First of all, a few more fun words: trolleys is the name for shopping carts (and other hand trucks or carts)
jandals is their word for sandals
We’ve also encountered a couple of delightfully descriptive phrases ( meaning the same as go/turn sour):
It went pear-shaped………
It went plaid………
Mark and I also have a new favorite phrase for using when driving on certain roads. When we were driving on the South Island going south out of Queenstown, we encountered a sign that said, “Watch out for Road Slumps!” Instinctively, we all know what a road slump is, but the wording made us laugh and start imagining some strange animals lurking in the undergrowth. We’ve never seen that signage again. However, another sign we happen on quite regularly when driving (compliments of the ever present road work going on) is, “Works End.” Somehow it always strikes us as wrong--we think it should be “Work Ends”.
Kiwis have official clubs for everything--with actual membership. In addition, the club will often, but not always, have its own dedicated building. A few are familiar: golf club, yacht club, tennis club (although nothing like such clubs are in the States). Here are a few other clubs we have seen along the way: angling, lawn bowling, croquet, model railroad, rugby and sports, boys, and, my personal favorite, the Coromandel ukulele club called Ukumania.
One other observation of note. Kiwis go barefoot everywhere!!! Our “no shirt, no shoes, no service” requirements in the States would quickly put a place out of business here. We had dinner the other night in the home of a British couple who are sharing one doctor position here in the Whangamata practice while raising their four elementary aged children (who go to the school I‘m volunteering at). Nikki, the wife, commented, “We have lost so many pairs of shoes since moving here. To begin with I sent my children to school in proper British shoes but they kept coming home without them. I‘ve given up.” Then Mark, the husband, quipped, “Dressing up here means wearing shoes!”
This morning, I walked to school well bundled against the very chilly morning (lower 50’s, I think) only to discover that at least half of the children in the 5 year olds class were barefoot!! In Wairoa, Mark saw an older Maori woman with a toe ulcer and suggested to her that wearing a sock to warm that foot up might be a good idea and increase circulation, but she appeared unconvinced. (Remember the barefoot priest I mentioned in another blog?) Actually, when it is really cold some adults just wear heavy woolen socks--but still no shoes!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
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