EXPATS BACK IN USA: Reverse Culture Shock (Top 5 Noticeable Differences)

[@twotravelingkings]

We're getting adjusted to living back in the US again and some things have surprised us! What were some of the biggest instances of reverse culture shock that you experienced after traveling?

[@remplante]

For this example our travel was to the USA. So here were the differences to us : Highly noticeable levels of homelessness Yeah crazy Starbucks coffee that if I live to be 1000 I won't miss. Give me espresso any day. Fast food sizes and some restaurant meals - at the end of our 2 months in the US we actually started sharing meals. Never being offered tea/coffee in a china cup. Thank you to the Devonshire tea restaurant in Devon, Connecticut. The size of Americans, particularly African Americans in California. That Americans are a lot more reserved and unless they're in the tourist industry it's hard to engage them in casual conversation. They don't get being ribbed/teased. But they're not like that when you meet them in other countries. Ordering food from a non-sit down cafe in NYC by quoting the meal by number off a board, and being questioned as to 'what do you mean you don't want mayo ?' Those street pretzel vendors near Madison square garden. God - find me a couple of beers and I could sit there all day eating those. Spaghetti marinara does not come with seafood, just the sauce from the other meal fruit de mer. Fell for that twice. Cities like NYC that truly don't shut down +++ Times Sq at night is awesome ! Public transport that you don't need a timetable for +++ (I live in Brisbane) Flags, flags and more flags everywhere, we don't do that. Every time I saw the words center, meter and theater. But I loved every minute of it and as soon as it is safe to travel again we'll be back to the forest states of WA, OR and northern CA. See I speak Murican. I saw your slang / pronunciation vid. We confused you by our use of the letter 'a' avocado is a soft 'a'. Arvo is a hard 'A' like you pronounced afternoon. And we don't roll the r in the word car. Loved your vids. xxxx

[@twotravelingkings]

Great to hear about your experiences and observations about the US! Thanks so much for sharing and for watching 😊

[@Peter-cm8vi]

Culture shock travelling in Asian cities? I'm from Melbourne and you can't walk 10 paces without seeing a cafe. YOu kind of have to seek them out in most Asian cities. Last year while in Hong Kong I was desperately wandering the streets on a quiet Sunday morning looking for my first latte fix. I was standing on a corner and smelled the unmistakable scent of an espresso. Turning around, there was an American lady with her latte and she was able to direct me to the "hole in wall" style cafe. Joy at last! The other culture shock was the price which was around double what you pay in Melbourne. Ouch.

[@michaelmurray3800]

When you arrived back home to the US did you have many Australian expressions that your US counterparts get confused with what you were saying?

[@nightberg1971]

Had an awesome holiday in 1998 with my Mum. Went to the U.K., France, and briefly the U.S. - my mother was born and raised in the U.K. and she showed me a lot of her stamping grounds (places she grew up in). So London, Grantham, Nottingham and York. Had a little fun with the different idioms throughout the U.K. all over words and phrases that meant totally different things for us all. Half a week in Paris (big hint: if you're an Aussie holidaying in France - let them know ... they absolutely love Aussies!), and after identifying as Australian, more phrases and words that were more similar than different. To top off the trip - 2 weeks in L.A. where my great aunt lived (at the time, but has since passed), and a whole lot of similar phrases with different meanings. The culture shock didn't happen for me when I got home since all the above happened in 6.5 weeks ... too tired to notice!😉

[@Crosshead1]

As an Aussie who visited the US for the first time in 2018, I’d reckon your reverse culture shocks were pretty much the culture shocks for me in the US, except perhaps the smaller living spaces. Most Aussie houses, at least out in the suburbs, are pretty big. And pretty much everyone here has a drier except we don’t tend to use them much as it’s nearly always sunny, so why waste electricity. And yes, your coffee is dreadful. First thing I did getting back to Sydney airport was get a decent coffee. It was like having a blood transfusion. But I did enjoy my visit to the states. I caught the train from San Francisco to Chicago; absolutely amazing. If this COVID thing ever goes away, I’d love to go back.

[@twotravelingkings]

Haha, so true about the coffee :) The train sounds great! Hope we can make it back to Australia sometime!

[@SportsIncorporated]

We have big houses with big living spaces. As a matter of fact, for a long time, we started building what are called McMansions. I've had driers in every house I've lived in since the 1960's. There is a popular coffee shop chain that serves what tastes like burnt coffee. When you have it straight. Hint: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppfUp4d5nMyfj6M (just go to near the end kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppfUp4d5nMyfj6M )

[@heatherclark8668]

Most people don't have a clothes dryer

[@SevenCostanza]

its illegal to advertise prescription pharmaceuticals in australia

[@twotravelingkings]

Interesting! We enjoyed not seeing them while in Australia. Thanks for watching 😊

[@hughenden6]

@@twotravelingkings i think its only the USA and NZ where drug company's can run adds directly to the public.

[@laurencefraser]

@@hughenden6 heh, of course, in the US if you ask your doctor if the medicine is "right for you" it's a coin flip as to whether the answer comes down to bribery or not, where as New Zealand doesn't really have that problem. (The answer is usually either "no" or "yes, but why? The other brand is just as good and heavily subsidised". ). And half the advertisements are for over the counter stuff anyway.

[@nonautomaton6230]

I think that's true of the entire developed world.

[@Saavik256]

I'm pretty sure that's illegal everywhere that's not the US...

