Ten Things An American will get Used to After Living in NZ for Six Months

Driving: Driving on the left hand side of the road for the first time is more terrifying than you’d think, but you’ll get used to it within a week. That or you’ll die in a fiery, head-on collision. Eventually you’ll stop having anxiety attacks every time you drive through a roundabout.

Your co-workers wearing the same shirt as you: That’s because there is one mall. And in that mall two stores that you buy clothes from.  These are the same two stores for all twenty-something women that you work with.

Snubbing your nose at grocery store veggies: You get them fresh from the farm of course. Plus, in the winter the vegetable selection at normal grocery stores get real sad and real expensive.

Your new diet: Nobody tells you this, but when you move to a new country you have to adapt your diet to what food is available locally. When you change what goes in your body you change what comes out of your body.

Chemical withdrawals: Cigarettes cost $13-$19 per pack. Beer costs $11-$19 per six pack, and liquor is something you only buy on very special occasions. Since you just spent all your money moving to a foreign country you can’t afford to be an addict.

Going to bed at 9pm: Because everything is closed by 7, and two hours of staring at you partner is enough for anyone.

A diminishing dislike for cops: You can go weeks without seeing a cop, and when you do see them you don’t have to be afraid of them, because unlike the cops in the United States, their motto isn’t, “To terrorize and fleece.”

Seeing people not wearing shoes. They’re everywhere, and that’s fine.

Real ethnic restaurants: Made by real ethnic families, with real ethnic atmosphere.

Calling NZ home: it may have taken six months but now remember your phone number and address.

And one more for fun: You’ll finally accept that you’ll never be able to pronounce local words with your American accent.  There might have been hope if you were only up against a local language, but in NZ it’s the British version of the local language.  Look away and mumble.