MP3 version of the video above

As promised in the comments, here are my notes with the information I prepared for myself before coming to NZ. They were written in 2023, so some details may be outdated, but overall, they should still be relevant.

Nanny state

This is a set some in NZ use to make cigarettes - pieces of paper, filters, tobacco, and the rolling device. In NZ, due to government involvement in the market, one pack of cigarettes costs ~$40, while a bag of tobacco is ~$80 which is roughly equal in size to four packs. So the difference is obvious.

As I said in the video about the downsides of NZ, this is an example of a nanny state. Of course, people will find ways around it - they will roll cigarettes, do drugs, drink, sniff glue, eat tons of sugar, or whatever else. Those who want to destroy their bodies will do so no matter what. I don’t like smoking and don’t smoke, but people who do should have the right to do it. They are adults. If they can pay taxes, vote, and drive, they should also be able to make decisions about their own bodies - without a nanny-official taking care of them while being paid with their own taxes.

Do you disagree? I know many of you do. But just think about it...

(Continued in comments)

How I study English

I’ve had almost no formal English education - just a bit at school (a standard non-English one) and a couple of months at university. These can pretty much be discounted. The main ways I studied English were:

Games. I’ve been playing them since I was a kid, and most were in English. Back then, there weren’t many Russian versions, so I just played the English ones - I pressed all the buttons and trying to figure out what they meant from the context. I finished Dune 2 this way, without knowing a word in English.

Later, some games got Russian versions, but they were often buggy, so I kept playing in English with dictionaries. I didn’t intend to learn the language via gaming - it just soaked in naturally. I gradually developed a feel for the language - I didn’t know grammar or tenses, but I could tell when something sounded right or wrong. I’m sure this came from gaming.

YouTube channels and podcasts. I like listening to something in the background while cooking, exercising, driving, or eating. It’s usually YouTube (in MP3) or podcasts. So, when I decided to focus on studying English, I found the topics I enjoy (tech, games, politics, etc) in English and replaced the Russian sources. The list of channels I watch and podcasts I listen to is here.

Movies, TV shows, stand-ups, books. The same here. I watch movies and TV shows with English subtitles. English-speaking stand-ups are way better than Russian, so it’s an obvious choice. Same goes for books - I searched lists of “page turners” and picked the most addictive books only. The idea is the same as with games - get hooked on them and let the book pull me through the story effortlessly.

A note about reading - if I understand the general idea, I don’t care about single unknown words. There is no need to understand 100% of what you read. It’s always better to not slow yourself down and read further. The unknown words will soak in automatically and you will get their meaning with time from the context.

Software. At some point, I also switched my phone, car, and computers to English. I translated all the contacts in my phone to English so I could use Siri commands in English as well. All my software - like Windows, AutoCAD, MS Office, and so on - is set to English. We see hundreds, sometimes thousands, of commands, menus, settings, and phrases on our computers every day.

Job. Eventually, I decided to improve my grammar, tenses, and so on. I went through English Grammar in Use (Murphy) a couple of times. This, along with everything else, helped me get a job at a Moscow-based company with English-speaking management. I worked there for a few years, using English in both speaking and writing. It really helped improve my speaking skills.

As a result, before coming to New Zealand, I scored 89 out of 90 on the PTE-A. But honestly, that doesn’t say much about my actual level. My English is enough to live and work, but I’m still far from where I want to be. I make a lot of mistakes, I have a strong accent, and I don’t always catch every English word.

So I’m still studying English. I pick more text-heavy games, read books, and cut out about 90% of Russian content from what I read and watch - just kept a couple to stay up to date with politics and memes. This channel is also part of how I study English - I train my writing here. I always write in English first, and then translate into Russian.

(Russian)

Video version of the post about gangs in NZ.

MP3 version of the video above

Lorde - Royals

This seems to be the most popular New Zealand song in the world right now - almost a billion views on YouTube. The singer lives here in Auckland, about 10 minutes’ drive from us, in Takapuna.

I really love music. After moving to NZ, I explored the local artists to understand the country and its culture better. NZ has a surprisingly rich music scene. I found lots of artists I like and hope to see live.

Lorde isn’t one of those I love - I prefer more niche genres - but I understand why she’s popular. She definitely has her own sound. Just wanted to share, so you know she’s from NZ too.

(Russian)

Birdland

New Zealand has lots of birds because it was isolated for millions of years without any land predators. Birds were able to get here, live, and evolve without having to worry about their safety.

