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. 12h ago

    What I Was Missing About American Friendliness

    Send us Fan Mail After eight years living in the United States, I thought I understood why Americans talk to strangers. I assumed it was friendliness. But over time, I started to realise I was looking at it the wrong way. In this episode, I share the observation that changed my perspective and why I now believe friendliness isn't the goal at all. From conversations in grocery stores to chance encounters with complete strangers, I explore what Americans may really be trying to do when they strike up a conversation. This isn't an episode about extroverts versus introverts, or whether one culture is better than another. It's about belonging, inclusion, and a part of American culture that I didn't fully appreciate when I first arrived from Australia. Sometimes it takes an outsider to notice something the people living inside a culture can no longer see. From Down Under to Down South is a podcast about culture, identity, family, and life between Australia and America. ☕ 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

  2. 4d ago

    This Week in America - The Things We Remember

    Send us Fan Mail This week, a chest infection brought back memories I hadn't thought about in years. Even though it wasn't COVID, the symptoms felt almost identical, reminding me just how deeply certain experiences stay with us.  From remembering the uncertainty of the pandemic and being separated from family in Australia, to living through storms and power outages in Tennessee, I explore how difficult moments leave lasting marks on the way we see the world.  I also share a personal story about helping Georgia navigate friendship struggles at dance, and the challenge every parent faces of supporting their child without trying to rewrite their own childhood through them. In the end, one simple act of kindness reminded me that while we can't choose what happens to us, we can choose the kind of person those experiences help us become.  This week's episode is a reflection on memory, resilience, parenting, and the invisible ways our past continues to shape our present. ☕ 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

  3. Jul 23

    This Week in America - Nothing Much Happened... And It Was Great

    Send us Fan Mail Some weeks are full of big moments. Others remind you just how nice an ordinary week can be. This week, I reflect on the unexpected joy of having nothing much happen. We chat about the explosion of comments on my YouTube channel, why watching strangers connect in the comments has become one of my favourite parts of creating content, and why I still choose to keep politics out of my corner of the internet.  I also share a few snapshots of everyday life in Tennessee—working from the back deck while baby deer wander through the yard, losing the annual battle against tomato-stealing squirrels, the strange beauty of Southern summer storms, getting paid to watch England play France during an unusually quiet shift at work, and the ongoing Chick-fil-A vs McDonald's debate between my daughters.  Sometimes it's the ordinary weeks that end up reminding us why we're grateful for the life we've built. ☕ 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

  4. Jul 16

    This Week in America — The More I Became Myself

    Send us Fan Mail This week in America, I reflect on a milestone I never expected to reach: 10,000 YouTube subscribers. But surprisingly, the number itself isn't what has been on my mind. Instead, I've been thinking about the stories people have been sharing. Stories about family, kindness, belonging, moving to new places, and the moments that shape who we become. Reading those stories has led me to a realization about this channel, my life, and why the videos that connect most deeply are often the ones where I simply sound the most like myself. In this episode, I talk about authenticity, curiosity, starting over in a new country, my career in banking, building a media brand from scratch, and the unexpected lesson that has emerged from all of it: the more I've become comfortable being myself, the more meaningful the connections have become. If you've ever felt pressure to become someone else in order to succeed, this conversation may resonate with you.  ☕ 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

  5. Jul 9

    This Week in America - The Part of Daytona I Didn't Expect

    Send us Fan Mail This week in America, a trip to Daytona Beach for Georgia’s final dance competition of the season turned into something I wasn’t expecting. What started as a week of dance nationals, beaches, airports and sightseeing became a reminder that the things we remember most about travel are often the people we meet along the way. From conversations with a Haitian taxi driver, a Jamaican maintenance worker and a Ukrainian family serving pavlova in Florida, to spending time with the dance families who have quietly become part of our lives, this trip left me reflecting on community, belonging and what eight years in America has really built for our family. I also share a simple evening on the Daytona boardwalk with Brianna, a steakhouse dinner overlooking the Atlantic, and one of those moments every parent experiences when they suddenly realise their children are growing up. Sometimes the best part of a trip isn't the destination at all. It's the people you remember when you get home. ☕ 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

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.