Muchas gracias for taking the time to share your observations and experiences with us, ExPat. My husband and I were in Christchurch for 2 weeks in February and I did as much as I could to find out about life there. I didn't run into too many people who didn't care about their jobs, but maybe it's because we mainly talked to people in academia. We learned about the laid back nature of the Kiwis...and maybe that is part of the reason why people there don't work 80 hour weeks like we do (not that it is a good or healthy thing). The people I met in the dance and music world (I am a professional musician) seemed happy, but they didn't make more money than their counterparts here in the US...at least that was my impression. However, it seems people like waiters and sales people in the mall make more money than their American counterparts.
Although income taxes for us will be 39%, we realize that it goes to maintain things like health care for everyone (medicine is socialized there) and also take care of the old. We both got sick when we were there and finally gave in and saw a 'doctor in the box'. We were shocked that even without health insurance, we only paid $60 (each) for the office visit. My course of antibiotics cost me a mere NZ$20 at the pharmacy!!!! Before I got married, I had to buy my own health insurance (I am self-employed) and the same drugs would have put me out by US$150
Yes...the thing about racial discrimination...we were told about that as well. A faculty member's daughter was verbally harrassed on the street. Then again, the Asian population in Christchurch tends to clump together. BTW I am Asian, but this kind of stuff doesn't bother me - I always assimilate wherever I go. To me, the ones who discriminate have problems....we have them here too....I went to college in the South. And...my husband is a light-skinned Hispanic! I guess they don't bother Hispanics there! Haha!