Today started the International Boating Conference or something of that nature and the sun came out! Which means the downtown is completely transformed from the weekend rain and crazy partying. The city is teaming with boaters, business people and a freakin ton of British.
Apparently the British love the boating, which is understandable since they are a tiny Island who conquered a large part of the world on the strength of their navy. I am learning as much about their culture as I am about New Zealand's (which of course a large part of NZ culture is British).
1)the British say "feck" as much as the New Zealanders and Aussie's and is most likely the origin of that.
2) if it wasn't for the great accents I would find them just as loud and crude as Americans because well, they are
3)you can tell the British from the Aussies and Kiwis by the tan. Kiwis are golden, Aussies are golden with some definite burnt tones while the British are either burnt or paler than me!
4)the British can say some really funny things (and the bonus is I understand them) I was in Victoria park (because everything here has either a Maori name or one referencing Queen Victoria) sitting on a tree when I hear a very loud British accent behind me say,"Ear, that's Queen Victoria....I can tell it's Queen Victoria because look at that ASS." Now I would have been offended but I was sitting at that very moment on the tree facing the back of a statue of Queen Victoria. I was there drawing it for my sketch journal just so I could title it "Victoria's Behind."
5) They love the beer.....a lot! Now I already knew this but I have never seen so many packed pubs during the day as I have today! I was behind one guy when he turns to his companion, wipes the sweat off his brow and says, "We've been walking for bleating forever, how far away did they say the next pub was?" The friend replied "two blocks."
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Rules I have learned thus far
Only been here roughly four days and already I have a number of rules to take with me on the rest of my travels
1)"feck" is the most acceptable word in the language...followed closely by "fecking." I was sitting watching the boats for an hour and observed many passer byers. Noticed that every single New Zealand male (and to be fair Aussie as well) was saying this word whilst talking to their companion or mobile. Not always in an angry way, but just constantly using it to pepper their speech with some emphasis. I also observed that people of other nationalities were not using this word as they passes by (and believe me...I can say it in over 20 languages so I would have noticed if they said it :) )
2) Don't start the night at a club! Go to a pub or bar (really suggest one with live music that isn't too loud) first and meet people. This is very important! At a club you are going to only find very loud music with machismo guys looking to grope you and not even bothering to ask your name much less your permission. At a local pub or bar you can enjoy more locals who will actual talk to you and tell you a bit about themselves. This is much more pleasant experience and guarantees a better quality time. Now, don't despair if you wanted to go dancing. They stay out ALL NIGHT here....you may start at a pub, get to know someone until 3am and then go out dancing with him! This is the best of all worlds since now you know the guy fairly well, he has ascertained your permission for groping, and more importantly will actual know and possibly remember your name the next day.
3)a bloke is a bloke......yes, guys from different countries seem to have particular tastes that make you think they are safe to hang out with.....Asian men go for Asian women, German men into blond New Zealand or Aussie babes, American men into both previous categories, and the Brits and the Irish are into....BEER. However, that does not mean you are safe. They are still guys and some things are universal....guys just want to get laid!
4)Beware guys are waaayyy hotter with accents! I know, you are saying "duh." But until everything around you is spoken in a million different accents, you just don't know. The problem is now you are interested in guys you wouldn't glance a second time at in the US. So, I have a solution. Stuff cotton balls in your ears, dress the guy in baggy jeans and a free t-shirt that advertises some random product and is 2 sizes too big.....okay is he still hot or does he look like every other guy wondering around middle America?
5)Beware guys are waaayyy hotter with accents and a bloke is a bloke.....okay I said these before but you really need to pay attention to these two rules. These are not socially awkward American (especially Seattle) guys who will take months to work up the courage to ask you out and then botch any attempt at being sexy. These are cultured, accented, foreign guys who are so freaking good at seduction one minute you are chatting about books and the next you are sharing a twin bed.
6) That being said....guys are still better to hang out with than girls. Apparently another universal truth is that women (unless they are your friends) are bitches to other women. Yes, in every culture you are still competition (even in a country with more men than women) and will be treated with suspicion.
1)"feck" is the most acceptable word in the language...followed closely by "fecking." I was sitting watching the boats for an hour and observed many passer byers. Noticed that every single New Zealand male (and to be fair Aussie as well) was saying this word whilst talking to their companion or mobile. Not always in an angry way, but just constantly using it to pepper their speech with some emphasis. I also observed that people of other nationalities were not using this word as they passes by (and believe me...I can say it in over 20 languages so I would have noticed if they said it :) )
2) Don't start the night at a club! Go to a pub or bar (really suggest one with live music that isn't too loud) first and meet people. This is very important! At a club you are going to only find very loud music with machismo guys looking to grope you and not even bothering to ask your name much less your permission. At a local pub or bar you can enjoy more locals who will actual talk to you and tell you a bit about themselves. This is much more pleasant experience and guarantees a better quality time. Now, don't despair if you wanted to go dancing. They stay out ALL NIGHT here....you may start at a pub, get to know someone until 3am and then go out dancing with him! This is the best of all worlds since now you know the guy fairly well, he has ascertained your permission for groping, and more importantly will actual know and possibly remember your name the next day.
