From Down Under to Down South

By 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

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FAQs about From Down Under to Down South:

How many episodes does From Down Under to Down South have?

The podcast currently has 77 episodes available.

From Down Under to Down South episodes:

February 16, 2026 Aussie vs American Accents: 20 Words We Say Completely Differently
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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.
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10min
February 13, 2026This Week in America - Ice, Cookies & Participation
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In this week’s episode, I found myself thinking about three very small, very American moments: ice in drinks, unexpected cookies, and the quiet art of participation.
Living in the US has a way of highlighting things I never noticed back home in Australia. Some differences are big. Others are subtle — but they linger.
This week:
Why ice still catches me off guard
The cultural meaning behind a simple cookie
And how “participation” feels different depending on where you grew up
None of it dramatic. Just observations from the middle of everyday life.
If you’ve ever lived overseas — or even just moved suburbs — you’ll probably recognise the feeling.
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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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.

Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
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8min
February 09, 2026 5 American Habits That Still Baffle This Aussie After 7 Years
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Seven years into living in the United States, there are still a few everyday habits that stop me mid-sentence.
Not because they’re wrong — just because they’re different.
From enthusiastic small talk in grocery stores to supersized portions, workplace intensity, the phenomenon of Buc-ee’s, and the way Americans relate to pets and personal space… these are the cultural details that haven’t quite become invisible to me.
In this episode, I reflect on the small behavioural differences that linger — the ones you don’t notice as a tourist, but feel once you’re properly living somewhere.
It’s less about shock, and more about perspective.
If you’ve ever lived abroad, you’ll probably recognise the feeling: the way certain things never quite stop standing out — even years later.
=======================
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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
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10min
February 02, 2026 14 ‘Normal’ American Things That Still Shock Me as an Aussie Expat
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After years living in the United States, there are still moments that quietly catch me off guard.
Not because they’re wrong. Not because they’re outrageous.
Simply because they’re different from what I grew up with.
In this episode, I reflect on fourteen everyday American habits and assumptions that once surprised me — and in some cases, still do.
From portion sizes and social norms to the subtle rhythms of daily life, these are the small cultural details that reveal how deeply “normal” is shaped by where you’re from.
It’s not a takedown. It’s perspective.
If you’ve ever lived abroad — or even travelled long enough to notice the details — 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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
13min
January 31, 2026 Why Americans Think All Accents Sound the Same
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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.
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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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
5min
January 26, 2026 7 Aussie Words That'll Awkwardly Confuse Americans
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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.
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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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
10min
January 19, 2026 12 American Foods That Shock Australians
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Seven years into living in the United States, there are still certain foods that make me pause.
Not because they’re wrong — but because they’re different from what I grew up with.
From American cheese and sweet tea to chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, and the world of convenience-store snacks, these are the flavours and combinations that surprised me most as an Australian adjusting to life here.
In this episode, I reflect on what makes these foods feel unusual from an Aussie perspective — and what that says about tradition, nostalgia, and everyday comfort.
It’s not a taste test designed to ridicule.
It’s a look at how food quietly carries culture.
If you’ve ever moved countries — or even just travelled long enough to notice supermarket shelves — you’ll 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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
9min
January 12, 2026 8 Old Aussie Sayings That’ll Stump Your Foreign Mates
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Every Australian has said something overseas that landed with a blank stare.
Living in the United States, I’ve learned that what feels completely ordinary back home can sound mildly baffling elsewhere.
In this episode, I share eight classic Australian sayings — the kind your parents, grandparents, or the bloke at the pub might toss out without explanation — and explore why they don’t always translate.
We’ll look at:
• What these phrases actually mean
• Where they likely came from
• How Aussies use them naturally
• And why they can sound so strange outside Australia
It’s less about confusing anyone… and more about how language carries history, humour, and identity.
If you’ve ever had to explain a saying that “just makes sense” where you’re from, you’ll probably recognise yourself in this one.
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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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
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...more
9min
January 05, 2026 Secret Rules of Australian Culture You Must Know
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There are certain things Australians don’t explain — because we assume everyone just knows.
Say hello when you walk into a small shop.
Bring something to a barbecue.
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
After living in the United States, I’ve realised how many of these unwritten rules sit quietly beneath Australia’s laid-back surface.
In this episode, I reflect on the invisible social codes that shape everyday life back home — the small gestures and expectations that signal respect, belonging, and understanding.
It’s not about catching visitors out.
It’s about recognising that culture often lives in the details.
Having experienced both Australia and America from the inside, I’ve learned that etiquette isn’t about rigid rules — it’s about reading the room.
And when you move countries, those rooms can feel very different.
==========================
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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.

Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
11min
December 29, 2025 Best Places to Live in Australia 2025: Top 9 Cities Ranked
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Which Australian cities are considered the most liveable in 2025?
In this episode, I look at the latest Happy City Index rankings and explore how Australia’s major cities compare across quality of life, wellbeing, infrastructure, and community.
The results may not align with popular assumptions. Sydney and Melbourne aren’t automatically at the top — and some smaller cities perform surprisingly well.
We’ll look at:
• How the rankings were calculated
• What the data says about governance, environment, economy, and health
• Why some cities consistently score higher than others
• And how these rankings compare to lived experience
As someone who’s lived in different parts of Australia — and now in the United States — I also reflect on what “liveability” really means beyond statistics.
Rankings tell part of the story. Culture, lifestyle, and belonging tell the rest.
If you’re considering a move, reminiscing about home, or simply curious about how Australian cities stack up, this is a thoughtful breakdown of the 2025 data.
Full survey available here:
https://happy-city-index.com/
================
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: [email protected]

Thanks for listening.
Hoo roo maties.
Support the show
Check out additional content on our YouTube page!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjipgN51kc8swHyKeSx2tzw
...more
11min

FAQs about From Down Under to Down South:

How many episodes does From Down Under to Down South have?

The podcast currently has 77 episodes available.