[@toddhellyar4167]

Australian coffee is great due to Italian and Greeks bringing it with them generations ago

[@twotravelingkings]

Love the influence in Australia! Such great coffee!

[@angusmatthews1806]

It was like a generation ago lol

[@toddhellyar4167]

@@angusmatthews1806 3 generations. You need to look up how generatìons are defined.

[@YankDownUnder62]

Even though I have stopped drinking coffee as much I used to in the US, coffee here is just awesome. If I was offered drip coffee I’d decline immediately. Been here 20 years and will never go back. I appreciate the pragmatic approach to life, and whole “bigger is better” is a waste, which reflects on the environment. Peace.

[@seankennedy1961]

Australia's coffee ascendancy is not that old really. Most people here started acknowledging it about 20 years ago. Before that it was nothing to rave about.

[@jochesson2312]

Welcome to the coffee snob club. New members always welcome. 😁

[@twotravelingkings]

We need better coffee in the US :)

[@donna25871]

There are lots of cafes run by Australians popping up all over the US - hopefully you can find one and still get our amazing coffee.

[@twotravelingkings]

Will definitely be keeping an eye out for those amazing flat whites! Thank you for letting us know 😊

[@chrisayles1679]

I’m an Aussie who has been to the US three times and I find the biggest difference (read risk) as a pedestrian is looking the wrong way as you are about to cross the road.

[@twotravelingkings]

Too true! It was the first and one of the toughest adjustments to being back in the US. Standing on the correct side of an escalator still gets us sometimes 😂

[@phoarey]

Exactly

[@elli4210]

Before the 2000 Olympics, pedestrian crossings were painted with "look left" for this reason.

[@shaungordon9737]

Yes, this is the thing I struggle most with when in countries that drive on the right

[@philipwilson3430]

I appreciate your chilled-out style. A nice change from so many here on KZbin who are so often OTT.

[@twotravelingkings]

Thank you for the kinds words, it means a lot! 😊

[@thomasnewton5919]

Idea for you. Open an "Australian" coffee shop in San Francisco. There is plenty of them in NYC.

[@twotravelingkings]

That's definitely a good idea 😊

[@shenanigans3710]

It's already there!

[@katecarroll1692]

The two that I came across is Bluestone Lane and A hole in the wall. Both in NYC. BEST coffee

[@elli4210]

@@katecarroll1692 Apparently there's some in the BedStuy area.

[@Zipperneck.]

I'm American and have lived in France for the last 28 years. I return to the States every couple years. Yeah, it's wild. Yes, everything is larger in America - particularly the women.

[@twotravelingkings]

Everything is larger! 😊

[@lynnemaclean7201]

You can buy an espresso coffee machine from Amazon and then make any style of Australian coffee that you want. The machines like the Breville Barista Express are quite compact. They even froth the milk on the side. We can thank the Italians etc for bringing great coffee to Australia 😊

[@twotravelingkings]

We have definitely looked into it! We even were looking before we left Australia 😂

[@deanmeixner]

An awesome video ... it also works in the reverse ... I miss my BUNN coffee maker (they're like hens teeth here) that I had in the US, I used to drink a heap of it each day, and I'd almost forgotten about those pharmaceutical ads ... they were a TV series in themselves 😂😂😂 The Purple Pill was the one I remember the most ... Thanks again guys! 😎🍷🤗

[@twotravelingkings]

We're impressed you drank so much American filtered coffee after growing up with the yummy espresso based Australian stuff!☕ You are so right about the commercials, they can be highly entertaining and are on all of the time here! Thanks for watching Dean, hope you're doing well! 😊

[@deanmeixner]

@@twotravelingkings Back in the olden days (when I was in the US), Melbourne had only just started its coffee culture, and the best espresso you could ever get was at an Italian-family-owned restaurant etc., or at home if you had a "cafeteria" ... what I miss about my Bunn was able to brew one pot while having the other kept warm ... and I always ground my own beans ... I never touched that "F-Word" ... Folgers 😂😂😂 Hope you're starting to settle back into "the norm" ... and Charlie is a cutie ... must be great having some animal company of your own after so long away. 🤗

[@MissCutieist]

Being an Aussie who goes to the USA every 2 years, I have to agree on the pharmaceutical ads. Pretty much every drug has the same side effects. The other thing about ads there is the geico and liberty ads. Gets a bit much after a while 😂

[@twotravelingkings]

Geico ads are great haha

[@jac_149]

Home will always be home guys! Great video and Charlie is sooooooooo cute 😊

[@twotravelingkings]

Jenny missed Charlie very much haha thanks for watching Jackie 😊

[@sarcasticsuz1483]

Charlie is gorgeous! Love that you a now a secret coffee snob. Lol. We found the sizes of things in America amusing. Eg..Maccas..aka Mcdonalds. Cup sizes. Our large seemed to be your small (kind of).Tipping was stressful at first but you get used to it and an iced coffee is so different..we found that out. Love your work!

[@twotravelingkings]

Thank you, I (Jenny) missed Charlie so much, he is the best pup!😊 And thank you for not judging me and my new coffee snob status! The size of take away drinks has made us laugh too since we've been back a "small" looks like a large in Australia. Thanks for watching and the kind words! 😊

[@jacqattacq19]

YES! The pharma ads always blow my mind when I visit the USA! LOL

[@twotravelingkings]

We're used to them now but it was a big change 😊

[@barryheyder8938]

Great content and really interesting comparison Thanx for sharing

[@twotravelingkings]

Glad you enjoyed! 😊

[@Ken.Howard]

Once, when visiting my son, who is a pilot (Captain) for AA in the USA, I left his house in the hire car (sorry rental in American speak), and started driving up the highway on the left side. Cars coming the other way were flashing their headlights at me when I suddenly realised what I was doing. As a former police officer from Sydney, sadly a few times, we had American tourists killed crossing the road, looking the wrong way.

