10 NEGATIVES of living in NEW ZEALAND | my experience since moving from america | Part 2 

The fact that a lot of these problems aren't near as bad as the ones you'd face in other countries, you know New Zealand is a pretty decent place to live :) Well done video!

If you want a dryer, but don't have the space, get it installed upside down on the wall above the washer. That's what most Kiwis do when they don't have space for a side-by-side set-up.

The thing I learned about clothing sizes is that because we're still isolated from everyone else in terms of imports, we get a lot of our clothing from places like Vietnam and Malaysia, which normally runs smaller than say, US sizing.

I hate with renting: every 3 month inspections. Every place we have rented this has been the case and it feels like such an invasion of our privacy. As an American coming here to rent, it seems kind of strange. But I understand that people probably have thrashed rentals here and this is why. And suing isn’t really a thing so I guess frequent inspections it is 😵‍💫🤷🏻‍♀️.

Hi Morgan, My wife lived in Kansas for 13yrs and so we are kind of hybrid on what you are saying. 1. Lets address your icky one, we do this to save water, the solution is lay down a "splash pad" i.e. put a wad of TP in the bottom before you go, it stops the splashing. 2. You can have top mounted dryers which mount on the wall above your washing machine or put one in the garage (thats what we have done) or buy a combination washer/dryer, one appliance so better use of space! 3. Our metric system, i am old, we leared both metric and imperial, you just have to put the work in to get use to both. 4. Most NZ houses have carpet (for those wet cold winters), dogs smell, an you can't get that smell out, im a former la dlord and have had to replace carpets after tenants leave costing thousands. My advice to renters is dont have a pet till you buy your own place and that way you have no issues with trying to get a place. 5. Drinks here are smaller to promote responseable drinking, drinks with a higher alcohol content are smaller, the same with our fizzy drinks, quantities are smaller to promote better health and well-being. 6. Your own fridge and washing machine. To a lot of kiwis, its kinda discusting to have to put your food and washing in to someone else's appliance, no matter how clean you make it, there is always a thing in the back of your mind about did i miss a spot, was it a bunch of dirty 20 something blokes that had this washing machine last and what has gone through it. Better just to have your own, and it reduces rent in an already expensive market because the landlord doesnt have to keep money aside for if you break it. Things cost more here because we are 3 little islands at the bottom of the world with a small population and small buying power, so cost saving measures like buying your own appliances and not allowing dogs because of mess and smell really do save a bunch of money in the long run, sucks in someways but its actually beneficial for everyone in the long run. Hopefully thats half your issues sorted

New Zealand would be an absolute treat for lil Barkley, lush fields, moderate weather beaches, pristine rivers, living in Australia makes me miss the vitality of NZ's nature, so dry here

Haha Kiwi here. Would be interesting to know what part of the country you are living in. I was born and raised in Auckland but now reside in Christchurch. Dryers are more common that you might think. We just prefer to dry our clothes outside when we can. Much more eco friendly. Same with the toilet water thing. Waste not, want not. Some people take it to the extreme with "If its yellow, let it mellow. If its brown, flush it down" :D

Adorable insight! I'd love to hear your experiences moving with your dog. I'm mid research right now and trying to review the various pet transport companies, so a bit of personal insight would be wonderfully helpful. I've noticed many rental properties require pet references, so I love the little photo resume idea!

If you have a front load washing machine, & room above it in your laundry area, you can get a stacking kit to put your dryer on top. Always but the MIT that matches your dryer (ie Bosch kit for Bosch dryer). Heat pump dryers don't require ventilation & can be stacked.

I'm from Europe and when I visit the US, I use an app on my phone for all those conversions. You do have a smartphone, no more guess work. Some apps work with your camera in real time too

If the laundry (or house) doesn't have space for a dryer, one way around that is to hang the dryer on the wall upside down. You still need outside ventilation for the hot air of course. As for second-hand cars - they come mostly from Japan cos Japan drives on the left like NZ does. Yes, when you move house you take your fridge, washing machine and dryer, but leave the stove (in the UK, they move the appliances and the stove).

Been watching your vidz recently for the first time and I think you're humour is awesome as is your content. Keep it up and don't worry about the negative comments 👍

😂 The " and then I go home nutless ' cracked me up

as someone who is planning my venture into life in new zealand. thank you for the info!!!

