I have an old college friend who lives in Auckland and he describes NZ as a third-world country. He got some evidence for the claim a few years ago when the electricity cable beneath the harbor broke and it took 6 months to fix.

Any Americans (or others) here have experiences living & working in NZ for medium or long term residency? Any advice?

Hobbits > Dingos

As a recent living American in Australia I'll stick up and say that's a pretty loose definition of "beat up." Bro. Good on ya for the World Cup though. I've liked all the Kiwis I've met. I'm told there's some shady ones though.

The economy of WA alone has to dwarf NZ. The paper today had Obama setting up a permanent US military in presence in Darwin. With possible ramifications for Sino-Australian relations.

As a recent living American in Australia

Congratulations on your resurrection.

Omnivorous: I have an old college friend who lives in Auckland and he describes NZ as a third-world country. He got some evidence for the claim a few years ago when the electricity cable beneath the harbor broke and it took 6 months to fix.

I think that's a typo. You're thinking of NO.

This a boon to the sheep sex tourism crowd.

Actually my little bro could beat me up most of the time growing up except the few brief spans of time when my growth spurt exceeded his. I was a sedentary bookish egghead and he was a very ambitious jock.

The_Sponge: [i80.photobucket.com image 120x159]

Approve.

I remember reading an interview with them once that apparently their own show doesn't even play in NZ because it's too "Wellington". What does that mean? It means that the people of New Zealand are a bunch of slack jawed yokels.

Omnivorous: I have an old college friend who lives in Auckland and he describes NZ as a third-world country.

Outside of Auckland and Wellington it's much, much worse. Not so much poor as backwards - cultural and social mores are about two decades behind the rest of the western world.

They still have some issues with the easterlings but in general the 4th age has treated them pretty well.

I'm another recent arrival to Australia. It feels about a decade behind Europe/the US in a lot of ways.

I hear NZ is another two decades behind that, socially.

Also what's with all the cols countries on that list - Canada, Switzerland, NZ, really? Must just be me that has lizard blood.

Do they have Bunyips?

watson.t.hamster: They still have some issues with the easterlings but in general the 4th age has treated them pretty well.

Don't even get them started on the Northrons, though. Mount Parihaka, while pretty, is a real phreak.

That doesn't seem to be particularly useful as the criteria aren't given. Canada at #1 and Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Japan filling out the top five?

If I think of a country as a brand, then I would expect the USA to top the list. The entire world knows McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Levi's, Hollywood films and movie stars, American TV, pop singers plus baseball caps, cowboy hats - and this is pure speculation but I would guess that on the whole more people worldwide could name the US President than any other foreign world leader.

Some love it, some hate it and many feel a mix of the two, but *everyone* knows at least a very clear stereotype of America.

I think everyone, including subby, is missing the key point of this article ... Canada was 1st!!!!

/Canada! Heck yeah!

BurnShrike: Congratulations on your resurrection.

Ha. I'm also working as a newly-careered English second language teacher here. Mostly S. Americans and Asians though many of the natives could benefit from lessons.

Quite amused.

Gothnet: I'm another recent arrival to Australia. It feels about a decade behind Europe/the US in a lot of ways.

I haven't been to Sydney yet but Western Australia definitely is. Service here sucks. A nation in need of the competitive pressures of cheap Mexican labor.

Farking Canuck: I think everyone, including subby, is missing the key point of this article ... Canada was 1st!!!!

/Canada! Heck yeah!

Sounds like a lot of people who forgot to factor Quebec into their voting.

This must be for measuring countries as brands for travel destinations since it was part of the travel index.

I have to say that I'm actually not surprised the USA isn't in the top 5. I go there most often, but I almost never see advertising for non Vegas locations, and on the world stage the only people who are as keen on America as some American think the world is, are Americans.... and an east Indian white supremesist who's a friend of a friend(odd fellow)

Rashnu: Service here sucks.

The lack of tipping, perhaps? we complain about it, but it does serve a useful purpose.

Yea, but at least New Zealand didn't didn't unleash a crazy guy onto the world that plunged us into World War 2!

Gunther: Rashnu: Service here sucks.

The lack of tipping, perhaps? we complain about it, but it does serve a useful purpose.

Yeah I kinda came to that conclusion too. I sympathized before with the idea that tipping is kind of bullsh*t but I worked at a restaurant here for 2 weeks while I was waiting for the job I wanted and it was ridiculous. Bunch of lazy and retarded b*tches who'd get fired in one shift back home. They make a decent, livable base salary and automatic extra pay for working weekends as well.

<b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fark.com/comments/6723502/72990475#c72990475">Juc</a> :</b> <i>This must be for measuring countries as brands for travel destinations since it was part of the travel index.