[@twotravelingkings]

Oh wow glad you're okay! Can only imagine the looks you were getting driving on the left in the US! That's terrible that people have been hurt but it's understandable how it could happen. Thanks for watching! 😊

[@Ken.Howard]

Two Traveling Kings You’re welcome back anytime!

[@kaylaanne5725]

Love your content! Keep up the great work 💚

[@twotravelingkings]

Thanks so much for the support! 😊

[@aggmithun]

Glad to see you guys safe and sound.

[@twotravelingkings]

All good here Mithun! Hope you're doing well in Sydney 😊

[@jac_149]

@@twotravelingkings Chicken Legs!!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@twotravelingkings]

Not in the comments! Lol 😆

[@stevious7278]

When jenny said, (about coffee), "Australia ruined me". I immediately chuckled and thought, "You're welcome"...and don't forget...no more Tim Tams. peace - out

[@twotravelingkings]

Turned us into coffee snobs 😂

[@emmaburley5374]

Hey guys! Sorry for bothering you again. In Oz we do have dryers and yeah probably a little smaller but that all depends on family size, however, we don’t really need a dryer too much. As you know being here in summer, most of us actually have clothes lines in our back yards or a clothes hanging dryer outside that we put our clothes on. In the warmer months we can actually put our clothes out on the deck and in maybe half an hour they are dried. I guess this is why our dryers aren’t as big as yours in the USA. I pretty much only use my dryer for the bigger things like sheets and towels and I’m pretty sure that’s for most people here. But hey, great video again. You guys are awesome! Jenny I love that you love our coffee and our invention o& the flat white!

[@twotravelingkings]

Yeah we definitely noticed clothes lines being used a lot more in Australia than we were used to at home so that makes sense! I do love and miss those flat whites, great invention! 😊☕

[@michaelbell1697]

Really interesting getting your insights into being in the US, from our point of view - now that you're really Australian. Hurry home when you can.

[@twotravelingkings]

You're too kind! We'll be back one day soon 😊

[@hey54088]

Try bluestone lane on market street in san fran. It’s opened by australian expat. As an Australian I am spoiled by our excellent coffee, so I go out of my way to locate Australian style coffee when I really need my coffee fix when I traveled for business.

[@twotravelingkings]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing 😊 Next time we are in San Francisco we will have to check it out. Starbucks attempted a flat white where we used to live in the US and it just wasn't the same...

[@hey54088]

Two Traveling Kings there is a good reason why starbucks never worked in Australia in the first place. You can watch “why starbucks failed in australia” by cnbc Simply put, we are coffee snobs kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXeqhp6uo5qekLM

[@twotravelingkings]

Yep, never saw an Australian in the office with a Starbucks cup, always the local coffee shop 😊 Also, saw Bluestone Lane coffee is also here on the East Coast! Bit easier to get to :)

[@hey54088]

Two Traveling Kings right! Just found out that it’s a small chain and apparently they started in NYC back in 2013. Maybe do a vlog when you guys go there or you can check out other australian style cafe in east coast and make a video about it. I am sure it will help other Australian viewers or coffee snobs when we can travel again.

[@twotravelingkings]

Sounds like a good vlog idea to us! 😊

[@kelvinhill9874]

We have clothes dryers in Australia too. I got mine when I first moved out of home and still have it 20+ years later.

[@twotravelingkings]

👍

[@martinsymmons2343]

So sad you had to cut short your time with us and also missing out on meeting our Kiwi cousins. If you haven't come across it there is a very funny New Zealand channel called "how to DAD" and specifically 2 vids:- Differences between New Zealand and the U.S.A. and Differences between New Zealand and Australia. Should make things as clear as mud! Cheers.

[@twotravelingkings]

We're sad about having to leave sooner than planned too but we intend on making our way back to Australia and New Zealand one day! We'll have to check that channel out, would be very curious about the differences between Australia and New Zealand. We never could tell the accents apart very well (clear as mud!😊). Thank you for watching and for the suggestion!

[@laurencefraser]

@@twotravelingkings "standard" Australian English and "standard" New Zealand English have some differences that are very noticeable if you're sufficiently used to one and then encounter the other (like many English dialects, the vowels are the biggest difference, the more common Australian dialects draw their vowels out a lot more than New Zealand dialects generally do, on top of the usual variations), though people from other countries not being able to tell them apart, while sometimes Baffling, isn't exactly rare. Once you start getting into the major sub dialects the differences often become exceptionally obvious, though. In my opinion, at least. Vocabulary differences are common too (and not just slang).

[@barbdunne]

You may be able to buy your own espresso machine from amazon in the US to make flat whites at home. i am also a coffee lover so i feel your pain

[@twotravelingkings]

That may do the trick! 😊 Worth the investment. Thanks for watching!

[@kevinquinn7645]

When visiting the US, what my family found hilarious was how the Pharmaceutical Commercials have to talk about the side effects, all while the actors are smiling away.

[@twotravelingkings]

We weren't used to it after getting back!

