Culture shock in New Zealand: Americans reveal what surprised them

“NZ call it iceblocks, we call it a popsicle, NZ call it a motorway, we call it a highway,” one commenter on a Reddit thread about life for Americans in NZ wrote. Photo / Pexels

There’s no denying that we Kiwis love it when people come to New Zealand and experience a classic dose of culture shock.

Whether it’s awe over boring locations or shock at everyday kitchen items, culture shock is often disorientating for travellers and downright comical for locals, as people balk at things you’d never think twice about.

A recent social media post has attracted more than a little criticism by American expats living in New Zealand, who complain Kiwis are not ambitious or enthusiastic and DIY rather than hiring professionals.

On Monday, an American posted a question on a Reddit thread dedicated to New Zealand, asking US expats whether they experienced culture shock.

“What do you feel was the biggest adjustment you had to undergo? Anything you didn’t expect?” they asked.

More than 30 people jumped in to share their insights on what to expect in Aotearoa.

“The biggest difference is that there is less variety and less immediacy,” wrote a Kiwi who spent a while living in America.

While you are “spoiled for choice in America”, there are fewer choices in goods and services, and people are more likely to do DIY rather than hire a professional for small tasks.

Another agreed, calling out how you can’t buy your favourite items on Amazon and have them delivered tomorrow.

“You don’t have as many choices when it comes to products and brands - not difficult to change, but you have to be willing to change,” they wrote.

One item you may have to leave behind, according to them, was stick deodorant. “Everything is roll-on or spray,” they wrote.

Someone was so attached to their stick deodorant they admitted to “carrying literal cases of deodorant back from the US” after visiting.

A Kiwi suggested the American temper their reactions as Kiwis are “a lot less enthusiastic about everything”, whether it’s good or bad.

“Kiwis can be a lot more reserved, and in general speak more quietly. If you are talking loudly in an American accent expect side eye,” they wrote.

“Expect to be left off your favourite artist’s ‘World Tour’” they added, prompting someone to jump in and write: “Unless you’re a FooFighters fan, in which case you’re seriously in luck!”

One American said they “never got over” the different names for items.

“NZ call it iceblocks, we call it a popsicle, NZ call it a motorway, we call it a highway,” they wrote, before making a dark turn and adding: “You call it school, we call it a shooting range,” referring to the high number of school shootings in the US.

“NZ calls it an election, US calls it armageddon,” another person chimed in, while one shared an extensive list of vocabulary that was different between the countries.

The list included items such as trunk/boot, hitch/towbar, trash/rubbish and fall/autumn.

On the topic of language, someone said their partner from Hawaii struggled to accept how certain expletives were commonly used.

Another person agreed with the first comment and said it would be difficult to make friends if they were older or parents of school-age kids. They did not explain their reasoning but someone replied that they agreed and said they felt Tall Poppy syndrome makes it trickier for certain personalities to move.

“If you were someone who believed in or benefited from the idea of ‘exceptionalism’ on a personal level in the US, NZ will feel WEIRD,” they wrote.

They said exceptionalism wasn’t always great, as it created “personalities that are confidently loud and wrong” but find the total lack of it unusual.

Not everyone saw this reserved, laid-back disposition as a positive.

“Possibly my biggest culture shock was (from my perspective) the lack of ambition,” one US expat claimed.

There were positives to less of a hustle culture, such as better mental health, more perspective, and a pleasant approach to life.

The negative was that, although the laid-back approach may have been fine 10 years ago, capitalism was making it harder for people in middle-class jobs to get by.

“There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with that if those jobs pay enough to survive and find a bit of enjoyment in life, but I feel that even over the past 10 years or so the culture and economy is changing such that it’s harder and harder for the average Kiwi to survive in this way,” they wrote.

In the US, they felt there were more opportunities to get ahead and climb the ladder.

Other negatives included the poor quality of houses, restaurants shutting at 9pm, relaxed hospitality and expensive shipping.

On the positive side, someone said they loved having “super cheap insurance” and fewer massive pick-up trucks on the road.

“I don’t miss the US’s fanatical religion and nationalism, it was kind of a shock to realize how pervasive it is once you’re not surrounded by it constantly,” they added.

The relative kindness of cops was called out by one person, who said they “won’t automatically shoot you because you’re Black”.

A Texan who moved to New Zealand a decade ago, but since moved back to the US, said they were surprised how hard it was to find a place to rent.

“I’m used to for instance being able to pick an apartment building and see all its available units to rent in one go. But in Auckland my experience was that every unit was independently owned, which meant contacting each individual person to see each place, which took a lot more time than I expected,” they wrote.

They often attended viewings with several other people who were willing to pay above asking price, meaning they had to stay in an Airbnb longer than expected.

Hailing from Texas, they also missed the sun and felt it rained more often than they expected.