En Zed Vocab Lesson

Move to new Zealand from the USA and you are likely to understand the language...that's because they speak english here! You 'll feel right at home. Haha, jk. Aside from the different accent you are for sure gonna be reminded daily that you are in a foreign land because of the strange new words...yes English is spoken here, but there is a bit of language learning involved as well- perhaps simply and extension of English? Nah, it's a completely different english language :)

Ok, let me explain.

Lesson #1 Egg laying clucking birds.

The owner of the house where I am staying has those little cluckity cluck cluck animals that lay eggs. And what do you call these birds? Well, you would say: I have to go out back to see if the chooks laid eggs yet.

Lesson #2 swim break

If you go to the beach, you don't want to forget the thing you swim in, or the slip on shoes that protect your feet from the hot hot hot sand. "ooooh, the sand is so hot, I better put on my jandals," and "this isn't a nude beach, so we better wear ours togs."

Lesson #3

Mmmm, I Love coffee. Most shops don't sell straight up drip coffee...although the local(?) Starbuck's does. Hmm. But French press style works just as well- if you've got one of these in your home, though, it's not a french press. Nope. You make coffee by plunging it with your plunger...that's right, the same name as the item we unclog our toilets with. Pleasant.

Ok, you're at any place that serves nondrip coffee- what on earth do you order???

*you want an americano? The espresso style most like drip coffee? Yeah you can order that, but it's also called a long black.

*straight up espresso- order a short black.

*flat white is like a mini latte.

*you don't want a skinny latte - or with skim milk. Instead, you'll order a trim latte with trim milk.

*cappaccino, latte, macchiato are more or less the same...

Lesson #4 how bout them roots?

Oh my goodness, I need to die my hair again cause the regrowth is as long as the Nile.

Bad example- but regrowth is roots from died hair. Makes sense. Roots do, too.

Lesson #5 the last letter.

How would you say the last letter of the alphabet? Or how would you spell ooze?

Ok, here goes: oh-oh-zed-eee

Yeah, the last letter of the alphabet is 'zed' not 'zee.' cool,huh?

Lesson #6

you tinkle on a bog, apparently. Not a toilet.

Lesson #7 in the kitchen

Haha...this learning moment strongly influenced my decision to peace out of my job.

Don't put the cup on the bench.

Haha...I guess you had to be there to find humor in that sentence. But that translates to: Don't put the mug on the countertop.

I was asking my ex-boss to hand me a mug. I pointed to it and said it again a few times. He's puzzled. Ding ding ding, lightbulb! He realizes I'm talking about the device to serve coffee drinks in...he states rather rudely "NO, it's a CUP! You're not in the US anymore, you're in New Zealand! You have to call it a CUP!" then he shakes his head in disgust at my ignorance and stupidity. Quite literally. K, buddy. I've got ZERO problem with calling this item a cup. None. But I have to have the knowledge to call it that first. Way to go for understanding of language barriers and cultural differences...

Lesson learned. And there were plenty of other rude and disrespectful situations, not just that.

Enough ranting. Moving on to our next lesson...bare with me, we're almost done.

Lesson #8

you need to grab some snackies or a soda, or maybe an ice cream at one of those super duper tiny grocery stores but not really grocery stores cause all they sell is junk food stores? It's a dairy versus a convenience store.

Hmm what else. Oh yeah, if you come here from the States, remember that the left side of the road is the right side of the road. So don't drive on the right side unless you're down with head on collision (and really, you shouldn't be).

That's a biggie.

Enough learning for the day. If you feel like learning more today, I'd suggest reading a book.

Aloha! (that's Hawaiian for 'hello' and 'goodbye'. :)