Submitted by Kylie McLaughlin on the 2018 winter session program in Australia and New Zealand sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics…
When I stepped off the plane on January 3rd after traveling for about 2 days, I had many thoughts running through my head. However, the one that stood out the most was that I needed coffee. It was 4:30 am in Auckland, New Zealand and I had a full day of hiking and exploring ahead of me. Once our group got together, we left the airport and headed toward Mount Eden, the tallest inactive volcano in Auckland. At first, when we were faced with the realization that we would be hiking after being crammed in an airplane for 14+ hours, we weren’t very excited, but those pessimistic feelings disappeared as we scaled the mountain and saw the amazing view that overlooked the city.
After Mount Eden, we went to Mission Bay to see our first beach and grab some lunch. As a group, we went to a cute little cafe that resembled something you would find in America. I was so excited that I could finally get a coffee, but when I received my order I was thoroughly confused. Turns out, when you order an “iced coffee” here, they make it with ice cream. It tasted fantastic, but it was my first culture shock experience. The Kiwi lingo is very literal and more basic than the American. To-go cups are referred to as “take- quick cups,” the garbage is “rubbish,” and ketchup is “tomato sauce.” Sometimes when we speak to the locals, they get confused with our language, so having clear communication is essential here.
