My second Christmas in New Zealand
The Christmas in New Zealand is another pleasant surprise for me. Being in the southern hemisphere, I realised that December is actually Summer (the Silly Season). So, instead of celebrating a white(or Winter) Christmas, the people here spend this most celebrated festive season with their family and friends over a barbecue, many go to the beaches on Christmas day morning, around the Pohutukawatrees, the New Zealand Christmas Tree. Going to the cemetery to pay respect to their loved ones who have passed on is also a tradition for some.
Many companies will “shutdown” over the 2 weeks between Christmas and the New Year. So, many people will go on leaves on the days besides the statutory holidays, and they will travell around the country. The Auckland CBD is basically a ghost town on Christmas day. This is also partly because Christmas day is one of the 3.5 days where all shops must be closed by law.
Christmas in New Zealand, Auckland particularly, is as commercialised as any other big cities. About 2 to 3 weeks before Christmas, it’s said $1 billion was spent every week. Although the traditional values of Christmas is very much alive here, for example the spirit of giving. Unfortunately, to many, it’s no more just about the thoughts, but it’s more about how expensive the present is. As it turn out, Christmas can be a stressful time for some.
Boxing day sale is the highlight on well, Boxing day, which is a statutory holiday. All the shops and businesses offer excellent discounts, personally I do no encourage consumerism, but for someone who is well planned, one is able to get some very good bargains on this day. It’s said some people actually shop for Christmas presents on Boxing day, of course, for the next Christmas. 
Finally, my damage for this Christmas:
Drop The Pink Elephant by Bill McFarlan
This book describes 15 ways to say what you mean and mean what you say. Coming from his journalistic background, Bill McFarlan shares with the reader what he means by “Pink Elephant” and pointers for us to take note in our daily communication.
What is a “pink elephant”?
It is described as an unnecessary, and normally vivid, negative. It usually pops up unprompted because it’s part of the mental baggage we always carry around with us.
A famous example of Pink Elephants: (remove the word in bold letters to reveal the picture in each phrase creates.
‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms Lewinsky.’ — US President Bill Clinton in January 1998 on his relationship with the White House intern.
The book is divided into 5 main sections
1. Drop the Baggage and Create Clarity
- Drop the Pink Elephant
- Every Picture Tells a Story
2. Be Principled in What You Say
- Staying on the Louisiana Highway
- Sorry seems to be the Hardest Word
- Tell the Unpalatable Truth, Rather than the ‘White Lie’
- Thank You and Well Done
- Who Looks Stupid when You Criticize in Public?
3. Positively Assert Yourself
- Flush Out the Watering Down Words
- Talk Positively About Yourself
4. Think of the Audience
- It’s All Relative
- Email and Text – Bullets or Boomerangs
- Three Little Questions
5. Create Deeper Understanding
- Listen First to Understand
- Powerful Words
- Think, Talk, Act…Then Tell the World
From the table of contents, it would seem that most of these are what should be “common sense”, but “common sense” happens to be the most uncommon thing in the world. In most situations, many of us are not as conscious of our own speech or overly-sensitive about the impact of telling the truth. In certain situations, telling “white lies” seem to be the best way out, so that we avoid possible repercussions.
Thoughts on the book:
There were parts of the book that I felt more interested in, for example, describing how to spot “Pink Elephants” so that we can be aware and drop them off from our own conversations. The writing can be dry after awhile, and I find myself skimming through the book in the middle sections.
This is partly due to the similarities of another book that I read, “Getting Real”, which covers the same topic, though the angle of writing is different.
I won’t buy the book (even though it’s mentioned on the book cover that it’s a best seller). If you can get this at the library, it’ll make an interesting read.
About the culture shock(or the lack of it)
My first stop in Aotaeroa (the Maori name for New Zeland, meaning The Land Of The Long White Cloud), is Auckland, the City of Sails.
Being the biggest city in New Zealand, about one quarter of New Zealand’s population reside in Auckland. The culture here is rich and diversified. Besides the Maoris and the Europeans, there is also a large population of Asians here. Asians here came from various countries, mainly China, India, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and so on. Besides the Asians, there are also immigrants from the Middle East, US and African countries, not to forget the Pacific islanders from Fiji, Samoa, etc. So it’s indeed a melting pot.
There is no Chinatown here in Auckland, because one can easily find merchandise from Asia around the community, no matter which part of the city one lives in. Asians operate supermarkets that carry products from the various Asian countries, eg. Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China, etc. Groceries like Kaya spread, Chilli sauce, noodles, Super 3 in 1 coffee/tea, and even Durians, you name it, it’s available here. Besides the groceries, one can also easily find Asian restaurants in the various parts of Auckland, Hong Kong style BBQ, Dim Sum(Yum Cha), Chinese/Indian Restaurants, Malaysian/Singapore restaurants, Kebab, Si Chuan Restaurant, and so on. Taking a walk down the famous shopping belt here, the Queen Street, chances are one will see many Asians faces
The everyday life of the people here are very much influenced by the Maori’s culture, and they are easily spotted from the street names, everyday conversations (which include some Maori terms, eg. a Sweet Potato is called Kumara), the National Anthem is sung in 2 languages, English and the Maori language. The free to air TV channels include a Maori channel, a Chinese channel, an International channel, and 4 English channels.