I have to say that I'm actually not surprised the USA isn't in the top 5. I go there most often, but I almost never see advertising for non Vegas locations, and on the world stage the only people who are as keen on America as some American think the world is, are Americans.... and an east Indian white supremesist who's a friend of a friend(odd fellow)</i>

What are you talking about, the world love us and knows every detail about us.

/has on several occasions had to say I live near New York, after trying to explain that I live near philly.and getting many blank looks.

Have they been pussy-whipped by Tasmania yet?



brrft

Rashnu: Gothnet: I'm another recent arrival to Australia. It feels about a decade behind Europe/the US in a lot of ways.

I haven't been to Sydney yet but Western Australia definitely is. Service here sucks. A nation in need of the competitive pressures of cheap Mexican labor.
.

I like Western Australia



So did he:

LIONEL:I know the lines. I've played the role before.

DIRECTOR. Sydney?

LIONEL. Perth.

DIRECTOR. Major theater town, is it?

LIONEL. Enthusiastic.

Quinzy: /has on several occasions had to say I live near New York, after trying to explain that I live near philly.and getting many blank looks.

In Germany I had to tell relatives I live in Washington, DC because if I say Virginia, I get people singing Roads of West Virginia (apparently it's a popular song there and they don't know it's a different area all together) or a blank stare.

KatjaMouse: Roads of West Virginia

Is that a John Denver song?

My experiences with either country being limited to films, I can only imagine the cast of Once Were Warriors versus those of Muriel's Wedding, Crocodile Dundee, Strictly Ballroom or Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Granted, Paul Hogan, Terence Stamp and Toni Collette all seem as if they could pull their weight in a bar brawl, but my money is still on the Maoris.

wellreadneck: My experiences with either country being limited to films, I can only imagine the cast of Once Were Warriors versus those of Muriel's Wedding, Crocodile Dundee, Strictly Ballroom or Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Granted, Paul Hogan, Terence Stamp and Toni Collette all seem as if they could pull their weight in a bar brawl, but my money is still on the Maoris.

What about Mad Max?

Just walk away.

\Who run Bartertown?

Juc

I have to say that I'm actually not surprised the USA isn't in the top 5.

As an FYI, the poll did not include respondants from Mexico and Central America.

Australia and New Zealand are pretty much the same country. Kind of like the US and Canada.


/ I'm going to need a troll score here

You wouldn't think the Kiwis would be too tough to deal with since they were pretty well outsmarted by The Most Royal Kingdom of Fe'ausi, but then again they could always send Xena to kick your ass.

/Been looking for a chance to pull out a Diplomatic Immunity reference.

If it's so great back home, why the fark are they over here building our scaffolding and breaking our call centre chairs with their fat arses?
Have to say, their drink driving ads make me chuckle though.

Link (new window)

jvl: Australia and New Zealand are pretty much the same country. Kind of like the US and Canada.

/ I'm going to need a troll score here

LOL I expect you won't get one from a Kiwi or Ozzie cos they are all too busy doing this

NZers who make it out get to London. The ones in Oz nearly made it. The rest are doomed.

Rashnu:

Mate, it isn't as though we've locked you in. You can leave for fairer shores any time you want.

They are both great countries with friendly people and lower crime rates...

but their remoteness results in them being behind. Everything from phones being sold to movies being played, they arrive in Oceania last. I had a friend in Perth and it drove him mad, they use the same sites as we do and hear how awesome the newest things are, but he wont see them for months and by that time everyone online calls it old and is all over the next big thing.

narkor: Rashnu:

Mate, it isn't as though we've locked you in. You can leave for fairer shores any time you want.

Don't get me wrong, I like it here and have enjoyed my time so far immensely. The differences are part of the charm. :)

Rashnu: narkor: Rashnu:

Mate, it isn't as though we've locked you in. You can leave for fairer shores any time you want.

Don't get me wrong, I like it here and have enjoyed my time so far immensely. The differences are part of the charm. :)

Was going to say much the same :)

I love WA, it's huge, spread out and lazy. Next weekend I'm going to learn to fish.

Namahs: They are both great countries with friendly people and lower crime rates...

but their remoteness results in them being behind.

Australians, for a time, led the world in TV show piracy.

Gothnet: Rashnu: narkor: Rashnu:

Mate, it isn't as though we've locked you in. You can leave for fairer shores any time you want.

Don't get me wrong, I like it here and have enjoyed my time so far immensely. The differences are part of the charm. :)

Was going to say much the same :)

I love WA, it's huge, spread out and lazy. Next weekend I'm going to learn to fish.

Nice! I'm interested in casting some lines out here too.. Hope it goes well for ya. Meant to go to put out some crab traps somewhere nearby next weekend. Sand boarding tomorrow.