From Down Under to Down South

Aussie Mike

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.

  1. 6D AGO

    Aussie vs American Accents: 20 Words We Say Completely Differently

    Send a text I once asked for water at KFC and walked away empty-handed. After years living in the United States, I’ve realised it wasn’t the service — it was my pronunciation. From “water” to “Melbourne” to “tuna,” there are dozens of everyday words Australians and Americans say differently — sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically — and those differences can cause more confusion than you’d expect. Living between the two countries has taught me something simple: we’re technically speaking the same language… but not always the same version of it. In this episode, I explore the pronunciation gaps, the misunderstandings they create, and what they reveal about identity, habit, and the strange flexibility of English. Whether you say WAH-ter or WAH-trr, CHOO-na or TOO-na, we’re all navigating the same linguistic maze — just with different maps. ======================= Support the podcast: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth 📷 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X: https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries & collaborations: michael@fromdownundertodownsouth.com Thanks for listening. Hoo roo maties. Support the show Check out additional content on our YouTube page! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw

    10 min
  2. JAN 31

    Why Americans Think All Accents Sound the Same

    Send a text Americans don’t think all accents sound the same. They just haven’t had enough practice yet. As an Aussie living in the United States, I’ve lost count of how many times my accent has been guessed as British, Irish… or “Australian, but kind of British.” In this episode, I explore why that happens — and why it’s not as simple as people assume. We’ll look at: • Why unfamiliar accents blur together  • How film and television shape what we think accents “should” sound like  • Why Australians are often just as bad at distinguishing American accents  • And what accent recognition actually says about exposure and identity This isn’t a roast. It’s perspective. Accents carry history, geography, and class — and unless you grow up surrounded by them, your brain fills in the gaps. If you’ve ever misidentified an accent — or had yours misidentified — you’ll probably recognise yourself in this one. ===================================================== Support the podcast: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth 📷 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X: https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries & collaborations: michael@fromdownundertodownsouth.com Thanks for listening. Hoo roo maties. Support the show Check out additional content on our YouTube page! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw

    4 min
  3. JAN 26

    7 Aussie Words That'll Awkwardly Confuse Americans

    Send a text After years living in the United States, I still occasionally say something completely normal by Australian standards… and get a look in return. It turns out some everyday Aussie words sound harmless at home — but land very differently in America. In this episode, I share a handful of those vocabulary moments — the ones that led to raised eyebrows, awkward pauses, and the quiet realisation that we’re technically speaking the same language… but not quite the same version of it. We’ll look at: • Innocent Australian words that don’t translate cleanly • Why certain phrases feel perfectly ordinary in one country and uncomfortable in another • And what these misunderstandings reveal about culture, context, and humour It’s not dramatic. Just mildly awkward. And if you’ve ever lived overseas, you’ll probably recognise the feeling. ==================================================== Support the podcast: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth 📷 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X: https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries & collaborations: michael@fromdownundertodownsouth.com Thanks for listening. Hoo roo maties. Support the show Check out additional content on our YouTube page! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw

    10 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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.