I get to live in the most awesome country in the whole world! The country I live in is New Zealand...it's a beautiful country of snow-capped mountains, green lowlands, beaches, and many lakes and waterfalls. No place is more than 130 kilo-meters (80 miles) from the sea!

 So why do I consider New Zealand the best country to live in?

1. New Zealand's stanard of living ranks among the highest in the world.

2. New Zealand has a long tradition of equal rights and benefits for all of it's citizens. (In 1893, it ecame the first nation in the world to give women the right to vote. In addition, New Zealand was among the first countries to provide social security benifits and old-age pensions for it's people. Today, New Zealand has one of the world's finest public health programs!)

3. It's probably the prettiest nation in the world!

 Okay, I'm sure all of you are bored with my talking about how wonderful my country is so now I'll post some random facts...these are facts, it's not me bragging about my country so you can see for yourself how wonderful it is!

 1. Our government is a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elisbeth II of Britian is also queen of New Zealand. (However the Queen appoints a governor general to represent her. That way the legistlatur, prime minister, and Cabinet run the national government.)

 2. New Zealand has 2 official languages: English and Maori.

 3. Our population is estimated at 3,759,000 people... that's around 36 people per square mile.

 4. Our cheif products are: apples, barley, cattle, kiwi fruit, milk, onions, potatoes, sheep, wheat, wool, Douglass-fir, radiata pine, beef, mutton, lamb, butter, cheese, dried milk products, chemicals, iron, steel machinery, moter vehicles, paper, textiles, and wood products. (My Dad owns a 3,000 acre sheep ranch and my Mom grows kiwi fruit as a hobby. Kiwi is really good! They look really gross and moldy green but they are very, very good!)

 5. Our National Anthem is God Defend New Zealand and God save the Queen.

 6. Our money is the same as the US currency...100 cents is equal to one dollar.

 7. New Zealand has a 0% immigration status.. the only way for you to enter our country is to marry someone that is in it. (My mom met and married my dad while he was going to college in the United States.)

 So what are the people like here in New Zealand?

 Well, as I mentioned earlier everyone here believes deeply in equal rights..if you don't you'll be hanged, quartered, and sent to the four corners of the earth...(I'm just kidding...or not...)

 There are 2 groups of people that live in New Zealand.. there are the Maori and the Pakeha (whiteman). My dad's Mum..my Grandmum is a Maori and my Grandfather is a Pakeha. That makes me a quarter Marori and a quarter Pakeha... well really three quarters because my other half is Irish and since Irish are white and Pakeha means "white man" ...well, you get the point!  Anyways, here in New Zealand the Maori and the Pakehas live in an atmosphere of common truest, and Maori leaders play important roles in in the life of our nation.

 The one things that the Maori and the Pakehas do not agree on are property rights. Since the late 1800s, Pakehas have obtained possesion of most of New Zealands land. Many Maori beleive that the Pakehas have ignored the terms of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi which guaranteed Maori rights to New Zealand's land and natural resources in return for British sovereignty over the country. Anyways, sorry about the history lesson...I often find myself caught in the middle of disagreements about this policy so I've been researching and I'm afraid I have to agree with the Maori....

 Anyways, I have to go and feed my kea (parrot) now...so I'll sighn off...

 ~ Erin