A - Z of Aoteoroa; B

Is for BACH, BEACH and BARE FEET ...

BACH! A 'holiday home' here in N.Z. Pronounced batch! Back in the day almost everyone had a Bach they went to for weekends and holidays. Not necessarily flash but near the beach or near the lake. Reminds me of a 'but n Ben' in Scotland. In the current 'financial climate' not everyone can afford a Bach. In fact lots of the rentals in our area were once upon a time Bach's.

BEACH! Long skinny island!?! Bound to be a beach near by wherever you are! Beach life is part and parcel of Kiwi life. City life or rural!! When we discussed our around the world move it was initially Oz we were planning on! I had one pre requisite... I wanted to live in Home and Away not Neighbours. Well here we are not in Oz but in Home and Away New Zealand. Mayhap not as hot but beach life nonetheless! With the bonus of no snakes and less scary spiders!

BARE FEET! Not sure about the rest of the world but I know my U.K readers! If you were to see someone walking down the street with bear feet you would raise your eyebrows and think hippie or some such thing. Bring that attitude to N.Z and your gonna have tired eyebrows. These Kiwis are pretty laid back. Such a welcome change! Shoes are optional pretty much where ever you are.

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My A-Z of Aotearoa

My little family and I have been living in New Zealand for 18months (lovely Hubby was here 7 months before us but thats another story). We were all born in Scotland and have lived there all our lives apart from wee Archie boy who was born here in Paraparaumu. Although he was born in New Zealand recent changes mean that he is British whereas in the last he would have been classed as a kiwi and granted an automatic N.Z. Passport, most frustrating but nevermind.

Anyhoo, the point of this blog is to begin my A-Z of Aotearoa! Changing country and sides of the world has had it's good and not so good points BUT we are great believers in the old adage 'nothing ventured nothing gained'.

I thought it might be interesting (or not) to share some of the things we have learned or found as an expat family in the form of an A-Z. So let's begin at the beginning ...

A is for ...

New Zealand by another name ... Aotearoa, the Maori name in fact. It is pronounced (to my ears) altearrrrrroa. Maori words are good for us Scottish people as we are good at rolling our rrrrrrrrrrs apparently!

Aotearoa is made up of the North and the South Island. Maori legend states that Maui (the son of Tane Mahuta the god of the land/forest) went fishing with his nanas jaw bone and caught a massive sting ray which became the North Island, his boat is the South Island and the anchor is Stewart Island. Maui's brother hacked up the sting ray after Maui caught it which created all the mountains and valleys on the North Island.

These stories and legends are awesome. Hopefully I will learn more and be able to share what I learn. Meanwhile I will. Bring the letter B to you guys soon ...

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