Going Native

An aspect of kiwi culture that I find rather charming and quaint is the fact that going barefoot is so acceptable here. 

It’s actually fitting, given that it’s the unofficial land of Hobbits. 

It’s not uncommon to see folks (men, mostly) traipsing about un-shod in the street, at the shop, or in the mall. Never will you see one of those stern “no shirt, no shoes, no service” signs hanging in a window.  It’s jarring at first, but I really like it now.

I like it so much, that I decided to give it a go last week.  Three days in a row I set out on errands barefoot (though I carried a pair of shoes in my purse, just in case).  It was rough going at first, especially since my first attempt was in an area where the road was rather bumpy and uncomfortable. My next two forays were on smooth sidewalks, through a park and even into a store (!) and it went very well. I’ve been assured that with time, my feet would become tougher. 

I’m not sure I’ll make a big habit of it, especially since I’m going to be away from NZ for the next six weeks, but it was still a fun experience to have.