[@mulnut]

Love your video. I hope you enjoyed your time here in OZ. I hope that you come back. By staying in the city you missed all the good stuff. The vineyards in the Hunter Valley, Nth Queensland. Not to mention all the good beaches, much better Bondi or Manly.

[@twotravelingkings]

We loved our time in Australia and were so bummed it got cut short. We actually had plans to visit Hunter Valley but COVID cancelled them. We stayed in the city to work and save money to travel the entire country the second half of this year but obviously that couldn't happen. Hopefully one day we'll be back to see more! Thanks for watching 😊

[@DanTuber]

@@twotravelingkings It will be years before international travellers can come in. Especially from the US.

[@gzeuskraiste]

I lived in the US (near Detroit) for 8 months when I was a kid in the 90s, a few things I remember: the yellow school buses, the loooooong summer break, the very in-your-face patriotism, and, this is gonna seem odd, but in some way Americans seem more earnest and sincere, in Australia we have a thing which you may have noticed where we spin elaborate webs of bullshit to foreigners about Australia, as a kind of joke and icebreaker at the same time, but I get the impression that Americans might think of that as mean-spirited. Anyway, enjoying the videos!

[@twotravelingkings]

Huh, interesting to hear about your experience in the US! We definitely found Aussies to be more casual and willing to have a laugh, so maybe that's it? Either way we thought Australians were really nice people. Glad to hear you're enjoying our videos 😊

[@ChrisWilliams-dc4mc]

The affordable solution to your coffee woes is a Bialetti Moka Pot & illy moka coffee grounds. You can find them both on Amazon. It is how to have a great coffee at home. A video of you trying to make a coffee with it would be fun to watch too. Have fun!

[@twotravelingkings]

Will have to check that out! Jenny has been using Nescafe grounds and our electric kettle for now but will probably be in need of an upgrade! 😊

[@goswannie14]

Dryers are very common in Australia. Just a reminder that in Australia everyone is paid a living wage, hence the need to not tip. If wait staff are paid properly, there is no need for tipping.

[@elli4210]

Ask your nearest Australian or European embassy for suggestions on where to get good coffee. Apparently the Aussie embassy in DC trained the nearest Starbucks in how to make a flat white. 😆

[@twotravelingkings]

That's too funny! Creative idea 😊 thanks for watching!

[@imaginativeteacher8508]

I lived in Seattle for 13 months as an exchange student and coming back to Australia I realized how different we all sound lol it was odd hearing the Aussie accent again after such a long time being devoid of it.

[@twotravelingkings]

Lol I believe it! 😆

[@brucecumming8803]

I enjoyed your videos. You should try Plunger Coffee - that is the next step after your conversion to flat-whites. Just make sure you get good quality ground beans. Then you have to wean yourself off milk and have it straight black no sugar. You will then have attained the pinnacle of coffee-dom.

[@twotravelingkings]

Thanks for watching Bruce! We'll step up our coffee game for sure. Currently have our Vietnamese coffee in rotation, and just got our chemex out of storage for pour over coffee 😊 haven't tried plunger coffee tho.

[@Just4Kixs]

lol June 2020 I left Australia back to San Jose. August 2020, I left California back to Melbourne. While I was back home in the states, I never tipped anymore. The world changed me. And yes, coffee here is sooooo good!

[@twotravelingkings]

Wow that's a lot of travel! Hope you're staying safe and thanks for watching 😊

[@julesmarwell8023]

tipping a form of in- direct taxation to keep the masses on a low wage !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if more Americans were like you... this would be a wonderful world. Love from an Ozzie

[@lucashood6188]

Ha ha, I returned to Australia from the US at the start of the year after living there for 4 years and I can say I had most of the same reverse culture shocks as you guys. I'm still walking on the right hand side, I really have to think about it. Glad to have real coffee again, but I do miss the huge appliances. Saw you other vid about least favourite things about Oz. Another reversal, I missed Thai food in the US (but also loved the Mexican food). Glad you guys enjoyed Australia, hopefully you'll get back when there isn't a pandemic.

[@twotravelingkings]

Hope we can come back too!

[@allaussie]

Funny how following your vid, pharma ad starts. It is like a mini series! A gut cleanse protocol...., ps it’s still going!!! From Perth

[@twotravelingkings]

Lol 😊

[@viviana-em3tp]

