Kiwi, kiwi or kiwifruit?

The first thing I associated with the word kiwi was the oval fruit with hairy greenish-brown skin and the green my mum always put into fruitsalads. So I always wondered why the New Zealander’s call themselves Kiwi and what better time to finally fill this lack of knowledge. After…

She’ll be right! — How New Zealanders think

It was a few weeks before my 19th birthday, when a strong urge to travel overcame me…

Penguins in New Zealand/Wellington Zoo

Penguins in New Zealand?!

Ringatu(with long “u”)

I have to make a confession. I am an atheist. However, when I first heard of te Kooti, Maori rebellion leader, and the spiritual cult he founded, named “Ringatu”(with long “u”), I was intrigued. Apparently, it still has followers even today, so its definitely worth looking a little…

Native Animals of New Zealand

Every time I hear New Zealand there is one specific animal that comes to my mind — the Kiwi. This little nocturnal flightless bird with nostrils on the end of its large beak is known all over the world, although it is now endangered and difficult to find in the wild. It isn’t…

New Zealand: 100% Pure Marketing

Ever since we talked about the slogan “100% Pure New Zealand” it has been stuck in my mind. As we already heard in our last class session New Zealand is anything but 100% pure. I’m sure no one is really surprised about the fact that New Zealand is not free of pollution…

New Zealand’s Great Flag Debate

After having read the several articles about New Zealand’s Great Flag Debate, I just have to write about this debate now.

There are several aspects that struck me when thinking about New Zealand wanting to change its current flag. Well, I say “New…

Who Wants a New Flag?!

I am sure, that you have heard about the so called Flag Debate in New Zealand. In 2014/2015 they held a referendum to…

They say it is 100% Pure! But is it true?

What does this say? 100% Pure New Zealand? They can’t be for real, there must be joking but no….they are dead serious. But what do I really mean with 100% Pure New Zealand? Well it is not coming from me. The national tourism agency of New Zealand came up…

New Zealand Earthquakes: Comparing 2011 & 2016

Strolling around the internet, looking for additional info for my planned post this week, I visited the New Zealand Herald website and was expecting to see sheep, John Key, or some article about Donald Trump becoming president-elect of the United…