Arriving to New Zealand

Photo by Rich Brown on Unsplash

Indonesian airport is the most relaxed, the least intimidating airport in the world. Compared to that one all other airports are mean and suspicious and restricting. Indonesian officials smile widely, compliment your hair and outfit, say "thank you" and "hello". After leaving Indonesia, Australian airport on Gold Coast seemed cold and mean. As all the western airports generally are. Chinese too. Only Malaysian airport comes close to Indonesian. Australian was awful. Warnings everywhere. Do this! Never do that! $4000 fine! 

Warnings and stuff don't mean that the place is actually strict and the people are mean (like in the U.S. for example). But I don't know about Australia. Reminded me of Britain. 

I can't believe we're about to arrive to the country where we'll spend a whole year - New Zealand! What if I don't like it? I sure hope I like it! 

We've been travelling for God knows how long already and I've encountered two shocks on the way. The first was that Starbucks at Kuala Lumpur airport was sporting Christmas decorations. I had forgotten that Christmas existed and didn't recognize them at first. But then I heard the Christmas music. Christmas and summer look so odd together, I tell you. Like if the sun was shining at night. Actually, in Finland that is not so rare. 

And the second shock was that New Zealand is 11 hours ahead of Finland and 5 or 6 hours ahead of Taiwan and Indonesia! (Why I mention Taiwan is that my friend Inkeri lives there and I have to consider the time diffence when we Skype.) I hadn't relized it was SO far. 11 hours is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth! You can barely go any farther than that before you have to go back.

Aside from thsese shocks I'm going through about seven culture shocks simulataneously.