Hi Morgan. It is the US that is out of step with the rest of the word which it comes to weights. We have the international system of metric. That charge from the US system has happened in my lifetime.

Whiteware appliances (fridges, washing machines, clothes dryers) vary in cost proporational to their lifespan hence there is not much incentive to leave an expensive appliance behind by the renter. There is no legal requirement for a landlord or landlady to supply whiteware as part of the rental. Note that appliances that have fixed wiring such as stove tops and ovens are usually supplied.

2:48 i tell ya i've always wanted one of thpose combind washer dryers that would be nice

I had a holiday in America about 30 years ago, what really, really, Really annoyed me was going to pay for something in a shop and being told the price on the ticket wasn't the cost of the item, I accused quite a few shop workers of being thieves trying to charge me more than the advertised price. It made the whole experience frustrating, whenever I encountered that BS after the first few times I just told them to get their act together, put the full cost on the item and left the shop without buying whatever the item was. That is one thing about shopping in NZ, the advertised price is the price you pay, it is illegal to charge more than the advertised price.

Hi! Welcome to NZ! I found your vid interesting. I've lived in NZ for my entire life. I went flatting for decades and not once could I not fit a dryer.. there was always a space.. often above the washing machine. I can’t live without a dryer! I hope you continue to enjoy NZ.. all things considered your "dislikes" were relatively minor.. and not getting your head around metric.. well, that’s on you 😉 I was born before NZ went metric.. so I'm 6ft in my head.. and always will be!

You can buy dryers that do not require venting. We have one. I have had a dryer since at least 1996 here in NZ I don't know why people wouldn't get one

Hi Morgan, l don't think they're really "negatives" but rather, "differences." You've come from a culture where America is the greatest and home of the free etc., however as you've said in other videos, that isn't totally true. No clothes dryer is not as common as you make out. As for the metric vs imperial weights and measures, well maybe use your phone calculator until you learn. And as for the height or depth of our toilet water... don't you realise that in NZ we sit sideways on the toilet so that our little butts are closer to the water? Keep these videos rolling, they're a great watch, especially with your wicked sense of humour and talented editing! Love the bloopers!👍🏻💖🇳🇿

This is informative. Thanks for the wonderful sharing., friend. Take care.

Love the photo of Mr Barkley wearing the hat and tie, Morgan Marie!

Hiya Morgan, I know a few American families living up here in auckland who were at one time living the American dream, or though not bad they also noticed the same things you mentioned in your video but in the end the temptation of NZ was to great gave up their mansions, huge fridges flash cars and even taken pay drops to fly all the way down under to live aotearoas lifestyle, and when they got here they bought dryers coz they didn't know what a clothes line was...lol, at the end of the day they were already rich so money wasn't a problem living in NZ but it was the nz people that really made the difference, 12 yrs later they are still here...🥰

totally agree on the music - we're stuck in a bad timewarp!

OSHA standard 13.4.3(e) states that all turds that have an overall length twice that of its diameter must be hand lowered to prevent unintentional toilet water backsplash.

There are small tumble dryers that don't require hookups. I have one. They're made for apartments, campers, & dorm rooms.

That is the best decade of music!!

It's your channel. You don't need to provide qualifiers, to calm the natives. If they can't handle outside feedback, then watching an expats' channel is probably not for them. 😁 As you said, no country is perfect and plenty of expats have left New Zealand, Australia etc because the differences just got on their nerves. To be honest, they are usually the same reasons that I and my American/Aussie wife don't live there or Australia anymore. 🤷‍♂ I personally didn't know anyone without a dryer, growing up in NZ. They absolutely will use clothes lines when appropriate, but this has more to do with sheets, towels etc drying a lot faster outside on a windy day as opposed to being in a dryer. The cost of electricity is also a reason for clothes lines and smaller fridges. Here in Georgia, our electricity is very reasonable and as such, we have two fridge/freezer combos. We buy in larger quantities and shop less often. It works for us. I would add that condiments and pickles and the space that they take up is more of an American thing as well. We routinely have several BBQ sauces, 4-5 different mustards, large jars of dill and bread and butter pickles in the fridge at any one time. That requires space! Liquor is more expensive there because it's almost exclusively imported from the other side of the planet. In America, it's fairly cheap, so I basically drink bourbon and scotch here, as opposed to wine and beer in New Zealand, where they make those beverages. They are also up to their eyeballs in mortgage debt, so that leaves less expendable income for liquor.

