Barefoot in Town: Are you a Kiwi yet?

Cookie_Monster

Have you picked up any of the (odd) Kiwi habits yet?

Not wearing footware walking through town, in the shops, driving barefoot?
Eating dip with your chips (calling them chips instead of crisps)
Shorting every word possible? fluro, arvo, park (parking space) etc
Saying "shot" whenever someone hands you something?



Any more?

spunkymunky

I Drive the odd time barefoot mainly after the beach or climbing, been barefoot in shops but defo dont walk about barefoot. That **** hurts my sensitive Irish feet.

I eat dip with crisps but i did this in Ireland. Still call them crisp but say chips and dip the odd time, jokingly...this is how it gets into your day to day aye?? <---See
Shorting every word possible? fluro, arvo, park (parking space) etc
No
Saying "shot" whenever someone hands you something?
????? Never heard this one!

Ones of seen/heard
Saying 'Hard out' to everything.
Adding "AS" after words....sweets as, hot ass, big as, beached etc
Other drivers seeing the two car lengths between you and the car in front and just pulling in!! grrr







Any more?

Cookie_Monster

spunkymunky wrote: »

Saying "shot" whenever someone hands you something?
????? Never heard this one!

replaces 'thanks', it's certainly a local one in Taranaki, not sure about elsewhere though

pclancy

I say "heaps" quite a lot now because I love it. Still find it funny to call a large number of a things a "heap" because in Ireland a heap is generally farm related A flatmate used to always describe cool stuff as "Mean as" and that stuck with me for a while.

Crisps will always be crisps but yeah it is just as easy call them chippies. I find it funny that Kiwis think pouring curry over chips to make "curry chips" so outrageous!

I'll never walk around barefoot except at the marina or the beach, when my Mam came to visit once she wondered were all the people walking around without shoes really poor or something. Its weird, also dangerous there's always something sore to walk on in town! I find feet a bit gross so really don't like it when I see people walking barefoot in the supermarket near food. Mank.

I'm impressed with myself that I can BBQ steaks and burgers properly now without incinerating them, that's probably my most proud Kiwi achievement.

MrCreosote

I try to walk barefoot as much as possible. It's much healthier, and the relative lack of rubbish and doo crap make it easier.

I'd love to be able to pull off the Kiwi winter uniform- boots, shorts, t-shirt, puffa vest and beanie. Too cold for wussy old me though!

TrueDub

MrCreosote wrote: »

I try to walk barefoot as much as possible. It's much healthier

Really? How so?

MrCreosote

Promotes correct gait and improved muscle function in the foot. Less likely to get athlete's foot or other fungal infections. Lower impact loading on the knees, hips and back reduces the risk of arthritis and degree of pain in people already with arthritis.

Basically the biodynamics are healthier. Takes a bit of getting used to though, especially for the skin on the sole of the foot.

Shzm

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

replaces 'thanks', it's certainly a local one in Taranaki, not sure about elsewhere though

That used to be popular in Auckland probably 11 - 12 years ago.. good to see the Naki catching on. Although, it didn't really replace 'thanks', more of a 'good on ya' type saying.

Mrs OBumble

And now for the acid test:

That shop on the corner where you buy you papers / milk / stuff you need quickly. Is it called

A) the dairy
the newsagent, convenience store, corner shop ... any other name with lots of syllables

If you answer A), you've made it, congratulations on your inculturation.


I dunno about the barefoot bit though, not something I was in to, except in the height of summer at the beach.

CatFromHue

I would have thought the real test of being a Kiwi is if a Chugger trys to stop you......and you stop!

earnyourturns

- saying "true?" instead of "is that right?"
- learning to use nutcracker rope tows at the ski-fields
- avidly watching Country Calendar each week
- wearing hat, down jacket, shorts and jandals when going to the outdoor swimming pool
- driving barefoot

earnyourturns

Also learning the delicious of onion soup mix + reduced cream = delicious dip for chips

Rabies

After 6+ years, I do most of the things mentioned now

Drive in my bare feet in summer if its an hour+ trip. Walk to the local shop (dairy) in my bare feet, picked up the lingo, Irish accent has softened a little too :-/

Kilkenny14

Using "sweet as" instead of "ok".

Rosy Posy

We're in our seventh year now and I definitely can relate to a lot of the points on here. Our kids were born here and have the accent and when I go home people say I've got it too (my OH remains staunch...and no one can understand him). Heaps, eh, bro, -as, for true, too much, choice, the dairy all part of the daily lingo. Picked up a few stock phases of Te Reo (mostly cause I don't want my kids talking behind our backs the way we do with Irish!)- kia ora, kia kaha, whare paku, tai ho, arohanui, puku, hare mai, ka pai, korero etc. Rarely wear shoes in the summer, even in town. Gumboots par for the course in winter (necessary as our 'property' is rural and mucky). 'Property' and 'Vehicle' instead of gaf and motor. Both my and the OH's shorts have gotten shorter. Ladies a plate, fellah's a crate, instead of expecting your host to provide everything when you go to someone's house (I've started doing this instinctively when I go home now too). I've also noticed that I've lost that panicky compulsion to down tools and go outside whenever the sun shines, I can just relax and know that it will probably still be sunny in an hour, and tomorrow, and the day after that.