So I did not actually feel the culture shock. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the richness and diversity of the culture.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008.
About some numbers
In this entry, I’ll write about some numbers that I encountered after I started living in New Zealand, I must emphasise that these numbers are true as of today, 8 Dec 2007. I’m sure they will change over time.
This entry is meant to highlight some of my own observations in the system here, in comparison to a system I have experienced before. Not to complain about anything.
The personal income tax:
up to $38,000 – 20.8 cents
$38,001 to $60,000 inclusive – 34.3 cents
$60,001 and over – 40.3 cents
*I excluded details like ACC earner’s levy, which makes little sense to readers.
Hmm… it seems to diminish the motivation to negotiate for a pay increment if one is already earning more than 60K, because for every 10K one gets, only about 6K can be brought home.
Well, I’m not sure it is fair to say this, but it does sound very much like a welfare state to me.
Kiwi Saver, something similar to CPF, but it’s optional, and the money contributed is invested.
- 4% or 8% of employees income, employer contribution is 1%, phased in 1% yearly from 2008 till it’s 4%. Tax breaks are given to both individual and employers to encourage participation. Response is quite good.
There are other details which I did not find out, because the % sounds a bit pathetic to me. Besides that, there is also things like Super Annuation which I also did not find out.
Numbers related to banking:
Savings account: 8%
Term Investment/Deposit (something like FD): 8.5% to 8.75% for 6 months
All interest earned are subjected to personal income tax based on a system shown above. For example, if one is already earning more than 60K a year, all the interest earned from the savings will be subjected to a 39% income tax.
The GST is 12.5%
Health care (I must say I don’t really have all the details, I think the following are what I know):
- GP visits, subsidised rate of about $35 for the consultation, prescription is $15 each (some capping apply, don’t know the details). Interestingly there are no things like government operated Polyclinics (which provide significantly cheaper services), but all GPs are part of the system.
- Hospital care is usually free.
- If a lab test is ordered by the GP (eg. a blood test), it’s also free
- Expenses related to having babies in the hospital – Free (As far as I know)
- Senior citizen care – I think it’s cheaper than 1 above, I’m not too sure.
Conclusion
For a “young” bachelor like me, the whole system does not benefit me a lot, because I do not expect a baby soon, do not see a doctor very often, no family to support (as far as the tax man is concerned), and if my income is a little on the high side, I’m worst off due to the high income tax rates. No wonder so many people are crossing the Tasman Sea.
Expensive drinking water…
Had a team lunch yesterday at a Italian restaurant.
The waiter asked, “Still or Sparkling”? So the group said “Still”
Enjoyed lunch and all, upon checking the bill much later, we called back and asked…what was the charge for 4 x Panne = $36?
Only to find out, it was the expensive still drinking water we had.
Today, my colleague (and only now she’s sharing this when she was at the lunch….) said that in this sort of restaurants, the minute they ask the “Still or Sparkling water” question, we need to tell them: “Just water”
Is there really a difference in the water content and quality?!
Lesson learnt!
Checklists for parents-to-be (Milk bottles and Prams)
I’ve been hearing friends or spouses of friends or colleagues who are expecting a new baby. I find that there’s just so much marketing that advertisers do to make sure parents-to-be spend and spend. Some of the major purchases that first timers would do before the baby arrives (I was guilty of a few)
Prams/strollers
This can be bought AFTER the baby comes, and you would have a actual “model” to test the prams/strollers for size. If it’s a hand-me-down or a pre-owned version, do look at the condition first, especially for the wheels.
Things to look out for:
- weight of the empty stroller — too light weight, it may not be sturdy for new borns, too heavy, you will not bring it out often if you don’t drive or you don’t stay in a place where there’s lifts every floor
- One hand operation — aka whether you can manage carrying a baby, folding the pram up, opening it…ALONE. It helps when you are out alone.
- Cushioning: “Breathable” material? Can air flow freely? Washable? Is the pram wide enough to cater for large babies
I used to think this is really important…but it depends on how often you use the pram, whether you would really take out the material and wash it. More padding may also add weight to the stroller, and you won’t be able to fold it too much. - Wheels -> Wider rims, more sturdy. Would it be able to support your child from birth to 3 yrs?
- Cost -> There are many options, for those who drive, you may want to consider a multi-system pram which allows you to convert from a baby bassinet/car seat to a stroller in future.
I got a Korean branded pram, which is able to recline fully, it’s sturdy, wide enough so that the kid is not squashed into the seat. My only issue with it is the weight as I need to carry it down the stairs each time we go out.
- Brand/Colour/Design: There are many choices in the market, this is very much a personal choice. Having a recognised brand does help to ensure certain reliability, but it’s more important to look at the actual model of the stroller to see if it fits your needs.
