As an Aussie, the homeless numbers and degradation when we visited San Francisco was heartbreaking. And not just the homelessness, the disregard for humans for each other. I saw an old bloke in a wheelchair trying to pull himself along with one foot, nobody even noticed him. I didn't even ask, just told him I was gonna push him and just slid in behind and started pushing. . He looked stunned, but as soon as he realised I was not gonna hurt him he was so grateful he had tears in his eyes. Wouldn't happen here, someone will always help out an old guy in that situation.
If anything it just proves how lucky we are here in Australia (Brisbane for me) after living in Washington DC / Dubai / Belgium/ Denmark - super happy to be home again after 6 years I mean Brussels & DK we’re amazing (we still own homes in both)but living & touristing America = total hell….. Was kinda ok in LA & NYC on my first time back in 2006 But no matter where I was in the USA it sucked in2019
"Wouldn't happen here, someone will always help out an old guy in that situation" So true, and wouldn't have to be an old guy either, you see anyone who needs help you help them, or at least offer help, the way it should be
No matter where you are in San Fransisco when you see homeless people, simply walk 4 blocks up hill and you will be in some of the most expensive neighbourhoods on the planet housing some of the richest people in the world. If 1% of Americans own 60% of of the wealth, what you do reckon the bottom 1% own.
I'm Dutch and immigrated to New Zealand, but spent five years working in the USA. Most Americans have no idea how bad it is in their own country when they have never left it, and are constantly told how great it is by their media and politicians...
yeah. I find it funny how they love to compare their country to any other, saying America is the best in so many categories, but its pretty easy to come to a positive conclusion when you have not actually been to the countries they are making a comparison on. .
From the outside, the US seems like a frog being boiled alive: the country is declining in terms of so many measures of community wellbeing, but things like tradition and hyper-patriotism (and a general lack of awareness of the rest of the world) continue to blind Americans to the reality of their plight. On your return visit you can clearly see the good and the bad, but from here in Australia it appears that most Americans still think they live in the greatest country on earth regardless of how tough life is for so many people.
I watched a video of the history of slavery ,which most young black Americans are shattered by . Yet still the young man ,visibly affected by what he had learned ,said of course the USA had the most freedoms of any country in the world . How do they get so blinkered?
USA is not declining. it is slowly being poisoned from within by the graduates of the Frankfurt School of socialist communist international nihilism and anarchism iin alliance with the plantations masters of the democrat party.
Firstly, I wish no ill-will toward Americans. I've travelled there, and I have met some extremely well read and genuinely good people, in the states. But the ignorance and lack of worldliness in the vast majority, is astounding. Frightening, in fact. Americans don't follow foreign media and they don't travel beyond their shores. If they do, it's to be with other Americans. They have absolutely no idea that they're the frog and the country in which they live, is the pot. They are a politician's dream. Abraham Lincoln didn't foresee modern America when he famously stated "you can fool some of the people all of the time, you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool of the people, all of the time". That has aged like Darwin's theory of evolution. The legacy of Cold War propaganda and Reaganomics has left a generational deep scar on the American psyche, and it has severed the neural pathways that once led the world in finding simple solutions to complex problems. And, of course, one of the most pervasive legacy of those times is the propensity for US citizens to avoid paying tax at every turn, unless it's for the Army. "Nearly a trillion dollars for the defence budget?" "Hell yeah!" "A billion to improve the education system?" "That's the devil's communism speaking". Like I said, I wish no ill-will, but the smartest of smart and the most worldly of worldly Americans have absolutely no idea just how deep that they have already sunk in the quaqmire. "But that's them damn Democrats for you!" "I told you this country 'd go to hell in a handbasket if the Democrats got in".
I watched the republican debate the other week, and one of the candidates proclaimed proudly that he was going to abolish the national department of education, and it got a massive cheer from the crowd. WTF? I thought education used to be valued in the US
We are Aussies ( emigrated from South Africa in 1979) and have been closely observing the USA from here for the past few years. We never realised that it was such a ‘ broken country’ in so many ways and so many levels. Glad we chose Australia to bring our kids to grow up in !
Originally from Vancouver BC, now here for 12 years. No complaints, Australia has been good to me. One important feature of Australia is that there was a living wage. Sure you pay more for a cup of coffee or a restaurant meal. After a while, you simply don't notice and I am confident that the server bringing that meal to my table doesn't have to work three jobs to keep a roof over their head. Americans need a living wage. Business owners be damned. As to fast food- an abundance of choices is not a good thing. One thing I noticed about France- very little choice in fast food. No fat kids. Choice is bad. You haven't heard many national anthems if you say that song is the greatest of them all.
