IAESTE NZ:

Incoming Information

WORK.EXPERIENCE.

DISCOVER.IAESTE.

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Table of Contents

3) About New Zealand

5) Arrival information

7) Getting Around

9) Laws, Health and Safety

12) Culture and Ettiquette

14) Accommodation

15) Kiwiana

17) Travel suggestions

19) Basic Maori

11) Glossary of NZ slang

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About New Zealand:So you have been accepted for a traineeship in New Zealand! Haere Mai, welcome. We hope you will enjoy your stay with us. Here is a quick summary of what us locals think our country is all about- hopefully you have a great experience here with us and will share your thoughts with us at the end of your stay.

New Zealand, or Aotearoa as it is known in Maori, is a country made up of two main islands. English, Maori, and New Zealand sign language are the official languages.

It is filled with both beautiful natural scenery, and friendly little cities. Jagged mountains, rolling pasture land, steep fiords, pristine trout-filled lakes, raging rivers, scenic beaches, and active volcanic zones can all be found relatively close together, and have been made famous by films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Despite the fact that New Zealand is sparsely populated, it has a collection of interesting cities that all have their own personal flavour. IAESTE NZ is located in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city; well known for its pretty, sailing ship filled waterfront, impressive skyline, many volcanoes, and

HAERE MAI.WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND!

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pretty islands that are not hard to reach by boat. Cities like Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown are also well worth a visit.

World-famous for rugby and sheep, but more importantly the friendliness of the locals, we hope that New Zealand will be a country that you have a “choice”* time in!

Quick NZ Facts

Currency: New Zealand Dollar (NZD)Population: 4.5 millionClimate: New Zealand has a mild and temperate maritime climate with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10 °C in the south to 16 °C in the north. Weather conditions can differ greatly from region to region, for example the West Coast of the South Island is known to be very wet, whereas the central South Island and Otago is semi-arid and the Northland of New Zealand is subtropical. Public holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1st) Day after New Year’s Day (January 2nd) Waitangi Day (February 6th) Good Friday Easter Monday ANZAC Day (April 25th) Queen’s Birthday (1st Monday in June) Labour Day (4th Monday in October) Christmas Day (December 25th) Boxing Day (December 26th)

NB: Shops will sometimes, but not always, be closed on these days.

*Refer to NZ slang glossary at the back to understand our crazy lingo!

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Arrival Information

As New Zealand is a nation composed of islands and hence an isolated state, it is full of unique flora and fauna and hence New Zealand takes its border control very seriously. You will be given a customs declaration upon arrival (usually on the flight). If you are unsure about anything on the form, tick the “declare” box and go through the red gate at the airport as it is more than likely that the border control offiicers will appreciate your honesty and let you through. Note that failing to declare any goods can result in hefty fines.

Customs declarations/allowancesIf you are 17 years or older, your duty free allowance is:

• 4.5 litres of wine or beer (six 750ml bottles)

• Three bottles (or other containers) each containing no more than 1125ml bottle of spirits, liqueur or other spirituous beverages

• 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or 50 cigars, or a mixture of all three weighing no more than 250 grams

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• Other goods to a combined value of NZ $700. Please have purchase receipts available.

Customs prohibited and restricted goodsYou should not bring the following items into New Zealand:

• Firearms and weapons (including sporting firearms), unless a permit is obtained from New Zealand Police on arrival at the airport.

• Prescription medicines, unless accompanied by a doctor’s prescription• Pirated copyright goods• Objectionable (indecent) articles, such as DVDs and publications.

Biosecurity risk goodsNew Zealand is free of many insect pests, plant diseases and animal infections that are common elsewhere in the world. We put a lot of effort into minimising the risk of these being introduced.

When you fly to New Zealand from overseas, it is important to follow New Zealand law. That means you must declare or dispose of risk goods at our international borders.

You might have goods with you that could be carrying pests and diseases. These pests and diseases could cause millions of dollars in damage to New Zealand’s environment and economy. Substantial fines may be incurred if you do not declare correctly.

