Gangs in NZ
In the pictures (by Jono Rotman), are typical gang members in NZ. These guys are from Mongrel Mob.
You might see such people around here sometimes. For example, one of the forklift drivers on our site has similar facial tattoos, so everyone knows he's a gang member. Also, once, I saw a group of bikers, stereotypical ones, just like from a Hollywood film, riding near our office. Colleagues simply and routinely said, “That is the Mongrel Mob.” So the gangs don’t seem to care much about stealthiness, and everybody knows who they are.
Kiwis say they aren’t too worried because the gangs don’t mess with ordinary people – they just do their own stuff, like selling drugs and weapons and fighting rival gangs. And, as we can see, doing photoshoots.
Some politicians propose banning gang badges, but these are just discussions for now - it's difficult to prosecute people just for clothes or tattoos. Police just run special operations to catch them while doing illegal stuff, and that’s it.
(Russian)
In the pictures (by Jono Rotman), are typical gang members in NZ. These guys are from Mongrel Mob.
You might see such people around here sometimes. For example, one of the forklift drivers on our site has similar facial tattoos, so everyone knows he's a gang member. Also, once, I saw a group of bikers, stereotypical ones, just like from a Hollywood film, riding near our office. Colleagues simply and routinely said, “That is the Mongrel Mob.” So the gangs don’t seem to care much about stealthiness, and everybody knows who they are.
Kiwis say they aren’t too worried because the gangs don’t mess with ordinary people – they just do their own stuff, like selling drugs and weapons and fighting rival gangs. And, as we can see, doing photoshoots.
Some politicians propose banning gang badges, but these are just discussions for now - it's difficult to prosecute people just for clothes or tattoos. Police just run special operations to catch them while doing illegal stuff, and that’s it.
(Russian)
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The best coffee
I’m a big fan of coffee. I prefer an Americano – just espresso and water, no additions.
Back in Russia, I tried all coffee beans available – from supermarket basics to freshly roasted ones. In every cafe, I’d usually order an Americano. Just to see how good it was - usually, it was bad.
And, of course, I tried all the coffee-focused places, like Starbucks (worse than average), its clones (sometimes better), and smaller takeaway chains (often better). I even visited Artemy Lebedev’s cafe specifically to try coffee there because he is known as a big coffee lover and advertised his coffee as the best in Russia. Indeed, his coffee is good and one of the best I tried in Russia.
Plus, I’ve tasted coffee in every country I’ve visited and tried many different ways of making coffee: espresso, V60, French press, Turkish coffee, etc.
So… I like coffee and have some data to compare. And I must say, the best coffee in the world is in...
(Continued in comments)
I’m a big fan of coffee. I prefer an Americano – just espresso and water, no additions.
Back in Russia, I tried all coffee beans available – from supermarket basics to freshly roasted ones. In every cafe, I’d usually order an Americano. Just to see how good it was - usually, it was bad.
And, of course, I tried all the coffee-focused places, like Starbucks (worse than average), its clones (sometimes better), and smaller takeaway chains (often better). I even visited Artemy Lebedev’s cafe specifically to try coffee there because he is known as a big coffee lover and advertised his coffee as the best in Russia. Indeed, his coffee is good and one of the best I tried in Russia.
Plus, I’ve tasted coffee in every country I’ve visited and tried many different ways of making coffee: espresso, V60, French press, Turkish coffee, etc.
So… I like coffee and have some data to compare. And I must say, the best coffee in the world is in...
(Continued in comments)
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Minimum wage in NZ
Every time I mention in a YouTube video that the minimum wage in New Zealand is enough for a single person to live comfortably, and even save a bit, someone in the comments calls me a liar. No arguments, no figures - just a statement that it’s a lie.
So, let’s settle this once and for all and explain why I’m so sure about this. I made a simple calculation explaining all the maths behind my statement. All sums are after tax in NZD. The numbers below match those in the picture above.
1️⃣ The minimum wage in NZ is $19.5/h or $780/week, which means employers legally can’t pay less. Cleaners, checkout operators, hairdressers, construction labourers, and students flipping burgers at McDonald’s, etc., can’t earn less than this. The calculation is made for a single person - if there were two, they’d have double the income, meaning way more savings.