Every car I've owned since 1993 has had cruise control. Admittedly most were American cars but two were Japanese and one Australian. Low to mid range cars won't often have cruise but higher trim level cars generally do. I'm pretty sure it's only American toilets that are so full of water they look like they're blocked up to the rest of the world. "Don't use the toilet, it's full of water, it must be blocked. I'm calling the plumber!" 😃

Dryers. If you are renting or even buying a home, he dryer is a chattel and you are expected to supply it yourself. And its easy to mount it on the wall above the washing machine.

I always take my fridge and washer dryer with me when I move! I bought them and have ownership contracts and paid more for nicer models.But if you rent then you should expect the fridge to stay, sometimes the washer/dryer is a perk but that's more unusual. Did you know that in some countries they actually take the ENTIRE kitchen when moving - even the kitchen sink lol. A friend in France said they take the kitchen cabinets, sinks, appliances and bathroom when moving. They'll leave the bed but take the whole kitchen lol!

Having moved to America from NZ, I enjoyed what you’ve said here. And YES the toilet water!!! I prefer the way the toilets are here in America, it makes soooo much more sense.

I also moved from the US to a country that uses metric (Israel), so here's a trick I learned, and let's apply it to your 95 NSD per kilo. Changing the dollars to cents gives 95 NZ cents for 100 grams, which is approx. a quarter pound. Hope this is helpful. (Not planning to move to NZ, but it's definitely on my bucket list as a place to visit).

Morgan you have to listen to Radio Hauraki best station ever im overseas and i still listen to it via the internet

Good on you with your take on the realistic good and bad. It will be so boring to only watch, listen to topics in rose tinted glass. I think a lot is not so much about bad, but different, and your personal experience. Nothing more, nothing less 🤗

Dryers in NZ can be placed on the wall upside down on a hook (often purchased with Dryer)and little feet to protect wall. Ask rental if you can rig up some clothes line under a carport often purchased form hardware store ie, Bunnings or Mitre 10 Mega.

Music - you just need to choose a different radio station. If you look hard enough, you will find stations that play only US 1950s music. Look around, search the dial and you find what you want.

lol, they're not really negatives, apart from finding a rental that accommodates a dog, but funny all the same. Glad you guys are enjoying NZ.

I don't really understand what you're talking about in regards to music. Supermarkets and shopping malls play old songs, they always have (I'm guessing here but I'd say it's because older songs don't cost as much in terms of playing for a public audience). And radio stations? Well, it depends which one you were listening to. There are a number dedicated to old music and ones dedicated to new music. Even the new music stations will have workday music where they play some older songs (to relate to an adult audience who are at work). But, most people have spotify and just listen to whatever they like. With dryers, I have the opposite experience. I'm a kiwi and I've never been to a house that didn't have a drier!! At home, I exclusively use it cause I don't have a line (and it's easier anyway) Now lastly the whole metric thing. You mentioned specifically that you struggle with it at the supermarket. So, just don't worry about it. Take what you want, put it in a bag and put it on the scale and choose the appropriate foodstuff from the scale. It'll display how much it'll cost for the amount you've chosen. BTW that's how it works at Pak n Save, not sure about Countdown tbh.

Being British we brought our tumble drier with us, but still prefer to dry washing on the line if the weather permits. Do you have a carport? In Australia many people dry washing on a line under cover to prevent sun damage, one could be used to protect it from the rain. Our dryer is in the garage where the hose goes out through the catflap.

Heey great video thanks. Am trying to look for a country to migrate its good to know both positive and negative.

A bit tough in cheek I think. As said in the comment below Kiwis have dryers that mount on the wall to save space and yes they do vent outside. Most loose goods you mentioned are prices at 100gms and mostly pre packed by the store so you know the price. All the cars I've driven have cruise control unless you are buying something over 10 years old.