One thing tho- I can't and never will be able to stomach that onion dip...the smell and texture makes me want to gag!! Also I can't abide rugby...my OH says that they will fail me for citizen ship on the grounds of the last two points alone!!

TrueDub

Rosy Posy wrote: »

Gumboots

I think you've unconsciously proved your point here - aren't these wellies? :D

runawaybishop

spunkymunky wrote: »

Shorting every word possible? fluro, arvo, park (parking space) etc
No

spunkymunky wrote: »

I Drive the odd time barefoot mainly after the beach or climbing, been barefoot in shops but defo dont walk about barefoot. That **** hurts my sensitive Irish feet.

Insidious culture gets inside you before you even notice

MrCreosote

I think you've made it when you realise Les Mills gym is called after a person rather than a pretentious French grain-grinding building.

spunkymunky

runawaybishop wrote: »

Insidious culture gets inside you before you even notice

Ah touche....but this came on the plane with me!!
Anyway, who cares. I think after a while you should pick up some of the lingo and habits (Hopefully not the driving!!). Anyone who doesnt is really trying not too!
As long as i keep my Irish accent i'm happy.

Has anyone started saying, "it's alright" when someone thanks you. Never got that one! Maybe more an aussie thing but i hear it here aswell.

Cookie_Monster

Ah the driving... I now have absolutely no regard for lines in the centre or edge of the road and drift across them all the time to get the best line in the corners :D:D

Mrs OBumble

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Ah the driving... I now have absolutely no regard for lines in the centre or edge of the road and drift across them all the time to get the best line in the corners :D:D

Ahh, that's a habit that's pretty widely observed in Ireland too.

Rosy Posy

I have to say that the last time I was in Dublin I noticed the bad driving, I think I posted about it in the 'what do you notice when you come home' thread in AH. At home there is a much looser interpretation of the traffic lights and jaywalking is a national pastime. Over here the tailgating when driving long distance is ridiculous- either pass me out or back off ffs! I have noticed my oh using both sides of the road to corner on since we've been here!

FearDark

Saying "smoko" instead of "tea break"

CommanderC

ok. I weighed up the comments and the winner of the 'I'm the bestust kiwi bro' competition is................

THIS GUY !!!!!!!!!!!!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_N5Uwat0gmlY/SKK3nmmu3YI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/jvzaM7-UMZQ/s400/Te+Weeti+Haka.jpg

Crumble Froo

Ohhh! Just saw this thread!

I just ****ing LOVE not having to wear shoes unless I'm at work (steelcaps) or on a licensed premises at night. Whoever was able to list all the health benefits - that's almost exactly it! I've got a gimpy knee and between the warmth, dry and walking barefoot, I'm like a whole new person with my mobility! Tried it when I went back to Dublin a couple years ago though... good at dodging glass (so sparkly), but looks of disapproval were harder to avoid.

**** dip with chups! I still call them crisps. My argument is that at least the yanks call them chips, but differentiate from the hot ones with fries. Here you head to the shops, someone calls for some chups, and usually bring back whichever one they didn't mean. I will occasionally concede to calling them chippies though. And lollies. Back home, lollies were just lollipops, right? As opposed to all things confectionary, chocolate included on case by case basis...

Irish are pretty good for shortening words, cutting consonants out and all that, there's a few I've kept, but have to say 'arvo' is just genius! Especially in text, but also in convo (:P), just easier, I like it. And sure, they call lots of things strange things, but they're brilliantly descriptive. gumboots, yeah, they're wellies, but you know what they mean. Nice n simple. (for the record, no I don't own a pair, and havent since I was in primary school).

'Shot' here, at least in my circles, is usually more of a sarcastic put down, someone does or says something dumass/foolish/unintentionally funny, they'll get 'shot', followed by their name.

Hard out, full on, mean as, goin gnarly, brutal are all in my vocab now. Brutal took the longest to get used to - used to mean 'really bad', now it means 'really badass'.

pclancy wrote: »

Crisps will always be crisps but yeah it is just as easy call them chippies. I find it funny that Kiwis think pouring curry over chips to make "curry chips" so outrageous!

Having not gotten into curries until I moved here, this is new to me. I may have to try.

Flatmate was taking the piss the other day, remembering all those years ago the first time he offered to make me a cheese and pineapple toastie, and I was shocked and appalled at the concept. Yumyumyumwant.

On the subject though, marmite/vegemite and cheese toasties can go **** emselves. That's just gross, man.

I find feet a bit gross so really don't like it when I see people walking barefoot in the supermarket near food. Mank.

Honestly, I used to hate feet so much too, specially my own... but have slowly grown up and stopped caring about that kinda thing, and I'm happy cos I'm comfortable and not bothering anyone without a phobia, really (and that's their problem). Though have many people here experienced birds, sparrows and the like in supermarkets? The ****ers feed on fresh fruit and veg ffs! Mank! (I'd forgotten the word mank! Thankyou!)

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And now for the acid test:

That shop on the corner where you buy you papers / milk / stuff you need quickly. Is it called

A) the dairy
the newsagent, convenience store, corner shop ... any other name with lots of syllables

If you answer A), you've made it, congratulations on your inculturation

See, if they actually had a couple of different newspapers to choose from, I would probably go on referring to it as a newsagents.