Dear SG,
No I haven't forgotten you but wow, time does flies! I ought to keep up, keep healthy and keep going. Life is still good because we are making it so (as always and it helps to keep looking for the bright side of life). ;)
It's raining here again because winter is upon us. We won't see snow in Auckland but other parts of NZ are snowing. What's different? SG should be experiencing the height of summer soon while we are getting into winter. And when it rains in SG, out comes all the umbrella that has been sitting in the carrying bags, the drawers or in the car waiting to be put to use. In NZ, we've stopped carrying umbrella because it's not a very effective way to stay dry. The rain could be so strong that it blew the umbrella away or bend it out of shape. Or it could be so fine that the wind would carry it under the umbrella and onto your hair/face/body. *roll eyes* A rain coat or a jacket with a hoodie will work better. So, if you ever decided to come over for a holiday, leave the umbrella home and experience the joy of walking in the rain with us.
with love from NZ,
J
Showing posts with label Contrast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contrast. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Friday, December 12, 2008
What?! No Hum!??
Dear SG,
I’m sorry I haven’t been writing. Life is split between my interesting career in the day and mommy duties at night. I’m even starting to miss Facebook because I no longer had the luxury of going through my list of friends and checking them out for updates. (Which means, I haven’t been able to check your blog for updates too. I’m sorry…)
It’s 3am in the morning and I was looking through some photos Andrew took with his camera phone. Then I came upon this and found my topic of the day. Cockles… (grin)
My dear SG friends, although NZ is surrounded by the sea, our favorite cockles (in dialect "See Hum") are not available here! They do have cockles of a different variety but it doesn’t taste the same. The kiwi cockles doesn’t have that strong cockle taste we are used to. Rather, it’s pretty mild and would probably suits those SG-ians who likes seafood but dislike “Hum”. ;) The flesh are white instead of red which means it is less “bloody” during consumption. Sigh… “char kway teow” just isn’t the same without our bloody “hum”.
Our beloved SG dish: Blood Cockles (Scientific Name: Anadara Granosa)
Photo from www.rasamalaysia.com
Yummy SG favorite: Char Kway Teow
Photo from ieatishootipost.sg
Cockle sign on a kiwi beach
with love from NZ,
J
P.S: Yes, if you live near the sea in NZ, you could help yourself to all those fresh cockles or seafood every day. Just remember to check the quota and conditions of that particular beach, some beaches are protected to allow the “seafood” to repopulate again.
I’m sorry I haven’t been writing. Life is split between my interesting career in the day and mommy duties at night. I’m even starting to miss Facebook because I no longer had the luxury of going through my list of friends and checking them out for updates. (Which means, I haven’t been able to check your blog for updates too. I’m sorry…)
It’s 3am in the morning and I was looking through some photos Andrew took with his camera phone. Then I came upon this and found my topic of the day. Cockles… (grin)
My dear SG friends, although NZ is surrounded by the sea, our favorite cockles (in dialect "See Hum") are not available here! They do have cockles of a different variety but it doesn’t taste the same. The kiwi cockles doesn’t have that strong cockle taste we are used to. Rather, it’s pretty mild and would probably suits those SG-ians who likes seafood but dislike “Hum”. ;) The flesh are white instead of red which means it is less “bloody” during consumption. Sigh… “char kway teow” just isn’t the same without our bloody “hum”.
Our beloved SG dish: Blood Cockles (Scientific Name: Anadara Granosa)
Photo from www.rasamalaysia.com
Yummy SG favorite: Char Kway Teow
Photo from ieatishootipost.sg
Cockle sign on a kiwi beach
with love from NZ,
J
P.S: Yes, if you live near the sea in NZ, you could help yourself to all those fresh cockles or seafood every day. Just remember to check the quota and conditions of that particular beach, some beaches are protected to allow the “seafood” to repopulate again.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Karen has her SG citizenship
Karen's SG citizenship has been approved and is now ready for collection from the SG High Comm here. Unfortunately we have forgotten to include a A4 size return courier bag in our application hence they holding her documents ransom while waiting for us to post the courier bag to them. It took around 2 months+ for this application to be approve partly because of her name.
NZ prefers the family name to be at the back hence her birth certificate says "Karen Kai Eng LAU"
SG wants it in a different way, either "Karen LAU Kai Eng" or "LAU Kai Eng Karen"
We choose to go with "Karen LAU Kai Eng" in her application. Karen Lau Kai Eng, when you are much older, you are going to love shopping in SG. ;)
Cross Post from Multiply "Karen's baby step"
http://joantohlau.multiply.com/
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Native names
Dear SG,
While most friends of mine from SG will know that "Temasek" is what Sinapore is used to be known as, New Zealand has its own special name too and it's still widely use today. It's "Aotearoa".
Aotearoa means "Land of the long white cloud", the maori name of New Zealand. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. It's not uncommon to hear folks says "New Zealand Aotearoa" as the name of this country.
Temasek means "sea" in Javanese, it's a name by which Singapore was known before the Prince Sang Nila Utama named it "Singapura" (meaning "lion" (singa) "city" (pura) in Sanskrit. Why a lion city? It was because he spotted a lion when he landed on our sunny island, that's why. ;)
with love from NZ,
J
While most friends of mine from SG will know that "Temasek" is what Sinapore is used to be known as, New Zealand has its own special name too and it's still widely use today. It's "Aotearoa".
Aotearoa means "Land of the long white cloud", the maori name of New Zealand. The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. It's not uncommon to hear folks says "New Zealand Aotearoa" as the name of this country.
Temasek means "sea" in Javanese, it's a name by which Singapore was known before the Prince Sang Nila Utama named it "Singapura" (meaning "lion" (singa) "city" (pura) in Sanskrit. Why a lion city? It was because he spotted a lion when he landed on our sunny island, that's why. ;)
with love from NZ,
J
Driving license
Dear SG,
Andrew had a driving test today because we finally need to convert our driving license from a SG driving license to a NZ one. SG driving license allows us to drive in NZ for one year upon entry but we manage to drag so long because we went back to SG last year for some family matters. I’m due to take mine this Friday afternoon so wish me luck.
Here’s some interesting comparison on NZ and SG driving test.
SG driving center is known as “SSDC – Singapore Safety Driving Center”
NZ driving center is known as “AA – NZAA Inc”
SSDC provides the following services; Driving lessons, driving test and Road safety education talk.
