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
Boomer Bosses in Australia & the US: Old Normal, Fired Today
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There was a time when certain workplace behaviours barely raised an eyebrow.
Smoking at your desk.
Long “liquid” lunches.
Calling the women in the office “the girls.”
Bosses who ruled more like monarchs than managers.
In both Australia and the United States, what was once considered normal in the workplace would likely end a career today.
In this episode, I reflect on how work culture has shifted across generations — and how differently those changes played out in Australia and America.
We’ll look at:
• What office life felt like in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s
• How HR, legislation, and corporate structures reshaped behaviour
• The cultural differences between Australian and American workplaces
• And whether we’ve gained something — or lost something — along the way
This isn’t a “boomers versus Gen Z” argument.
It’s a conversation about how norms change — and how quickly yesterday’s ordinary becomes today’s unacceptable.
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Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
