From Down Under to Down South
From Down Under to Down South is a twice-weekly reflection from an Australian making a life in the American South.
After moving from Australia to Tennessee in 2018, I began noticing the subtle cultural differences most people miss — the way politeness sounds different, the way goodbyes stretch longer, the way everyday moments quietly reveal what’s different.
Some episodes explore those contrasts directly. Others are quiet stories from the week — conversations and small moments that say something bigger.
It’s not outrage or culture wars. And it’s not a travel diary. It’s simply one Australian perspective on life between two countries.
If you’ve ever lived overseas, loved two places at once, or found yourself caught between familiar and foreign — you’ll feel at home here.
New episodes are released twice weekly as part of the broader From Down Under to Down South series across podcast and YouTube.
From Down Under to Down South
5 American Habits That Still Baffle This Aussie After 7 Years
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Seven years into living in the United States, there are still a few everyday habits that stop me mid-sentence.
Not because they’re wrong — just because they’re different.
From enthusiastic small talk in grocery stores to supersized portions, workplace intensity, the phenomenon of Buc-ee’s, and the way Americans relate to pets and personal space… these are the cultural details that haven’t quite become invisible to me.
In this episode, I reflect on the small behavioural differences that linger — the ones you don’t notice as a tourist, but feel once you’re properly living somewhere.
It’s less about shock, and more about perspective.
If you’ve ever lived abroad, you’ll probably recognise the feeling: the way certain things never quite stop standing out — even years later.
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Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
