Kiwi On The Loose

Apart from the fact that you get used to everyone thinking you are an ‘OZZY’, or that sometimes people look at you with their head sideways and you know they don’t have one ounce of an idea about what the hang you are talking about, BEING A KIWI on holiday in America is pretty cool. The number of times people, (actually usually women), say ‘I love your accent!’ is pretty heartwarming and you kinda feel special. This invariably happens just from saying hello as you breeze past them in the street as you head to the Mexican supermarket.

You never ever felt this special in NZ! EVER! Not just from opening your mouth anyway.Usually it just gets me into trouble.
So having a ‘kiwi’ identity here is pretty special. Most Americans think ‘kiwis’ are fruit, the green things in the supermarket. Some more redneck types think you are a fruit for a different reason, like becoz you use the word

lovely

, or you text someone with a nice message…or you see the beauty in the sunrise, or becoz you write poems. You have to re assert your heterosexuality before you can get close to them!

Any way I have a photo here of a friends car which shows the lengths you can go to to keep your unique identity as a kiwi.

Culture shock doesn’t just happen when you enter a culture, its ongoing as you get more deeply into it…….so having a number plate or an accent, keeps you in touch with your kiwi roots.
Language is a minefield, if I get that ‘What the hell are you talking about’ look, which MAYBE is just becoz of my accent OR MAYBE I’m using a completely wrong word like ‘metal’ instead of gravel…….I have found if I put on an American accent I am more often than not understood, and the frown turns to a smile of comprehension on their dial! (cor blimey that’d be confusing for them)

Of course there are ugly people in all cultures and I have only talked to one American that really upset me and spoke in f………. words about of my country of origin. It really upset me for about a day.

He was the loser not me. What a jerk.

I’d like a number plate like this.

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