6 (it feels like 3 still) years ago i went to Australia on a student visa for a school semester and stayed from November until the end of March which was basically summer/early autumn in Australia. the driving thing is so true; even though i was only there for 4 months i had to get used to driving again especially in a left-hand drive car as opposed to right-hand drive. the concept of tipping is so odd once you travel to another country where you don't need to because you're just like "look at Australia paying their employees a decent living wage... for being a waiter!" (yeah a waiter/server it's sad ik) the thing is, waiters/servers literally rely on tips to make a living wage; so that's why in America when you're seated at a restaurant, whatever etc. they always seem happy and eager because they want you to leave them a good tip. i can attest that portions in some restaurants and fast food places are massive; i legit don't know how one person can eat all that unless you're sharing it or they're leftovers 😖 someone in the comments said a lack of black people and as someone who grew up in an urban area on the east coast (philly... aka Philadelphia) and lived in a pretty diverse area, i kinda refute this because it depends on which city you visit and stay at ig? i was in Melbourne and whenever i would walk downtown it seemed pretty diverse. honestly, you could say the same for the US in some states; like honestly, for all i know Wyoming (which isn't real), Montana and Idaho have absolutely no diversity which honestly sounds like a nightmare; those states are beautiful, gorgeous in scenery, however i can't imagine living there 😭😭 philly is also notorious for gun crime and violence; honestly i feel like a lot of aussies look at the US and just think of guns, but who can blame them? while this is kind of sad to say and honestly very american at the same time, i honestly thought that going out at night and getting a taxi on a weekend in australia was legitimately safer than going out at night on a weekday in philly--in terms of crime. defending yourself from a potential stabbing is easy, a semi automatic on the other hand???. the only thing though, was that every time i went out to the clubs and/or bars and spoke to a guy, like an hour later this guy tells his friends and then they all come over and wanna exchange numbers and social media information and hook up. to all my american ladies who ever go to australia and end up going out: TAKE A FRIEND WITH YOU ! hold their hand, make sure they're not out of your sight bc trust me as soon as you go out and speak and a whole bunch of people recognize that you have an 'american accent', at some point in the night you'll end up having to speak to a bunch of drunk aussie tradies at the bar talking about how you're not like any girl they have ever met, you're unique, etc. etc. for this reason i literally only went out maybe five or six times the entire time i was in australia. the final straw was blatant misogyny and mild SA... anyways, i genuinely feel like the only respectful aussie guys i've met were ones i had uni classes with, but compared to american guys, imo that's not saying much :/ also yeah the TV thing is crazy i remember saying "i missed these" when i saw a progressive commercial with flo the day after i got back home and just watched TV all day lmaoo i was also finally on the cusp of understanding aussie slang terms and not being confused every time someone said "lolly" or "cheers" 💀 the reverse culture shock is a real thing !!! but yeah this video is spot on 🤩

[@bfitton]

HAHAHA the best bloody line of the video "Australia ruined me"...... your'e welcome :)

[@twotravelingkings]

😂

[@jpmasters-aus]

Interesting comments on coffee - I agree. Starbucks are here in Australia, but in very small number of outlets now after failing with a major launch with huge number of stores failed, because there was an assumption that everyone around the world wanted American coffee.

[@shenanigans3710]

That's not hwy Starbucks failed. It failed because it opened too many stores, too fast and over capitalised. After all, Gloria Jeans still does really well and is shit

[@twotravelingkings]

There was a video (I think on CNBC) possibly that talked about Starbucks' lack of success integrating into Aussie culture, it was interesting!

[@pmacgowan]

Welcome home guys

[@twotravelingkings]

Good to be back 😊

[@simonzorgdrager4700]

Nice comparison guys. I get the impression you didn't get to explore outside the Cities in Australia to experience more of the wildlife, beaches, and countryside more... maybe in the future? Best wishes.

[@twotravelingkings]

That was our plan after we finished working! But you know what happened 😔 we'll be back!

[@allangoodger969]

Hope to see you back in the land of Oz sooner than later. Tip next time try and get out into the country, for a total different experience. Remembering that Australia is as big as mainland USA. Have a good one.

[@twotravelingkings]

Definitely so much more of Australia we want to see. Planning on a big western Australia road trip 😊

[@allangoodger969]

@@twotravelingkings Please don't be like a French couple I came across in Ruby Gap in the east MacDonnell Ranges NT they had purchased a second hand Mitsubishi Pajero in WA and had traveled via the the Victoria Highway from WA but did not how to jack a car nor how to repair a tire nor did they have an EPERB nor a satellite phone. If we had not been there they would have perished there. When they left us, they were going to Brisbane via the Plenty Highway (1000km of dirt road). I am very jealous as I only got as far as Irrunytju in WA (Surveyor Generals corner). In my travels from the south coast of NSW through the Simpson desert to WA border I went through 5 tire repairs. All the very best in your travels and stay safe .

[@nightberg1971]

Jenny & Logan - there's nothing wrong with being a perceived coffee snob, because after all, it's your own personal preference!. To be honest, I'm not much of coffee drinker, yet I found some places in the UK (when I visited realatives in 1998) a little better than here in Australia - although overall, I much prefer Aussie coffee. You could call it an acquired taste if you would rather that terminology.

[@twotravelingkings]

Great coffee in Australia 😊

[@jasoar1563]

I must say an important fact about "walking or driving on the left" back when men where armed with swords and daggers they would often pass on the left to ensure there fighting stance and arm was at the ready.. This law has continued down from the dark ages of knigts.

[@twotravelingkings]

Interesting!

[@barnone1086]

Blue bottle make some excellent milk based coffees in SF, I think they have stumptown as well. Otherwise there are some good Australian style cafes popping up. I'm from Melbourne but lived in SF for a year...I miss wholefoods so much

[@twotravelingkings]

We've found a place by us that makes a good flat white! We'll have to make a video of it sometime ☺️ thanks for watching!

[@katecarroll1692]

I have got to agree with the coffee. I went to America in 2018 and whilst I loved it, the coffee wasn't good as Australia. Jenny is right, we are spoilt. I did also notice the size of everything, meals for example there are three sizes, big bigger and enormous.

[@twotravelingkings]

Spot on!

