textin' fool

I know "the kids" are all into back home, but before I arrived in New Zealand I never sent text messages (of course, I was rather behind the curve on cell phones as a whole, but we'll ignore that. I'm still ambivalent about cell phones in theory, but in practice I've given over my soul).
Never had to. Coming here has given me an idea of just how cheap US cell phones can be (and just how expensive all communications are in New Zealand).
There are no "free nights and weekends" plans here. What there is, at least unless you're interested in a two-year contract, is 59 cents a minute for all domestic calls - Unless you're calling a cell phone from a different provider, then it's even more. It's even the same 59 cents a minute to call the States, the UK and several other countries.
Texts, on the other hand, are 20 cents each and free on weekends. So that's how you communicate.
There's something to be said for the option - it's much easier to coordinate meeting somewhere (such as a restaurant) since you don't have to worry about talking over the noise of people around you, or disturbing those around you with your talking.
I haven't, however, started to use text slang. Nor have I gotten as proficient with the texting as people here who grew up on it - I had a roommate when I first got to New Zealand who could type two messages on two different phones at the same time, with one phone in each hand.


[As an aside, I just wanted to mention how screwed up NZ's phone charges are in another way: I bought a calling card. Using the card, it costs just 3 cents a minute to call the US, dialing a local number to connect (obviously more if I have to use a pay phone.) However, it costs 5 cents a minute to call long-distance within New Zealand. Tell me how this makes sense.]