Traditional New Zealand Fence Party

No mater what stage of life you are at weather it be college, after college or a crazy journey to New Zealand it is always important to have some good friends to share a reflect on your current voyage. When I moved to Wellington I found a flat on “trade me”, New Zealand’s form of Craig’s List, with a flat-mate that enjoy snowboarding and skateboarding and various other activities that I also have been known to like. In turn all of his friends had similar interest and have seamed to be extremely easy to get along with.

The first night I hung out with this new group of kids was at a party for a local boxing match showing on TV. Most of the group, composed of Wellington’s finest tradesmen, found it necessary to construct a grandstand of coaches to allow maximum viewing of the fight, along with a spinning wheel that would allow destiny to choose your next drink or simply condone you to taping you hand to your face for a half hour. Needless to say I enjoyed this groups creativity and dedication towards partying. There is nothing like watching someone with a hand duck taped to their face work so hard to continue to drink. I new that it would be easy for me to get along with such a light hearted group.

I think the things New Zealanders find most interesting about me is how I assume that everything I see down here is large part of the New Zealand customs. When in reality it is usually just a simple part of the 20 something culture enjoying life and would be similar in lots of places in the world. I just notice any small difference and think that I have discovered some cultural phenomenon when in reality it is miniscule or nothing at all. In reality the most fascinating thing is how culturally similar we are and I would hopefully find a group of friends like this anywhere I lived. Due to the fact that I assume that everything is some huge cultural difference between NZ and the USA most the kids I hang out with like to poke fun at my ignorance by saying that everything is traditional New Zealand… whatever. So at a spring BBQ I attended all of the guys climbed up and sat on the fence to catch the last of the sun as it dropped over the horizon and drink some beers. Trying my best to fit in, I joined them and was informed that this was a “Traditional New Zealand fence Party”. I assumed that they were telling the truth but they were just exploiting my lack of knowledge and poking fun. In my defense we were roasting a full baby lamb at the bbq, which I have never done in the states. Since then there have been many Traditional NZ things: barrel fires, skate sessions, and rooftop parties.