Greetings from Christchurch, New Zealand!
After a few days in the city, I think I'm starting to get my bearings. Interestingly enough, I didn't get jet lagged, but I am thrown off by the longer summer days. A lot of things are similar here, but certain aspects stand out. For instance, avocados are cheap and bananas are expensive. Turkey is hard to find, but chicken, ham, and pork are all common sandwich meats. Ambulances are yellow instead of red. American/British music is often played in stores with artists ranging from Steve Winwood to Journey to the Beatles to even music from Greatest Showman. Kathmandu seems to be the primary outdoor clothing brand in the area instead of Patagonia, Columbia, LL Bean, REI, etc.
As for traffic operations, I knew before leaving the U.S. that Kiwis drive on the other side of the road, but that takes a whole new meaning when you experience it in person. It's one thing watching the flow of two-lane traffic in this country and trying to remember which way cars will turn into or out of a street, but the real kicker is when you're on the bus for the first time and you find yourself going clockwise in a round-about. It's freaky. I remember I turned around, eyes wide and mouth open in surprise, to face the group I was with. Since they all arrived before me, this was nothing new, but they did get a few laughs from my expression. Have I driven a car yet? Nope. Will I be doing so anytime soon? Not if I can avoid it :)
You know what else is strange? Mesh screens! Or should I say lack thereof? I have yet to see a screen in a window or a deck door. Living in a first-floor apartment, there are pros and cons to this situation. Pro: I can jump out my window a lot faster in an emergency. Cons: people, bugs, pigeons (very common around the apartments), cats (somewhat common), and whatever else can easily meander into my room if I leave my window open. In short, I don't open my window very often.
Another big difference (for me at least) is the climate and scenery. Quick background: I grew up in the mountains (Park City, UT) for 18 years of my life and then I chose to attend college in the foothills (Golden, CO). The two towns I lived in up until this point each have populations 10,000-20,000. Humidity is pretty low year round. Now, I find myself at sea level in a flatter, more humid environment with over 300,000 people! It's easier to breathe, but temperatures feel hotter or colder than I would expect. Fortunately, the university is located a little outside the city center (or centre as they spell it here), so it's less crowded /more suburban in areas. I do miss being in the mountains, but I know that New Zealand has plenty to offer (I just have to figure out transportation)!
In all, it's been quite a change for me, but I think I'm adjusting well!
New vocabulary/spelling I've learned:
jandals = flip-flops
a dairy / corner store = a convenience store
"flick me an email/text" = "send me an email/text"
bookshop = bookstore
lolly or lollies = candy / sweets
tyres = tires
Vocabulary that I've yet to define:
I seen the phrase "no circulars" on many mailboxes. I thought it might be the same as "no junk mail" but that phrase is also on some mailboxes.
Cheers,
Jess