So you decided to move to New Zealand or you are at least considering. Great choice since “The Land of the Long White Cloud” is simply paradise. However, this does not mean that you should go there blindly.
Obviously, you want to learn all that you need to do from a legal point of view. But moving to another country is not as simple as that. This is why, before you move to New Zealand, here are some great things you need to be aware of.
There Are Not Many People Around
New Zealand is incredible for people that love to be alone in a heaven-like setting. This country is actually larger than the UK but the population is just around 4.8 million. As an example to highlight the contrast, in the UK, there are 66.5 million people. In addition, Kiwis mostly live in the urban areas (86%). This practically means the countryside is quite empty.
Just to make things interesting and funny, although not many people are around, there are numerous sheep. For every single NZ citizen, round 6 sheep exist in the country, with a total number of beautiful wooly creatures of around thirty million.
Get Ready For The Accent
If you never spent time in New Zealand and you still want to move, at least arrange a short trip or get in touch with some locals. The accent in the country is almost always confusing. Kiwis sound American, South African, and Australian in just a few words.
As an example, you want to forget almost everything you know about common vowel sounds. “I” will sound like “uh”. Basically, you will hear “fush and chups” instead of “fish and chips”. The “e” sound is similar to the “I”. Just think about how confusing this might be for first-timers.
Unpredictable Weather
Because New Zealand is close to Australia, people think the weather is the same. If you think the exact same thing, you will be surprised. The temperatures in NZ are not as extreme but you can end up with having all 4 seasons in a single day. This practically means that you can end up faced with rain in a couple of minutes after enjoying the hottest sun ever.
The New Zealand islands are practically surrounded by wild seas. This makes everything really exciting though since you can start your day with a sunny perfect temperature and at 2 PM end up with rain and wind.
The Landscape Is Among The Best In The Entire World
New Zealand is widely considered as being one of the most beautiful countries in the world, if not the most beautiful. It is just breathtaking. We can only say that the country is simply spectacular, with a huge one third of it actually being made up of national parks (protected).
A special consideration needs to be mentioned in regards to the lakes in NZ since they are among the clearest you can see on this Earth. The Blue Lake is known as the clearest in the entire world. Its visibility is 80 meters, which is similar to what you would expect with distilled water. The Maori people claim the Blue Lake is sacred. You can easily understand why after you see it. Regardless of history or your belief, you are not allowed to bathe in the lake.
New Zealanders Hate Possums
Last but not least, people in the country simply hate possums. This is because in 1837, some citizens brought possums to start a fur business. This was an error since possums simply ran rampant. There was no natural predator that could stop the possums. Unfortunately, these are animals that can cause tuberculosis for cows, all while eating eggs from kea birds and kiwi birds. At the same time, possums eat around 20,000 tonnes of vegetation. This happens every single night.
Right now, there are close to 30 million possums in New Zealand.