Now, to expenses…
(Continued in comments)
Every time I mention in a YouTube video that the minimum wage in New Zealand is enough for a single person to live comfortably, and even save a bit, someone in the comments calls me a liar. No arguments, no figures - just a statement that it’s a lie.
So, let’s settle this once and for all and explain why I’m so sure about this. I made a simple calculation explaining all the maths behind my statement. All sums are after tax in NZD. The numbers below match those in the picture above.
1️⃣ The minimum wage in NZ is $19.5/h or $780/week, which means employers legally can’t pay less. Cleaners, checkout operators, hairdressers, construction labourers, and students flipping burgers at McDonald’s, etc., can’t earn less than this. The calculation is made for a single person - if there were two, they’d have double the income, meaning way more savings.
Now, to expenses…
(Continued in comments)
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IMG_9194.JPG
7.8 MB
Just a nice picture I took on yesterday's track. The picture was taken from this point. It's cool to have such views around and the freedom to visit them whenever I want. A one-hour drive, and I'm there.
(Russian)
(Russian)
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YouTube
Основное отличие новозеландцев
Основное отличие новозеландского общества от других.
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/94
Менталитет новозеландцев #2 - https://youtu.be/Mh7mx3d1Uf0
Менталитет новозеландцев #3 - https://youtu.be/OWxO1oB2JCQ
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
01:05 Причем…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/94
Менталитет новозеландцев #2 - https://youtu.be/Mh7mx3d1Uf0
Менталитет новозеландцев #3 - https://youtu.be/OWxO1oB2JCQ
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
01:05 Причем…
New video about the mentality of New Zealanders, the prisoner's dilemma, a society of trust, and how they differ from us.
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Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
A graffiti creation process that I photographed in Auckland city centre in April 2024. The artist finished it in just a month. The location is here. The man pictured on the mural is an MMA fighter, Israel Adesanya.
I’ll be walking there in my next YouTube video.
(Russian)
I’ll be walking there in my next YouTube video.
(Russian)
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YouTube
Особенности менталитета новозеландцев
Разные особенности языка, общения, стиля жизни.
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/97
Менталитет новозеландцев #1 - https://youtu.be/GbZH6AVouAg
Менталитет новозеландцев #3 - https://youtu.be/OWxO1oB2JCQ
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
00:49 Дружелюбие и…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/97
Менталитет новозеландцев #1 - https://youtu.be/GbZH6AVouAg
Менталитет новозеландцев #3 - https://youtu.be/OWxO1oB2JCQ
*Chapters*
00:00 Интро
00:49 Дружелюбие и…
The second part of the video about mentality of New Zealanders
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About Russians
It was only after coming to NZ that I understood how good we actually are, work-wise. By "we," I mean all the employees in Russia. I can speak for all construction-related fields in Moscow, but I believe the same applies to other industries and cities.
First of all, we work a lot. In Moscow, almost everywhere, people work from 9 to 18 at a minimum. These are the standard working hours, and they often extend to 20-22 if there's more to be done, or simply because that's the company culture. So, I was always confident I could call anyone (the client, the consultants, the suppliers, etc.) between 18 and 21 without any issues. In NZ, people work less. They typically start around 7–8 and finish by 15–16. Calling after 17–18 is considered impolite.
Secondly, we work hard. It’s not the case everywhere In Moscow, but in many companies, there is a highly stressful environment. I’ve seen people being fired in the middle of meetings. People often shout, insult, put pressure on, and threaten each other over various work-related issues. There were days when I felt so stressed that I couldn’t focus on anything in the evening – I kept thinking about work constantly. It all led to overworking too. There's much less stress in NZ and a lot more water cooler talk.
Thirdly, we earn very little. It was only in NZ that I realised how much working time is actually worth. The time of any construction specialist, from those with no skills to top professionals, is worth about 3 times more here. And this higher income actually allows people to buy more goods, as prices are only 10-20% higher on average. Some goods are cheaper. So, people earn more, not just in numbers, but in real terms. In previous posts, I compared utility prices and calculated how much a minimum wage can buy – you can check for yourself if you have doubts.
