3/29/2009

continued newness

I have learned many interesting points and many new uses for words since I was in Kansas.  You can read about 'new' stuff I have already posted about here  and  things I have learned about New Zealand here.

I'm sure the list will be never-ending, so I consider this a continuation of the list....

Where 'vacuum' is a verb in the US, they use 'hoover' here.

The dot at the end of a sentence here is called a 'full stop'.

I find the made-up word 'mugwump' very amusing.  It means, well, nothing specific really.  I asked what a bird on a fence was called and wonderful, understanding Hubby told me it was a mugwump. Never having heard of one before, I asked if that was a native of New Zealand.  He shrugged and said "I don't think so.  Any bird that sits on a fence with his 'mug' on one side and his 'rump' on the other is a mugwump."  [He was treated for minor injuries at the Emergency Room and released.]

Over 1/3 of this whole country is set aside as land reserves.

'Trainers' are not people who help you exercise here.  They are athletic shoes.
I guess that's not any stranger than calling them 'tenny-runners' when I was a kid.

All the rolls of kitchen things like foil and waxed paper and saran wrap come as plain rolls.  They don't usually have boxes much less any cutting edges built into the box.  I have learned to tear them rather efficiently.

Pound cake, chili, home-made mac and cheese were all new to my new family.

I still can't get a decent saltine cracker.  We have one brand, but they are way too thick for my liking.  Hubby thinks they are fabulous, though.  Interestingly enough, there is a NZ brand called Jatz that tastes exactly like a Ritz. And they sell Ritz crackers, too.

The small towns all roll up the sidewalks early and don't bother to open the shops on weekends. Just the hardware/garden centers and maybe a couple other stores on main street ('High Street') are open on Saturday mornings. Liquor stores, the video shop, convenience stores and some of the many owner/operated 'dairies' are usually open.  There was a poll taken by the newspaper concerning weekend-shopping and it has been the front-page news for the last 3 weeks.  Yes, that's how small this town is.

5 comments:

Bitsa Lit said...

haha!! I get a kick out of hoover. Im not really sure why but every time I hear someone say anything about a hoover or hoovering I go into fits of hysterical laughter for reasons unknown.
I have never heard of a full stop though...something to ponder lol! :)
And I dont know what I would do without the blade on the box...die possibley..or just get plastic lid containers for EVERYTHING!
:)

Connie said...

How funny! I get the giggles over 'hoovering' too. Doesn't help that that first hoover I had in the UK was a canister thing with sticker eyes on it.

When we moved our American kids to Egypt, the first school they went to was a small school run by Irish and French ladies - talk about cultural confusion! I can remember my son learning about full stops in kindergarten... when he'd get mad, he'd yell "That's it! End! Full Stop!"

We lived in a small town for awhile in the UK. I'd run out of something, so I'd grab my jacket and purse and start walking to the store... aaand then I'd remeber that it was 7pm. Once or twice? No. Many, many times... I never learned.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Hi Bettyl,

When you go back to US and have a dinner party, tell your guests to bring a plate. They will think you just came back and didn't have enough crocklery so they have to bring their own plate. LOL

To all non NZ readers, by the way, bring a plate is likened to pot luck dinner.

Did you know, back 30 years ago, they didn't even have Sunday trading?

Bitsa Lit said...

oooh! I love pot lucks! people always bring the most interesting things and I try them ALL!!! I especially love the cultural ones from their 'roots'.
when you say Sunday traiding, do you mean Sunday shopping? We just got that here a few years ago too and I remember the big drama over it in the news lol!

Paula said...

I find this all very fascinating...thanks for sharing with us