Interesting Pronounciations

Some of these are interesting, but some are down right confusing.
Cervical—-”Sir-vye-cull”
Jambalaya—”Jom-ball-uh”
Antigua—”Ann-tig-you-uh”
Subaru—”Sue-baa-roo”
Yes—”Yis”
Bear—”Beer”
Pen—”Pin”
For the microbiologists: Campylobacter-”Cam-pile-oh-back-ter”
You can actually listen to Bear and beer on this site.
http://faculty.washington.edu/dillon/PhonResources/kiwisounds/NewZealandPronunciation.html
Also, listen to the “here hair ear air” one. “Ear” and “air” sound exactly the same.

Bad Words and Bar Words Kiwictionary

Another installment of the Kiwictionary
These words are useful for finding your way around the bar, for telling someone off, or for telling stories about your time spent in a bar after one too many.

Bloody–friggin’, as in “He’s a bloody jafa.”
Bogan–a lame boy racer; a redneck; white trash
Boy racer–teenage guy with a souped up car who [...]

My Life is Just Like LOTR

My boss, Tall and Grey, came over today and charged me with an all important task. We found this ring-binded document, “My Precious Environment: Things the NZ government does not want you to know” and I must carry it to be destroyed. I think he said it could be destroyed in the doom, oh wait [...]

Report on the Minor Details

HOME

I live with a woman who has children aged 23 and 19.
I live there because then I don’t have to buy anything, such as a bed or kitchen items.
I use 2 of my suitcases as dresser drawers because I have no where to store them and it is handy in case I need to make [...]

Addendum to Misconception Interception, Part 1-Environment

An interesting article was just published here discussing the clean, green image of NZ and the lengths people will go to to keep that image “100% Pure”. Apparently, a recently published environmental document had some of its ‘not-so-green findings’ omitted so as to not have NZ come across as unclean.
The ditched chapter [...]

Where in the World?

Currently, I am in New Zealand, but in the recent past I was in Australia.
In the near future, I will be in Southeast Asia. Yes folks, in less 2 months, I am off with a friend to travel through Thailand with a swing over into Cambodia. I will use up all my vacation time, but [...]

Misconception Interception, Part 1: Environment

The picture painted to me about NZ was green or 100% Pure. I assumed NZ would not be as progressive as Europe, but at least on par with the USA, which we can debate all day about whether or not is environmentally responsible. Sadly, from my viewpoint with respect to NZ’s environmentalism, the Green title [...]

Waitangi Day and Hanmer Springs

Today was Waitangi Day-the national day of NZ- and thus a day off in the middle of the week. The day celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, which is NZ’s founding document signed in 1840.
“The Treaty made New Zealand a part of the British Empire, guaranteed Māori rights to their land and gave [...]

Wellington Update

My weekend in Wellington was really nice. I arrived on Friday night which coincided with the rugby 7s. Lucky me.
Saturday was spent taking the GRE in case I decide about graduate school. Bleh. After the test I went shopping on Cuba street, which is the funky bohemian section. There is nothing like this in Christchurch, [...]

Misconception Interception

I am working on writing a series to post on here entitled “Misconception Interception” to provide a more honest point of view of life down under. Life here is not all about hikes in beautiful scenery that is free of environmental problems and hanging out with all the friendly mates. The purpose of this blog, [...]