One of the reasons cocktails cost more is because of how we tax alcohol, the higher the ethanol percentage the higher the tax rate and then on top of that there's GST

What sort of electrical plugs do they use? Euro or American style?

So, which is better ?

I have owned 4 cars since being in NZ all have had cruise control even a 2002 Mitsubishi Airtrek. I think you need to look around a bit more before making your purchase. BTW I have driven in Japan and yes it was very twisty, with speeds generally restricted to 50kmph in the areas I drove.

Such nice negatives Kia Ora !..or should I say how ya doing !.😄 from a Kiwi that moved to Aus who pines to move back home one day whatever the negatives !.. anyway I'm just RU-vid channel surfing and stumbled on your video ! ..love hearing people's perspective of NZ.. good or bad doesn't matter we are all the same but different haha a good different I hope !?.. So anyway I come home to visit practically every year to visit family and holiday with my Aus wife and son til freakin covid hit ! and everytime we get to the airport to go back to Aus and go to board the plane I grab onto a post or something and say to my wife hold me back hold me back I don't want to go she just rolls her eyes haha.. So many memories and I feel so relaxed when I go home to NZ I always feel like I'm leaving my childhood I'm glad you're enjoying NZ with your family even with the ups and downs it's really is beautiful and the rain is a bit of a bugger but eventually stops and I thought most places or shops and lifts play decades old music maybe it's a copy write thing ?.. Anyway take care may you and your family have beautiful memories if they ever leave NZ so when they come home to NZ to holiday or visit or stay it will feel like your mother giving you a big hug like how I feel every time I fly home 🤗👍

Well some of us in new zealand ddont use clothes dryers i personaly use one when its raining outside

Can the dryer go above the washer?

They make all in one washer/dryers now. If you have space for a washer, you have space for a dryer. Technology is wonderful!

Please share your insights on travelling to New Zealand with a pet :)!

Hiya Morgan to get you started there is fantastic homegrown NZ music you can tap into Six60 musicians/songwriters Stadium tour currently touring NZ tickets on sale now , Lorde she is currently overseas in USA but touring NZ 2023 check out her most recent album Solar Power, Crowded House and Neil Finn currently touring USA and Australia (Neil Finn songwriter/musician from Crowded House plays his music with Fleetwood Mac ), Dave Dobbyn musician/songwriter will be at White Out festival Methven 13th August. These artists are very well known by every Kiwi but there are lots more . Festivals in summer and winter both islands have NZ and other artists you can check out live as well as on youtube .Enjoy !!

Where on earth are you going where their playing “Who let the dogs out” I have only heard that song once my entire life & it was in the movie “The hang over” for less then 30 second’s

I was surprised not by taking my fridge, but that the previous owner didn't take their cooker with them. Because this was part of the chattels it doesn't give the seller any reason to upgrade their appliances and the new owner is left with an outdated and only partly working appliance.

The toilet thing is the thing I hate most about visiting the states after tipping :P I feel like body parts touching the water / floating paper is worse! Pad to stop the splash ;)

Dryers are very common. But tend to only be used during the winter . In cities laundromats are common because it's a cheaper alternative to owning a dryer. They are not ducted because why throw away free heating. The music in big chain stores are all chosen by the head office and its generally a mix of newish and older music. The metric system is very easy to understand once you wrap your head around. Stop converting that's where the confusion comes in. Cruise control is very common it just depends on the vehicle. Most rentals are with rental agencies who tend to stay away from dealing with any animals, just makes their job easier.

One thing about music most business are cheap about getting new commercial licenses here in NZ at least you have to buy a license for playing any song for a commercial reason so they're fine driving the same songs into the ground to save a buck

Im laughing at the toilet water comment, I was shocked when my family members went to the U.S and took a picture of the toilet bowl with the water filled up😂

Haha, Just buy a dryer, they are cheap enough, sold everywhere. We have one like most people just only use it when necessary. Metric, once you get it, there’s no going back to imperial, that’s just weird and has nothing to recommend it really and I grew up with it, don’t miss it at all. I thought the toilet was broken when I first went to use one in the US, freaked me out seeing number twos rise up and nearly overflow, panic stations, lol. Interesting to hear your viewpoints, keep ‘em coming👍

I never noticed a difference in height of toilets in US/NZ. If splash is a problem why not drop some toilet paper into the pan?

