Kia Ora from New Zealand!
Bit by bit, I am learning something new about New Zealand from reading books, magazines and newspapers. Also, by watching their television news broadcast, observing and interacting with people I meet, and not to mention learning from the most credible resource person on hand, my Kiwi hubby.
It may interest you to know that this country's livestock outnumbers its people population: NZ sheep, as of June 2003, totals 39.7 million while cattle numbers 9.7 million heads. Cattle are divided into two categories, the beef cattle, 4.6 million and the dairy cattle 5.1 million. (Info from the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website.)
In contrast, New Zealanders who, by the way, fondly call themselves Kiwis after the Kiwi bird -- the country's national bird and emblem, managed to reach the population of 4 million in 2003. This number consists of different ethnic groups with the two major ones being the Pakeha--who are of European descent and the New Zealand Maori--who originated from the Pacific. Other groups include the Pacific Islanders--Samoan, Cook Island Maori, Tongan, Niuen, Fijian. The Asians--Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Cambodian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Japane--and several others.
These are only some of the few general information I gathered about the country of Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings" director, who incidentally was filming the remake of Kingkong in the Wellington area on my first few months here.
Glad to tell you that finally, the sun is shining! Well, at least these past few days after weeks and weeks of missing the warmth of the great energizer. David says this is so because wintertime is at its end and springtime has just made its entry felt. I still don't know what to expect from spring, although early mornings now are a cacophony of joyful sounds from tuis and fantails, both native New Zealand birds, and several other birds I only hear in the morning.
Trees stripped of leaves in winter, and as such seemed lifeless to me (well, that was this "promdi's" first impression), when I first arrived here, are now beginning to show signs of life with new leaves sprouting. Also, dormant plants that slept during the winter are now emerging with new growths and buds in the countryside, farms are bustling with activities, and everywhere we see tiny lambs leaping on the grass tailing their moms, while calves explore the paddocks.
I don't know what else to expect from springtime as it is yet to disclose itself to me, but what I do know and can tell you now are my winter experiences, which, as a whole are not really that unpleasant.
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