As a result, in Russia we work around 1.3 times longer (fact), 1.3 times more effective (my estimation), and earn around 3 times less (fact). That means we produce around 5 times as much output (intellectual, service, or physical) for the same amount of money and time. I think it is one of the reasons for the short life expectancy of Russians, especially men, who usually work more in Russia. Russians burn their lives at work.
When I came to a New Zealand company, I felt like a trooper, covered in blood from a fight, who had come to a kindergarten to play with plastic guns with kids. They were impressed that I could draft, calculate scopes, know Excel well, install and set up anything myself, understand scheduling, etc. In Russia, it’s quite standard for a construction manager to know these things, and it won’t impress people much. Here in NZ, many of these skills are standalone jobs.
Knowing all this, it’s sad to realise how good Russia could have been if all the fruits of labour of well-educated, skilled, and hardworking Russians hadn’t been stolen and spent on golden palaces, or even worse. Russia could have flourished.
That’s probably the saddest realisation I’ve had since leaving. I’m still shocked by how little people in NZ actually work, how much this "little work" costs, and how prosperous a country is if the wealth generated by society goes into the right things.
(Russian)
It was only after coming to NZ that I understood how good we actually are, work-wise. By "we," I mean all the employees in Russia. I can speak for all construction-related fields in Moscow, but I believe the same applies to other industries and cities.
First of all, we work a lot. In Moscow, almost everywhere, people work from 9 to 18 at a minimum. These are the standard working hours, and they often extend to 20-22 if there's more to be done, or simply because that's the company culture. So, I was always confident I could call anyone (the client, the consultants, the suppliers, etc.) between 18 and 21 without any issues. In NZ, people work less. They typically start around 7–8 and finish by 15–16. Calling after 17–18 is considered impolite.
Secondly, we work hard. It’s not the case everywhere In Moscow, but in many companies, there is a highly stressful environment. I’ve seen people being fired in the middle of meetings. People often shout, insult, put pressure on, and threaten each other over various work-related issues. There were days when I felt so stressed that I couldn’t focus on anything in the evening – I kept thinking about work constantly. It all led to overworking too. There's much less stress in NZ and a lot more water cooler talk.
Thirdly, we earn very little. It was only in NZ that I realised how much working time is actually worth. The time of any construction specialist, from those with no skills to top professionals, is worth about 3 times more here. And this higher income actually allows people to buy more goods, as prices are only 10-20% higher on average. Some goods are cheaper. So, people earn more, not just in numbers, but in real terms. In previous posts, I compared utility prices and calculated how much a minimum wage can buy – you can check for yourself if you have doubts.
As a result, in Russia we work around 1.3 times longer (fact), 1.3 times more effective (my estimation), and earn around 3 times less (fact). That means we produce around 5 times as much output (intellectual, service, or physical) for the same amount of money and time. I think it is one of the reasons for the short life expectancy of Russians, especially men, who usually work more in Russia. Russians burn their lives at work.
When I came to a New Zealand company, I felt like a trooper, covered in blood from a fight, who had come to a kindergarten to play with plastic guns with kids. They were impressed that I could draft, calculate scopes, know Excel well, install and set up anything myself, understand scheduling, etc. In Russia, it’s quite standard for a construction manager to know these things, and it won’t impress people much. Here in NZ, many of these skills are standalone jobs.
Knowing all this, it’s sad to realise how good Russia could have been if all the fruits of labour of well-educated, skilled, and hardworking Russians hadn’t been stolen and spent on golden palaces, or even worse. Russia could have flourished.
That’s probably the saddest realisation I’ve had since leaving. I’m still shocked by how little people in NZ actually work, how much this "little work" costs, and how prosperous a country is if the wealth generated by society goes into the right things.
(Russian)
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Communism
New Zealand is a multicultural country, and since moving, I’ve had the chance to talk to people from all over the world. These included my colleagues, friends, contractors, and sometimes just random people I met in Auckland.
