New Zealand life style

Datas:
Capital: Wellington
Largest city: Auckland
Official languages: English (98%)3
Māori (4.2%)3
Ethnic groups: 78% European/Other
14.6% Maori
9.2% Asian
6.9% Pacific peoples
Demonym: New Zealander, Kiwi (colloquial)
Area Total: 268,680 km2 (75th)
Population
- September 2008 estimate 4,280,0005 (122nd (2008))
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
- Total $112.703 billion
- Per capita $26,610
GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate
- Total $128.711 billion
- Per capita $30,390

(Datas from wikipedia)

Well as you can see New Zealand is a very small country, with a very calm life style, some times too calm... I've been in New Zealand for almost 8 months, and I've spent a 100% in Auckland, the biggest city in the country and the economic center, even though after 5:00pm you can't find a single shop opened (actually you can find, Mc donald's, Burger king and Starbucks, only those hehehe). Imagine in the country side, where people say that Auckland is a very stressful city to live...

People here are very friendly, a lot of overseas people, so it is easy to fell at home. In Auckland central (where I live) I thing at least 60% of people that walk trough the streets here are foreign, 40% asians.

A good thing is that nobody ever has tried to rob me, and I've not seen some one being robed (weird for brazilians, isn't it? hehehe). It is a very safe country, so you can walk trough the Auckland downtown streets at 3:00am, withdraw money at the atm, and noting happens to you.... heheheheh.

The life cost is quite expensive, but the minimum wage is NZD$12.00 per hour. You will pay in average, in a very small appartment NZD$1,200.00 per month ( very small, one bedroom, one bathroom and a kitchen together with the living room), food is quite expensive as well. The public transportation is very expensive too and dosen't work very well.

In the end is a very good country to live, but I still have to go to other cities to know better the New Zealand ( and certainly will go), and the real Kiwi way of life... hehehe.