AA provides the following services; Car registration, plate registration, transfer of vehicle ownership, driving lessons, driving test, vehicle insurance, AA maps n guides, road services for breakdowns etc.
SSDC has a training circuit for motorist
AA has a membership scheme that provides insurances, help and any road services a driver could ask for. As with most membership scheme, they have rewards scheme too.
SG practical driving test cost SG$156.96 (including GST)
NZ practical driving test cost NZ$70.80 (including GST)
SG Theory test has a fixed test date where a big group of people will be taking the test together and monitored by a member of the staff.
NZ Theory test can be taken anytime during their office hours, taken alone in a cubical and is monitored by a security camera. (And if we fail that, we can retake it again immediately after)
In SG, upon passing the theory test, a person is only allowed to drive during driving lessons with their restricted license.
In NZ, upon passing the theory test, a restricted license allows them to drive on their own during certain hours in a day or with supervision after those hours. (yes, I mean on the main road, not in a training circuit)
In SG, driving lessons can only be given by professional trained instructors.
In NZ, anyone with a driving license can teach a new leaner how to drive.
In SG, the driving license card is valid for life (with no expiry date).
In NZ, the driving license card is only valid for 5 years and require renewal.
In SG, the minimum age to drive is 18 years old.
In NZ, the minimum age to drive is 15 years old! (Gasp!)
with love from NZ,
j
Andrew had a driving test today because we finally need to convert our driving license from a SG driving license to a NZ one. SG driving license allows us to drive in NZ for one year upon entry but we manage to drag so long because we went back to SG last year for some family matters. I’m due to take mine this Friday afternoon so wish me luck.
Here’s some interesting comparison on NZ and SG driving test.
SG driving center is known as “SSDC – Singapore Safety Driving Center”
NZ driving center is known as “AA – NZAA Inc”
SSDC provides the following services; Driving lessons, driving test and Road safety education talk.
AA provides the following services; Car registration, plate registration, transfer of vehicle ownership, driving lessons, driving test, vehicle insurance, AA maps n guides, road services for breakdowns etc.
SSDC has a training circuit for motorist
AA has a membership scheme that provides insurances, help and any road services a driver could ask for. As with most membership scheme, they have rewards scheme too.
SG practical driving test cost SG$156.96 (including GST)
NZ practical driving test cost NZ$70.80 (including GST)
SG Theory test has a fixed test date where a big group of people will be taking the test together and monitored by a member of the staff.
NZ Theory test can be taken anytime during their office hours, taken alone in a cubical and is monitored by a security camera. (And if we fail that, we can retake it again immediately after)
In SG, upon passing the theory test, a person is only allowed to drive during driving lessons with their restricted license.
In NZ, upon passing the theory test, a restricted license allows them to drive on their own during certain hours in a day or with supervision after those hours. (yes, I mean on the main road, not in a training circuit)
In SG, driving lessons can only be given by professional trained instructors.
In NZ, anyone with a driving license can teach a new leaner how to drive.
In SG, the driving license card is valid for life (with no expiry date).
In NZ, the driving license card is only valid for 5 years and require renewal.
In SG, the minimum age to drive is 18 years old.
In NZ, the minimum age to drive is 15 years old! (Gasp!)
with love from NZ,
j
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Maternity Money no enough
Dear SG,
Although I’ve cross blog this with Karen’s baby blog, I didn’t forget that To SG with Love from NZ is still a blog for differentiating SG and NZ. (Not that there are a lot of similarities to begin with! Hee…)
But since we are on babies’ topics, I would like to take this opportunity to answer one of the most commonly asked questions by all my SG’s mom and girlfriends. How long is my maternity leave?
In SG, we are given 12 weeks of PAID maternity leave, 8 weeks by the company we are working for, and 4 weeks by the SG government. Certain conditions apply of course, for example, we had to be working in the organization for at least 180 days to qualify for it. And when I stress PAID leave, I mean paid as in the monthly gross rate of pay.
In NZ, the Pros are that the companies are obliged to provide the maternity leave for a maximum duration of one year. Now for the cons, the leaves are unpaid. Another pros, the NZ government will provide an allowance of approximately $400 a week for up to 14 weeks. And the cons again, we are taxed on that $400 which means it’s down to $300 a week (reminder, the tax in NZ is really high and cost of living is pretty high too).
In case you are wondering if $300 a week is sufficient, renting a house here would cost at least $200+ a week on the lower end of the scale, if there is a house mortgage to pay off, that will be at least 3 times the cost of renting which is at least $600+ a week and that’s also on the lower end of the scale. There’s always a silver lining though, with so many different welfare bodies in NZ, if “money no enough”, there’s always a welfare packages that might fulfill the basic needs.
Read on a friend’s blog that the new local movie, Money no enough 2 (钱不够用2) is pretty good. Anyone cares to send me the VCD? ;)
With love from NZ,
J
Monday, July 7, 2008
Protesting in strength
Dear SG,
Coming from a country that doesn’t encourage protesting, the last few days has certainly been interesting for us.
Truckies Rolls
Pic from TVNZ.co.nz
On Friday, we had the truckies (truck drivers) protesting against the sudden increase in road user charges when they were promised that a notice will be given a month in advance. It was pretty impressive how they did it. On Thursday, there were notices coming in all form of communications telling the whole country that the truckies has planned a protest during the morning peak hour traffic to drive very slowly into the town centre and city area. The roads they were going to take and how long the whole protest would be for were all detailed so that drivers could plan alternative road or just take the day off from work. Hee…
We happened to have an appointment with the doctor in the morning so we took an alternative road. The protest went well and was supported by the general public. We saw teachers with their students waving from the pedestrians overhead bridge to all the motorists stuck on the motorway. Most of the cars were following slowly (not that they have much of a choice) behind the trucks but everyone seemed to understand the need for the protest and were willing to accommodate it. The truckies left one of the lanes open for emergency vehicles which I thought was really considerate and it was pretty impressive to have over 2000 trucks in Auckland city central itself. There were around 4400 trucks protesting around the country beside Auckland, they were also in Hamilton, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Asian March
Pic from tvnz.co.nz
And the next day on Saturday, we had the Asian marching in protest against the crime. Crime rates were going up here and with the recently violent death of 3 Asian within months of each other, it kind of got the community really upset and worried. We weren’t in the march but because we lived opposite the town centre where they are protesting, we saw the whole procession moving from one end to another. 15,000 Asian were braving the hail storm and cold strong wind to be in the march. It was quite a sight. Like the truckies, they weren’t expecting the numbers but I guess the issues of crime affected everyone. I only wish it wasn’t just an Asian March but in general, a country in protest against crime. Local kiwis told me that 10 years ago, a violent death on the newspaper would be a big nation-wide topic because there’s so few of those. Now, it’s getting common and depressing. What a blot on such a beautiful country.