Biosecurity risk goods that must be declared include:

• Any food including cooked, uncooked, fresh, preserved, packaged or dried goods• Plant or plant products including fruit, vegetables, leaves, nuts, parts of flowers, seeds, bulbs,

fungi, cane, bamboo, wood or straw• Animals, animal medicines or animal products including meat, dairy products, fish, honey,

bee products, eggs, feathers, shells, raw wood, skins, bones or insects• Biological cultures, soil or water• Equipment used with animals, plants or water• Articles with soil attached, outdoor sport or hiking shoes, and tents

Please see http://www.customs.govt.nz for more information about New Zealand border control.

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Getting Around

There are three main ways that you can travel within New Zealand:

1) Rent a car/campervan: please note that you will need to have a valid licence that will allow you to legally drive within New Zealand. This mode of transport is often best done with friends, who hire a van together… check out Wicked Campers, and Jucy Rentals. Please note that New Zealanders drive on the left side of the road.

2) Take a bus: in the North Island, the cheapest bus company is Mana Bus, who also provide free wifi and tea on board! Great! The second cheapest bus company, and the cheapest within the South Island, is Naked Bus who also provide a sleeper bus service for any long distance trips. Intercity is also a great bus company to get you places, and allow you to take on more luggage. If you are going between islands, there are two ferry services you can take that will connect you to ongoing bus trips. These are Interislander, and Bluebridge (which also includes free wifi).

3) Fly: NZ is made up of islands, so sometimes you just need to fly. The cheapest airline carrier within New Zealand is Jetstar. For a more comfortable service, Air New Zealand is a great quality airline, and often have deals through their grabaseat service.

Note that hitch hiking is illegal on any motorways and that it is illegal for any driver to pick you up there.

Within Cities

Transport networks vary within cities, however in general you can expect most cities to be serviced

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mainly by bus networks. Some cities, such as Auckland and Wellington, offer train services to farther out suburbs and nearby townships. Both Auckland and Christchurch have operating tram systems, however these are currently purely for tourism purposes. Most cities have some sort of card available for purchase that can be used to swipe on and off various public transport vehicles.Please note that public transport can be quite expensive in some parts of New Zealand. For example, the public transport in Auckland is the most expensive in Oceania. Public transport in New Zealand also often does not run quite to schedule, however in cities buses generally run quite regularly. Auckland’s public transport system also includes a ferry network that connects Aucklanders to the nearby scenic islands and peninsulas of Devonport, Waiheke, Rangitoto etc.

For more information about public transport in New Zealand please see:

Auckland: http://at.govt.nzWellington: http://www.metlink.org.nzChristchurch: http://www.metroinfo.co.nz

Cycling

It is mandatory to wear a helmet at all times when cycling within New Zealand. You can be fined for not doing so. You can pick up helmets relatively cheaply from shops such as K-Mart and the Warehouse, as well as specialist cycling stores. Some cities are more cycle friendly than others, for example Christchurch has an extensive network of cycle lanes whereas Auckland is more suited to driving and public transport.

Laws, Health and Safety

New Zealand is generally regarded as being a peaceful and safe country, however there are some things to take note of.

Laws

• The legal drinking age in New Zealand is 18. Most establishements will check your ID, as will supermarkets and liquor stores when purchasing. There are only 3 forms of legally accepted ID in this instance, your passport, a drivers licence, or a +18 card. To apply for a +18 card, you will need to fill out an application form, bring a photograph and valid identifying documents to an NZ Postshop. More details can be found here: http://www.18plus.org.nz• Most towns and cities have liquor bans in designated

public places such as the central business district or around sports stadiums. Drinking alcohol or having an open alcohol container in a liquor ban area could lead to a $250 fine or being arrested.

• You can be fined for drinking alcohol on public transport, including taxis.• Intoxicated people, by law, cannot be served alcohol

or allowed entry to licensed premises such as pubs, cafes, bars and hotels.• It is the law to wear a helmet whilst cycling.

