An American expat has revealed the shocking differences between the US and Australia three weeks after moving to Melbourne.
Shannon Knight, from 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 Aussie life including the country’s reasonable minimum wage, cheap sports tickets, and nightlife culture.
Shannon couldn’t believe most people on minimum wage jobs in Australia are able to survive because workers back home are ‘unable to cover rent even if [they] work 70-hour weeks’.
‘The minimum wage here is $25/hour and I’ve met plenty of adults here who work a cashier job at a grocery store or a boutique and they get by just fine,’ Shannon said.
The expat was also shocked by Australians’ relationships with work.
‘In regards to work – people just go to their job and go home. Their work isn’t their entire personality, it’s not a part of their identity – which is a really hard concept for me to wrap my brain around,’ she added.
While many Aussies criticise Sydney and Melbourne for not being 24-hour cities, Shannon was pleasantly surprised by the night life.
Shannon Knight, from Boston, decided to move Down Under ‘on a whim’ and experience life in a new country
‘The social scene [is great] – people actually go out over the age of 24 here which is so refreshing.’
Shannon is also glad that Australian landlords demand rent every week instead of monthly because it’s ‘not as daunting’ when broken up into smaller segments.
The one thing Shannon couldn’t get her head around was driving.
‘Everybody drives very calmly here – but I lived in Boston, where we don’t drive calmly to say the absolute least.
‘It’s just a really hard concept for me to witness. When I’m in the passenger seat and somebody cuts somebody off, I’m screaming on the inside but Australians just kind of shrug their shoulders and keep going.’
Shannon was taken aback by one specific Australian male trait.
‘The guys are significantly more tattooed here – it’s not uncommon to see a guy with a lot of tattoos in America, but [Australians] are tattooed from the neck down to the ankle. We don’t see that a lot in America.’
She was also shocked by how cheap tickets to professional sporting events were Down Under.
‘I saw AFL semi-final tickets on sale for $40 this weekend,’ she shared.
‘I don’t know what a ticket to the AFC Championship would be, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near $40.’
The 26-year-old was pleasantly surprised by several aspects of Aussie life – including the country’s reasonable minimum wage, cheap sports game tickets, and nightlife culture
In terms of food, the expat claimed Australian McDonald’s one-ups the US.
‘McDonald’s fries are significantly better – which says a lot because McDonald’s fries are very good, and I didn’t think anything could top them. But Australian fries are fresher and crispier – they’re fantastic.’
She added, ‘I came here expecting things to be so different and to have a really hard time adjusting – there are obviously a few differences but I’m having a much easier time.’
Shannon claimed Australians have more in common with Americans than the British do.
‘I would’ve thought the British would be more similar to use because we’re closer geographically, but no,’ she said.
