Heres a couple of phtos for you to compare. The one on the far left is of Oxford Street in London, but of course it could be any city centre in the UK. Don't they all look happy!? The other one is of Tauranga town centre on Tuesday. A nice big inflatable Santa watching the throngs of shoppers fighting their way through the busy shops. Yeah, right.
It was a lovely day on Tuesday so of course everyone heads to the beach instead of the shops, which is how it should be. I love the understated hype of Christmas here. Christmas is, after all, just one day. In the UK the commercial build up to Christmas starts in September where the pressure is turned on for you to spend, spend, spend. You had to buy stuff and more stuff 'seeing as its Christmas' just to feel that you were joining in with the festivities.
People in New Zealand look forward to their summer holidays rather than the day itself and thats great. We had a lovely day strolling round the uncrowded shops, no hassle no pressure.
We used to live near a huge shopping centre called the Metro Centre and it was so busy around this time of year, the traffic queues to get in would reduce the surrounding roads to total grid lock. Then once you got there there it took hours to find a parking space then after a harrassing trawl round the shops would take another hour to get out of the car park. What a waste of time!!
Its fantastic that its only 19 days to Christmas and people here are lying on the beach, getting out on their boats or going fishing.
4 comments:
Hello Joyce
You are absolutely right, it is very tiresome, that rush on Christmas everywhere in Europe! Your environment exercises such a constraint on you, that you are looked at as a very peculiar person when not being like the others.
I found your page accidentally when I was searching for some information about New Zealand. It might sound a bit strange that being only 13 I look for a chance to come to New Zealnd for a High School year. And then I came across your blog and read your article about Georgia's education in NZ - and became worried. After that I read the article about racism - and got even more worried! Is the NZ-school really under the British level? And if so, can you do anything against it? How old is Georgia, which form does she go in? If I were to come to NZ, I would come in the 9th. There they have "science". What is "science" actually? In Germany I have chemistry and physics, also biology. But science?? In case you should have any time left, I would be very greatful for some answers! Maybe Georgia would like to become my penfriend... :) However, up to then, Merry Christmas ;D!
Aline Manescu
Hallo, war es nett, Form zu hören Sie auf meinem Neuseeland blog. Ich versuche, Ihre Fragen zu beantworten. Erstens ist das Niveau der accademic Ausbildung in Neuseeland Weise hinter vielen europäischen Ländern in den Losen Weisen, aber die Methode des Unterrichts ist sehr unterschiedlich. Kindern werden ein Wunsch gegeben, für selbst zu erlernen. Sie tun Lose kunst, studiert das Durchführen und die Natur, sowie Mathe und das Schreiben. Es gibt viel Vertrauen Gebäude und eine Menge Sport. Viele Lektionen sind aus Seite und Mittagessenzeit am Sommer wird auf dem Strand verbracht. Ausbildung sollte über das Vorbereiten für die Welt als Erwachsenes sein, Ihnen zu ermöglichen, Ihre eigenen Entscheidungen zukünftig zu treffen sorgend nicht um Prüfungen und Grade. Sorgen Sie nicht sich um Rassismus an der Schule an Ihrem Alter. Georgia hat Rassismus nicht an ihrer Schule angetroffen und Lose Freunde hat. Ihre Kategorie ist multikulturell und sie hat einen deutschen Jungen in ihrer Kategorie, die Jeremy genannt wird, der hier glücklich ist. Georgia ist 11 und wird Jahr 7 im Februar beginnen, da das Schuljahr von einem Februar bis Dezember hier läuft. Wenn Sie um um noch etwas bitten möchten, die mein email address mpcorby@hotmail.com freundlicher Respekt ist, Joyce
Ahhh the good old Metro Centre. Oh how I used to hate that place! Even me, a woman who likes to shop - hates that place.
You are so right though, the differences here to the UK are amazing. We have overspent already this year and I reckon we are still carrying the UK bug and trying to fill our lives with stuff than what we have around us. Funny we mentioned that to each other the other day!
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