New Zealand is a beautiful country located in the South Pacific Ocean. With a population of only five million people, it is much smaller than the United States, which has a population of around 333 million people. As expected, the two countries have several cultural differences due to the size of their geography and population.
New Zealand is about 2.5 percent of the landmass of the United States and is approximately the same size as Oregon. It comprises two main islands, the North and South Island, with Stuart Island down south and a couple of other outlying islands. The climate of New Zealand is generally nice, and it straddles the 38th parallel of latitude. The North Island has a drier and sunnier climate, while the South Island has a cooler and wetter climate. In contrast, California, which straddles the same latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, has a drier and warmer climate in Southern California and a wetter and cooler climate in Northern California.
One of the most significant differences between the two countries is the seasons. Due to the different hemispheres, the two countries have different seasons. Christmas in New Zealand is in the middle of summer, with no snow on the ground. In contrast, they celebrate Christmas on the beach. When it’s August in the US, it’s super hot, but New Zealand is in the heart of winter.
New Zealand’s time zone straddles the International Date Line, making it one of the first places for sunrise each new day worldwide. Therefore, if you live in New Zealand, you’re technically living in the future, almost a day ahead of the United States.
Another major difference is that people in New Zealand don’t order online and ship things to their house as often as they do in the United States. Although people can order online and get things shipped to their house, it’s probably not going to be on the same day, especially if you don’t live in major cities like Auckland, Wellington, or Christchurch. It’s not as common, especially in rural areas, and some people find it enjoyable that they don’t have that convenience culture in New Zealand. In contrast, in the United States, people have become accustomed to the culture of convenience, where everything arrives at their front door, even in their pajamas, and it creates a lot of waste.
New Zealand is cleaner than the United States, and there are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, New Zealand is 40 times smaller than the United States, meaning there are fewer people and, therefore, less trash. Additionally, there is a culturally ingrained sense of duty and obligation to clean up after oneself, evidenced by the presence of signs across the country that say things like “be a tidy kiwi,” encouraging people not to litter. Litterbugs are frowned upon, and there is social pressure to avoid littering and clean up after oneself.
New Zealand is a conservation-minded country, being an island chain that exists in the South Pacific Ocean. The unique flora and fauna that existed in Zealandia resulted in New Zealand having an exceptionally unique ecosystem with animal and plant species that do not exist anywhere else on Earth. Unlike the United States, New Zealand has almost no indigenous mammal species, allowing for a large array of unique bird species to evolve. Unfortunately, upon the arrival of the first humans, pests like rats, stoats, and possums, which are wreaking havoc on native bird species, were also introduced. The whole country is quite conservation-minded and is taking considerable efforts to eliminate predators and re-introduce these flightless birds to revitalize and regrow populations of unique bird species.
One of the most striking differences between New Zealand and the United States is the culture surrounding tipping in restaurants. In the United States, it is customary to tip waiters and waitresses to encourage them to provide excellent service. However, in New Zealand, tipping is not the norm, which can lead to a different dining experience. Some may find that it encourages restaurant owners to rush customers through meals to get more patrons and, consequently, more tips. In fact, one diner in New Zealand informed the waiter before ordering that he would pay for the meal and handed his credit card to the waiter, who was confused by this request, as she had never encountered such a situation before. She had to speak to her manager, who then came over to handle the transaction.
Another major difference between New Zealand and the United States is driving. In New Zealand, people drive on the left-hand side of the road, and the driver’s seat is on the right-hand side of the car, which is the opposite of in the United States. This difference in driving can be challenging for Americans who are accustomed to driving on the right-hand side of the road. Even signaling with your turn signal can be confusing as it is switched from what American drivers are used to.
Roundabouts are another driving feature that is popular in New Zealand but not as prevalent in the United States. While stoplights are common in cities, the country is filled with roundabouts. American drivers may be intimidated by roundabouts, but they are quite straightforward. You just need to ensure that no one is entering it, and if they are, you slow down, let them go, and then it’s your turn.
Unlike the United States, where eight-lane freeways are common, most of New Zealand’s roads are winding, one-lane highways. Even the main highway in the country, State Highway One, is mostly a one-lane road. This can make travel time longer than expected, especially as the roads are quite winding, and there are quite a lot of crashes, especially on weekends.
Lastly, if you need to call the police in New Zealand, the number is 1-1-1, not 9-1-1 as it is in the United States. This may seem like a small difference, but it is essential to know in case of an emergency.
What Are the Implications For Dating? What do you Need to be Aware of?
The difference in seasons may affect the types of dates people go on. In New Zealand, where Christmas is in the middle of summer, people may be more likely to go on outdoor dates, such as hiking or going to the beach. In contrast, in the US, where Christmas is in the middle of winter, indoor dates, such as going to the movies or a restaurant, may be more popular.
The difference in attitudes towards convenience may also play a role in dating culture. In the US, where people are used to having everything available at their fingertips, they may expect dating partners to be available at all times and to be able to make plans at the last minute. In contrast, in New Zealand, where convenience culture is not as prevalent, people may be more likely to plan dates in advance.
The difference in tipping culture may also affect dating experiences. In the US, tipping waiters and waitresses is customary, and people may feel pressure to tip generously to impress their dates. In New Zealand, where tipping is not the norm, people may not feel as much pressure to tip, and the dining experience may be more relaxed. This is definitely true!
Overall, while there may be some cultural differences that affect dating in each country, dating is a universal experience, and people in both New Zealand and the US are likely to share many of the same hopes, dreams, and desires when it comes to finding love.