were just in total 3 passengers in a 40 minutes bus ride.

7. Used clothing, accessories and motor vehicles gain high demand here. You can get a used 15 year old Hatchback for as low as $1300 but unless you're lucky, be prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on repairs.

8. Unemployment rate in NZ is currently at 6.5%  as compared to 3.1% in Malaysia. The fact that every year, young Working Holiday Makers from all around the world are making their way here to fill jobs certainly doesn't help to alleviate the situation. It's common that locals here take the opportunity to seek help for their home, farm, orchards, hostels in exchange for accommodation and food instead.

9. If you're a citizen and unemployed, you get $140/wk as benefits. 

10. It's common to have youths, especially, going up to you and say "Do you have $2 spare change?" A.S has been approached 4 times in her 2 months here.




4 comments:

Anonymous said...

2. It's common here that people grow their own veggies and rear their own chickens for eggs.

- Some vege growing but chooks are very rare in urban areas (majority of population...)


3. Most cafes close at 6pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends which leave only bars open throughout the night. Quiz nights are popular in bars creating interactive atmosphere and winners are awarded with free food and alcoholic beverages as prizes.

- Most *unlicensed* cafes. BYO's & licensed cafes stay open late.


7. Used clothings,
- plural is 'clothing'


8.
The fact that every year, young Working Holiday Makers from all around the world are making their way here to fill jobs certainly doesn't help to alleviate the situation.

- I don't think this really impacts on the ability of unemployed to find work, assuming they're looking...


9. If you're a citizen and unemployed, you get $140/wk as benefits.

- Depends on age; also can be perhaps $250/wk including accomodation supplements.

Call me A.S for AkiraSabine said...

Hey Sam, thanks for your input. It's always best to tap the brain of a local.

I'm afraid licensed cafes like Esquire Coffee and Starbucks in Hamilton are open only till 4pm on weekends, though.

OK, corrected on my grammar mistake, boss.

So, you're saying that they're not looking for jobs and waiting for benefits which could go as high as $250/wk including accommodation supplements. I see it very clearly now!! ;P

fufu said...

you cannot blame the working holiday policy! it's the citizens themselves dont want to do such work!!!! lol

Call me A.S for AkiraSabine said...

Hey Fufu,

Thanks for dropping in, and sharing your thoughts too!! How have you been, my blogger friend? And where are you now?

Not very sure if I mentioned any specific jobs, I went back to my post and checked. OK, I think you're referring to seasonal jobs, right, mate? Yeap, true. No locals here want to do it that's why the Working Holiday Visa to attract international young travellers here. However, I still have to say jobs are not really aplenty here. It seems like the WH makers(Asians and Europeans) are travelling from North Island to South or vice versa for that same job and not surprisingly, it fills up quickly. People I've spoken to who stopped over at the hostel where I'm doing work exchange here seem to come for the same farm (I suppose they get the same lead/info). Or north to Warkworth which when I enquired further, the same farm name was what I get every time. Wow! Conversations with some who're working at farms said that employers are very selective and they tried to squeeze you and if couldn't do as they wish, they do not give a second thought to get a replacement.

I've spoken to a Food Tech fresh grad from Aussie in search for jobs with Fonterra. He's driven throughout NZ to drop his CV at the plants and all he got was a process operator job. Another, a lady for one having experience working in dairy plant in her home country tried to apply as exec, QC lab technician and even process operator did not even get a job in an area she's been working for 2 years. Wow! Being a process operator requires someone fit to lift 25kg of milk powder but as a lab technician, it does not but still, no job, not even after applying for several available positions.

And then, there's a friend who just graduated from a tourism course here has been trying to get a job but only secured a not too good one which pays as they like. He's still trying to find a better one, or else he's looking for one elsewhere.

Even cafe, bakeries, ice cream parlours, bar & restaurant which puts up vacancy notices do not immediately take you when you pop in for the job. Drop your CV and we'll get back to you which they never did.

I rented a room with a PR cum citizen and she herself shared that it's been difficult to get jobs. Even her PR daughter only managed to secure a waitress job at Sky City (casino).

I really like to think the vacancies left vacant by Kiwis are aplenty but unfortunately, no.

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