Important phone numbers to be aware of:

111 - Emergency hotline. This connects to ambulance, fire, police, Coastguard and Marine and Mountain Rescue can all be rapidly contacted via this one, FREE, emergencies only number. 112 and 911 will also connect to this line. Note 9

that if you are calling from a mobile the number will work even if you have no credit available or no SIM card inserted.555 - Can be contacted for non-emergency traffic incidents.0800161610 - Deaf emergency fax (connects to police)0800161616 - Deaf emergency textphone/TTY (connects to police)0800764766 - Poisons and hazardous chemicals emergency0800611116 - medical advice (“Healthline”, run by the Ministry of Health)0800808400 - railway emergencies (KiwiRail Network)

Health

Note that you MUST possess valid insurance for the entire length of your stay as a mandatory requirement for your traineeship. Some insurance providers are:• Swisscare: http://www.iaeste.org/students/go-on-a-trainee ship/travel-insurance/• Souther Cross Insurance: https://www.southerncross.co.nz/• Nib: https://www.nib.co.nz• AIA http://www.aia.co.nz/en/individuals/products-and- services/health-insurance/health-insurance.html• Accuro http://www.accuro.co.nz• Unimed http://www.unimed.co.nzAlso note that New Zealand experiences extremely harsh UV ray exposure, and hence has a very high skin cancer risk. Therefore, it is very important to always wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses!10

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Safety

New Zealand can be regarded as a fairly safe country, however common sense prevails. Do not leave your items unattended, lock things up when necessary, make sure your insurance package covers for the possibility of stolen goods, and make sure you have a sober friend to look after you if you are going drinking.

Natural hazards:

Stormy and sever weather is the most common natural hazard in New Zealand. Locals refer to New Zealand as having “four seasons within one day”, so make sure you are prepared for all different types of possible weather! If you are going on a tramping (hiking) trip, please make sure you have sufficient gear. Always seek advice from the Department of Conservation if planning to trek any alpine areas.

Earthquakes occur quite frequently in New Zealand, however these are generally small and not noticeable.The most recent significant earthquake was in Christchurch in 2011, however the city is being rebuilt and is quite interesting to visit due to the construction as well as thecommunity spirit that arose from that matter.

Volcanic eruptions can occur from time to time, however all volcanic activity is monitered by GeoNet. Most locals hardly concern themselves about volcanos at all - in fact our largest city, Auckland, is built on about 50 volcanos!Only Mount Ruapehu and White Island have been active recently.

There are almost no poisonous or dangerous animals. The only poisonous spiders are the katipo

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and redback,and bites from both species are extremely rare. If any bite were to occur, serious reactions are uncommon and unlikely to develop in less than three hours,. However, if a bit did occur, it would be important to seek medical help at your nearest hospital, medical centre, or doctor. The white-tailed spider and Weta insect can also deliver painful bites, however these are not dangerous. but is not considered dangerous to humans. New Zealand is also one of the few countries in the world that has absolutely no snakes! Sweet as!

Culture and Ettiquette

In general, New Zealanders are difficult to offend. However, there are a few social rules and cultural points to take note of.

• Politeness: Always remember to say please, thank you, and excuse me, even with service staff, when getting off public transport to the driver, and anyone who opens a door for you.

• Offering and receiving: if you offer something to someone, it is likely they will politely decline. Ask again to receive the real answer. Similarly, when being offered something (e.g. a coffee at someone’s house) it is polite to kindly refuse at first, and only accept once the item has been offered again. Further to this, and more tricky to understand, is the fact that sometimes when an item or help is offered the person doing the offering may not actually want to give it!• Speech: Swearing is quite common in many New Zealander’s vocabulary and not necessarily considered rude, even if this language is used to describe someone. Speech is also often understated, e.g. “it’s alright” could mean that it is fantastic, and “she was a bit rude” often means that she was very rude indeed.

• “Tall Poppy Syndrome”: New Zealanders dislike boasting and often thing badly of people for talking even about well deserved achievements, unless it is done extremely humbly. Also, avoid discussing your wealth, property, rent or income unless it naturally comes up in conversation.

