Money

When we moved to NZ, 1 New Zealand Dollar was worth 50 Russian Rubles. It was a convenient figure for quick calculations – useful for comparing prices, taxes, and salaries.

The exchange rate is now 60 RUB per NZD. With the new rounded number, when I explain NZ salaries and prices to my Russian friends and family, the rouble figures will be 20% higher. My salary will appear larger to them, even though it has remained roughly the same in NZD.

I highly doubt that, had we stayed in Russia, our current salaries would have risen by 20% over the last 1.5 years. Of course, this doesn’t mean we’ve become richer in NZ. It simply means that everyone earning in roubles has become 20% poorer compared to those in currencies with slower devaluation.

I remember life in Russia well, constantly worrying not only about earning money but also about protecting it from government theft (aka inflation). It was a very unsettling feeling. I hope everyone escapes the sinking ship of rouble earnings asap.

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On the banknote in the previous post, next to the image of Elizabeth II, is "The Beehive" building in Wellington. It houses the executive branch of the NZ government. The Office of the Prime Minister is located on the upper floors.

I photographed it during a recent trip to Wellington. There were no fences, no police, and no armed guards. People were relaxing on the lawns around it. It seems that New Zealand officials do not protect themselves from the public.

To support this, a story from one of my colleagues: a few years ago, she met former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in her local grocery store. Jacinda was shopping with her baby, and the only difference from regular people was the presence of two bodyguards waiting for her at the entrance.

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Crime in Auckland

A video where I walk and talk in Russian about the criminal activity I’ve seen in Auckland since we moved.

Just don’t get me wrong – Auckland is the best city. However, it’s always important to consider the full picture and take all perspectives into account. No place is ideal, and while New Zealand comes close to perfection, there’s always room for improvement.

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Check out this gorgeous 5 cm mantis we found near our house. They’re harmless – New Zealand has almost no dangerous species. I also had no intention of harming it.

It doesn’t look like a typical insect – it’s big, sturdy, and feels like more than just another bug.

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3 Things I don't like in NZ culture

I’ve already mentioned the cultural aspects I like in New Zealand. After that, I started thinking about a list of things I dislike. It turned out to be a challenge because I enjoy the New Zealand way of life and consider its society the best in the world. The best for me.

So, here’s a short list of what I dislike:

1. Chatting in work emails. NZ work culture is more casual than Russian or European. Everybody uses "Hi" instead of "Dear" in emails. Anyone using "Dear" (unless they’re a lawyer) draws attention. I like this informal style, but one thing I dislike is the habit of chatting in emails. People here too often send 5-10 emails discussing a single issue, containing just "thanks" or "looking forward to it." Substantial emails quickly get buried under tons of useless chatting, making it harder to find important information in the mess.

2. Facebook and WhatsApp. If you don’t know, these are legacy social platforms used by our ancestor-apes in prehistoric times. There was censorship, terrible interfaces, no privacy, and unusable settings. I was shocked to discover they are still popular in NZ. It’s painful and, frankly, a disgusting fact. However, there are positive signs – more people are using Telegram channels and chats, so, hopefully, this issue will be resolved soon.

3. Road rage and tailgating. Friendly and relaxed New Zealanders, for some strange reason, like to drive right at the speed limit no matter the conditions. It could be night, heavy rain, or serpentine roads – it doesn’t matter, they’ll stick to the limit. If you don't know every turn on the road and dare to drive 5 km/h under the limit, you’ll instantly have someone tailgating you, and you’ll feel the burning rays of their hatred on your back. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. I would prefer Kiwis to be as relaxed on the roads as they are in the rest of their lives.

That’s probably it – quite a short list. 🤷‍♂️

(Russian)

Australian restrictions

Alarming news from neighbouring Australia: a new law proposes restrictions on citizens under 16 using social networks. The law is being discussed and, if passed, will be implemented in one year. This attempt shows how governments try to control citizens, pretending to be a nanny.

Fortunately, Australians can influence politics, and hopefully, this law will be cancelled. The politicians trying to pass the law should be voted out of office, just as happened with the previous left-wing government in NZ, which had similar ideas, such as a complete smoking ban. Now they’re gone, and their smoking ban has followed them.

Restrictive laws are often broad and vague, making it easier for politicians to reshape them in the future based on what they want to restrict next. This law is similar - it’s even unclear what qualifies as a social network. For instance, will it include YouTube, Telegram, or chatting in online games? Nobody knows. Restrict first, define later.

Yes, that's a long way from what’s happening in Russia. But still, it would be better if Western countries moved towards freedom, not towards police states.

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Audio version of the first video on the YouTube channel. Just to store them all here as well as on YouTube.

How to pick the best country? (video)

A video version of my post about choosing the best country and city. I’ll also upload MP3 versions of all YouTube videos here for those who prefer podcast-style content Telegram built-in player allows background listening on phones and will automatically play audio continuously.

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Audio version of the video above.

Ecology

Auckland consistently ranks high in ecological ratings. I never paid much attention to this, thinking of ecology as just a nice bonus to the overall quality of a city.

In reality, it turned out to be much more noticeable than I expected. Here’s a list of differences I’ve noticed since moving to Auckland:

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Nothing special, just a view from one of our sites in Auckland that I captured today. The construction machinery is right behind me, and I'm standing on a pile of excavated earth.

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Illegal and legal immigration (video)

A video showcasing stunning views of NZ nature, accompanied by background talking on immigration and a comparison of various countries' immigration policies and their outcomes.

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The mp3 version of the video above.

Strange price aberrations

In Russia, there was a visible difference in price between New Balance and other sports brands. In NZ, prices for all sports brands like Puma, Adidas, New Balance, Nike, Asics, etc., are about the same. New Balance does not stand out from the line. I have no explanation for that, but looks logical – all the brands are about the same in terms of quality and have both basic (cheaper) and advanced (more expensive) models.

It's the same with Timberland. In Russia, at some point, Timberland became somewhat special, and prices jumped up. In NZ, it’s just yet another brand with the same prices as any other.

Probably, they have different price policies for different countries.

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Pre-Christmas mood

I filmed the pre-Christmas atmosphere in our office. Kiwis, at least those I work with, when celebrating anything, often listen to songs by Eagles, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Black Sabbath, etc. The songs that I also like. I filmed this because this specific performance of this particular song (Deep Purple - Child In Time) is, for me, one of humanity's greatest musical achievements. An eternal masterpiece. I’ve listened to it hundreds of times and know every single second of it.

This music has always been something personal to me, as I had never heard these songs anywhere except on my PC. Until I moved to NZ. They know. They like. They sing. They even play it themselves.

P.S. Our office billiard table is behind the wall to the right. The kitchen, with coffee, food, and drinks (including alcohol), is near to it. However, the culture here is a bit different – nobody gets drunk. One or two shots during a party, and that's it. Everyone goes home by car.

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Immigrants' children

The Russian Duma recently prohibited non-Russian-speaking children from attending Russian schools. It's another mistake that will lead to more trouble in the future. These children will not integrate into society, and instead of gaining new Russian citizens, the country will face even more division than it already has. Yet another insane mistake. Nobody is surprised.

NZ solves it differently. Many immigrants (in NZ, they are legal only, but that doesn't matter in this case) come to NZ with their children. In the picture above are my son's classmates' self-portraits - you will find many non-English names there. Of course, immigrants' children usually don't know their new language well, even if their parents do. It's absolutely fine. These children normally go to the same free schools as any local children. In the schools, teachers assign each non-English-speaking child a so-called "buddy". The buddy is ...

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A video version of one of my posts on why people leave NZ.