Jun 18

Jun 18 5 Things That are Easier in New Zealand

I’ve seen a lot of complaining online about the struggles of immigrants in New Zealand. I certainly sympathize. There are all sorts of unique hurdles that migrants face that make life a lot more difficult than it needs to be. However, I think it is important to focus on the upside of this big move, so I’ve come up with five things that are easier to do in New Zealand and make life better. Most people agree that the work/life balance here is dreamy compared to the States, but what about some of the day to day things that aren’t nearly as stressful as they are in the US? Here’s my list:

Transfer money - In the US, there was always an extra level of coordination (and sometimes fees) to electronically send money to someone. Did everyone involved have Venmo? Was Paypal best? It was unnecessarily complicated.
In New Zealand, it is simple. A person will give you their account information, you go into your online banking app, enter their account information, and send over payment. It’s often immediate. There’s no third party entity involved and it works every time. At first it was strange to hand out bank account information, but there’s no way for anyone to do anything with that information other than send you money, so I quickly got over that American fear.
Engage with the government - In the US, I felt like if I wanted to give an opinion, offer insight, or generally comment on government policy, there was no way I was going to be acknowledged have a chance of being listened to. Politicians chose their voters (thanks gerrymandering) and didn’t have the time or inclination to listen to constituents.
Here, it is completely different. I get constant requests for my opinion from my local MP (Member of Parliament). I’m asked to fill out surveys for Auckland City Council on what projects I’d like to see local dollars go towards. I know where my MP’s office is and often see him comment on local Facebook pages on ways he can help. AND I’M NOT A CITIZEN. I’m a resident, but I still count because I can vote.
Pay taxes - The IRS is a nightmare to deal with. It is impossible to communicate with someone competent, impossible to make any interaction with them pleasant. It is also expensive to hire accountants and tax attorneys to deal with them if that is ever necessary.
IRD (Inland Revenue Department) is the anti-IRS. Most people don’t need to do anything to file taxes here and simply get a statement from IRD with information on what they owe or are owed at the end of the tax year. Even “complicated” tax filings are degrees of magnitude less complex than a complicated tax return in the US.
Alas, as a US citizen, I’m still required to jump through IRS hoops every year and am one of many, many American expats who would love to see citizenship-based taxation end and for the US to join the rest of the world with residence-based taxation. It would be positively dreamy if I only had to deal with IRD.
Get medical attention - Going to the doctor - or even worse, the hospital - is a stressful situation no matter what. In the US, it is compounded by the knowledge that you have no idea what you will end up paying for your medical care. This uncertainty and fear can make a bad situation worse, and I’ve even witnessed Americans making some very poor decisions because of the fear of medical debt.
In New Zealand, it is a different story all together. If you end up needing a trip to the emergency room, there’s no second guessing needed. If you’ve had an accident, ACC will cover it. When you go to any medical provider, they are transparent with their costs so you know what they are upfront. For many things, it is free or very low cost. No matter what the situation, though, you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into ahead of time so there won’t be surprise bills six months down the road.
Calculate the cost of goods and services - In the US, there’s always a mental math problem by the time you get to the register to check out to figure out what the final cost of good will be. In Texas, that meant calculating how much 8.25% sales tax is - something that I never quite mastered. On top of that, many people expect tips, like servers and hairdressers. The calculation is a little easier to figure out when the math is 20%, but there are some situations when I’ve agonised over whether tipping was expected or not.
None of that math is necessary in New Zealand. GST is included in the price of goods so if the price tag says $39.99, the actual cost to you is $39.99. There are a few services that will specify cost + GST, but that is the exception, not the norm, and always clearly stated. Tipping isn’t expected here either. The cost for a haircut is the price listed, and servers are paid a living wage so they don’t expect tips to survive.