A young businesswoman who lives and works in Europe has revealed the culture shock she experienced when she traveled to Australia.
Dafne Sartorio, director of a financial company and life coach, was taken aback by the “empty” aspect of the country, the culture of early risers, the availability of public toilets and the cost of living.
In a post on Threads, Ms Sartorio said: “I just got back from Australia and wasn’t ready for the experience.
“There were ten things that made me laugh, wonder if I was in a different universe, and definitely rethink life in Europe.”
1. Where are the people?
The Brazilian citizen, who currently resides in Belgium, said the first thing she noticed about Australia was that it seemed “empty” due to its smaller population and larger size, compared to many countries in South America and Europe.
‘We spent a whole day kayaking in the (Noosa) Everglades and, I swear, there wasn’t a soul for about 70 kilometres.
“If this were Europe, you’d be elbowing strangers just to take a decent photo.”
Dafne Sartorio said she was surprised by how different life is in Australia (pictured with her husband)
coffee culture
He said the next notable observation that stood out to him was that Australians seemed to love coffee.
‘The coffee game in Australia is strong. And I mean, strong. I thought I loved coffee, but these guys drink an average of 14 cups a week. I’m still recovering.’
The Australian attitude
Ms Sartorio observed that “people are very friendly” in Australia.
‘The staff really smile and talk to you. “It’s like I’ve been living in a European customer service wasteland all this time,” he said.
“Australians are friendly in a way that makes you wonder what’s wrong with everyone else.”
However, not everyone was convinced, with some commenters saying it depended on which city you were in.
“As an Australian, I have found European and American waiters to be much more polite and friendly than here,” said one local.
“It’s just cultural, I’m not complaining, it’s just different, a lot more low-key, so I don’t know where you actually went.”
“I’d avoid making such broad statements, but look, I’m glad you had a good time in Australia.”
Another commenter said they had the same experience.
‘The best part is that they ask you how your day was and actually get happy and excited if it goes well.
“It’s not just about being polite, but they actually seem to care.”
Ms Sartorio runs a personal and professional advice company and is also a director of a financial company.
Relaxed atmosphere
“Life is so quiet in Australia,” Ms Sartorio said. “No one seems to be in a hurry. People just seem…calmer. Slower.
‘Meanwhile, I walk like I have 17 places to be. Do they know something that we don’t know?
Sartorio and her husband spent most of their time in Queensland, and some commentators suggested that could be the reason.
“Sydney and Perth are much faster paced than the rest of Australia,” the person said.
“Even Melbourne.”
How Australians get paid
Sartorio said most Australians he met were paid weekly, which was very different from Europe.
‘They also pay subscriptions and rent weekly. I asked why and people just shrugged.
‘Maybe it’s because people leave their jobs like they’re changing socks? Either way, I’m quietly jealous.
Some locals noted that jobs in retail and hospitality often paid salaries weekly, but that corporate jobs typically paid monthly or biweekly salaries.
The cost of living
‘The activities are amazing… but so are the prices.
‘Do you want to snorkel? Surfing? Even just book an Airbnb? So get ready to spend a lot of $$$.
“Australia has some of the best experiences in the world, but they will leave your wallet screaming on the second day.”
Most commenters agreed with this observation.
‘Yes, I’m sorry about that. They have always been expensive and lately even more so.
“But of course it depends on where you are.”
Another fumed about the cost of living in Australia.
‘It makes fun of beaches and nature and being a nation of English-speaking immigrants, but when people move here they soon find themselves working just to maintain their lifestyle and with no time or ability to do anything else.
“Surrounded by a materialistic, segregated society of ambitionless cowards who believe they can’t change anything.”
Mr Sartorio said he would love to return to Australia “once his wallet has recovered”.
He said one of the biggest things he noticed about Australia was the cost of living.
the diet
‘Everything is so sweet!
‘Bread, sandwiches and even butter had sugar. “I don’t know if it’s a vibe or a conspiracy, but I came back with a sugar high.”
Some commentators said they found this surprising, as they didn’t consider Australians to have a sweet tooth in the same way as Americans.
Belgium, where Mrs. Sartorio currently resides, is famous for its chocolate industry, an important pillar of its economy.
Most cocoa is produced in Central and South America and Africa, but the Belgians, along with the Swiss, were instrumental in popularizing commercial chocolate in the 19th century.
“Not sure what bread and butter you’re eating, but it’s not sweet here,” said one commenter.
“The butter thing was a joke,” Mrs. Sartorio said.
“The butter was actually really good, in fact all the dairy products were super tasty.”
The early risers
Ms Sartorio said that during her stay in Australia “5am was the new 8am”.
‘Do you think I’m joking? The places are packed. Cafes? Full. People running? Everywhere.
‘Meanwhile, in Europe, cafes open at 8am and we wonder why no one is awake.
‘I can’t even have a coffee before work and there’s a business idea!’
Some Australians said this was definitely not their experience of the culture.
“This was clearly not Sydney,” one person said.
‘That made me laugh. “I don’t think it was Melbourne either,” said another.
‘Who gets up at five in the morning? Queenslanders? There is no daylight saving time, so the sun rises earlier and it is hot in the afternoon,” a third agreed.
‘Most decent cafes don’t open until 7 or 8 in the morning. There are early morning coffees, sure, but they’re usually not the best and people try to make the most of the day before a long day of work, not because they naturally want to get up at 5am,” argued another.
‘You were in Qld… that’s not really Australia… more like Texas… they do things early. The rest of the country wakes up at 6 or 8.’
The outdoor lifestyle
Sartorio said he noticed that “people are in shape.”
‘Very fit. Running, surfing, pilates, everywhere you look.
But he added that there is also “the other extreme,” which tends not to be as prominent in Europe.
“It’s as if two extremes lived side by side,” he said.
No complications
“Everything is clean and ran smoothly,” Ms. Sartorio said.
‘Bathrooms. Water sources. Clean streets? They are everywhere. I felt like I was in a public bathroom utopia.
‘Plus, things just worked out. Even renting a car was no problem. Europe, take notes.
Some commentators said their impressions of Australia summed up the country fairly accurately, but others noted that “the grass is always greener.”
‘Ironically, I came back from Europe (Australia is my home) and loved it there, particularly Denmark, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Maybe because the mornings are a little later and the food has less and less sugar.’