Colors of Auckland - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

You should not be surprised if a local resident mentions the word "kiwi" in a conversation when it is not about birds, fruit or the payment system. Many locals call themselves that here, recalling the self-designation of the first Maori settlers. Kiwis are open, friendly, and quite punctual. More than half of the city's residents are from Europe. So tourists will feel quite comfortable here. The British did not subdue New Zealand territories in the 19th century. They made a vassalage agreement. So there is no tension between the descendants of the indigenous people and the white settlers here.

Auckland residents are very tolerant. They react extremely negatively to any discrimination. They believe that a person should be respected regardless of gender, race or age. You will only occasionally see a person smoking on the streets of the city. There are no laws restricting tobacco smoking here. The very high price of cigarettes ensures that this bad habit is unpopular. In addition, many citizens, regardless of age, prefer to play sports in Auckland. Not only fitness centers and martial arts sections but also team games like football or rugby are popular here. Numerous sports championships for both amateurs and professionals are held here.

The habit of making up and dressing up for the sake of going to the nearest store is not common among local women. Heels, dress, and makeup – all this is appropriate at a party, in the theater or in the cinemas, and no more. Local women prefer the comfort and practicality of outfits in everyday life. It is worth noting that the ideas of feminism have been widespread for many years here. Both women and men agree on the equation of duties and responsibilities. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you talk to a citizen about work, he may ask you about your income. This does not mean the amount of income for the month but the salary for an hour of work. Local residents can easily get a few hours off any day. It is only enough to work out the missed time later.

In general, the attitude to work duties is very rational in Auckland. Everyone is ready to fulfill their job descriptions here - no more but no less. You will not find workaholics among the locals. It is not accepted here to stay at work without payment or answer work calls in free time. However, local people consider the fulfillment of their duties a matter of honor. Pension contributions are voluntary. When making a contract, Auckland residents can choose a percentage of the salary that will be transferred to a non-state pension fund. They can also opt-out of deductions altogether. High unemployment benefits create an unwillingness of part of the population to work in Oakland, as in many prosperous cities. So there are beggars of any age on the streets of Auckland.

Citizens love charity. For example, the headquarters of a radio station that works exclusively on a voluntary basis is located in Auckland. All sorts of clean-up events, volunteer performances in hospitals, holidays in orphanages and nursing homes are held every week. New Zealanders are actively involved in all this. They are not forced to do this. They just find volunteering interesting.

If you are going to visit and ask the person the question "what should I bring?", then he will answer "thank you, nothing is needed. However, if you want, you can bring a salad/chicken/cake." If you mark for yourself only the first part of the phrase no one will be upset. However, it is customary to come to visit with treats. New Zealanders like to invite people to visit because of their love of communication.

Young people very often live in large apartments before they have their own housing in Auckland. Everyone has his own room there. The bathroom, living room, and kitchen are shared areas. Neighbors communicate with each other and often gather for tea or, for example, a couple of games in a board game. You can see ads like "Two girls look for a future friend to rent a room for watching TV shows in the evenings".

The idea of environmental protection is popular in Auckland. So locals try not to buy new bags, disposable dishes or cocktail tubes if they can use the old ones.

Locals like to decorate their bodies with tattoos. They adopted this passion from the Maori, as well as the national Haka dance. You can learn more about indigenous culture if you visit the city during the Summer City Program festival. It runs from January to February. Sports events, performances by artists, traditional dance groups, and musicians take place at a number of venues in the city and suburbs at this time. The New Zealand Festival is also interesting. It takes place in February-March. The festival is dedicated to contemporary art in Auckland. Fashion week takes place in August here. You can visit the Beer Festival in March. You have the opportunity to visit the Seafood Festival in June. The parade of Santa Claus and his friends takes place in the city on the eve of Christmas.