3:24 rought conversion with kgs 20 lbs is devide by 2 its technically 2.2 pounds in a kilo but for small things 2 is fine

5:51 mm more that japan is also a right hand drive country and its cheaper to import used from there than from the uk

I don't know if anybody has commented, but US size to NZ: In NZ I'm a 14/8 (bust/hips). In the US, that equates to a 10/4. So, whatever size US you are, just take off four.

5:00 Beer and wine are produced locally, hence less expensive to produce. hard alcohol are often imports

America might have to change their toilet system- it's an ocean, but fresh water's is an expensive commodity but getting in very short supply- like the Colorado river flows- worryingly diminishing.

Every car I have driven has cruise control. It is attached to my ankle.

Love your videos from Australia, you mentioned realistic differences between countries! No country is ever going to be perfect though ;-) as always keep up the great work.

I wouldn't complain if those are the music played eveywhere. 2000s music is my era.

Taking your fridge with you is such a stupid thing we do here, you're totally right. What if it doesn't fit there? It fits here, we know that. And we also know the one where I'm going fits in it's current location too... so stupid.

Hi Morgan. What places are you renting that doesn’t have room for a dryer?? No offense but this is not accurate. If at a pinch, they can be mounted on a wall upside down and vented out. Most have inverted stickers to accommodate this. 🤷🏼‍♀️. I have had 3 different cars in a row that have cruise control. Perhaps it was the brand and model you were interested in?

I’m going to be honest with you. 1st world problems aren’t problems. I’m sure you can think of actual problems. And if not it explains why you live in NZ. Love the video and it sounds like a place I’d love to live

most of the time the dryer goes in the garage :)

Haha! Great vid. I suppose the pros out weighs the cons. From an expat Kiwi living in Brizzy.

...okay I'm going there. All I wish it to be stuck in a time capsule with music from the early 2000s and 90s 🧎

Isn't that interesting. I grew up in Auckland and now live in Canada. We always had a dryer in our laundry in NZ and that was in the 60s & 70s. I think it's because power is so expensive there. Makes running an AC unit or dryer fairly pricey.

I would love to hear about the process of importing your pup. We're contemplating a move to NZ and have 3 dogs.

The reason why it's so tough to find a rental that accepts pets is that our courts have ruled that damage done by a pet is "wear and tear", and may not even be able to be taken out of the bond. This has actually contributed to house prices, as it makes people even more desperate to get out of renting, just so they can have a pet, as they're a tremendous boost to mental well being. I would say the biggest negatives about NZ is the low income, and high house prices/rents, also food is expensive. We have low taxation so once you've "made it", you're fine. But those first 10-20 years of employment can be absolutely brutal. If it weren't for kiwisaver, I wouldn't have saved any money in my 20s, and it's only going to get harder for future generations.

I'm watching tv in NZ and there's and add for a dryer on right now. Except for about 5 years of my life I've always had one, I just don't use them unless I have too. Do you have a garage? lots of people put them in there for the space and they produce a ton of moisture you don't want in your house, unless you get a fancy condensing one. Remember only use it in the hour of power Love your Westi ...is he a Westi? she🤔🐶

I'm a kiwi living in Germany. Moving appliances as you move house (rentals) is NOTHING compared to the fact that you have to buy an ENTIRE kitchen when you move in your new place. I'm not kidding, every single cupboard, stove, microwave, sink, drawers etc you have to purchase and build to build into your kitchen space. It borders on the thousands in Euros to do so and due to the cost, many stay at rentals on average 10+ - 20+ years. We've moved 3 times in 13 years and we've had to buy TWO kitchens because the first didn't fit in with the 2nd rental. Now, we've just moved into the 3rd one and our second kitchen doesn't fit so we have to build new benches. Which means I won't have a functioning kitchen for at least 2 months...if we're lucky. *Sigh* drives me nuts. But at least we have a dryer. 😉😂