Both protests were a success because of the number of people supporting them by being a part of it. I doubt we’ll see that in SG. We’ll probably get more spectators than protestors during a march. Hee…
with love from NZ,
J
Coming from a country that doesn’t encourage protesting, the last few days has certainly been interesting for us.
Truckies Rolls
On Friday, we had the truckies (truck drivers) protesting against the sudden increase in road user charges when they were promised that a notice will be given a month in advance. It was pretty impressive how they did it. On Thursday, there were notices coming in all form of communications telling the whole country that the truckies has planned a protest during the morning peak hour traffic to drive very slowly into the town centre and city area. The roads they were going to take and how long the whole protest would be for were all detailed so that drivers could plan alternative road or just take the day off from work. Hee…
We happened to have an appointment with the doctor in the morning so we took an alternative road. The protest went well and was supported by the general public. We saw teachers with their students waving from the pedestrians overhead bridge to all the motorists stuck on the motorway. Most of the cars were following slowly (not that they have much of a choice) behind the trucks but everyone seemed to understand the need for the protest and were willing to accommodate it. The truckies left one of the lanes open for emergency vehicles which I thought was really considerate and it was pretty impressive to have over 2000 trucks in Auckland city central itself. There were around 4400 trucks protesting around the country beside Auckland, they were also in Hamilton, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Asian March
And the next day on Saturday, we had the Asian marching in protest against the crime. Crime rates were going up here and with the recently violent death of 3 Asian within months of each other, it kind of got the community really upset and worried. We weren’t in the march but because we lived opposite the town centre where they are protesting, we saw the whole procession moving from one end to another. 15,000 Asian were braving the hail storm and cold strong wind to be in the march. It was quite a sight. Like the truckies, they weren’t expecting the numbers but I guess the issues of crime affected everyone. I only wish it wasn’t just an Asian March but in general, a country in protest against crime. Local kiwis told me that 10 years ago, a violent death on the newspaper would be a big nation-wide topic because there’s so few of those. Now, it’s getting common and depressing. What a blot on such a beautiful country.
Both protests were a success because of the number of people supporting them by being a part of it. I doubt we’ll see that in SG. We’ll probably get more spectators than protestors during a march. Hee…
with love from NZ,
J
Monday, April 21, 2008
I broke my camera
Dear SG,
I've got a good excuse for not blogging for a while. I broke my camera, dropped it on the floor when I took my scarf from the pouch. While the camera can still read my memory card, it refused to take any new pictures. Excuses are excuses, but why waste them?
Anyway I'm anticipating a parcel with my new camera in it. It should be sent out today from Aussie because I've purchased and paid for it on Saturday. Sunday being a non-working day means they would only "process" my purchases today. Can't wait for it to arrived. Oh! Oh! Oh!... this is so exciting...
Here's a picture of the camera. It's a FujiFlim FinePix S9600, a bridge camera between a Point-and-shoot and a DSLR. I hope to one day upgrade to a DSLR but for now, with my budget and my skills, I'm happy with a Bridge. Can't wait for it to arrive...
Hee... I think I'm even more excited about this camera than about the baby! (at this moment, I bet a lot of friends out there reading this blog wanna hit me on the head, but I'm too happy to be bothered) ;)
Oh Oh Oh, one last thing. I've learnt that unlike SG, where we would go to the camera shop, get a chance to feel and hold the product before purchasing it. Here, it's best do heaps of research and to purchase it online where it's slightly cheaper. And if the price is right, to get it from out of NZ which can definitely save even more money (even after the conversion rate and the delivery charges!)
But I so miss the part where we physically walked for miles, browsing heaps of camera shops, touch and feel the real thing and get a supposingly good deal loaded with heaps of freebies even though deep inside, we are aware that the cost of the freebies has been added into the selling price and that we probably won't use half of those freebies any way. :p But the buying experiences is so much fun. I miss SG's shopping.
with love from NZ,
J
I've got a good excuse for not blogging for a while. I broke my camera, dropped it on the floor when I took my scarf from the pouch. While the camera can still read my memory card, it refused to take any new pictures. Excuses are excuses, but why waste them?
Anyway I'm anticipating a parcel with my new camera in it. It should be sent out today from Aussie because I've purchased and paid for it on Saturday. Sunday being a non-working day means they would only "process" my purchases today. Can't wait for it to arrived. Oh! Oh! Oh!... this is so exciting...
Here's a picture of the camera. It's a FujiFlim FinePix S9600, a bridge camera between a Point-and-shoot and a DSLR. I hope to one day upgrade to a DSLR but for now, with my budget and my skills, I'm happy with a Bridge. Can't wait for it to arrive...
Hee... I think I'm even more excited about this camera than about the baby! (at this moment, I bet a lot of friends out there reading this blog wanna hit me on the head, but I'm too happy to be bothered) ;)
Oh Oh Oh, one last thing. I've learnt that unlike SG, where we would go to the camera shop, get a chance to feel and hold the product before purchasing it. Here, it's best do heaps of research and to purchase it online where it's slightly cheaper. And if the price is right, to get it from out of NZ which can definitely save even more money (even after the conversion rate and the delivery charges!)
But I so miss the part where we physically walked for miles, browsing heaps of camera shops, touch and feel the real thing and get a supposingly good deal loaded with heaps of freebies even though deep inside, we are aware that the cost of the freebies has been added into the selling price and that we probably won't use half of those freebies any way. :p But the buying experiences is so much fun. I miss SG's shopping.
with love from NZ,
J
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Run Baby Run!