• Maori culture: Maori people and non-Maori New Zealanders (known as Pakeha) are generally on good terms, however there are ongoing issues in terms of land ownership, government repayment etc. These issues generally surfact at least annually on the New Zealand national holiday, Waitangi Day, which celebrates the signing of the treaty between the Maori people and the

British Crown. Also, there is unfortunately still some racism present against the Maori people from some Pakeha, although in general relations between people are good, and much better than in other ex-colonial nations. Maori cultural experiences are popular tourist attractions, however remember that ceremonies are generally serious occassions and hence discussion and laughter should be avoided until it is clear that it is allowed. Note that some items and places are sacred or “tapu”, and should be treated with respect and/or sometimes not entered at all.• Comparisons with other nations: New Zealand is still a young country and is still forming its national identity. Despite the fact that

New Zealand is a part of the Commonwealth and still has the British Queen as Head of State, many New Zealanders will be offended if you were to say that New Zealand is merely an extension of Great Britain. Also, some, but not all, New Zealanders wish that New Zealand would become a separate republic. Similarly, many New Zealanders (and Australians!) would be offended if you were to suggest that they are the same, despite the fact that New Zealand and Australia share close ties. Jokes will be made by both NZ and Aus about the neighbouring nation, but it is not ill-willed, simply banter, similar to the relationship between Canada and the USA.• Tipping: tipping is not required in New Zealand.

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Accommodation

We are able to place you with a New Zealand host family through our agreement with Host Families New Zealand. If you decide to go for that, the costs will be as follows:

Placement Fee: FreeReplacement Fee: $100Holding fee (for room to be held): $100pwAirport transfer: $90Single room, half board + internet access: $260pwShared room, half board + internet access: $230pwLunch extra per week: $30

Host Families New Zealand will aim to place you with the most suitable family. You must apply as early as possible so as to ensure a place, especially if you are going to be arriving in the summer months (December, January and February) as there is a lot of demand during this time.

If you wish to find your own accommodation, a good place to get started is to check out Trade Me’s flatmates wanted page, and set up a flat sharing situation with other people. This is generally what students in New Zealand do! Prices will vary depending on what city you are in and how many people you share a house with. To give an example, for a two person apartment within walking distance of central Auckland you can expect to pay around $200-$300 per week.

For more short term solutions, e.g. perhaps when you first arrive, take a look at Airbnb or even some of the sweet as hostels that are located throughout our country.

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Kiwiana

Some examples of items that are typical to New Zealand are as follows:

• Pavlova: this is a type of meringue cake, often topped with kiwifruit. Australians like to claim it as their own, but they’re wrong, of course!

• Marmite: a black, yeast based spread. This has a very strong taste and should be used sparingly. Locals enjoy nothing more than tricking foreigners into thinking it is Nutella and having them gulp it down, so be warned! Australia has a similar spread, called Vegemite, but that is obviously inferior to our delicious Marmite. Marmite is so loved in New Zealand, that people referred to the period after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake as the “Marmageddon” because their beloved spread was no longer available!

• Sheep: yes, we know other countries have them to... but we have 10 times as many as we have people. • Kiwifruit: these were actually originally grown in China and got their name through a clever NZ marketing ploy... however we

grow lots of these now.• L&P: this is a delicious beverage, similar to lemonade. It is produced in a small town called Paeroa (hence, “Lemon and Paeroa”• Greenstone: you will find lots of beautiful greenstone in many jewellery shops, carved in Maori design. Note that you are

not supposed to buy greenstone for yourself, it should always be given and received as a gift. Different carvings have different meanings. It is also known as Pounamu.

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• Paua shell: a very pretty type of shell that is also often used for jewellery. The insides can be eaten as

seafood.• Buzzy bee: a bee toy.• The kiwi: our national bird! It is endangered and nocturnal, so not often spotted outside of wildlife reserves.• Hokey-pokey ice cream: vanilla ice cream with small,

caramelised sugar pieces within it.• Whittakers chocolate: whilst there is a large Cadbury’s

chocolate factory in Dunedin, Whittakers is our local sweet stuff. It’s pretty choice.

• Lewis Road Creamery Milk: Recently, Lewis Road Cremery released a chocolate milk flavour (in collaboration with Whittakers) and the whole nation went crazy. Shops had to sell one bottle per person and people lined up for week at shop opening hours to get a hand on this prized stuff... dairy is our biggest export, so maybe that’s why we take chocolate milk so seriously...

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Travel Suggestions

Famed for its beautiful and diverse natural scenery, there are many places to visit in New Zealand. To get an idea of the range of possibilies, some good places to start researching would be here:http://www.newzealand.com/int/http://wikitravel.org/en/New_Zealandhttp://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Tourism-g255104-New_Zea-land-Vacations.html

However, to narrow things down a bit, we asked some of the Auckland Local Committee members where their favourite spots were. Please don’t hesitate to send us a message on facebook or an email to iaeste.nz@iaeste.org.au for more suggestions or just to send us your thoughts and travel pics!

