Differences between NZ and the UK...

During my time in NZ I have heard a lot of strange words & meanings. Each time I've had to ask the person to explain what they meant as I'd never heard it before. Heres a list of NZ words I've come across and what they mean to us English people.........

   NZ                                    UK

capsicum                     pepper

state                          exam

bach                          beach house

jandles                       flip flops

stoked                       excited

crook                        unwell

de facto                    couple who live together but not married

dunny                       toilet

pikelet                      pancake
 
togs                         swimwear

toll call                     long distance phone call

tiki tour                    scenic route

whanau                   (maori for) family

gumboots                 wellies

freeway                    motorway

hottie                      hot water bottle

parks                       car parking space

smokes                    cigarettes

WOF                       MOT
(warrant of fitness)

daggy                     unfashionable/silly



do you live in a tent?         do you live in a barn?

lock it in / locked in           save the date (diary)

tits in a tangle                  knickers in a twist                 LOL



I have also come across a few things which differ from here to at home.

•  traffic lights change from red to green (missing amber) so no warning, they change all of a sudden
• there are traffic lights to get on each motorway, but they change instantly RED AMBER GREEN RED AMBER GREEN (as quick as it took u to read that - 2 cars are meant to go through at a time) sorry i didnt know how else to explain it by text lol
• 'Merge like a zip' signs made me laugh as ur joining a motorway
• Some railway lines run next to the roads, so you can be driving line & a train goes past next to you...or you see people waiting at the station right next to the road
• Coronation Street is 18 months behind in NZ!!
• There is NO central heating. And its winter!!!!!!!!!!! Its absolutely freezing cold - people rely on small heaters to warm the place up but when you walk from one room to another the cold hits you. Night time is the worst - I had to sleep face under quilt cos I had a cold face haha. Constantly have cold hands & feet - I guess when ur so used to central heating its a shock whereas kiwis are used to it. We're called SOFT POMS cos we cant handle it lol
• Brothels are legal.
• Shops do not all close at 4pm on a Sunday. Supermarkets open till 11pm!
• No small change in NZ - no 1 cent, 2 cent or 5 cent. Smallest is 10 cent (20p). In shops they round the price up when you get to the till

A few differences within the health care system:

• you pay for doctors appointments - around $50/£25 - apparently if you're a student nurse you can see the onsite doctor for $5/£2.50!!!!
• you are invoiced if you call 999 and an ambulance comes to you and/or transfers you to hospital - around $80/£40
• healthcare assistants help administer medication if they have their drug competency signed off - its not always the nurses job :/ (not sure I agree with this)
• a lot of medication is given in blister packs/ dossett boxes rather than administered individually

And thats that :) xxxxxxxxxxx