An American expat has revealed the shocking differences between the US and Australia three weeks after moving to Melbourne.
Knight of Shannonfrom Boston, decided to move Down Under ‘on a whim’ and experience life in a new country.
The 26-year-old was pleasantly surprised by several aspects of Australian life, including the country’s reasonable minimum wage, cheap tickets to sports matches and nightlife culture.
Shannon couldn’t believe that most people could survive on minimum wage jobs because workers in her country “can’t cover the rent even if they work 70 hours a week.”
“The minimum wage here is $25 an hour and I’ve met many adults who work as cashiers at a grocery store or boutique and are doing very well,” Shannon said.
The expat was also surprised by the Australians’ relationship with work.
“When it comes to work, people just go to work and then go home. Work is not their whole personality, it’s not part of their identity, which is a very difficult concept for me to wrap my head around,” he added.
Although many Australians criticise Sydney and Melbourne for not being 24-hour cities, Shannon was pleasantly surprised by the nightlife.
Boston native Shannon Knight decided to move Down Under ‘on a whim’ and experience life in a new country.
‘The social scene is great. People here are really out and about, over the age of 24, which is very refreshing.’
Shannon is also pleased that Australian landlords are requiring weekly rent rather than monthly because “it’s not as daunting” when broken down into smaller segments.
The only thing Shannon couldn’t understand was driving.
‘Here everyone drives very calmly, but I lived in Boston and we don’t drive so calmly there, to say the least.
“It’s a very difficult concept for me to witness. When I’m in the passenger seat and someone cuts someone off, I scream inside, but Australians just shrug and carry on.”
Shannon was puzzled by one trait specific to Australian men.
‘Here, guys are a lot more tattooed. It’s not unusual to see a guy with a lot of tattoos in the States, but (Australians) are tattooed from the neck to the ankle. We don’t see that often in the States.
The American woman was also surprised by how cheap tickets to professional sporting events were in Australia.
“I saw tickets for the AFL semi-final on sale for $40 this weekend,” he shared. “I don’t know how much an AFC Championship ticket would cost, but I don’t think it would be anywhere near $40.”
The 26-year-old was pleasantly surprised by several aspects of Australian life, including the country’s reasonable minimum wage, cheap tickets to sports matches and nightlife culture.
In terms of food, the expat said the Australian McDonald’s beats the American one.
“McDonald’s fries are so much better, which says a lot because they are so good and I didn’t think anything could beat them. But the Australian fries are fresher and crispier, they are fantastic.”
He added: “I came here expecting things to be very different and that it would be very difficult for me to adapt; obviously there are some differences, but it’s much easier for me now.”
Shannon said Australians have more in common with Americans than the British.
“I would have thought the British would be more like us because we are closer geographically, but no,” he said.
