5 Q&A's about Kiwis and Americans
- Ethan Jenness
- Feb 11, 2018
- 5 min read
I had an idea the other night, it came across my mind as I was eating a potato and the only thing I can say is – how fitting. I get asked questions all the time, from people both above and below the equator. The southerners always want to know what it’s like always being so far north, and you guessed it, the northerners don’t care (sounds like another Kim Jong-un situation). Nonetheless, I have decided to let five people from each hemisphere ask me one question about the hemisphere opposite them. Some may ask, why only five questions? The answer is simple, I don’t know. Some may also wonder, what is a hemisphere? The answer, half of a sphere. On a real note, I’m curious to see what Kiwis think of America and vice versa. Hopefully through this Q&A, I can shed a little light on the nation of New Zealand for those keen enough to visit. I don’t sound like a tour guide so feel free to skip questions if you don’t really care for the answer.
It was hard to pick just five questions from each side but I tried to pick out a diverse selection to keep you guys entertained. Here are the five questions Americans asked me about New Zealanders.
What is one thing that is still on your bucket list to do there?
Apart from wanting to go to Antarctica, where the lowest price of a trip is $10,000, my next hope is skydiving. There are many opportunities to go skydiving around here, and to do it in New Zealand is just a bonus. I have already done the largest bungee jump in New Zealand, so heights shouldn't be a factor, but the fact that it's a straight free fall of adrenaline just sounds amazing.
When do New Zealanders celebrate Christmas?
The question was a little more elaborate than this. The question was more like, since December is summer in NZ, when do they celebrate Christmas? Well, believe it or not, Christmas is actually celebrated on June 25th here. Haha gotcha! No, Christmas is not just a USA holiday, it is still celebrated on the 25th of December worldwide.
What is the most dangerous animal in New Zealand?
New Zealand doesn't have any land predators. I know that is hard to believe coming from a place where you have to watch your dog every night because of coyotes. Believe it or not, the most dangerous animal on land is a spider so rare that there is probably more of a chance to get struck by lightning than to see one. Following the spider is the mosquito, so that just goes to show you the real danger on land. At sea though, you could be stung by the bluebottle jellyfish, although it's extremely rare. Another rare attack would be by the many sharks in the New Zealand waters, but that is only in deep waters and more north. As for myself, I will be sure to not go looking for the spiders, and due to my luck in ocean waters with animals, I will probably not go swimming too deep anytime soon.
Do the toilets flush the other way?
Well Todd, I realized I still have yet to test this theory, give me a minute and I’ll go send you a snapchat. For those others in the audience, the toilet flushes straight down. I also tried the trick on the sink and that too went straight down the drain. If there was any direction it was clockwise but only in the slightest.
Do cars drive on the wrong side of the road?
Every single driving rule in America is written so that you can drive your car on the right side of the road. You learn that a left-hand turn is the most dangerous, that pedestrians have the right of way, and you travel anti-clockwise on roundabouts. Here, everything is flipped. Right-hand turns are the most dangerous, pedestrians only have right of ways on crosswalks, and you go about a roundabout clockwise. It’s a little crazy at first, but eventually you get used to it.
That’s all for the American questions, hopefully you New Zealanders got a kick out of them. Now it’s time for the Kiwi questions...
What’s the deal with Chik-Fil-A?
Chik-fil-a is one of the finest dining restaurants in the country. If you order chicken, you will get the most delectable chicken nuggets. One bite will give you peace, joy, hope, and happiness all at the same time. If you order lemonade, you will get fresh, hand squeezed lemonade from the purest of lemons, handpicked by God himself. If you order on Sunday however - let’s just say the only answer you’ll get is from the devil in the form of a sign saying “closed on Sundays.”
Do you speak any Native American languages?
Lol, probably one of the funniest questions I have been asked. Simply put, I have not seen a true Native American since The Revenant, and the only language I speak is cold, hard American English - Merica!
Are you Canadian?
No, I despise maple syrup, I only watch hockey during playoffs, I would not like a twofour, and I most definitely do not know!! Oh yeah, and I’m not sorry boat it. I am not insulted being called Canadian, I just would like to be associated to the right country. America is where I was born and raised, it’s where the first 18 years of life played out, I am proud to be an American - stars and stripes forever!
Why is your money made of paper?
A big question will arise when you pull out an ole Ben Franklin, or a George Washington in my case. See, New Zealand's bills not only feel a bit like plastic, but they are also all multi-coloured. Unlike the US dollar which is technically fragile, the NZD is very sturdy and it would take a lot for it to tear. When I show people an American dollar they soon ask why it is made of paper? The truth is, I really don't know. From day one of the dollar, it has been made of paper, and it has been made that way ever since.
Do you really think football is better than rugby?
If you really know me, then you know I don’t have to answer that question. For those that don’t know me quite well, I was born and raised bleeding #ChiefsKingdom blood, it is who I am, it is my culture. To support a team, to grow up with them, there’s nothing else like it. There are times when you can’t stop smiling, and there are times when you can’t stop crying because your team blew a 21-3 lead in their first playoff game. I can’t describe to you why football is the greatest sport to be apart of simply because it’s a culture thing and you have to experience it for yourself.
Thank you everyone for bearing through the Q&A, hopefully you all enjoyed reading as much as I loved writing and interviewing people. If you have any suggestions, please don’t hesitate to send me some messages through my website. I will be starting classes soon so hopefully I can still post some sarcasm filled posts throughout the week. My next post will be about my Belize adventures, so stay tuned! Peace!
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