3)a bloke is a bloke......yes, guys from different countries seem to have particular tastes that make you think they are safe to hang out with.....Asian men go for Asian women, German men into blond New Zealand or Aussie babes, American men into both previous categories, and the Brits and the Irish are into....BEER. However, that does not mean you are safe. They are still guys and some things are universal....guys just want to get laid!
4)Beware guys are waaayyy hotter with accents! I know, you are saying "duh." But until everything around you is spoken in a million different accents, you just don't know. The problem is now you are interested in guys you wouldn't glance a second time at in the US. So, I have a solution. Stuff cotton balls in your ears, dress the guy in baggy jeans and a free t-shirt that advertises some random product and is 2 sizes too big.....okay is he still hot or does he look like every other guy wondering around middle America?
5)Beware guys are waaayyy hotter with accents and a bloke is a bloke.....okay I said these before but you really need to pay attention to these two rules. These are not socially awkward American (especially Seattle) guys who will take months to work up the courage to ask you out and then botch any attempt at being sexy. These are cultured, accented, foreign guys who are so freaking good at seduction one minute you are chatting about books and the next you are sharing a twin bed.
6) That being said....guys are still better to hang out with than girls. Apparently another universal truth is that women (unless they are your friends) are bitches to other women. Yes, in every culture you are still competition (even in a country with more men than women) and will be treated with suspicion.
Auckland is the new Seattle
Arrived in Auckland late Thursday night Feb.22. So far it has drizzled, rained and down poured! Am I in Seattle once again?! That's not all they have in common though.
1)Rain (as I have mentioned)
2)large Asian immigrant population (yes I can get as much Thai and sushi as I want, YEAH!)
3)Both places celebrate the Native culture every where you turn
4)Both are small for a "big city"
5)Both are port cities
6)Crime isn't as evident
7)Very clean for a large population living together
Okay so each of these similarities have something slightly off so you can tell them apart....
1) How the locals deal with the rain....in Seattle you can tell locals from tourists by the rain gear. tourists carry umbrellas with a look of either glee (yes, I'm in Seattle and it really does rain all the time) or annoyance on their faces. The locals pull the hood up of their jackets with a look of resignation on their faces. So, being a girl from Seattle I of course do not use an umbrella during the rain here and pull up my hood looking around smugly at the tourists with their umbrellas. Then I see how the locals are reacting. Nothing. I'm talking no umbrella, no hood , just bare heads being exposed to the rain looking for all the world that it is sunny outside. This behaviour occurred even during a downpour! These people are hardcore!
2)while there is a large Asian population and food joints all over the place...I have yet to find a single Teriyaki joint which are on every corner in Seattle. Apparently, Auckland's answer to the lack of Teriyaki places is to put up a kebab place every 5 steps.
3)the Native culture here is Maori (kind of Pacific Islander meets Native American) and you see its evidence in every street name, many harbors and town names, and various symbols, tattooes and carvings everywhere you turn. However, unlike Seattle the actual Maori people are still part of the population. Just go to a night club and every bouncer is Maori. The Maori male is known for his large, intimidating size so they are regularly employed as bouncers, security guards and crowd control
4)Auckland is much smaller. This is the largest city in the entire country and it has 1.2 million people!
Everything else is pretty much the same!
1)Rain (as I have mentioned)
2)large Asian immigrant population (yes I can get as much Thai and sushi as I want, YEAH!)
3)Both places celebrate the Native culture every where you turn
4)Both are small for a "big city"
5)Both are port cities
6)Crime isn't as evident
7)Very clean for a large population living together
Okay so each of these similarities have something slightly off so you can tell them apart....
1) How the locals deal with the rain....in Seattle you can tell locals from tourists by the rain gear. tourists carry umbrellas with a look of either glee (yes, I'm in Seattle and it really does rain all the time) or annoyance on their faces. The locals pull the hood up of their jackets with a look of resignation on their faces. So, being a girl from Seattle I of course do not use an umbrella during the rain here and pull up my hood looking around smugly at the tourists with their umbrellas. Then I see how the locals are reacting. Nothing. I'm talking no umbrella, no hood , just bare heads being exposed to the rain looking for all the world that it is sunny outside. This behaviour occurred even during a downpour! These people are hardcore!
2)while there is a large Asian population and food joints all over the place...I have yet to find a single Teriyaki joint which are on every corner in Seattle. Apparently, Auckland's answer to the lack of Teriyaki places is to put up a kebab place every 5 steps.
3)the Native culture here is Maori (kind of Pacific Islander meets Native American) and you see its evidence in every street name, many harbors and town names, and various symbols, tattooes and carvings everywhere you turn. However, unlike Seattle the actual Maori people are still part of the population. Just go to a night club and every bouncer is Maori. The Maori male is known for his large, intimidating size so they are regularly employed as bouncers, security guards and crowd control
4)Auckland is much smaller. This is the largest city in the entire country and it has 1.2 million people!
Everything else is pretty much the same!
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