Don't miss the latest from New Zealand

June 2021

There is a lot of hopeful immigration buzz here in New Zealand after a successful start to our initial Tasman and Pacific travel bubbles and the expansion of border exceptions to include limited numbers of seasonal workers, students, and investors.

This month, we're sharing:

Save your budget and the environment while setting up your NZ home
Two blogs and a podcast full of great info
An American expat in NZ shares her wisdom after being here for two years
What's happening at the border?
Introducing yourself in NZ
Celebrating the Māori New Year
Yeah, nah

Gently Used Goods: A Budget- and Environmentally-Friendly Option to Setting Up House

No matter how many belongings you move with you, you’re still likely to need to acquire quite a few items - from electrical appliances and technology to seasonal clothing and outdoor gear. The second-hand market can be a place to save money and reduce your environmental impact...and it can be a good place to sell or donate things you moved with you but no longer need.

Our second-hand market is alive and thriving! From online to brick and mortar to pop-up events, second-hand shopping comes in many forms across New Zealand.

TradeMe is the most popular way to acquire used products in New Zealand. The platform has become so popular that some retailers use it to sell new items, dealers of items like antiques use it to post their products, and even op shops list on it. There are a variety of payment structures from stated price to timed auction, and many items can be shipped nationwide while others are only available for local pick-up. With a robust rating system, you can be fairly confident in vendors, whether an individual or a business.

Facebook Marketplace is more localised and less utilised in New Zealand than in some other countries. It has a less than stellar reputation and should be used with caution.

Facebook Groups exist in various forms, whether for sales/trades/gifts in a specific locale or in a particular theme (like brand or genre of product). These groups are more narrowly defined than other platforms and tend to have some vetting of participants. This is a particularly good route to go for used children’s clothing/gear.

Instagram Shops are typically organised by brand or type of product but come from one central vendor.

Op Shops (aka charity shops, second-hand shops, thrift stores) have traditionally been the go-to way to shop used goods in a brick and mortar setting. More recently, many ops shops are also establishing an online presence as well on their own sites and TradeMe. Options include St. Johns, Dove Hospice (Auckland and online), St. Vincent de Paul, and Nurse Maude (Christchurch and online), AllHeart (office furniture in Auckland and Wellington).

Community events are typically held at a set interval (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and cater to a particular type of second-hand item such as cars, household goods, or vintage clothing. Some such events will be a mix of new handmade items and used items.

An Expat View of Life in NZ

Sara and her husband, Nate, along with their two children moved to New Zealand from the US with Mobile two years ago. Sara shares her reflections for the benefit of those who are at the beginning of their expat adventure:

What has been most surprising/difficult/easy about living in NZ?

Making friends. The time and effort required to establish a new social network took us by surprise. We hadn’t really thought through what it would be like coming here and not really knowing anyone. That hit us pretty hard initially.

Working life. US and Kiwi work culture are quite different and that took some getting used to. For example, there is less of a focus on deadlines, but more importance attached to work/life balance. We’ve loved that, at the end of each 10 week term, we can take a decent break with the kids and go away somewhere during the school holidays.

Kids sport. Unlike the US where most sports are school-based, you need to find soccer clubs, gym classes, etc. in the community rather than through school.

What are the best memories you’ll take away from life here?
All the wonderful holidays we enjoyed around New Zealand, the friends we made, and the bonds forged within our family as we relied on each other so much.

What advice would you give to others relocating here from the US?

Give yourself some grace. It takes time and energy to reach out to Kiwis and establish friendships. It feels a bit like cold-calling at first! Some will respond and some won’t, but don’t take it personally.

Focus on the big picture. There have been ups and downs, but the overall experience has been super-positive. Try to focus on the end game rather than the daily totals.

Human contact means a lot when you relocate. Reach out to local family or friends if you have them. For us, it was so reassuring to have our Mobile Advisor on hand to answer questions and provide help.

Introducing Yourself

Pepeha is the New Zealand way of introducing yourself in relation to the places and history that are important to you, a tradition well established in Māori culture and increasingly embraced across New Zealand cultures.

Children begin learning about pepeha in care centres, preschool, and primary schools, and many workplaces ask new employees to get acquainted with their colleagues using pepeha.

By sharing our connection to family and land, we can gain a better understanding of how we all belong in New Zealand. You can learn more and create your own pepeha with the Pepeha Project.

Matariki

Matariki is the Māori New Year, named for the stars that are visible during Tangaroa, the moon of plenty. Each star holds significance relating to wellbeing and the environment.

Because observance is tied to the Māori lunar year, the date on the European calendar varies each year. This year, the Matariki period will be from the second to tenth of July. Beginning in 2022, Matariki will also be a statutory holiday.

For those of you who remember the Macarena and want to learn a catchy te reo Māori tune, check out the Matariki Macarena.

For more information on Matariki, click here.