[@bettyboop7426]

I think its important to note that in USA most hospitality people dont get a living wage and hence until rules change tipping is a necessity for people to pay bills. However,in many countries like Asia you are creating wealth for the minority in tourism related industry,people who truly need the money are left without. It also causes issues in other ways,hence the when in Rome do as the Romans. I recall in Cuba my guide had saved a massive amount of $,there then becomes the assumption that all tourists are rich or gullible. In Hapan I was chased for walking away from 5cents,its a big no no even for small change. Also,sizing in housing is very dependant on area and pricing as there are so many variables,cheers and thanks

[@twotravelingkings]

👍

[@casey6933]

Guys, new to your vids. Did you get to Melbourne? (or just for the AO) Melbourne is the coffee capital of the world. There are a few cafes in NYC that have signs out the front that ask 'are you visiting from Melbourne, try our coffee and let us know'. Also, pharmaceutical/drug companies aren't allowed to advertise. (unless it's over the counter).

[@twotravelingkings]

True! And thanks for watching. And only made it to Melbourne for a weekend at the AO

[@pistolpeds]

There's your opportunity. A chain of Australian Coffee shops .

[@twotravelingkings]

Now that's a good idea...🤔

[@sundance9042]

@@twotravelingkings .. and we can send you Tim Tams 🍫

[@ianmontgomery7213]

I had a similar experience with walking on footpaths and standing on escators when i returned from living in China for nearly five years. I nearly got run over twice in the first week.

[@twotravelingkings]

😂 it really is a difficult adjustment! Glad you did not get run over.

[@farkookneebah]

Tipping is not compulsory in Australia but it is nice to tip a service, Even in Australia

[@twotravelingkings]

👍

[@kitatit]

Using a dryer greatly reduced the life of your cloths and wastes electricity. Most of us have dryers but only use them when absolutely necessary.

[@twotravelingkings]

Definitely more environmentally friendly! We really didn't miss a dryer all that much. Thanks for watching! 😊

[@AlphGen]

not only the walking but mostly the crossing of the road because in the USA cars come from the wrong direction until you reset Tipping culture - Australians are paid a good basic wage so tipping isn't used unless you get great service as opposed to any service

[@twotravelingkings]

We just had to laugh at ourselves for not knowing how to walk or cross the street in our own country! 😂

[@PlasticAssasin8]

When we went to the US about 7 years back all those differences , especially the coffee , oh wow horrid stuff. But you only know what you are missing once you've seen the light with coffee. We became friends with the Starbucks in Beach street, my daughter works at Starbucks here in Melbourne, she showed them how to make Aussie coffee at the time, so to us Starbucks was ok , in SF at least

[@twotravelingkings]

That was very kind of her! We have yet to try a Starbucks flat white here in the US but it's on the to do list 😊 thanks for watching!

[@PlasticAssasin8]

funniest was when we asked for an iced coffee, we got a black coffee with blocks of ice in it.

[@twotravelingkings]

@@PlasticAssasin8 we felt the same during our first time in Australia and we asked for an iced coffee and got coffee with ice cream in in 😆 wasn't what we were used to but was delicious

[@helmuthschultes9243]

I found adding taxes to the marked prices of purchases at checkout absolutely stupid. Since the tax is known let the displayed price be inclusive of tax. On a holiday on Hawaii I wanted a drink after walking around town for a couple of hours, counted cash on hand (coins) and chose to stay within the available cash. Sadly on trying to pay found final price exceeded the on hand cash. I was forced to charge to my credit card for a few dollars purchase. Altenative would have been cancel the purchase and teturn to my hotel or draw cash on a teller machine, presuming on was within reasonable distance, and then be vharged ridiculous unknown exchange and transaction fees, probably causing at least double the cost. At my hotel there were cash notes, but after an earlier restaurant meal I had only a handful of coins left, again that meal exceeded expected cost by tax and automatic TIP. The payment cleaned out over $50 cash notes. Maybe I should have charged to my credit card, but again suffered exchange fees at uncertain exchange rate. I have suffered >30% increase due to card company holding the exchange to over a month later when exchage was to their gain and my loss. I like to know what my money costs are and get far better rates from my bank than at "street" exchanges at airport, hotel or around town exchanges which all have worse rates offered. By the way the waitress was quite rude and slow on serving (meal had cooled) and spilt some of my soup on the table. The steak was very average, chips were soggy the salad was limp. Normally I would not have even offered half as much tip. In judgement if I was ever there on Hawaii again that restaurant would NOT get my visit again.

[@twotravelingkings]

Oof

[@delbowen1]

G'day, (just in case you missed hearing aussie). Mine was Australia to England. South Australia is known for being one of the driest states on the driest continent in the world. Sooooo I definitely noticed a depth to the greenness in the plants, trees and grass. The moisture in the air was kind of heavy. But I have to say my asthma and hayfever was heaps better in England. Bumble bees!!!! So so cute. Huge-ey fluffy bee's. Mini teddy bear bee honey collectors. I was a bit fascinated. Took me awhile to get used to their pound and pence. Aussie dollar I think easier to understand. Was minor differences in food. Loved my grandma's english cooking. We have a lot of asian fusion. I think you guys enjoyed thai, we love vietnamese. I think Adelaide is the best for viet cooking aussiefied. Saw more chinese, indian in England. Anyway bye for now.

[@twotravelingkings]

Ah so interesting to hear about your experience in the UK! We also lived there for a little while and have to completely agree about how lush and green everything was, it was quite beautiful even on a dreary English day! 😊

[@osocool1too]

Hope you get to come back to Australia at some stage. 🤩👍

[@twotravelingkings]

We do too! 😊

[@melukaussie7128]

I don't understand the dryer situation, I for one have always had a dryer and same with most people I know. I always tip as well. :-). (Australian)

[@twotravelingkings]

Always tip :)

[@judithhayes9258]

People don’t tip in Oz because people all earn a basic set wage. They don’t have to rely on tips to make up their salary

[@newshound2521]

We did used to have 200 or 250g bags of chips as std but over the years they keep shrinking them rather than increase the price, or as well as.

