It should be clear by now that we love New Zealand's beauty and vibe, people and places. But we've also found some really random things that make Auckland a comfortable, interesting and fun place to live. Here's our top 15:
1 Penguins and parrots. They have those here. In the wild. No big deal. The girl and I saw two parrots while walking home from school one day. They were just flitting around, minding their own business, not acting like convicts escaped from their owner's cage or anything. And Shane saw penguins (penguins!!) hanging out on the harbour rocks on his way to work today. I mean, penguins!!
2 Fast-food hamburgers. Our kids have eaten more hamburgers since we moved to New Zealand than in the entire time we lived in the U.S. They love a Wendy's burger -- plain with ketchup, please. And since the fast-casual dining tier hasn't yet made it to New Zealand -- I'm talking about Chipotle, Panera, Cava, basically everything we ate back home -- we hit up fast-food places every now and then instead. The best deal we've found for the kids? $5 for a Wendy's burger, small fry, small Sprite and small frosty. Now that's a steal!
3 "Chur, bro." When you're in the in -- which we kinda are, until we open our mouths and everyone hears our American cowboy accents -- your conversation gets sprinkled with great Kiwi-isms. "Chur, bro" is one of my favorites. It's a quick, casual thanks that sounds totally surfer dude.
4 My glorious bathtub. Granted, I've only seen one tub in New Zealand, and it's this amazing piece of equipment here. I love taking baths, the boy loves taking baths (even Shane has started taking baths) -- and we all love this tub. It's. huge. I can stretch all the way out and still have room to grow (not that that will happen, but still!). Both kids and I can hop in the tub at the same time, room to spare. And the best part? When we pull the drain, the water rushes out cyclone-style with a loud slurping noise to boot. Shane can just hear all my hair clogs being flushed away.
5 Church's Chicken is called Texas Chicken. Because you know how Texas is known worldwide for its fried chicken.
6 Everyone wears Brooklyn t-shirts. Brooklyn must be really "in" here because nearly every man, woman and child seems to have at least one t-shirt with the word Brooklyn on it. Maybe there's a big Lena Dunham following? Maybe it's a sports team I don't know about? Or maybe they just sell them at the Warehouse (they do) where everybody has to shop.
7 Cookies are called biscuits. That makes them healthy, right? Well it certainly makes it easier to buy them, judging from the enormous stash I have in my cupboard right now. New Zealanders especially enjoy chocolate-covered biscuits, and I'm totally with them on that. Just look at the collection of chocolate-covered goodies I've been noshing:
8 Storage containers. You know those puny little Ziploc plastic containers we use back home? Yeah, New Zealand's not down with those. Here we use substantial plastic containers with these great clip tops. And we use them for everything -- as a lunchbox, a pitcher, to store leftovers or last season's clothes. Love them. My good friend back home said she found something similar at Aldi, if you're looking to upgrade.
9 Basketball at Burger King. I love shooting hoops, but basketball isn't a huge sport here. Most playgrounds have netball courts instead and, yeah, that's just not the same. But the King Burger (that's what the boy calls it, and that's it's name now) up the street from us has this awesome basketball court with hoops of varying heights. It's perfect for the kids to practice their jump shots, and I can perfect my slam dunk, impressing all the Auckland high school boys.
10 Money window. The paper money has a clear plastic window in it. I mean, that's pretty cool, right?
11 Pretty, pretty pylons? I know giant power lines tend to be a bit controversial. Most people think they're an eyesore. Some people think they're on par with chemtrails. But like them or not, they're important. I like charging my phone and powering up Netflix when the kids get on my nerves. In Auckland, you can see them popping up across the horizon. And I think they're kinda pretty -- especially in the evenings, when the clouds turn cotton-candy pink and the sky looks so beautiful. I don't know. Maybe it's just me.
12 Fancy food is cheap. At least, if your definition of fancy food includes lamb and seafood. Chicken and beef tend to be quite expensive by comparison, which is kind of a bummer for me, because kids don't like fancy food. But Shane loves cooking up fresh lamb, mussels and all kinds of other dishes the kids turn their noses at.
13 Succulents and cacti. They're everywhere. And you don't have to be a hipster to decorate with them.
14 Bunnings Warehouse. Ok, this store is cool. It's basically an overpriced Home Depot -- BUT, it's super family friendly. There's an indoor playground right next to a delicious coffee shop. And on weekend mornings, they do free face painting, kids crafts and games. I mean, if you have to go shopping for a shovel, might as well get your face painted while you're there.
15 Duckies! We kind of have pet ducks now. Ok, they're not really our pets but we see them everyday, sleeping in our yard, crossing the road with their little ducklings in tow. They're everywhere in our neighborhood, and they've definitely got personality. The boy talks to them and calls them his friends -- "Remember me, Duckie?" -- and they quack back: "Chur, bro!"