Milk bottles/Teats
Wide-neck, anti-colic, plastic, glass bottles, latex teats, silicone teats….So many choices, so much headache.
Latex teats are said to be softer, and better for the baby, but it would need to be replaced quite often as the multiple sterilising (especially through boiling or steaming methods) may break down the material. Personally, I just feel that the rubbery texture is quite yucky
We tried a number of brands of teats and the bottles, here’s some of the more popular ones:
Avent
UK-brand of baby products ranging for breast pumps to bottles, and toiletries for the mum-to-be.
Selling point: Wide-necked bottle, with their silicone teats that is said to be close to the real thing, with anti-colic properties.
The design of the teat prevent the air in the bottle to transfer to the baby while drinking. For this to work, make sure the teat is screwed on to the bottle tightly. There is a tendency for the liquid to flow out if this is not tight. There is an advice that you may hear from other parents to not screw on the teat so tightly, to allow for the air bubbles to escape, but this technique would not work for Avent. (For that matter, it didn’t work for me for any bottles I used because between tight and not-so-tight, it’s a fine line, and I really don’t want to messing around with trying to tighten the bottle when the baby is drinking, and the milk is dripping.
Note: Avent teats only works on Avent bottles. If you are happy with sticking to one brand, do try this. Cost-wise, it’s slightly more expensive than other brands. Also, when you switch to formula-milk, the wide bottle opening is a great feature as it’s easier to clean, and less spillage when you are pouring in the formula.
Some babies take it well, my older twin was ok with it from 0-3 months, after which she didn’t want to drink from it, and the milk was leaking from her mouth. The younger twin had problems drinking from this since day one, so we didn’t use the wide teat for her.
NUK
Another brand of teats we tried, and are still using. They have 2 versions – wide neck (Orthodontic NUK shape) and the normal size teats which would fit most bottles.
The design of the teats help the air escape from the milk, before reaching the baby’s mouth. There is a sunken area with a tiny hole near the base of the teat which allow the air to escape from the milk, before reaching the baby’s mouth.
Unless you are using the wide neck version, these teats can be used on normal size bottles. The height of the bottle cap has to be high, as NUK teats are longer than the normal teats.
The bottles are expensive, but do last awhile. A friend said that their bottles are still in a good condition after a few years.
Pigeon/Tollyjoy
These brands carry the universal teats (which has the rounded top, similar to a hump of a camel). The cost is quite reasonable, and I’ve seen friends who use the Pigeon wide neck teats with the babies, and it works well for them. The bottles are cheap and the design on the bottle is cute. What we did was to use Pigeon bottles, but with Nuk teats. We bought the Nuk bottle caps with the teats and screw it onto Pigeon/Nuk bottles.
There are definitely much more information to be shared…I’ll compile another list for sterilisers and the various methods in another entry….
More to come!
About that move to New Zealand some one year ago
When I started telling the people I’m coming to New Zealand, they will usually ask 2 questions:
1) Why leave?
I found my life was pretty much dominated by work. Long hours with no personal time (including non office hours and weekends). Although I was holding the best job I have ever had in all my working life, working in a MNC, and getting an average of 13% annual increment when the national average is just 4%. In fact I was on the verge of giving up on my industry and was seriously contemplating a career switch. But IT has always been the area of interest for me, because it’s dynamic and challenging to me. So I decided to give the industry another chance, but in another country with a different culture. Since, I believe hectic life of the industry is very much a problem with the mindset of the employers and the culture of the society.
2) Why New Zealand?
Frankly, I don’t know. I did not do much researches as everyone else will usually do when they are talking about a migration. Simply because I’m just moving here all by myself, and I reckoned, I’ll can always fall back to where I came from, so there’s really nothing to lose. Of course if money was my priority, US would be the best place to go, but I thought it’s too far, similarly with places in the Europe. Asian countries are definitely out if I want to experience a different culture. So I’m left with Australasia. New Zealand naturally came to my mind, since I know of a friend who migrated here with his family, I know many people would prefer Australia, but I am not into following the crowd. Finally, my heart told me to choose NZ, so here I am. 
The chain of events that happened seems to tell me that I have made the right choice. From knowing someone through a friend which ultimately led me to finding my first accomodation here, to finding my first job(contract basis) within 5 weeks of arriving here, to being converted to a perm just as I was told by the immigration that my adventure might end if I do not get myself a permanent job.
So, did I get what I was asking for? I would say, yes. The culture here is indeed quite different from what I had experienced previously. 40 hours work week is a norm. Everyone is entitled to 4 weeks of annual leave by law. We are respected more as professionals, like, being asked to give estimates of time required to get the job done, instead of being told how much time we’re given. But that comes with a price, due to the much higher tax rate, even when I’m earning almost the same salary, I’m effectively taking a pay cut. But hey, since money is not really a consideration in the first place, I reckoned, as long as I’m making enough to cover my expenses here, send some back to my family and have some savings, I’m good. So, I never bothered to try looking for another job with higher pay, at least not in the near future.