Not having the expense of tipping everyone simply for doing their job not only saves money for the customer, but also have the peace of mind knowing that the people serving you are being paid a living wage and a percentage will go to their retirement. Free health care also helps ensure that you will not be served food by a sick employee who has no choice but to work sick.
Fast food has always been expensive here in Aus, and I'm glad it is, for the reason you said - people being paid what they're worth. It's why we don't tip here. Retail workers aren't relying on those tips just to make a living.
Yep. I puzzle that every time I visit the USA, service providers expect me to pay extra, over and above what's on the price list to give their employees a "living wage". Why don't they fucking include it in the price like everyone else? It's no fun having this awkward confrontation where their employees have to beg followed by "you are uncouth and offensive because you are merely paying what's on the price list" if I forget to tip. When you catch a bus from the airport to a hotel and there's a huge sign at the front saying "PLEASE NOTE! YOUR FARE DOES NOT INCLUDE DRIVER'S TIP", you know you're in the USA.
I have heard some arguments that the normalisation of gun/war culture in the US starts with the anthem, and truthfully I cannot think of any other national anthems that mentions rockets, bombs, enemies, explosions and war as often as that song.
As an Australian builder I've made a few trips to the US and I was amazed at the lack of maintenance across the board in the cities we visited. It's like they build these amazing new things but then the 20 other things around it are dilapidated. Except Vegas lol
I’ve been cities in US, not many, just the major ones: LA, SF, NY. I enjoyed my stays but probably wouldn’t choose them for living. I much prefer cities in Europe, but my soft spot will always be my own home town at Sydney. We have our own little problems, but they are ridiculously tame compared to cities in other countries.
To be honest, the only two places I felt safe and could drop my hypervigilance were....Disneyland and Las Vegas, of all places. First evening in NY I went to a corner store, a person brushed past me and I thought "pickpocket". I reached into my jacket to check my wallet and their eyes went wide and they ran out of the store. When I told the guys in the hostel they said, "they assumed you were reaching for a concealed handgun." Welcome to America 😮
reminds me on walking around DC at night, when a young black guy accidentally bumped into me. He turned and said something like 'excuse me sir' - I was like 'wah - so polite' - then I remembered why US people say 'sir' - they never know if you're carrying a gun.
Unless NY has changed drastically in the last six years. I was never scared and I commuted to an air bnb in queens for the duration of my stay. I had a great time found ppl sometimes rude sometimes friendly but in all my travels never felt unsafe. The saddest things I saw were the homeless ppl and the workers returning on the subway so tired they were like zombies getting of the train and on to a bus. Ppl were to tired to attack or bother anyone. Anyway that was my experience and I loved every day in NY it had so much to see and do and overall ppl were nice to me. So unless it has changed I would still recommend ppl visit there.
@@dianacasey6002same y friend another female and I went in 2018 admittedly only 12 days or so.. Had a nice time we walked mostly everywhere. Seemed safe to us
I have lived in rural NSW and in pubs it's normal to leave your wallet on the bar and the bar maid takes the money from your wallet each time you have a drink. Another place (on King Island) you helped yourself to the pub fridge, kept the bottle caps in front of you and at nights end you presented these to the publican and settled your bill.
I thought the point of the tipping culture was to improve friendly customer service. But it seems tipping is to prevent them from spitting in your food.
Tipping was brought in to avoid paying employees who were enslaved after The Civil War, and it became prevalent after the prohibition was introduced due to loss of revenue from the absence of alcohol sales. The government then pushed the propaganda of taking government handouts as having a "lack of pride" where handouts from fellow taxpayers known as "tips" was not only acceptable, but customary.
God bless Australia, it is your home now and for ever. and we are glad to have you... You are getting to be a Great Aussie. some times the truth hurts, But.
I am Australian and visited NewYork in 1992. I remember seeing a businessman trying to step over about 5 homeless people sleeping on the street trying to get to work. What shocked me was that it just appeared normal to everyone. My own initial thinking was 'how could a society have got itself into such a situation?' From an outsiders perspective it just looked disturbing, what appeared to be a total disregard for other humans.