[@twotravelingkings]

Probably better for public health anyway! 😂

[@CK8smallville]

I have a dryer but I don’t use it because it leaves my clothes feeling different. I much prefer sun dried clothes. Why are driers so popular in the USA? Maybe your driers give an air/sun dried quality?

[@twotravelingkings]

You know, that's a great question! We really got used to not having a dryer and were just fine. When it's cold in the winter grabbing a sweatshirt out of the dryer is pretty great though! 😊

[@buticks6388]

The money is plastic in Australia and each denomination of notes are a different size and colour.

[@twotravelingkings]

Very true! 😊

[@eslushpuppy64]

Surprised by the size thing, not so much the food but the living space. I think it depends on what city you're in and which part you're coming to tho? As someone visiting and literally starting from nothing, you're unlikely to experience big suburban family homes, over in Perth, I'd say 80% of the population lives in suburbia. I would definitely agree as an average, they're probably not as big as American town-house homes mind you, but... it's variety. And if you can, invest in a good home barista set up. Doesn't have to be crazy expensive, Breville or smthn. Once you get the shots right, Flat Whites are the easiest to learn how to steam~

[@twotravelingkings]

Yeah we were mainly in Sydney, lots of smaller spaces

[@julesmarwell8023]

the saddest thing about you two is this AUSTRALIA DID NOT GET TO KEEP YOU > cheers and may life be good to you.

[@johndrum6613]

J & L. Thanks for the vids. Cool. Just want you to know that it's not against the law to be a coffee snob. It just means that it all worked.

[@twotravelingkings]

Miss our Australian coffee :) thanks for watching!

[@waxenboy]

Apart from Singapore our city’s are very clean

[@twotravelingkings]

We loved Singapore! Go check out our Singapore videos 😊 thanks for watching!

[@TheCaptainbeefylog]

Next time you go for a coffee see if they can make you a cappucino without any foam. About as close to a flat white as you may get for a bit. Have a crack at it. You never know mates.

[@twotravelingkings]

Sounds like a plan 👍

[@austfox2170]

Please come back soon, we miss you already. No doubt life, work, and kids will get in the way. See you in 2038!

[@twotravelingkings]

Haha, yes hard to tell when we'll be back! But have quite the list for things to do when we do come back :)

[@newshound2521]

You could buy a cafe style machine for home? Probably still won't quite be as good but close.

[@twotravelingkings]

We've have definitely been thinking about it . . . 😏

[@richardl772]

Hi, I would’ve thought one of the big standouts would be the difference in attitude amongst the general population towards the coronavirus threat.....any comments?

[@twotravelingkings]

We actually commented on it in a few other videos like our travel vlog heading back to the US from Australia! There have definitely been differences in approach and attitude between the countries. It was an interesting time to be living abroad for sure!

[@bernieorbust6104]

You should probably mention there is no tipping culture in Australia because they have a MINIMUM WAGE OF $23 PER HOUR.

[@twotravelingkings]

Thanks for watching!

[@paulhicks3595]

American coffee, Starbucks etc, is vile so an Aussie in the US gets really desperate very quickly. A friend takes a gadget called an AeroPress with him so as long as you have some good ground coffee and hot water you can make a decent coffee wherever. BTW, what mystifies me in the US is why, with the world’s worst coffee, people walk around with giant, milkshake size cups of it. Also BTW, I read somewhere that American coffee tastes bad because (1) it’s over roasted and (2) they often use Robusta instead of Arabica beans. I have had good coffee in NY.

[@twotravelingkings]

We've found some places that serve flat whites by us, we'll have to do a video about it. Thanks for watching :)

[@chrisleach8009]

I don’t know about weird but cheese in a can is a downright obscenity

[@twotravelingkings]

Haha you've got to try it!

[@elcardil]

Yes! Staying left when on land. Definitely an English thing, but why? In Australia we always stay on the left.... unless we are on water, then like all boating/shipping/yachting it's on the right. I'm guessing that's where all American, and more or less the rest of the world, orientation comes from but I currently don't know why. There are a LOT of plausible theories but not a whole lot that definitively explain it.

[@twotravelingkings]

Yeah not sure why either! There's definitely some explanation or a few out there though, you're right. Thanks for watching! 😊

[@TryinBin8889]

Me learning all this stuff abt America damn

[@twotravelingkings]

😂 Ha! Glad we could help!

[@ilovevegimite]

How about you do a video about 10 things Australians would like in the USA? Maybe foods or culture? At least here in Australia you know how much something is going to cost as there is no tip. People here just do their jobs as well as they can and getting praise for a job well done is their reward.

[@twotravelingkings]

Great idea! We'll definitely add that to our video ideas list, thanks for watching! 😊

[@gozzywozzy485]

omg Charlie is super adorbs! #biqsoftsquishes

[@twotravelingkings]

😊

[@ktwashere5637]

I bet you there's a coffee house somewhere in San Fran run by Australians who do their coffee Aussie style.

[@twotravelingkings]

Probably! We're on the east coast so we'll have to do some searching on this side of the country 😊

[@ktwashere5637]

@@twotravelingkings sorry I thought you said you were in San Francisco! There's definitely aussies all over the place doing coffee.