In the video, you can hear the typical sounds of New Zealand. It’s not just in parks - the same chirping can be heard in Auckland as well. Early in the morning, when I wake up, I hear a similar soundscape from the open window (video here). During the day, it’s less noticeable because of traffic and other noises, but the birds are still everywhere – even in the city centre.

(Russian)

Autumn in Auckland

Tawharanui Marine Reserve. The same beach as in the video above, just at sunset. The waves are massive, so there are always plenty of surfers. It’s the best surfing spot I’ve seen so far - they ride huge waves almost non-stop.

(Russian)

Who are Kiwis?

Back in 1900, New Zealand's population was around 750,000. Now it's 5.3 million – a sevenfold increase. The USA, another melting pot, has experienced its population grow fourfold over the same time.

So, New Zealand is literally a country of immigrants. Here is a good infographic video showing immigration inflow from different countries to New Zealand since 1867.

The result of this immigration is shown in the picture above (wiki). 71% are Kiwis, or people born in New Zealand. Their parents or grandparents might have come from all over the world, but they’re Kiwis.

Because this big influx of immigrants is legal (I talked about it in detail here), New Zealand manages to be a good melting pot - attracting people in demand and filtering out the rest.

(Russian)

A video version of the post about freedom from status.

MP3 version of the video above

Video tour of one of our sites in Auckland.

MP3 version of the video above

Business centre owner

Just took a picture of our business centre owner in his ute. I wrote about this man here and talked about him here.

Would you think that the guy driving this car (he usually wears shorts and a T-shirt) is the owner of a huge Auckland business centre?

Me neither. But he is. He's in his 50s-60s, and he is currently repairing the roof of the business centre together with the workers he hired.

On weekends, he might jump into his Ferrari and head to his villa somewhere on a beach. You never know.

(Russian)

Motherland gave you

On my YouTube channel, when I mention Russia - especially in comparison to NZ - there is always someone who comes up with a comment like, “Motherland gave you everything, you should be grateful.” I’ve also heard the same point from all kinds of people in Russia - young, old, rich or poor. It’s a very popular opinion.

When I asked them about the meaning of the phrase, after a few rounds of discussion, they all usually came to the point that the “motherland” is in fact the government. They believe the government has things and gives them to the people - education, healthcare, and so on. So they feel grateful to the government and want me to be grateful too.

They are completely wrong.

In reality, everything governments have is taken from their citizens. Governments force people to pay taxes. They also inflate currencies, freeze pensions, impose tariffs, and nationalise land and resources. Governments always keep the lion’s share for themselves, and people always receive far less than they were forced to give - even in NZ, let alone in the RF. The only political difference between NZ and Russia is how strong the people's control over their government is. The more control they have, the less the government takes and the more it gives back.

Therefore, not me, but the Russian government should be grateful. Me, my parents, grandparents, and previous generations have been forced to give to all kinds of governments way more than they received from them. Everything that Russia gave me was paid by my parents. Everything that Russia will give to current students and pensioners is paid by me. All paid in advance.

NZ isn’t a charity either - before coming here, I was thoroughly screened - for age, qualifications, health, experience, and so on. NZ selected me, same as other immigrants, ensuring that I will pay more taxes for the rest of my productive years than receive services from the state. The logic is obvious. NZ is the same as any other country, just much more controlled by its citizens and therefore much less greedy.

Perhaps that's why I have never heard the phrase "The Motherland gave you" in NZ. People here freely switch countries and have no idea of being grateful to any of them. It’s obvious to the majority here that everything they have is made with their own hands - even if it’s dispensed by the government hired by them.

The idea that the government works for the people is common here. Of course, that's not entirely accurate, as, like everywhere else, the government forces everyone to pay taxes. It’s not a voluntary choice, but people still have the power to control those in charge and replace them through voting. That’s a major achievement, unavailable in many other countries.

Of course, not all Russians feel “grateful” to the Motherland. But still, I wish more Russians would realise that they’re adults and responsible for their own lives. The government isn’t their father, taking care of them or giving things for free. It’s a service they pay for. And in my view, not understanding this is one of the key differences between Russian society and the West.

All my life, I thought this idea came from Soviet times and would die off with the generations infected by communism. But now it seems the same idea has come back to life once again and infected new generations. And, frankly, I’ve lost my faith in positive changes - the people in power can change, but this mindset will still be in place and reproduce the same system once again. Daddy-tsar and his children-citizens. Those who are grateful to the “motherland” will always need a daddy, who will take care of them. And the cycle will continue.

Frankly, it’s one of the main thoughts that led me to leave Russia. And every time I see this comment, it reminds me that I made the right choice.

(Russian)

A video version of my immigration story.