I wish I would have known before I moved here

[LVKris]

I just wanted to hear what everyone wished they would have known about life in NZ before they moved there. I am trying to be as mentally prepared as possible. I really want to keep the surprises to a minimum

Thanks!

[JandM]

I think, odd little differences will have different importance for different people. The thing that REALLY irritated my son was not being able to buy stick deodorant - it's not sold there. Other people get bothered about certain favourite foods not being available.

I would say, expect the unexpected. It's a foreign country, and although the language being (sort of) the same cushions us English-speakers a bit, it can also give us a bigger let-down because we THINK we understand some situation or other, then it turns out completely differently because of local laws or culture.

[Woodchip]

Shopping trolleys mostly only have front wheel steering (First Choice has 4 wheel steering). That threw me the first time we went shopping (and caused a few 3 point turns).

It's a really small thing but it really plays with your head.

[Dave in NZ]

I think, odd little differences will have different importance for different people. The thing that REALLY irritated my son was not being able to buy stick deodorant - it's not sold there. Other people get bothered about certain favourite foods not being available.

Where does he live? I get stick deodorant here.maybe because Auckland is more humid lol

[JandM]

That was Auckland, too! But in 2001. Maybe it's been being imported more recently.

[girlwithanewf]

If you are moving from the USA the most important thing to be prepared for is that it is expensive here in New Zealand and you will fall over backwards at some of the prices. After a while though you do get used to it, just as you get used to the different foods available or not available, and find the best places to buy food etc. Expect the very worst as far as prices are concerned and then you might be pleasantly surprised that things are not as expensive as people have led you to believe.... (or check out the Countdown supermarket website to see what is available and at what cost).

The best piece of advice I can give is that the surprises are the very best things about New Zealand (or anywhere new for that matter). If we had known everything beforehand it wouldn't have been as much fun coming to a new country!
Good luck with your preparation!

[RHT]

The shopping trolley thing made me laugh - I thought I was being a complete div and just picking the wrong one every time! It drives me insane (especially trying to get the trolley through the very small gap to the checkout at my local New World!)

[ralf-nz]

Tenancy contracts come to mind; though we have experienced quite a variety of them in our former home country the NZ ones differ a lot.

More on a funny note that cheques are still used so widely here instead of online banking.

[LVKris]

Is there a secret on how to use the shopping cart the right way?

[ralf-nz]

Is there a secret on how to use the shopping cart the right way?

Not really it's similar to prams with the same arrangement of flexible/fixed; or like a car even