[@OilBaron100]

Advertising prescription drugs to the public is illegal in Australia, and in most countries in the world.

[@twotravelingkings]

Makes sense!

[@shaungordon9737]

Glad to be back in America? How's the cv situation over there compared to Aus?

[@twotravelingkings]

Definitely happy to see family again because we missed them a lot but sad to not be traveling like we planned. Covid is different here by state. In southern states like South Carolina things are opened up again and mask wearing isn't as mandatory but cases are rising again. In states closer to NYC like Delaware, mask wearing is more of a mandatory thing and the inside of restaurants just opened back up on Monday from lockdown. From what friends in Australia have told us, Australia is doing much better which is great to hear! Thanks for watching😊

[@shaungordon9737]

@@twotravelingkings Glad to hear. And yeah, I was meaning in your particular area. I'm here in Melbourne and it just looks crazy watching on TV with all the stuff that's going on over there the moment. I'm sure the Australian media exaggerates it though Life here is starting to get back to 'normal' now thankfully

[@RMVHP]

@@shaungordon9737 Famous last words. Poor Melbourne... :(

[@deogratias7625]

Coming back home to Australia I noticed how polite and service-oriented Americans seemed by comparison. Perhaps the tipping culture has something to do with it. It’s a nice cultural trait that Americans should definitely hang on to.

[@twotravelingkings]

True!

[@timothyjames9768]

OOo yes the coffee, whats even worst about being Aussie coffee snob is you become really snobby here,oz, about coffee and that's bad...so bad.

[@twotravelingkings]

The best coffee we've had :) We miss our flat whites!

[@quintontad5245]

What about tipping

[@twotravelingkings]

That was #4!

[@xtreme_survival7879]

OMG you think there are no clothes dryers in Australia... for real?

[@twotravelingkings]

Quite elusive indeed...

[@philliptaylor6149]

Also if you carry a gun in public, you will be arrested and sent to jail (gaol).

[@mikeoxitchy5765]

Yeah sorry guys, but they sell the same washing machines and dryers in Australia, as they do in the US... just sayin'

[@twotravelingkings]

Definitely! Just not where we stayed, and not the same size :)

[@maverickmace9100]

Wft? Everyone has washer and driers in Australia. Did u leave Sydney CBD at all?

[@twotravelingkings]

We didn't live in the CBD at all actually just Sydney suburbs and didn't always have a drier. Just our experience, thanks for watching 😊

[@pinayladyoz8044]

One thing I noticed when I went to USA which I hated is the high numbers of beggars and homeless in the streets. The number of people in US sleeping on the sides of the streets or underneath bridges or buildings something I can't get over. It's very sad. You will hardly see beggars, homeless or people sleeping on the sides of the streets in Australia.

[@PBMS123]

The rest of the world pays hospitality workers a living wage, making tipping unnecessary.

[@twotravelingkings]

Yup! Very true

[@helenpolemis6955]

True, however I still tip, particularly if the service is good.

[@DerekArmsden]

I'm sorry I turned you into a coffee snob with MY Flat Whites, which I invented (I will maintain that this is true until I die!).

[@twotravelingkings]

Ah so it's your fault...😏

[@louisereid1744]

Big Pharma commercials? Do they actually have ads on tv for the medications? Like telling you to ask your doctor for this drug for that health issue? Lou 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@charmainelee8815]

If they insist on charging so much for a rubbish coffee and yet someone at the top if becoming a millionaire. That is the american wY i suppose?

[@waxenboy]

We have free health care here

[@twotravelingkings]

That you do mate

[@waxenboy]

@@twotravelingkings The other thing we have here that no other country in the world has when you work for 12mths here we get 4wks holidays and on top of that we get a 18.5% on top of our wages called leave loading, plus in the private sector we get 10 days a year sick leave. I work at a public hospital and we get 15 days of sick leave a year , if you work 15yrs in the private sector at the same job you get long service leave which is 13wks of holidays, in governemt its after 10yrs then 7yrs after that we get another 13wks on top of our 4wks a year. Its a shame that you did not get to see a AFL game live while you were here its much better than your Gridiron sorry. When we play Afl we do not wear padding the only thing we wear is mouth guards so our teeth do not get knocked out

[@garrybarry4286]

Tipping culture exists because you don't have a minimum wage that brings you out of abject poverty

[@TomRothwell]

Need to invest in a decent mid range coffee machine (still affordable) and you'll be sorted with your coffee. May be some trial and error to get the right beans you like.

[@gordondavies7773]

Or buy a Moka coffee maker for the real coffee experience. Cheap and effective.

[@nitramluap]

The 'tipping culture' is a sign that a country doesn't pay a decent living minimum wage, which requires the servers to 'perform' for 'tips'... which is just awful actually.

[@TheAussieLeo]

Get an Aussie Home Barista, does the milk for you.

[@twotravelingkings]

Solid 👍

[@roscored1000]

you dont have to be a coffee snob to realise that fake chemical crap to make your coffee white is wrong, whats wrong with real milk? Tipping of course just means that the staff are not paid a living [real] wage, but it is expected that the customer tops up the wage, and thats wrong.

[@twotravelingkings]

Still haven't been able to drink coffee creamer back here in the US and don't think we'll be going back!

[@roscored1000]

@@twotravelingkings good to hear you are both back home safe, but come back to australia one day, you know what to expect now and we dont bite.