Dear SG,
Auckland’s HSBC Round The Bays 2008 will happen this coming Sunday. If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have loved to join in the run. It so reminds me of the various running (and walking) events held in SG every year, and the fun I had no matter how badly I’ve ran. I guess the closest event that I could compare with is the SG’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. The standard Chartered Marathon was the only Marathon that I’ve actually trained for. I was attempting to beat my personal best which fortunately wasn’t much of a challenge. :p
I’m not sure if Auckland has a similar event as the Singapore Big Walk, but I guess Round the Bay is almost like a combination of the Standard Chartered Marathon + the Singapore Big Walk. Family friendly and lots of fun. Oh well, there’s always a next year. ;)
With love from NZ,
J
Auckland’s HSBC Round The Bays 2008 will happen this coming Sunday. If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have loved to join in the run. It so reminds me of the various running (and walking) events held in SG every year, and the fun I had no matter how badly I’ve ran. I guess the closest event that I could compare with is the SG’s Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. The standard Chartered Marathon was the only Marathon that I’ve actually trained for. I was attempting to beat my personal best which fortunately wasn’t much of a challenge. :p
| New Zealand | Singapore |
| HSBC Round The Bays | Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon |
| Occurs in March | Occurs in December |
| Started in 1972 (wow!) | Started in 2002 |
| 40,000 runners + 70,000 participants | 38,000 runners + 100,000 supporters |
| Has tee-shirt | Has tee-shirt ( I don’t know why it matters so much but I like having a tee-shirt to show for my “hard work”! ) |
| Entry fee for adults is $15. The entry fee for children (16 years and under) is $10. | SG’s entry fee is complicated. There’s early bird discount and it depends on the race category entering for. We chose the 10km Men/Women race which cost $50 each. Kids Dash (750M) event is $18 |
| A 8.4km run | There are various category: Full Marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km), 10km Men, 10km Women, Wheelchair Race (10km), Team Race (10km) and Kids Dash (750m) |
| Starts at 930am | First category, the full marathon starts at 530am |
| Time will be recorded for completing the run (but I don’t know how they will do it) | Every runner was given a Chip that will clock their time electronically. Chip must be returned to the event organizers after the race or we risk paying for it. | No personalize photo but we can always get someone to take it for us! | Automatic photo capture of runners when we cross the finishing line. Remember to smile all the way back because you can’t be sure when your picture will be taken. |
| Certificates are given to all participants | Certificates are given to all participants |
| BBQ sites available for booking | No BBQ sites. |
| http://www.roundthebays.co.nz | http://www.singaporemarathon.com |
| Other running event will be: Auckland Marathon Opportunity to run over the Auckland Habour Bridge in October | Other running event will be: SAFRA Sheares Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon Opportunity to run over Benjamin Sheares Bridge in August |
I’m not sure if Auckland has a similar event as the Singapore Big Walk, but I guess Round the Bay is almost like a combination of the Standard Chartered Marathon + the Singapore Big Walk. Family friendly and lots of fun. Oh well, there’s always a next year. ;)
With love from NZ,
J
Friday, January 18, 2008
I'm losing my roots
Dear SG,
I'm depress.... I may be losing my singapore roots! I'm so nauseous everyday that I can't stand to eat anything because I will just throw them out. I didn't even want to be thinking about my next meal. When did you ever hear of a Singaporean that dislike food? Food is part of our culture, our national hobby, it's always part of the conversation, main part of a singaporean lifestyle.
While the Kiwi discuss the sports game, Singaporean discuss the latest restrurants or eatery that's attracting a lot of crowd. After a hectic work week, kiwis will wanna relax with a cold bottle of beer and good company. A singaporean workaholic will wanna get all his/her food-craze friend together to go for a huge buffet meal and stuff themselves silly. Kiwi will travel far and wide for the best place to hike, fish, or surf. Singapore will queue for hours if the food is worth it.
Food is such a big thing in SG, it's our national pride because you can practically find any food from any part of the world there. Oh well, almost anything as long as it tempted the Singaporean taste bud. ;)
Food glorious food.... (running to the bathroom to puke...)
(back from the bathroom to finish this post) with love from NZ,
J
I'm depress.... I may be losing my singapore roots! I'm so nauseous everyday that I can't stand to eat anything because I will just throw them out. I didn't even want to be thinking about my next meal. When did you ever hear of a Singaporean that dislike food? Food is part of our culture, our national hobby, it's always part of the conversation, main part of a singaporean lifestyle.
While the Kiwi discuss the sports game, Singaporean discuss the latest restrurants or eatery that's attracting a lot of crowd. After a hectic work week, kiwis will wanna relax with a cold bottle of beer and good company. A singaporean workaholic will wanna get all his/her food-craze friend together to go for a huge buffet meal and stuff themselves silly. Kiwi will travel far and wide for the best place to hike, fish, or surf. Singapore will queue for hours if the food is worth it.
Food is such a big thing in SG, it's our national pride because you can practically find any food from any part of the world there. Oh well, almost anything as long as it tempted the Singaporean taste bud. ;)
Food glorious food.... (running to the bathroom to puke...)
(back from the bathroom to finish this post) with love from NZ,
J
Monday, October 29, 2007
Differences in our home in SG and NZ
Dear SG,
Let's compare the difference in our home in Singapore and in New Zealand.
SG - 3 bedrooms - HDB Apartment
NZ - 3 bedrooms - Terrace house
SG - 2 bathrooms (toilet and shower)
NZ - 3 bathrooms (1 toilet, and 2 bath and toilet)
SG - 93 square meter floor area
NZ - 185 square meter floor area
SG - current interest rate 2.6% mortgage
NZ - current interest rate 8.8% mortgagee (gasp!)
SG - loan period 25 years
NZ - loan period 30 years
SG - 99 leasehold apartment
NZ - freehold land
SG - living room in the front of the house
NZ - kitchen in the front of the house
SG - Single level
NZ - Double storey
SG - Pay a monthly charge for parking in a HDB carpark
NZ - A garage and a whole row of parking lots outside, free.
SG - Walk to wet market, hawker center and town center
NZ - Walk to supermarket, Wendy's, KFC, MacDonald and town center (we are fast food junkies)
SG - Walk to MRT
NZ - Walk to bus terminal (possible but it will take around 15 mins of walk)
SG - Connects to underground TV cable
NZ - Connects to TV Antenna and satellite dish
SG - Concrete wall throughout
NZ - Plaster wall internally and on the front and back, brick between 2 houses.
SG - Ceramic floor throughout
NZ - Capet floor throughout and ceramic flooring in kitchen and bathrooms
SG - Air Conditional system
NZ - Electric heater and gas heater
SG - External cupboards
NZ - Built in wardrobe (no need to buy cupboards!)
SG - one dog registration per HDB apartment
NZ - no limit but don't go overboard (yipee!)
