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. 2d ago

    This Week in America – Two Songs From Home

    Send us Fan Mail This week in America, I started a new job at a self-storage facility just ten minutes from home — or, as I've discovered, exactly two songs away. What I thought would be a story about starting a new job quickly became a story about people. In my first week, I met a woman from Augusta who shared stories about life during Masters week, the owners of a local Chick-fil-A who reminded me why American friendliness still surprises me, a trucking company owner from Kentucky who travels the country watching his granddaughter dance, and a Vietnamese immigrant who understood exactly what it feels like to build a life far from home. Along the way, I learned some unexpected things about the storage industry, why some people end up living in storage units, and how these buildings often hold far more than furniture and cardboard boxes. Sometimes they hold entire chapters of people's lives. As an Australian living in Tennessee, this week reminded me of something I've noticed again and again about America: some of the most interesting stories are found in ordinary conversations with ordinary people. In this episode: • Starting an hourly job for the first time in over 20 years • What Augusta is really like outside Masters week • Why Chick-fil-A owners are exactly what you'd expect • Meeting a trucking company owner with 2,000 trucks • A conversation with a Vietnamese immigrant in Tennessee • The surprising reality of the self-storage industry • Why some people end up living in storage units • Missing family while returning to work full-time • The stories hidden behind everyday encounters If you've ever moved countries, started over, changed careers, or simply enjoyed hearing people's stories, I think you'll enjoy this one. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth   🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth   🌏 Website https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com    📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919    🐦 X https://x.com/aussiemika74    📩 Business enquiries: 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

    13 min
  2. 5d ago

    The Moment You Realize You Sound Rude in America

    Send us Fan Mail Why do Australians sound rude in America? Why do cultural differences between Australia and the US change how we come across without us realising? This episode explores the moment you realise you sound rude in America — and why it happens. After living in the United States for several years, I’ve started to notice something subtle. It’s not that Australians are trying to be rude — it’s that the way we speak is often more direct, more to the point… and that can land differently here. Back home, saying what you mean is normal. It’s efficient. It’s honest. But in America, there’s often a bit more softening around it — more layers, more cushioning, more space before you get to the point. And you don’t really notice it at first. It shows up in small moments. A conversation that feels slightly off. A reaction you didn’t expect. Or that quiet realisation that what you said didn’t land the way you meant it. This episode looks at those everyday shifts — how tone, phrasing, and communication style can change how you’re perceived, and what it’s like learning to navigate that over time. If you’d prefer to watch the full video version, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/YGwN-HkRdDI ☕ 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: 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

    12 min
  3. Jun 18

    This Week in America - Starting Over at 49

    Send us Fan Mail After 24 years in banking, more than 2,500 job applications, and a career that became my identity, I found myself facing something many people quietly experience but rarely talk about: Starting over. In this episode of This Week in America, I share the reality of leaving a senior banking career after burnout, the emotional toll of unemployment, applying for thousands of jobs in my late 40s and early 50s, losing a dream opportunity because I didn't have a university degree, and unexpectedly finding purpose through ballroom dancing, podcasting, YouTube, and building a completely new life. We discuss: • Starting over at 49 and beyond • Career burnout and work-life balance • Job searching after 50 • The emotional impact of unemployment • Reinventing yourself after a long career • Modern hiring and online job applications • Losing and rebuilding your professional identity • Finding purpose outside of work • Why careers are chapters, not identities If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to change direction, reinvent yourself, or build something new, this episode is for you. Check out additional content on our YouTube page! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw ☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries: 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

    12 min
  4. Jun 11

    This Week in America — My Daughter Thinks My Hair Is Ruining My Career

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of This Week in America, I talk about the unexpected ways living in Tennessee has changed what feels familiar to me. I used to miss the loud chaos of Australian birds every morning—lorikeets, magpies, cockatoos—but lately the sounds of cardinals, blue jays, and woodpeckers have started feeling like home too. That leads into a bigger conversation about life as an Australian living in America, how your sense of home slowly changes over time, and why emotional connections can form in places you never expected. I also share stories from our backyard wildlife drama involving moles, voles, and a very determined cat who has apparently appointed himself head of security. We also wander down to the Florida Gulf Coast, talking about why places like Destin, 30A, and Panama City Beach have become some of my favorite places in America, even though I grew up surrounded by Australian beaches. And then, just when the episode gets reflective, my seven-year-old daughter delivers the most brutal career feedback I’ve ever received: apparently my hair is the reason I don’t have a YouTube play button yet. What follows is an unexpectedly sweet moment about parenting, creativity, and the ordinary memories that eventually become the ones we miss most. Topics in this episode: - Australian vs American birds and wildlife - Life in Tennessee as an Australian expat - Florida Panhandle travel and Gulf Coast culture - How living overseas changes your identity - Parenting, creativity, and everyday family moments - The unexpected influence of a seven-year-old hair consultant If you enjoy stories about Australia vs America, expat life, Southern culture, family life, and finding home in unexpected places, this episode is for you. 📺 YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth ☕ Buy Me a Coffee  https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website  https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📘 Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X  https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries:  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
  5. Jun 4

    This Week in America - What Americans Wanted Me to Know

    Send us Fan Mail A week ago I uploaded a video called The First Things Australians Notice in America. https://youtu.be/a2mJtfnJU-8 What happened next caught me completely off guard. The video passed 160,000 views, the comments poured in, and I found myself spending hours talking with Americans from every corner of the country. What started as a simple discussion about cultural differences became something much bigger. This week, I'm sharing some of the stories, insights and kindness that appeared in those comments. From goodwill and community to waving on country roads, church invitations and small-town generosity, it became one of the most meaningful weeks I've experienced since moving to Tennessee. Along the way, I learned a little more about America, a little more about the people who watch this channel, and perhaps a little more about what it means to call two countries home. Thanks for listening. 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FromDownUndertoDownSouth ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/fromdownundertodownsouth 🌏 Website: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068568677919 🐦 X: https://x.com/aussiemika74 📩 Business enquiries: 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

    11 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.