Swimwear is available in a wide range of sizes - if you went to a swim wear specific store they may be stocking for competitive swimmers - who are generally on the skinny end of normality. Metric system: it is best not to try to convert back to USD/pound. Pick a store you trust, price-wise, (at least you only pay what it says on the lable) and learn what you need to pay for your usual purchases in NZD/kg. That is a lot less work than converting! Seasonal fruit & veg is always good value when in season - so if you learn what say a capsicum, or kumara costs when in season you will realise when they get expensive!. Imported stuff is always going to be expensive - Embrace seasonal patterns of NZ food production. Buy new recipe books which use only metric measures and temperatures, use metric weigh scales etc - you will find adopting metric much easier than the process of immigration in the first place! Reduce, Re-use, recycle: NZ has an enviable culture of low-waste living compared to the US - hence no plastic carrier bags at food shops - no litter on the roadside - and low volume toilet flushing - nothing gross about it - just flush again if necessary. (you do understand about the split button half / full flush system, I hope?) Fridge sizes: eat fresh - buy less food but more often. Only keep foods in the fridge that need to be in there... eggs, for example, do not need refrigerating in NZ, neither do fruits or preserved jams/jellies/pickles/condiments/sauces except mayo / aoli. A standard size fridge will easily hold enough fresh food for a week for a family of 4. Dryers are made to stack on top of front-loading washers - or you can get a free-standing combined washer-dryer . Free-standing condenser dryers are best - can be placed anywhere - eg the bathroom so you can warm your socks in there! General tip: try to stop saying the words"Back in the USA" and embrace the status quo!

God bless you and I'm 66 years old I'm looking forward to being in New Zealand one day with the one I love and I don't know when but you're giving me a lot of insights and you were a joy to watch thank you God bless you and I pray jesus's peace in your life and in your heart God bless you and yours and the dog too I would like to hear how you got a dog over there cuz I always heard that you can you can't take your pets to New Zealand they won't accept it and I heard that about that about Lucy lawless that used to play Xena on TV I think they said that some of her pets that she had when she was living in the states then she went back home which she's from New Zealand wouldn't accept the pet so I really like to know how you got your dog accepted at all just curious mind you I'm not trying to be nosy God bless shalom

Rentals for dogs is so bloody hard. Can take over a year in cases for friends. Buying is the best option for a dog. Cause weirdly kids can do more damage than a trained dog. But yet so little landlords allow them.

1980,s New Zealand had an awesome music scene

At some point, Japanese car companies dominated New Zealand car manufacture. However, around the 90s, they found out it makes more sense to import new and second-hand cars from Japan than make new ones in New Zealand. Combine with the fact that New Zealand government is not keen to subside those Japanese car firms, all New Zealand car factories were closed down around the 2000s and some of the factories were converted into workshops to refurbish second-hand cars.

We used to Dry our clothes in the hot water cupboard most houses in NZ has them

People in NZ put T paper in the loo just before pooping. It is wasteful but prevents splashback.🤭

omg 2000s music is the best hahahah

Hello Morgan, most Kiwi's put a small amount of toilet paper in first to prevent the splash...hope that helps.

JUST BE GRATEFUL THAT YOU'VE BEEN ACCEPTED INTO OUR COUNTRY TO LIVE.

American toilets often block due the small diameter of the plumbing. Hence every toilet I used had a huge plunger for unblocking......disgusting!

These aren't really negatives. They're just things that are different. Maybe the last one is negative, but that's fixed easy.

My gf and I want to move to NZ from Japan! We did think of working holiday at first, but we decided to live there! However, we believe we need to have a work visa to live there, is this true? ( ´◔‸◔`)

New Zealand has an amazing music scene. You just don't know where to look. Bfm Campus Radio.

What you can do is weigh out a kg in nuts, sugar etc and you'll see what it is, particularly though, pick it up to feel the weight. If you get an empty 2 litre ice cream container and fill it with water- that's 2 kilograms worth.

Buy a dryer and take it with you and yes i admit when we rented years ago the dryer was often in the spare room or the garage but both houses i have owned have had a full sized laundry and I would never be without a dryer. And metric Really ? most of the world uses metric its the US that has stubbornly stayed in the imperial system.

If that's all you have I think you are doing well 😁

Music in stores. Not what people want, its just that shop wont pay fee for playing recent music.

Agree on the music but respectfully as a kiwi we don't really do dryers 🤣you'll get used to the metric system here don't worry it's a breeze.

"I just dont want too" bloody awesome ha