SG - no cats allowed in HDB apartment (not strictly enforce but legally no)
NZ - no limit but don't go overboard
SG - main entrance is the front door
NZ - we found that most family enter via the garage door instead, front door are only for visitors
SG - letter box under locks and keys
NZ - open letter box
with love from NZ,
J
Let's compare the difference in our home in Singapore and in New Zealand.
SG - 3 bedrooms - HDB Apartment
NZ - 3 bedrooms - Terrace house
SG - 2 bathrooms (toilet and shower)
NZ - 3 bathrooms (1 toilet, and 2 bath and toilet)
SG - 93 square meter floor area
NZ - 185 square meter floor area
SG - current interest rate 2.6% mortgage
NZ - current interest rate 8.8% mortgagee (gasp!)
SG - loan period 25 years
NZ - loan period 30 years
SG - 99 leasehold apartment
NZ - freehold land
SG - living room in the front of the house
NZ - kitchen in the front of the house
SG - Single level
NZ - Double storey
SG - Pay a monthly charge for parking in a HDB carpark
NZ - A garage and a whole row of parking lots outside, free.
SG - Walk to wet market, hawker center and town center
NZ - Walk to supermarket, Wendy's, KFC, MacDonald and town center (we are fast food junkies)
SG - Walk to MRT
NZ - Walk to bus terminal (possible but it will take around 15 mins of walk)
SG - Connects to underground TV cable
NZ - Connects to TV Antenna and satellite dish
SG - Concrete wall throughout
NZ - Plaster wall internally and on the front and back, brick between 2 houses.
SG - Ceramic floor throughout
NZ - Capet floor throughout and ceramic flooring in kitchen and bathrooms
SG - Air Conditional system
NZ - Electric heater and gas heater
SG - External cupboards
NZ - Built in wardrobe (no need to buy cupboards!)
SG - one dog registration per HDB apartment
NZ - no limit but don't go overboard (yipee!)
SG - no cats allowed in HDB apartment (not strictly enforce but legally no)
NZ - no limit but don't go overboard
SG - main entrance is the front door
NZ - we found that most family enter via the garage door instead, front door are only for visitors
SG - letter box under locks and keys
NZ - open letter box
with love from NZ,
J
Monday, September 3, 2007
Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you
Dear SG,
We singaporean loves to "cut short" our words or sentences. I remembered a funny joke on how SG-ian speaks in the most "efficient" way. Instead of saying "Have you had your dinner?", we say "eat already?". Instead of "We've ran out of stock.", we say "No stock!". Instead of "Please repeat what you've said", we say "Again?" or "huh?". Wah lau, if any of you have that long joke about our "effective english", please send it to me again, i really miss that joke.
Now, back to my blog of the day. We always think singaporean very smart hor, can cut a long sentences until so short. But then hor, kiwi smarter leh, they manage to outdo us with one word that I bet we won't have thought of. Instead of cutting a long sentences short, they manage to cut a long letter short!!!
Compare an ad on the radio.
In SG, "Visit our website at Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you, dot something dot COM dot SG",
In NZ, "Visit our website at Dab Dab Dab dot something dot CO dot NZ!!!"
The whole website can be easily announced over the air !!! Even their dot "CO.NZ" has one letter lesser than our dot "COM.SG".
Interesting right? (aka "Isn't it interesting?")
with love from NZ,
J
We singaporean loves to "cut short" our words or sentences. I remembered a funny joke on how SG-ian speaks in the most "efficient" way. Instead of saying "Have you had your dinner?", we say "eat already?". Instead of "We've ran out of stock.", we say "No stock!". Instead of "Please repeat what you've said", we say "Again?" or "huh?". Wah lau, if any of you have that long joke about our "effective english", please send it to me again, i really miss that joke.
Now, back to my blog of the day. We always think singaporean very smart hor, can cut a long sentences until so short. But then hor, kiwi smarter leh, they manage to outdo us with one word that I bet we won't have thought of. Instead of cutting a long sentences short, they manage to cut a long letter short!!!
Compare an ad on the radio.
In SG, "Visit our website at Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you, Dab-ber-you, dot something dot COM dot SG",
In NZ, "Visit our website at Dab Dab Dab dot something dot CO dot NZ!!!"
The whole website can be easily announced over the air !!! Even their dot "CO.NZ" has one letter lesser than our dot "COM.SG".
Interesting right? (aka "Isn't it interesting?")
with love from NZ,
J
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Libraries
Dear SG,
Another thing I miss in SG is your library... You know how much I love going to the libraries. I wish I could just spend my time in a cosy chair and read non-stop. (This and computer game playing explained the reason for my myopia)
There's libraries here too and they are pretty well equipped. The subject range is pretty wide but the size isn't quite as big as our average library. Then again, the libraries here do exchange their selection around so it's possible to see something new each time. Also, the libraries here are manage by different Counties, I was told the library manage by Auckland City is much bigger.
I haven't had the pleasure of visiting that one, the libraries I frequent all belongs to the Manukau Town Council. If I need to borrow books from that library, I WILL need to apply for a different library card, one that is for the Auckland City Council's library. SG is easier, one card from the National Library Board if you are not a citizen or PR, or simply just with our Identity Card.
Another cute differences between the libraries here in NZ and in SG is the book drop. Both countries offer book drops which are wonderful for folks like me who could never return my library books during operating hours. But in SG, we are only allow to drop the books back in one at a time. The scanner automatically checks in the book so that we qualify for another book if we so desire. There is no scanner in NZ, we'll just squeeze as many books as the slit would allow and drop the whole lot in. The books will fall into a bin and gets scanned in manually the next day.
Now, you might think that NZ's a little behind us when it comes to automation of books returned. SG used to operate like this but we are now fully automated. NZ is also automated when it comes to checking out of books but it's not a priority for them to scan in returned books. This is because there is almost no limited to the amount of books one can borrow from the NZ library. The last time I borrowed books in SG, the limit was 4 books per person. Sigh... oh well, nothing is perfect in the world.
with love from NZ,
J
Spot the differences:
In NZ, you need different library card to borrow books from libraries operated by different town council
In SG, you will only need one card (identity card) if you are a citizen and PR or a library card if you are not.
In NZ, we can returned books to any libraries so long as the books that belongs to a certain council are returned to the libraries in their district
In SG, the libraries are owned by the same board and we can return the books to any library's' book drop.