Unfortunately, the same thing is now happening in Melbourne. Go for a walk up Glenferrie Road, Malvern (probably one of the most affluent areas in Australia) There are people sleeping in doorways all over the street
@@retrothingz Except the homeless in Australia get centrelink benefits and don't need to beg in order to survive. The homeless in the US have nothing.
In Australia, I get the impression we don't care much for our Anthem as it is a little boring - we often think 'I am Australian' by the Seekers to be better - now THAT has lyrics to bring tears to the eyes!
As an American living in Australia for 20 years and having grown up around Philly, Philly has always been a sh!thole. As kids we called it Filthy-delphia. The atititude and rudeness has always been what makes it great but its still a sh!thole. Maybe because the dirty snow from winter never quite washes clean in spring and they never cared to give the place a good scrub. Dunno. The homelessness really took off after 9/11. I remember a homeless person purposely standing in my way until I gave her some money which i didnt have because it was a hard time for everyone then. She got real violent and aggressive but I just moved on. Australia is such a great place and extremely safe. There is no underlying aggression or violence here and you don't get the sense of threat when walking around most places. People don't realise how good they have it here. I love it and its a great place to raise children.
Part 2: how much you missed meat pies? How much you longed for the Aussie sense of humour? How much you miss us correcting you on extremely minor points? 😂
I’ve just arrived in Sydney after 2 months in Texas, Florida and California. Despite walking everywhere (300km in total) and never eating at a single fast food (restaurants and more costly options only), eating regular amount of food I increased weight by a massive 10%. Australians I know that know and work in US found similar effect and have put it down to large amounts hidden sugar or other additives.
I would add it’s amazing how expensive food was in the US. Menu items often looked the same, but take tax, tip and exchange rate into account and the price almost doubled. For illustration USD $10 on a menu becomes AUD $18 when all of the things are taken into account In one example I had a very ordinary eggs Benedict, extremely bad cappuccino and a miniature croissant and with tax and 20% tip it came out to $75 USD
There are a lot of ingredients in American foods that can do a lot to alter your weight, such as corn syrup and other corn derived products. These are supported and promoted by the US government even though there is clear evidence that these products can have vastly negative effects on your weight and diabetes/insulin resistance status. They effect the way your body responds to sugars and carbohydrates. It takes a bit of time but eventually your body learns not to respond to carbs in the normal way. Thus, if you do change to a healthier diet, it then can be really hard to shift the weight, which is turn discourages you and makes it hard to keep trying. If you ever buy American products off the shelves in Australia you have to check for these 'extras.' I've found some of those harmful products in cans of apples (for making a pie) or cans of cherries (for making black forest cake). They don't seem to have such bad products in cans of food from other places (including China!).
@@inodesnetOmg YES. Why is food so expensive in the US??? I’m in Dallas now and I live in brisbane. Just like wow. For AUD10 I can get better food in Aus than in America. Shocking. Also- I feel weird after eating their food. I miss Australian freshness and the air. Oh god the air in australia.
Welcome HOME Kaitlyn and Mark!! It takes a big person to criticise one's home town but there's nothing like travel to broaden one's perspective - it certainly helps one to accept a few homes truths about the place you grew up in and love.
@@tsubadaikhan6332 I mean, yeah... It's out of control when tips are the only way staff can afford their rent and to feed their kids. Raise the basic minimum wage and introduce better policies around working conditions so that tips are no longer a wage subsidy.
Last year, met an American couple from New York in Munich. The husband described the level of homelessness was so bad that people ‘live’ on trains in the subway as this is the only shelter they can find.
Each successive American government has failed the people in a catastrophic way. They don't care about the betterment of the peoples' daily lives, they only care about their own positions of power and about lining their own pockets! The only man who seems genuinely concerned and enabled to do something about the plight of people is Donald Trump.
I'm afraid you need to take off the rose coloured glasses in regard to your view of Australia. I can assure you that people are living on trains and around railway stations in Melbourne
Jeez Mark, you let the side down. When that guy came at you with the flick knife, you missed the chance to pull the old Crocodile Dundee: "That's not a knife ...".
My daughter went to San Diego, America, as an exchange student 20 years ago, and her first comment about America when prompted was the homelessness and vagrancy in LA, SanFran and San Diego..
I was born in Australia, then left to study and work in the US when I was 18. I’ve only just recently returned to Australia (after 27 years in the US) and considering moving back. I’ve enjoyed your youtube videos and agree with a lot of your comparisions!
