Let's talk about the weather

Kiwis have this funny and sometimes annoying tradition of making small talk about the weather. They talk about the weather minimum once during the day, or more. Especially in my first months here I think I talked about the wellywood* weather several times a day with different people:)

Everybody does it, it's a rule. For example, when I attended a company meeting to negotiate a partnership for AIESEC guess what the first topic was after we had entered the office and introduced ourselves? The weather:)
I was prepared beforehand by Nikita that this would probably be the first thing on the agenda and then they would ask where I’m from (kiwis are always interested in this as soon as they hear my accent). Funnily, this was exactly how it went down - first the weather, then where i'm from. Basic rule number 1 in NZ: you never attend a company meeting without making small talk first.

I think it’s considered polite here to say just more than “hi” to someone when you meet them. It’s always something like “Hi, how are you? Nice and sunny today, eh! or “good morning, how are you? So cold today...” In fact, nobody ever says just "hi" to you. It might also be that the weather is a comfortable and safe topic to avoid awkward moments of silence or if you don’t know what else to talk about.

*wellywood means wellington and this nickname has apparently been given after bollywood.