In NZ, there is almost no limits to the amount of books we can borrow. We can borrowed up to 19 books if necessary
In SG, the limit is 4 books per person but we can pay a small subscription fee to extend that.
In NZ, the duration we get to keep a book is 30 days. When our books are overdue, an automated phone call will be made from their system with a pre-recorded voice message reminding us to return any overdue library books. The overdue fine will not start immediately, we noticed that we do get an extra day or 2 allowance to return the books before they start fining us.
In SG, the duration is 21 days. If we forget to return, all that's automated is the overdue fee which will increase intelligently by itself every day.
Another thing I miss in SG is your library... You know how much I love going to the libraries. I wish I could just spend my time in a cosy chair and read non-stop. (This and computer game playing explained the reason for my myopia)
There's libraries here too and they are pretty well equipped. The subject range is pretty wide but the size isn't quite as big as our average library. Then again, the libraries here do exchange their selection around so it's possible to see something new each time. Also, the libraries here are manage by different Counties, I was told the library manage by Auckland City is much bigger.
I haven't had the pleasure of visiting that one, the libraries I frequent all belongs to the Manukau Town Council. If I need to borrow books from that library, I WILL need to apply for a different library card, one that is for the Auckland City Council's library. SG is easier, one card from the National Library Board if you are not a citizen or PR, or simply just with our Identity Card.
Another cute differences between the libraries here in NZ and in SG is the book drop. Both countries offer book drops which are wonderful for folks like me who could never return my library books during operating hours. But in SG, we are only allow to drop the books back in one at a time. The scanner automatically checks in the book so that we qualify for another book if we so desire. There is no scanner in NZ, we'll just squeeze as many books as the slit would allow and drop the whole lot in. The books will fall into a bin and gets scanned in manually the next day.
Now, you might think that NZ's a little behind us when it comes to automation of books returned. SG used to operate like this but we are now fully automated. NZ is also automated when it comes to checking out of books but it's not a priority for them to scan in returned books. This is because there is almost no limited to the amount of books one can borrow from the NZ library. The last time I borrowed books in SG, the limit was 4 books per person. Sigh... oh well, nothing is perfect in the world.
with love from NZ,
J
Spot the differences:
In NZ, you need different library card to borrow books from libraries operated by different town council
In SG, you will only need one card (identity card) if you are a citizen and PR or a library card if you are not.
In NZ, we can returned books to any libraries so long as the books that belongs to a certain council are returned to the libraries in their district
In SG, the libraries are owned by the same board and we can return the books to any library's' book drop.
In NZ, there is almost no limits to the amount of books we can borrow. We can borrowed up to 19 books if necessary
In SG, the limit is 4 books per person but we can pay a small subscription fee to extend that.
In NZ, the duration we get to keep a book is 30 days. When our books are overdue, an automated phone call will be made from their system with a pre-recorded voice message reminding us to return any overdue library books. The overdue fine will not start immediately, we noticed that we do get an extra day or 2 allowance to return the books before they start fining us.
In SG, the duration is 21 days. If we forget to return, all that's automated is the overdue fee which will increase intelligently by itself every day.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Birthday treats! My treat or your treat?
Dear SG,
You know how during your birthday on Aug the 9th, you set up this big party called "National Day Parade" at the Marina Bay and invited heaps of people to celebrate your birthday? Birthdays are certainly a big thing for everyone and that got me comparing the differences of having a birthday in SG and in NZ.
In SG, whenever there's a birthday, we'll have gatherings of families and friends, getting together to celebrate the once a year event in the honor of the birthday person. Usually it's a lunch or dinner celebration, where we'll find a nice spot of place to sit down and catch up with one another. Preferably, a place where we get to enjoy some delightful cuisine as well. Usually the birthday person will get a free treat, cost bore and shared by everyone.
I've been working in an office environment in SG for around 9 years. From my personal experiences, everyone will contribute a token sum of money to get the birthday person a gift or a birthday cake. (unless that person is really unpopular which is pretty rare... I hope) Sometimes, the person with a birthday will bring in some tasty snacks or treats to show their appreciation afterwards but it's not expected and it's optional.
So far, I've been working in NZ for the past 3 months, the culture here is certainly different. If it's your birthday, it's a culture expectation for you to bring in some cakes or food as a treat for everyone in the office. Isn't it interesting? And it seems that most folks will apply for annual leave if their birthday falls on a working day. They will bring the cakes in a day before and share it with everyone, then they will go on leave on the actual day.
My birthday is still a few months away but I will be ready for it now. I wonder if the folks in my office is adventurous enough to try a new type of cake, our Pandan Cake! haa.... or Kueh Lapis? Some parents in Victor's school was so curious about the Pandan Cake that Ann put into his lunchbox. They asked him why is our cake green!!! haa.... But they don't seems very eager to try it though. hee... Gosh, they don't know what they are missing.
Here are the 2 cakes you won't find in New Zealand. Photos from Bengawan Solo Cake Shop in Singapore. Boy do I miss these yummy cakes....
Pandan Chiffon aka Pandan Cake
Kueh Lapis aka Thousand layer cake (千层糕)
I'm so ashamed I've taken these cakes for granted when I was living in SG. Dear SG, I will never take any food in Singapore for granted again! I Promise!
with love from NZ,
J
P.S. I've only had 3 months of working experiences here and only in one NZ company, I may have assumed too much, please pardon me if I am wrong. :)
You know how during your birthday on Aug the 9th, you set up this big party called "National Day Parade" at the Marina Bay and invited heaps of people to celebrate your birthday? Birthdays are certainly a big thing for everyone and that got me comparing the differences of having a birthday in SG and in NZ.
In SG, whenever there's a birthday, we'll have gatherings of families and friends, getting together to celebrate the once a year event in the honor of the birthday person. Usually it's a lunch or dinner celebration, where we'll find a nice spot of place to sit down and catch up with one another. Preferably, a place where we get to enjoy some delightful cuisine as well. Usually the birthday person will get a free treat, cost bore and shared by everyone.
I've been working in an office environment in SG for around 9 years. From my personal experiences, everyone will contribute a token sum of money to get the birthday person a gift or a birthday cake. (unless that person is really unpopular which is pretty rare... I hope) Sometimes, the person with a birthday will bring in some tasty snacks or treats to show their appreciation afterwards but it's not expected and it's optional.
