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. 3D AGO

    What America Get Right

    Send us Fan Mail After living in the United States for a number of years, there are still plenty of things that surprise me about daily life here. Some are confusing. Some take getting used to. But there are also things America does genuinely well — things that stand out once you’ve lived somewhere else. In this episode, I reflect on a few parts of American culture that have quietly impressed me since moving here. From the way communities show up for each other, to the openness of everyday interactions, to small habits that make life feel welcoming in ways I didn’t expect. Living between two countries changes how you see both of them. Sometimes it’s the differences that stand out most clearly — and sometimes it’s the things you realise are worth appreciating. This episode is part of the ongoing reflections from an Australian living in the American South, noticing the small cultural moments that often go unspoken. Companion story: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com Podcast listening page: https://fromdownundertodownsouth.com/listen/ ☕ 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

    11 min
  2. MAY 7

    This Week in America — Representing Australia at a Tennessee School Night

    Send us Fan Mail What does everyday life in America actually feel like? In this episode, I share a week that started with representing Australia at a school international night in Tennessee… and unfolded into a series of small moments that say a lot about living in the United States as an Australian. From sausage rolls, Vegemite, and Tim Tams at an American school event… to watching kids grow up in a naturally multicultural environment… to the small everyday differences you don’t really notice until you do — like ice in drinks, mailbox flags, and even how Easter quietly passes here. There are also moments that feel a little heavier — rising gas prices, school lockdown drills — and how those realities sit alongside a very normal, routine day-to-day life that often looks nothing like the version of America seen on the news. This is a reflection on the difference between seeing America from the outside… and actually living here. ☕ 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

    10 min
  3. APR 30

    This Week in America — The Business of Everyday Life

    Send us Fan Mail This week in America, I started noticing how everyday life works a little differently. Living in the United States as an Australian, it’s often the small things that stand out — like how many everyday tasks become services. From lawn care crews moving house to house, to businesses built around things most people don’t want to do, there’s a strong sense of opportunity in everyday life here. After our fridge broke down, a trip to a local appliance store also highlighted how commission-based sales shape customer service in America — something that feels quite different compared to Australia. Later in the week, a family night out for Mexican food (or Tex-Mex, depending on who you ask) became a reminder that “authenticity” often depends on perspective. Watching Brianna dance along to the music said more about the experience than any label ever could. School yearbooks arrived as well — a small but familiar part of life in America — and like many things, came with a cost that makes you pause, even if you still choose to buy them for the memories. And then a simple interaction with the Australian Embassy brought something unexpected. Living overseas, even small gestures can reconnect you to home in ways you don’t anticipate. This episode reflects on everyday life in America, cultural differences between Australia and the US, and what it means to live between two countries. ☕ 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 Support the show Check out additional content on our YouTube page! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw

    9 min
  4. APR 23

    This Week in America - When Things That Felt Strange Start to Feel Normal

    Send us Fan Mail What feels “normal” when you live in another country… isn’t always what you expect. In this week’s episode of This Week in America, I found myself in two very different situations — standing beneath a Saturn V rocket that took people to the Moon… and sitting in a safe room at midnight during a tornado warning. And somehow… both felt like just another part of the week. That’s the shift you don’t really see coming when you move overseas. Not the big differences — but the small, gradual ones. The way unfamiliar things become familiar… and familiar things start to feel distant. From extreme Tennessee weather swings… to unexpected language overlaps like “reckon”… to walking through American space history in Huntsville… to spotting Australian lamb in a Costco aisle… This episode is a quiet reflection on what changes… what stays the same…  and how living between two countries reshapes your sense of normal. There’s also a bit of sport, a bit of Buc-ee’s, and a reminder that some parts of home never really leave you — they just show up differently. ☕ 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

    8 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.