So, now I have a much better understanding of how people actually live, not just in New Zealand but also in India, South Africa, America, the Philippines, Iran, Sri Lanka, Egypt, and other countries.
But not in China.
There are many Chinese people here, but when we discuss and compare our countries with colleagues in the office kitchen, the Chinese tend to listen quietly and avoid saying anything political about China - even those who have lived here for years.
I noticed this and, when there were no Chinese people around, asked my colleagues why that was. The answer came immediately – they are scared. As my colleagues explained, China has agencies that monitor and punish its citizens for discussing China abroad. This could involve direct punishment to the individual or indirect consequences for their relatives in China. I fact-checked it and found that it is supported by the media.
So every Chinese person I’ve met, even those who have become NZ residents and have no ties to China, has remained completely silent about their politics.
That’s basically all you need to know about communism and what life in China is really like.
(Russian)
New Zealand is a multicultural country, and since moving, I’ve had the chance to talk to people from all over the world. These included my colleagues, friends, contractors, and sometimes just random people I met in Auckland.
So, now I have a much better understanding of how people actually live, not just in New Zealand but also in India, South Africa, America, the Philippines, Iran, Sri Lanka, Egypt, and other countries.
But not in China.
There are many Chinese people here, but when we discuss and compare our countries with colleagues in the office kitchen, the Chinese tend to listen quietly and avoid saying anything political about China - even those who have lived here for years.
I noticed this and, when there were no Chinese people around, asked my colleagues why that was. The answer came immediately – they are scared. As my colleagues explained, China has agencies that monitor and punish its citizens for discussing China abroad. This could involve direct punishment to the individual or indirect consequences for their relatives in China. I fact-checked it and found that it is supported by the media.
So every Chinese person I’ve met, even those who have become NZ residents and have no ties to China, has remained completely silent about their politics.
That’s basically all you need to know about communism and what life in China is really like.
(Russian)
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YouTube
Cкандалы, которые я видел после переезда
Собрал все свои конфликты и также расспросил друзей. Всё в одном видео, только реальный опыт.
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/101
Менталитет новозеландцев #1 - https://youtu.be/GbZH6AVouAg
Менталитет новозеландцев #2 - https://youtu.be/Mh7mx3d1Uf0…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/101
Менталитет новозеландцев #1 - https://youtu.be/GbZH6AVouAg
Менталитет новозеландцев #2 - https://youtu.be/Mh7mx3d1Uf0…
The third part of the video about mentality of New Zealanders.
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Here are two pictures of a church I walked past in the video above. The first one seems old - at least 10 years ago. I found it on an info plaque at the church. The second was taken by me in 2024. The pictures look almost identical. Another example of nothing happening in NZ.
Even the borderstone is the same! What decay! Aucklanders obviously don’t realise that a prosperous metropolis should replace its borderstones at least five times a year - just like Moscow does.
(Russian)
Even the borderstone is the same! What decay! Aucklanders obviously don’t realise that a prosperous metropolis should replace its borderstones at least five times a year - just like Moscow does.
(Russian)
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Left-wing forces worldwide are losing influence - in my opinion, this is good news. And New Zealand is one of the nations that has taken them out of power, which is definitely a reason for optimism. Hopefully now there will be less reckless spending of other people's money, woke/DEI censorship, discrimination and repressions. And more freedom.
Another good piece of news is the current libertarian-leaning trend set by Trump: cutting bureaucracy, reducing welfare, and lowering taxes. Hopefully, it will spread to the rest of the Western world including NZ.
(Russian)
Another good piece of news is the current libertarian-leaning trend set by Trump: cutting bureaucracy, reducing welfare, and lowering taxes. Hopefully, it will spread to the rest of the Western world including NZ.
(Russian)
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YouTube
Климат Окленда - пуховики, грелки и купание весь год
Самый подробный и детальный рассказ про климат Окленда во всём ютубе от самого скромного автора.