• Aoraki Mount Cook National Park: Situated in the Central South Island, this is the mountain heartland of New Zealand and features our highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook. Stunning glaciers, valleys, alpine flora and tarns are some of the things you will see in this gorgeous national park. This is where Minas Tirith and the battle of Pelenor Fields were filmed for the Lord of the Rings films. Should not be missed!• Milford Sounds: Pictured on the right, this is one of New Zealand’s most famous natural landmarks, located in the south-western part of the South Island. You can hike one of our most beautiful great walks, the Milford Track, and take photographs most photographers would dream of.• Abel Tasman National Park: Located at the top of the South Island, this National Park features another Great Walk, as well as some of New Zealand’s most spectacular beaches.

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• Coromandel: A beautiful spot on the western side of the North Island, this is where most Aucklanders chose to go on holiday. It has some of the country’s most well known and pretty beaches.• Te Puke: Come here to see a giant kiwifruit!• Queenstown: Tourist mecca in New Zealand, and known as the “adventure capital of NZ”, Queenstown simply cannot be missed. This is where bungee jumping was invented, and is also well known for white water rafting, a gondola with a stunning view of the lake and mountain ranges surrounding the city, and the HMS Earnslaw, a steam ship that still operates today, taking people across the lake!• Waitomo Cave: A famous cave system located in the North Island, famous for being beautiful, extensive, and filled with glowworms!• Punakaiki: A small town on the west coast of New Zealand, this features an interesting geological feature that is rocks that appear almost like pancakes, and are hence named the “Pancake Rocks”. Due to the rough seas along this coast, these rocks also feature impressive looking blow holes. There are also caves that home glow worms nearby.• Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers: Two dramatic glaciers found on the west coast of the South Island. It is possible to walk on them as part of a guided tour, or to book helicopter flights to fly above them and the mountain ranges behind them.

Note that all the photographs in this brochure were taken by our Auckland LC members. So if you see a picture you like and would like to travel to that location, feel free to get in touch with us - we’ll tell you where it is, how to get there, and any other advice we can give. We are always happy to help!

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Basic Maori

Below are a list of some basic Maori words you may come across during your stay in New Zeland. For more information about the Maori language, please see:http://www.korero.maori.nz

Kia Ora: HelloHaere Mai: WelcomeKai: FoodWhanau: FamilyTapu: SacredTaniwha: Highly respected creatures from Maori mythology. These generally act asguardians of sacred place.Whakapapa: LineageHangi: A traditional method of preparing food, which involved digging a large hole in the ground, placing burning coals in it, then placing the food in with the coals, covering the hole for a few hours and digging up to eat the cooked food later in the day.Tena Koutou: Hello (to 3 or more people); thank youPakeha: White New ZealanderHaka: Traditional Maori war dance. Te Reo Maori: the Maori language

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New Zealand SlangKnackered: Tired; exhaustedMunted: Broken Stubbie: Can of beer, or very short shorts commonly worn by farmers and rugby playersChocka: FullBach: A beach or holiday homeGumboots: Wellingtons, outdoor garden shoesDairy: Small corner shop

Tramping: HikingShe’ll be right: It’s fineTomato Sauce: KetchupYeah, nah: An indecisive phrase that usually means no, but sometimes yes. Hence it will be followed by explanation in most cases.You’re all good: it’s alrightCuzzie or cuz: cousin; sometimes used instead of “bro”

Kiwi: New Zealander (also used to refer to the national bird. The fruit is called “kiwi fruit”Jandals: Flip FlopsChoice: GoodSweet As: That’s great; cool; awesomeBro: Friend Chur: Thanks No worries: It’s OK; not a problem.

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Contact us

Email: iaeste.nz@iaeste.org.au

Phone: +64 22 61 99 593

Address: IAESTE New Zealand 8/1 Akiraho Street Mount Eden Auckland 1024 New Zealand

Website: www.iaestenewzealand.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/iaestenz

Twitter: www.twitter.com/iaestenz

We hope you have a great stay!