New Zealand is a beautiful and sparsely populated multicultural nation. Generally people enjoy a lifestyle that's closer to the outdoors and less stressful than in more crowded countries. The New Zealand people are friendly, welcoming and are great travelers and love to see the world. In urban areas, you will find homes ranging from old villas to new suburban homes and inner city apartments. In rural areas you will mainly find stand-alone houses including cottages, old and new family homes and large old villas or 'homesteads'. People here like to take a relaxed approach to life and many enjoy a rewarding lifestyle. Everyday dress is informal and smart casual clothes are acceptable at most restaurants and nightspots. Freedom of worship is guaranteed by law in New Zealand. During their time in New Zealand many international students choose to join a students' association to remain close to their culture and religion.

The dramatic and varied landscapes draw visitors from all over the world. There are high snow-clad mountains, fiords, large forests, lakes, lush plains, surf beaches and quiet coastal inlets. In New Zealand the tourist and recreational areas are often only one or two hours' drive from major cities and can be accessed without great expense. Lively DJ and band scenes, particularly in the larger cities, have given New Zealand's nightlife a renewed vibrancy. You will find a variety of nightclubs, cabarets, pubs, concerts and live performances to choose from, and there are also four casinos, in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown.

Culture
The Maori people are the indigenous people of New Zealand. They are Polynesian and comprise about 10% of the country's population. Maoritanga is the native language which is related to Tahitian and Hawaiian. It is believed that the Maori migrated from Polynesia in canoes about the 9th century to 13th century AD.

New Zealanders in general have a unique and dynamic culture, with European, Maori, Pacific Island and Asian influences. It is a culture that celebrates many different lifestyles, and these influences make the arts in New Zealand so colourful and unique. Arts and culture are an important and vibrant part of New Zealand life. Much of the art is produced as a sense of identity and nationhood for this country and often the art is communicated from generation to generation.

Maori people define themselves by their iwi (tribe), hapu (sub-tribe), maunga (mountain) and awa (river). Whanau is the name given to family - the term embraces immediate family, in-laws and all those connected by blood ties.

Maori Greetings

• Haere mai - Welcome

• Haere ra - Farewell

• Ka kite ano - Until I see you again (Bye)

• Ka pai - Good

• Kia ora - Hello

• Tena koe - Greetings (said to one person)

• Tena koutou - Greeting everyone

Common Maori Words

• Aotearoa - Maori word for New Zealand

• haka - chant with a dance for the purpose of a challenge

• hangi - Traditional Maori method of cooking

• hui - a meeting of any kind, conference, gathering

• iwi - people, nation, tribe

• kai - food

• kaumatua - elder or elders

• kumera - Maori sweet potato

• marae - the area of a meeting house, dining hall, grounds etc for the local tribe

• moana - sea

• pakeha - non maori person

• puku - belly, stomach

• tangata whenua - original people of a place, local hosts

• tapu - sacred, not to be touched, to be avoided, taboo

• wai - water

• waiata - song or chant which follows a speech

• waka - Canoe

• whanau - extended family

• whare Hui - Meeting House