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New Zealand Today is Like 1950s America, But You May Not Like Why
New Zealand has something I fear America has lost and that some people don’t want us to get back.
Living in New Zealand today is like living in 1950s America.
People are friendly and trusting. Neighbors help each other out without being asked. And I don’t feel the need to compete over everything from house to car, to kids’ performance in school and sports that seems to pervade America.
It all boils down to one word, trust.
But why Kiwis are more trusting than Americans is the real issue.
My Recent Expereince
People here are surprisingly trusting. Since moving to New Zealand, I have been walking to and from work. My daily ambulation started as a necessity because we only had one car. But the weather is generally mild, and my daily three-mile trek has become an enjoyable part of my day. So, I never got around to buying a second car.
A few days ago, I had an unexpected encounter on my walk home. A young woman approached me and asked if I was in a hurry.
I rarely get stopped in the US.
This may not sound strange, but it is a little unusual for me. I’m a 6’2” man in good physical condition with a military haircut and sporting a beard. Junior residents from my training days described me as “intimidating.” My point is I’m not the kind of stranger that women usually choose to approach on an otherwise deserted street.
Nonetheless, a petite woman in her early twenties seemed perfectly comfortable stopping me to ask if I was busy. Intrigued, I told her no.
She asked me if I could help her with her bike. Had her bike been broken at the side of the road and she was desperate to get somewhere, I can see where she might have taken a chance. But she was at her house.
She showed me the bike and asked if I thought the tires were ok. The bike was relatively new, and the tires were in good shape, just a little low on air. She produced an air pump and then confessed she did not know how to use it.
