An American woman who has spent the past four years living in Australia has revealed the everyday US habits she now finds surprisingly irritating. Kendall Wheeler, who moved from Texas to the Sunshine Coast, said adapting to life Down Under made her realise there are several 'things Americans do that annoy me as an American living in Australia'.
Pronunciation of 'Aussie'
She said living overseas gradually changed the way she thinks about everything from sun safety to driving habits - and even the pronunciation of the word 'Aussie'. 'A lot of Australian things have rubbed off on me a little bit,' she explained in a video. At the top of her list was something many Australians feel oddly passionate about: how foreigners pronounce the word 'Aussie'. 'Americans tend to say "Aussie" with an "s" sound,' she said. 'I know it's spelled like that, but Australians say "ozzy".'
Sun Safety Culture
But it was America's attitude to sun exposure that the 26-year-old found the most confronting after moving abroad. She said Australia's strong emphasis on sun safety had completely changed the way she viewed tanning and sunburn. 'In Australia, sun safety is preached from a young age. Children are not allowed to go on a playground without a hat.' By comparison, she said many Americans still treat getting badly sunburned as part of achieving a tan. 'A lot of people still think getting sunburned is cool - I just think [they're] going to get skin cancer.' Australians in the comments strongly agreed, with many pointing out how deeply sun protection is embedded into daily life here. 'Being Australian, it's so hard to fathom that other places in the world don't teach sun safety. It's such a big part of our lives from a young age,' one wrote.
Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, meaning many Australians grow up hearing constant reminders about sunscreen, hats, and avoiding peak UV exposure. Campaigns like 'Slip, Slop, Slap' have shaped generations of Australian children, while schools often enforce strict hat policies during outdoor activities.
Disposable Plates and Plastic Cutlery
Kendall also admitted she now notices how heavily Americans rely on disposable plates and plastic cutlery back home. 'I understand it when you're hosting a party and you have 50 people over - but when you're having dinner by yourself and you're using a paper plate and plastic fork when you can just wash one item - it's annoying.' The habit sparked strong reactions online, with many Australians saying they had always found it strange. 'I've never understood the disposable cutlery at home,' one wrote. Others pointed out that Australians often associate disposable cutlery more with outdoor barbecues, children's parties, or large gatherings rather than everyday meals.
Distracted Driving
Finally, Kendall said she had become far more aware of distracted driving since living in Australia. 'I was guilty of this back home,' she admitted. But Australia's extensive use of mobile phone detection cameras had noticeably changed driver behaviour compared to the United States. 'I see a lot of people in America fully scrolling on Facebook while on the highway,' she said. Australians online overwhelmingly agreed with her frustration. 'Using mobile phones while driving is dangerous,' a driver commented.
The discussion highlighted how moving overseas often changes people in subtle ways they do not initially notice. Habits that once felt completely normal - from tanning culture to using disposable cutlery - suddenly begin to stand out when viewed through another country's social norms. For many expats, those small shifts can become some of the most surprising parts of adapting to life abroad.
