When I first moved to Wellington in 2008, I began noticing an interesting phenomenon taking place in the city every time it rained:
Hardly anybody used an umbrella.
I was in the minority here.
There I was, pulling out my neon green travel umbrella every other day, while the locals on the other side of the street simply ducked their heads or put their hoods up to combat the precipitation.
To say I was perplexed was an understatement. It was raining. It was cold. And yet the majority of New Zealanders I came across didn’t seem to care.
Granted, I soon learned that trying to wield an umbrella of any sort in “Windy Welly” during a storm was fairly pointless; the contraptions usually failed to protect from the city’s driving rain anyway, and you were more likely to come across an abandoned, mangled umbrella in a rubbish bin than one in someone’s hand.
But even elsewhere in the country, where the rain didn’t tend to fall so horizontally, umbrellas were largely absent. Why? I still have no idea.
It was slightly more acceptable in Ireland.
The longer I lived in New Zealand, however, the more used to this trend I became. I stopped carrying my umbrella with me every time I left my apartment. And, even when I was carrying it, I often resisted the urge to pull it out when it started to rain.
I adapted. I adapted into a non-umbrella-carrying kiwi — or at least something close to it.
I didn’t necessarily notice this change taking place. It wasn’t until I returned to my apartment one afternoon soaking wet after running to the grocery store that I realized I hadn’t even thought about pulling out my umbrella (which I hadn’t been carrying anyway).
It was a small adaptation, yes. But it’s one that’s mostly stuck with me, even though I’m now back in Ohio. Unless it’s pouring, I often will just shrink into my coat and forego the umbrella — bedraggled hair and soggy clothing be damned.
It was totally acceptable in Italy 6 years ago.
Maybe I actually get it now. It’s part of that whole “no worries” attitude that is so prevalent in New Zealand. The laid-back attitude that is impossible to ignore and even more impossible to avoid taking home with you.
After all, it’s just rain. No worries.
——
Have you come across any small cultural differences or practices in your travels that you found yourself adapting to without even knowing it? Tell me about them!
As a native of Los Angeles, I was never trained on how to use an umbrella.
I didn’t buy one when I lived in Auckland, though a lot of people there used them and I took one home with me one day from work, but I was so scared I was going to poke someone in the eye, I only used it once before giving up. There were lots of awnings in town and knew how to use them, plus wore my hat every rainy day and never remember arriving to work very wet often.
I can see Wellington being totally useless for umbrellas!
Rebecca recently posted..New Zealand – Jobs
It’s just so strange to me how people in one city (or region or country) will use umbrellas and people in other places just don’t. I mean, it rains everywhere!
But yes, umbrella are pretty darn useless in Wellington most of the time.
The simple reason is…. the wind
The one and only time I took an umbrella it simply turned inside out from the wind and this is how I learned why kiwis don’t use umbrellas.
Love the neon green!
Merav | AllWays Car Rental NZ recently posted..Blue As Much As Blue Can Be
Haha, yup, New Zealand wind (ESPECIALLY in Wellington) can get downright nasty!
This is too funny – I discovered something similar in the Pacific Northwest! It rains so much in Oregon and Washington that a lot of people don’t really worry about umbrellas. You also have a lot of outdoorsy-type folks, so they just flip up their hoods or splash in the puddles like it’s no big deal.
I grew up in OR, but I just can’t get into the trend (unless I’m wearing a stellar raincoat that actually protects me from the rain). I HATE the feeling of being damp, and I get irritated when I can’t see through my glasses because they’re spotted with moisture. Bah humbug!
Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Texas Rollerderby
I’ve never exactly relished the feeling of being damp, either. It’s just really uncomfortable in most instances! But I’ve noticed I haven’t been caring as MUCH about it since I got back from NZ.
And, I’ll admit – I laughed at the “outdoorsy-type folks” bit… haha, so true!
Cute post. I’ve noticed other places where it rains a lot (like Seattle) where people don’t really take out their umbrellas either. Usually by the time I open my umbrella up it stops raining.
Alouise recently posted..Around Edmonton – The Muttart Conservatory
You’re the second one to mention that about Seattle! Sounds a lot like Wellington. I don’t think it really rained at all when I was in Seattle for 2 or 3 days last year… so I didn’t notice the umbrella trend, or lack thereof.
I never carry an umbrella anymore either. It sounds really lazy but I can’t be bothered, I’d rather get wet! Especially if I have shopping bags, its just easier to get wet!
This made me laugh. It isn’t something I’ve ever thought about before but you’ve got a point!
Monica recently posted..Hiring a Scooter Abroad – Top Tips to Stay Safe on Your Scooter
Haha, nothing wrong with being lazy when it comes to umbrellas, as far as I’m concerned. That’s actually sort of refreshing!
Glad you found this entertaining!
Funny, I also noticed the same thing about Berlin. People just wouldn’t bother, eventually I stopped as well. Which is not the case anywhere in Russia, I must say, a rain is a must for any type of rain, even drizzle. Even snow.
Ira recently posted..Day 69-77- Eternal memory or
Huh, interesting – I’d never heard that about Berlin. Funny how certain cities just don’t seem to bother with umbrellas, and others do.
Love the lime green one, what a great contrast against the sky.
I never carry an umbrella because once it starts raining women are out selling them, sure it’s a bit more but it beats carrying one every cloudy day.
Ayngelina recently posted..Blissful beach days make boring blog posts
That’s handy that you can just buy one if you need one! What do you do with them afterwards, though? Do you have a stash of used umbrellas somewhere? Lol.
And, as for my umbrella color – I don’t do subtle. Haha. I may have traded in that umbrella, but what did I trade it in for? A lime green jacket.
Funny! What a contrast with Rome where the peddlers were out in droves selling umbrellas every time it rained! I had images in my head of apartments in Rome jam packed with umbrellas that no one ever took into the rain, just buying a new one from a peddler on the streets each time.
Mark E Tisdale recently posted..March Already
Haha, that’s a funny image… a whole closet dedicated to umbrellas! Ayngelina said it’s the same way where she’s at now in South America.
That’s hilarious!!! And your bright green umbrella reminded me of something – when I first moved to Germany I needed to buy an umbrella in a small town – and when trying to sell me on the “best” one the man picked out one which he said was called “kiwi green” (I was kind of surprised) – and I bought it
Very similar to yours!
Thanks for taking part in the Weekend Wanderings at Not A Ballerina!
Amanda Kendle recently posted..Weekend Wanderings: The weather link-up!
I’m all about obnoxiously bright things – umbrellas, clothes, you name it! Sadly, my green umbrella has bit the dust by now. The Wellington wind really did it in the few times I tried to use it!
Great post. Umbrellas are absolutely useless when the wind is blowing. They either blow inside out or the rain blows in anyway! My kids love them though.
I came via Not A Ballerina!
A Farmer’s Wife recently posted..Farmgirl’s Pockets. Too Many Treasures.
Thanks for dropping by! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
And yes, umbrellas are pretty useless in the wind. Which I suppose is why no one in Wellington really uses them!
Hi, dropping in from Weekend Wanderings to say hello. In a downpour, I have ignored the saying, “when in rome, do what the romans do” I will use an umbrella. I visited Seattle, where the locals smirked at visiting tourists for carrying umbrellas. I try to find the brightest shade too. Love your green one.
Mila recently posted..Gift Flow
Yeah, in a downpour I often resort to an umbrella, regardless of how silly I might look to the locals!
Thanks for visiting!