Postcards from the edge (of the world)

view of Auckland, NZ/ photo by M. Mcabe

I moved to New Zealand almost two years ago and I have to say, it’s a funny place. Before I decided to move I weighed it up and decided that it was worth giving a go for a while, after all, what could I lose? New Zealand had to be one of the easiest countries to move to from the UK, not because it’s close, because let’s be honest it isn’t, but because it’s not that dissimilar. The country was developed by migrating Europeans, it’s Westernised and they speak English. How hard could it be?

New Zealand is a beautiful country. I live in Auckland, the biggest city, in a flat* that has unobstructed views to Waitakere hills to the west of the city and yet I only have a 20 minute walk to work and have a view of the harbour from my office. I couldn’t get that in London.

So yes, New Zealand and my flat are both beautiful, but after getting settled in my new digs, I soon learned that life in New Zealand was not all rosy. There are things that are just wrong with living here. Ok, they’re only small things ,and you may think I’m mad, but they bother me.

The quality of supermarket food is disappointing. It’s not that you can’t get hold of good food; it’s that it’s just not readily available. There are only two supermarket groups in New Zealand and they operate under six brands so there’s no real competition. I’m sure we’re spoiled in the UK, your average supermarket has good food, an extensive range and it’s cheap. In New Zealand it’s like we’re back in the ‘80s. Pasta is thick and chewy, there’s a bigger range of pies than there is of fruit and the cheese is horrible.

Cheese is a whole other topic. Cheese could be it's own article, and maybe it will. New Zealand cheese baffles me. How can the nation with the biggest dairy business in the world not know how to make decent cheese? They make New Zealand brie that is about as similar to brie as cheddar is. Not only is cheese not good but dairy products are so expensive. New Zealand butter is more expensive in New Zealand than it is in Britain.

Sausages are another problem. "Sausages"in New Zealand have about 20% meat, many are pre-cooked and some, Sizzlers, can’t be called sausages because there’s so little meat in them, but that’s OK because they’re injected with processed cheese. Because, why wouldn't they be? It’s no wonder they’ve just announced New Zealand is the third fattest nation on the planet.

To be fair, fruit and veg. in Zealand is generally excellent and most of it is grown locally, soyou can drive up to orchards around the city and get great tasting fresh produce. Even in supermarkets they still stock most fruit and veg. seasonally, which I applaud.

So, I may sound like a whinger** but over the years I have learned it’s the small things that matter when you are living thousands of miles from friends and family.  Sometimes,  I just want to be able to go to somewhere like Marks & Spencer*** and buy some nice food as a treat, or even just have the selection that we have in the UK. 

Editor’s Notes:

Flat = apartment

Whinger = complainer

Marks and Spencer = U.K. based grocery store but with many departments including clothing and cosmetics, almost a ritzy version of Target