So far, I've been working in NZ for the past 3 months, the culture here is certainly different. If it's your birthday, it's a culture expectation for you to bring in some cakes or food as a treat for everyone in the office. Isn't it interesting? And it seems that most folks will apply for annual leave if their birthday falls on a working day. They will bring the cakes in a day before and share it with everyone, then they will go on leave on the actual day.
My birthday is still a few months away but I will be ready for it now. I wonder if the folks in my office is adventurous enough to try a new type of cake, our Pandan Cake! haa.... or Kueh Lapis? Some parents in Victor's school was so curious about the Pandan Cake that Ann put into his lunchbox. They asked him why is our cake green!!! haa.... But they don't seems very eager to try it though. hee... Gosh, they don't know what they are missing.
Here are the 2 cakes you won't find in New Zealand. Photos from Bengawan Solo Cake Shop in Singapore. Boy do I miss these yummy cakes....
Pandan Chiffon aka Pandan Cake(I bet everyone will also wonder why there is a hole in this cake! kekeke...)
Read more about this cake @Wikipedia
Read more about this cake @Wikipedia
Kueh Lapis aka Thousand layer cake (千层糕)(And why this cake has so many lines? *grin*)
I'm so ashamed I've taken these cakes for granted when I was living in SG. Dear SG, I will never take any food in Singapore for granted again! I Promise!
with love from NZ,
J
P.S. I've only had 3 months of working experiences here and only in one NZ company, I may have assumed too much, please pardon me if I am wrong. :)
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Slower tempo in NZ?
Dear SG,
Everyone is saying that Singapore moves at a really fast pace. We walk faster, talk faster, and eat faster. Life just pass by in a flash. But if Singaporean are fast, why couldn't we catch a housefly?
My 5 year old kiwi nephew here could hit a fly since the age of 3. The only problem is his height, he can only go as high as he can reach. So why is the houseflies in NZ slower? Or are they really slower?
Joseph told me that it's probably because of the scent they used in the house just for summer time. The scent makes insects like bees and flies disorientated and dizzy (I didn't know insects will have fainting spells too). This cause their reflex to be slow down. Interesting...
Oh well, try to relax a bit more in SG, life is too short. Cherish each moment so that we may look back with no regrets.
with love from NZ,
J
Everyone is saying that Singapore moves at a really fast pace. We walk faster, talk faster, and eat faster. Life just pass by in a flash. But if Singaporean are fast, why couldn't we catch a housefly?
My 5 year old kiwi nephew here could hit a fly since the age of 3. The only problem is his height, he can only go as high as he can reach. So why is the houseflies in NZ slower? Or are they really slower?
Joseph told me that it's probably because of the scent they used in the house just for summer time. The scent makes insects like bees and flies disorientated and dizzy (I didn't know insects will have fainting spells too). This cause their reflex to be slow down. Interesting...
Oh well, try to relax a bit more in SG, life is too short. Cherish each moment so that we may look back with no regrets.
with love from NZ,
J
Monday, August 20, 2007
Need MC or not?
Dear SG,
I'm not feeling well today and so I'm staying home to rest. The good thing about NZ is that there is a certain degree of trust in the system. So long as we don't abuse it, we are allow to take sick leave without a Medical Certificate (MC). Since I should be resting instead of blogging, I will end my post for now.
May everyone be bless with good health and hearty laugh.
with love from NZ,
J
I'm not feeling well today and so I'm staying home to rest. The good thing about NZ is that there is a certain degree of trust in the system. So long as we don't abuse it, we are allow to take sick leave without a Medical Certificate (MC). Since I should be resting instead of blogging, I will end my post for now.
May everyone be bless with good health and hearty laugh.
with love from NZ,
J
Car trouble...
Dear SG,
When we got back from Singapore, our first major problem was the cars. Both our cars won't start. They've been left out in the cold winter for too long without any loving touch from us. We've only been away for 2 weeks or so... I guess we should have hire a car-sitter to watch after our cars for us. A professional car-sitter to start the cars each day, "walk" them, "feed" them nutritional fuel, "groom" them, and "play" with them. Sigh... how will we know our cars will give us the silent treatment when we are back?
Just a few minutes ago, Andrew was replying an email to reserve a car lot for a meeting with a financial consultant. The email request was for Andrew to give the details of his car so that they can identify it and won't tow it away for packing in the reserved lot for their customers. Andrew type down the make and the model, then suddenly turn around and asked me, "What's the car plate of our Nissan???!!!" In SG, cars are a luxury item. We would have never forget any tiny details related to our expensive and precious car. Yet in NZ, our attitude to our cars did a 180 degree changed because they are so affordable here.
Just in case we don't remember the details again, our cars are
19 something year, Dark Green Honda with a round and long backside - BTT803
2000 something year, Silver Nissan with no backside - DYS627
Just don't ask me about the year and the model, I don't remember... *embarrassed*
with love from NZ,
J
When we got back from Singapore, our first major problem was the cars. Both our cars won't start. They've been left out in the cold winter for too long without any loving touch from us. We've only been away for 2 weeks or so... I guess we should have hire a car-sitter to watch after our cars for us. A professional car-sitter to start the cars each day, "walk" them, "feed" them nutritional fuel, "groom" them, and "play" with them. Sigh... how will we know our cars will give us the silent treatment when we are back?
Just a few minutes ago, Andrew was replying an email to reserve a car lot for a meeting with a financial consultant. The email request was for Andrew to give the details of his car so that they can identify it and won't tow it away for packing in the reserved lot for their customers. Andrew type down the make and the model, then suddenly turn around and asked me, "What's the car plate of our Nissan???!!!" In SG, cars are a luxury item. We would have never forget any tiny details related to our expensive and precious car. Yet in NZ, our attitude to our cars did a 180 degree changed because they are so affordable here.
Just in case we don't remember the details again, our cars are
19 something year, Dark Green Honda with a round and long backside - BTT803
2000 something year, Silver Nissan with no backside - DYS627
Just don't ask me about the year and the model, I don't remember... *embarrassed*
with love from NZ,
J
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Join a syndicate and win some money!
Dear SG,
Would you like to join a syndicate in New Zealand? It's perfectly legal here! kekeke...
Oh well, the word "syndicate" here don't exactly share the same meaning as the "Syndicates" in SG. In SG, we often use this word "Syndicates" to implies **a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities.