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/106
Упомянутое видео с прогулкой по зимнему Окленду (не моё) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKAM_7mRAng
*Chapters*…
MP3-версия - https://t.me/OutsidersInsight/106
Упомянутое видео с прогулкой по зимнему Окленду (не моё) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKAM_7mRAng
*Chapters*…
Did my best to create the most comprehensive video on Auckland's climate.
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Freedom of speech
Comments in this channel have been very polite, which looks a bit unusual to me. So I want to say, just in case, that there is no censorship on this channel. Absolute freedom of speech.
All opinions are welcome, including wild ones and those expressed in an impolite manner. Insults are allowed. I’m not going to ban or edit anyone here. The only exceptions are spam, auto-messages, and illegal content. Everything else goes.
I have written thousands of comments on different online platforms, channels, and forums. Almost always, there was some kind of censorship. At best, there was a set of written rules that users should follow, and at worst, there was just arbitrary banning/deleting by an admin. In both cases, communication degraded, moderation forced users to self-censor, and discussions ended up looking quite pathetic - just like it happens on a bigger scale in authoritarian countries.
I’ve always disliked the lack of freedom, and it’s one of the reasons I created the channel - I don’t want to experience any censorship anymore.
Here’s a recent example - on my YouTube channel, I don’t do any moderation either, but the platform itself holds the publishing of some comments without any visible reason. I can see the comments inside the creator’s section on YouTube (there is a special interface for authors), but they are not visible on standard YouTube pages. People immediately blamed me for deleting them, and it’s understandable - I would do the same in their place. These were usually provocative and negative comments, countering my points, but I would like them to be published in any case. So, I had to repost them manually under the videos, mentioning their real authors.
Luckily, Telegram is one of the freest platforms out there, and there is no external moderation here. At least for now. So, I’m going to use this convenience, and in this small, cosy channel, there will be full and complete freedom for anyone who chooses to join. Hopefully, over time, more people here will disagree with my points.
Freedom of speech is when someone you don’t like says something you don’t like.
(Russian)
Comments in this channel have been very polite, which looks a bit unusual to me. So I want to say, just in case, that there is no censorship on this channel. Absolute freedom of speech.
All opinions are welcome, including wild ones and those expressed in an impolite manner. Insults are allowed. I’m not going to ban or edit anyone here. The only exceptions are spam, auto-messages, and illegal content. Everything else goes.
I have written thousands of comments on different online platforms, channels, and forums. Almost always, there was some kind of censorship. At best, there was a set of written rules that users should follow, and at worst, there was just arbitrary banning/deleting by an admin. In both cases, communication degraded, moderation forced users to self-censor, and discussions ended up looking quite pathetic - just like it happens on a bigger scale in authoritarian countries.
I’ve always disliked the lack of freedom, and it’s one of the reasons I created the channel - I don’t want to experience any censorship anymore.
Here’s a recent example - on my YouTube channel, I don’t do any moderation either, but the platform itself holds the publishing of some comments without any visible reason. I can see the comments inside the creator’s section on YouTube (there is a special interface for authors), but they are not visible on standard YouTube pages. People immediately blamed me for deleting them, and it’s understandable - I would do the same in their place. These were usually provocative and negative comments, countering my points, but I would like them to be published in any case. So, I had to repost them manually under the videos, mentioning their real authors.
Luckily, Telegram is one of the freest platforms out there, and there is no external moderation here. At least for now. So, I’m going to use this convenience, and in this small, cosy channel, there will be full and complete freedom for anyone who chooses to join. Hopefully, over time, more people here will disagree with my points.
Freedom of speech is when someone you don’t like says something you don’t like.
(Russian)
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That’s why people love old cool cars. This "Ferret" grabs all attention, making the boring Tesla fade into the background.
It’s a ’90s model. I just checked the prices - the cheapest starts from 10k NZD. That’s 6-7 times cheaper than a new Tesla, but it will bring the driver far more excitement and attention.
(Russian)
It’s a ’90s model. I just checked the prices - the cheapest starts from 10k NZD. That’s 6-7 times cheaper than a new Tesla, but it will bring the driver far more excitement and attention.
(Russian)
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