Kate has posted a more open ended list this week - Five reasons I know I am a... I have gone with Kiwi as I certainly feel my otherness a lot more living in Singapore. There are certainly a few things that make us unique.
1. I love Marmite. Not the weird English Marmite but the proper made by Sanitarium Marmite. It is an addiction I have successfully passed onto Scarlett too, to justify her possession of a Kiwi passport. Shockingly I found this news story today where it has been advised that stocks of Marmite are running low as a result of the quake and rationing may be introduced. I must admit that whenever we have a visitor come from home who asks if they can bring anything we always ask for Marmite or coffee beans - addicted much?
2. My coffee of choice is the flat white. Or a latte, or a mocha - really anything as long as it has an espresso base and is made with care. This is not that common in Singapore but we have a good little espresso machine in our kitchen and friends and family have been very good at keeping us supplied with good beans. Our absolute favourites come from the Lyttelton Coffee Company. I got a kg for Christmas from my sister. Sad to say they have nearly run out but I have a birthday in April so I live in hope of a top up.
3. Hearing the terrible dirge that is God Defend New Zealand can still make me cry. We have what is universally regarded as one of the most hideous national anthems in the world. It has been greatly improved by the recent adoption of singing the first verse in Maori but it remains funereal in pace and prose! Still if I catch a rugby game or a New Zealand athlete wins a medal somewhere my heart swells as I hear the anthem performed.
4. I follow the All Blacks. Not with the degree of religious fervour of many of my fellow country men but I do try and catch the games when they play. I do know most of the players by name - I can even name some of the WAGS! I enjoy a good game of rugby and am happy to go and sit in a freezing stadium to watch my team play. It helps that I come from Canterbury which is the home of one of the more successful rugby teams in the world. It is easy to back a winner.
5. I can tell the difference between a kiwi and an aussie accent without even really trying. Most of my Northern Hemisphere friends can spot that someone is from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa but they struggle to be more specific. Usually within a sentence I can tell which of the three countries a person is from. Not a particularly useful skill I guess but people always like it when you get their nationality right, especially the Kiwis.
If you would like to join in with the list this week just click on this link.
My SIL is from New Zealand and she is the only person I know who has eaten Vegemite, apart from Charlene off Neighbours. She eats all sorts of weird stuff, but to me, she still sounds like she's from Australia! :)
ReplyDeleteFunny how your identity gets stronger, the further you move away from home.
ReplyDeleteGreat list x
What a fun post! But I'll admit...tried Marmite...did not like! I sure do dream of visiting your motherland!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I hope to make it there someday, it's top on my list of places to visit!
ReplyDeleteWow so much is so foreign to me (it's far from common in Mexico) I enjoyed your list a lot!
ReplyDeleteWould love to make it there in the future. I'm a keen travelerx
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise there was "another" Marmite. I thought Marmite was just Marmite! Always a joy to watch the All Blacks play. The World Cup final was the day after my wedding, so we all came down to breakfast in the hotel and watched it in the bar. A Kiwi guy watched it with us, it was great fun, especially when you won!
ReplyDeleteI can tell the difference between a South Sfircan accent and an Australian one but a Kiwi accent against an Australian accent is lioke asking me to differentiate between someone from Boston and someone from Chicago - apparently Americans can tell the difference.
ReplyDeleteAfter a year in Australia and 6 months in New Zealand I STILL couldn't tell the difference between an Aussie and a Kiwi (sorry)
ReplyDeleteI also didn't know there was two types of marmite!!! Would love to visit NZ and as for the rugby... I'm Welsh, need I say more LOL
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