In New Zealand, a syndicate commonly means ##a group of people making a joint effort to win money betting sports. It's usually use in Horse Racing where group of people contribute financially to own a racing horse. The cost of raising young thoroughbred yearlings is estimated to be $7.5k per year and the training fee can cost an estimate of $20k per annum. When this horse wins a race, everyone with an interest in it share the prize money.
I couldn't really get over this word when I first learn what its commonly understood here. We have come to associate that word negatively and it certainly wasn't an appealing word.
We went to our first horse racing event in Ellerslie Racecourse last year 2006 on the 30th of December. It was open to the public for free and we bet on a few races. Sadly, we didn't had any beginner's luck. For us, the race wasn't about winning the bet but about seeing those beautiful horses ran. It's a beautiful sight to behold.
with love from NZ,
J
** from wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
## from www.mlbbaseballfreepicks.com/glossary.shtml
Would you like to join a syndicate in New Zealand? It's perfectly legal here! kekeke...
Oh well, the word "syndicate" here don't exactly share the same meaning as the "Syndicates" in SG. In SG, we often use this word "Syndicates" to implies **a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities.
In New Zealand, a syndicate commonly means ##a group of people making a joint effort to win money betting sports. It's usually use in Horse Racing where group of people contribute financially to own a racing horse. The cost of raising young thoroughbred yearlings is estimated to be $7.5k per year and the training fee can cost an estimate of $20k per annum. When this horse wins a race, everyone with an interest in it share the prize money.
I couldn't really get over this word when I first learn what its commonly understood here. We have come to associate that word negatively and it certainly wasn't an appealing word.
We went to our first horse racing event in Ellerslie Racecourse last year 2006 on the 30th of December. It was open to the public for free and we bet on a few races. Sadly, we didn't had any beginner's luck. For us, the race wasn't about winning the bet but about seeing those beautiful horses ran. It's a beautiful sight to behold.
Racing beautifully towards the finishing line.
The horses trotting off after a race. Everyone's in a relax mood, we could choose to laze on the grass patch next to the race course or sits at the spectator viewing area where we get a bird eye view of the whole race course.
with love from NZ,
J
** from wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
## from www.mlbbaseballfreepicks.com/glossary.shtml
Monday, May 7, 2007
SMS me or TEXT me
Dear SG,
Before I came to NZ, I was an avid SMS-er. I sms when I was walking, I sms when I was watching the tv, I sms even when I was in the toilet. My thumb goes into cold turkey mode if I didn't sms for a day. I clock up an average of 500 sms-es per month! I sms to send jokes, pictures, or just chat throughout the day with a couple of friends. SMS was my communication power tool.
And then I land in NZ and I had to learn how to talk all over again. Talking with real people I mean. There's no one to text here except for my darling husband and I can only do that when he goes to work. Oh... did you notice that I've automatically use the word "TEXT" instead of "SMS"? Now that's one differences I am going to highlight today. Kiwis don't use the word "SMS", they knows what it is but it's seldom used. Instead, they said, "We'll text you" which is the same as "We'll sms you". Younger kiwis text a lot too, but matured kiwis prefer to call and talk instead. Since Andrew and I belong to the young and reckless, we prefer to text each other, it is also way cheaper than calling. kekeke....
with love from NZ,
J
PS. I need to rush off now else I would have added the "Spot the differences". You won't believe how much the mobile bill here cost. Ciao!
Before I came to NZ, I was an avid SMS-er. I sms when I was walking, I sms when I was watching the tv, I sms even when I was in the toilet. My thumb goes into cold turkey mode if I didn't sms for a day. I clock up an average of 500 sms-es per month! I sms to send jokes, pictures, or just chat throughout the day with a couple of friends. SMS was my communication power tool.
And then I land in NZ and I had to learn how to talk all over again. Talking with real people I mean. There's no one to text here except for my darling husband and I can only do that when he goes to work. Oh... did you notice that I've automatically use the word "TEXT" instead of "SMS"? Now that's one differences I am going to highlight today. Kiwis don't use the word "SMS", they knows what it is but it's seldom used. Instead, they said, "We'll text you" which is the same as "We'll sms you". Younger kiwis text a lot too, but matured kiwis prefer to call and talk instead. Since Andrew and I belong to the young and reckless, we prefer to text each other, it is also way cheaper than calling. kekeke....
with love from NZ,
J
PS. I need to rush off now else I would have added the "Spot the differences". You won't believe how much the mobile bill here cost. Ciao!
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Turning 5 Yrs Old
Dear SG,
Eugene and his birthday cake. Poor boy was running a slight fever that day.
The next day: 1st day of school with his fresh new school uniform.To help Eugene familiarize with his classroom and teacher, he went for a school visit last friday and spent 2 hours in the classroom attending a lesson. From now on, he will spend a full day in school from 9am to 3pm. :) I think I prefer to go to school when I am only 7 years old. hee...
with love from NZ,
J
Spot the differences:
NZ children goes to Primary school as soon as they turn 5 years old.
SG children goes to Primary school in January on the year when they will turn 7 years old.
A Kiwi classroom will have only one or two students who just started school. It makes it easier for the teacher to handle the new kids.
A Merlion classroom will be filled with terrify students who are all starting school for the first time. I wonder how the teachers handle it.
NZ students have a full day in school
SG students either has a morning session, afternoon session or for some schools a full day.| Age | New Zealand | Singapore |
| 5 | Year 0 (Primary) | Kindy |
| 6 | Year 1 (Primary) | Kindy |
| 7 | Year 2 (Primary) | Primary 1 |
| 8 | Year 3 (Primary) | Primary 2 |
| 9 | Year 4 (Primary) | Primary 3 |
| 10 | Year 5 (Primary) | Primary 4 |
| 11 | Year 6 (Primary) | Primary 5 |
| 12 | Year 7 (Intermediate) | Primary 6 |
| 13 | Year 8 (Intermediate) | Secondary 1 |
| 14 | Year 9 (Secondary/high school/colleges) | Secondary 2 |
| 15 | Year 10 (Secondary/high school/colleges) | Secondary 3 |
| 16 | Year 11 (Secondary/high school/colleges) | Secondary 4 |
| 17 | Year 12 (Secondary/high school/colleges) | Junior College Year 1 |
| 18 | Year 13 (Secondary/high school/colleges) | Junior College Year 2 |
The kiwi kids might finish Year 13 around 17 or 18 years of age. This will depend on the school's cut off date for starting Year 1. In
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