Introduction to New Zealand Life Guide

1. Climate and Clothing

New Zealand has a temperate maritime climate. Most parts of the country have neither scorching heat in summer nor severe cold in winter. It is mild and rainy all year round. The temperature difference between summer and winter is generally less than 10℃. New Zealand is located in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. In May, when Beijing is not far away from the hot summer, winter has already arrived in New Zealand; in November, when Beijing is approaching winter, New Zealand is sunny and the beautiful summer has just arrived. There is no obvious rainy season here, it rains all year round, so tourists must prepare rain gear. There are not only four seasons here in a year, but even one day can be divided into four seasons: morning is like winter, noon is like spring, afternoon is like summer, and dusk to evening is cool like autumn. For tourists, traveling to New Zealand must prepare clothing for various seasons, from swimsuits to sweaters. In New Zealand's summer (December to February), the temperature can reach 25℃, with a minimum of about 15℃. Generally, light clothing is enough. In winter (June-August), the temperature can reach 15℃, with a minimum of about 5℃, so you need to wear warm clothes, such as cotton-padded clothes, sweaters, jackets, etc. There are frequent typhoons on the island, so sweaters are needed all year round. The New Zealand lifestyle is very relaxed and dress is casual for most occasions.

However, international students should bring their country’s national costumes and one or two sets of formal clothes to participate in various social activities often held by the school. The temperature in Wellington in autumn (April) is around 20℃, with the lowest temperature being about 13℃, while in winter (July) the temperature is about 11℃, with the lowest temperature being about 6℃. Generally speaking, the city's temperatures are among the cooler in New Zealand. In addition, there are strong typhoons every day, so it is called "Windy Wellington" and it feels colder than the actual temperature. On colder days in summer, it is still necessary to turn on the heating in the home. Therefore, even in summer, you still need to prepare a thin sweater. Due to the strong wind, even umbrellas will not be effective on rainy days, so prepare a jacket with a hood, especially in winter from July to September.

2. Food Culture

New Zealanders are very passionate about their food and have a variety of varied foods. The mild climate allows a variety of fruits and vegetables to grow and thrive here. New Zealand is a country that focuses on agricultural products, which means that beef, mutton, pork and chicken can all be purchased at reasonable prices. In addition, New Zealand also imports many international foods to suit the habits and tastes of immigrants, especially immigrants from Asia.

In the past, most New Zealanders ate at home and would not go to restaurants unless there were special festive occasions. However, with the rise of many family-style, cheap, small restaurants, this situation has changed, and it is not uncommon for more and more families to dine out together. Market-style dining has also become popular in New Zealand. Some restaurants, coffee shops and bars located in remote locations have seats on the roadside for customers to rest and dine, which is unique. New Zealanders like to buy food from takeaways, the traditional takeaway is fish and chips. Burgers and pie are also traditional snacks.

New Zealanders’ eating habits have also changed due to the introduction of multinational fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC and Wendy’s. In the past, New Zealanders only ate fast food on Friday nights, but now you can eat burgers, fried chicken and chips almost any night.

Traditionally, New Zealanders like to eat lamb and mutton. But in recent years, as sheep numbers have declined, other high-protein foods have become popular. More and more New Zealanders are changing their habits and eating more chicken than lamb. However, non-meat proteins are also becoming increasingly popular among the New Zealand public. A traditional New Zealand meal consists of a course of meat (sheep, beef, pig or chicken), potatoes and two to three vegetables - such as green (eg broccoli), orange (eg carrots) and yellow (eg turnips) vegetables. BBQ dinner, which consists of meat and vegetables roasted together in an oven, is usually eaten once a week, mostly on weekends.

Barbecues are very popular in the summer, especially those held outdoors. Commonly grilled foods include steaks, sausages, potatoes and salads. However, some innovative chefs sometimes try new varieties such as grilled fish, shellfish (shrimp is particularly popular), skewered meats and chicken. New Zealanders' taste preferences have changed significantly in recent years, and they are becoming more and more discerning. Because New Zealanders who love to travel try many new foods when traveling overseas and introduce them back home. New Zealanders like to entertain friends and family and often invite them to have dinner at home, usually with a barbecue in the summer. Most guests are also asked to offer a dish, such as a salad or some meat (steak or sausage), and bring their own beer or wine. If the host hopes that a guest will bring a dish, he will usually tell the guest which dish to bring when inviting him.

Another common form of entertainment is a party, usually to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, moving to a new house, or simply for friendship and fun. Wine and desserts are often used to entertain guests at such gatherings.

Dinner parties are usually more formal, with people sitting around the table eating and the host preparing the recipes.

It is rare for a host to entertain guests to dine in a restaurant, unless it is a business dinner or a wedding banquet. If you are invited to dine together at a restaurant, each person usually pays his own bill. When attending a dinner party, you can bring a bottle of wine or a simple gift to the host. If you are not sure about the type of wine, you can ask the wine seller directly. New Zealand has an advanced wine industry that produces some superb wines, especially white wines. New Zealanders generally don't like cordials unless used with desserts, but that's not universally the case.

New Zealanders also like to drink beer and spirits. If a guest is having trouble deciding whether to bring wine and what kind of wine to bring, he or she can discuss it with the host to get clear guidelines. If the host doesn't like to drink and it's very rude for the guest to bring their own wine, unless the guest knows the host well or they suggest you bring it. However, most New Zealanders do enjoy drinking! Drinking people can be seen everywhere in licensed restaurants or restaurants marked BYO (Bring Your Own). Restaurants with liquor licenses usually sell beer, wine and spirits, while BYO restaurants Guests are allowed to bring their own wine, and some restaurants have both licenses. Restaurants with liquor licenses are generally more expensive than BYO restaurants. New Zealand's cities and towns have excellent public water supply systems, and tap water can be drunk directly and safely everywhere.