The wallet thing caught me off guard when we had a Canadian guy stay with us, and we would go out to get food or go to the pub. I'd put my wallet on the table or on the bar and not even think about it, and he'd always freak out and say I shouldn't do that, he was so uptight about it. 🙂
He must have been from Toronto.😉 When I was younger, you had to pay each time, for your drinks at the bars or pubs (in Halifax, Nova Scotia). Often we would leave our wallets on the table or bar top.. just for the convenience of not having to dig them out everytime, to pay. That was back in the 80' and 90's... not sure if it is done here anymore. If I was in Australia, and someone did that, it wouldn't faze me. 😊
I would be too, that’s just crazy! And I’m an Australian who grew up in the country. I used to robbed walking home from school. Australia is much safer than most countries, but you still have to be careful not to be caught slipping 🤦🏾♂️
I found the homelessness in DC heartbreaking. I think the customer service wonderful, Hi Y'all, they gave us a cake saying Welcome To The USA on our first night in Dallas, and yes we tipped them well. I found the Uber drivers very helpful. When in Boston the tourist director found out we were Australian was very respectful of the Australian Army in the Pacific in WWII. My father served in the Royal Australian Engineers. I do find the open carry thing confronting in states that allow it. When it comes to guns, well, Australia pisses all over the USA with gun control.
Agreed re customer service. I lived and worked in the US for 2 years and really noticed the difference between American and Australian service. The Aussie’s (commonwealth Bank in particular) were friendly, helpful and chatty. The Yankees were like robots, like they didn’t want to be there but were suffering it to earn a buck. Made me realise how good we have it.
@hiramhackenbacker9096 Well, a prayer isn't harming them in any way, and I know that God answers prayer. If we honour God, He honours us, and Australia and New Zealand ARE two of the most safe, stable (politically and socially), prosperous and peaceful countries on earth. Sure, we each have our problems in a few areas, but there's always hope for a turnaround with those people too. God is far more involved in our lives than we can possibly dream of, both individually and nationally. As for me, I like the national anthems as prayers. I like to stay under God's banner of protection.
@@janined5784 ok that's your belief but you do realise that the % who do not believe in a deity is growing every year in most of the western world including Aus and NZ. I'd have a problem asking for my country to be protected by something I don't believe exists as a central theme of my national anthem. It's a nice tune but I was wondering if people are asking for an update to the words.
@hiramhackenbacker9096 It's entirely your decision to believe, or not. However, people who are so anti a prayer I suspect DO believe that God exists and they're actually anti God. Otherwise why would they object so strongly to a prayer to Him. I think your % figures are out of date. We hear reports of millions of people all over the world coming into a true revelation and relationship with Jesus. It's just not in the mainstream media, but it is happening. Their lives are joyous and changed forever in the best way possible. God very often uses hardships to lead people back to Him. You know the old saying I'm sure - trials make you bitter, or better. Some harden their hearts and blame God, some humble themselves and seek Him and find Him. The scriptures also say that there will be a "falling away" in the last days, and we are definitely in the last days! Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. (i.e. Jesus) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I sincerely hope you will be one of us who have found the narrow gate. It's the best life (and eternity) we could ever hope for. 🙂
My dad flew me around the world when I finished high school in 1986, My strong recollection of my limited time in the States was of folks living in boxes - like no other country I saw in that travel (ie Asia, USSR etc). It was confronting at the time but must be so much worse now by the sounds..
Hi Amanda great to have you back I've missed your videos and yes the homeless is unbelievable in a lot of the cities in The States but one city that I spent a bit of time in was Salt Lake City with all most no homeliness
Did Your full inner Aussie come out when You were there?! I've heard other Aussie's say when they visited the states they turned into full bogan mode, even though they aren't like that usually 😂
As an American who has lived abroad for 11 years I agree with most of what you say. There is a startling culture shock when visiting the US, especially after the changes caused by the pandemic. As for Americans not liking comparisons to other countries, I think some people prefer to limit talk about overseas adventures, not just comparisons. The rudest Uber drivers I’ve encountered are in India.
How interesting you mention how clean Sydney CBD is. To me it's a dirty smelly place, being in country NSW. To think it clean compared to some other cities overseas really gets me thinking.
I watch a lot of Americans who are reacting to videos of other countries. All of them exclaimed about how clean Aussie cities are, but they say similar things about Europe and UK also
I also thought this coming from Country QLD, and even compared to Brisbane, Sydney was dirty. But all the foreigners I talked to always remarked how clean it was compared to other cities around the world.
I used to think the same, but then I went to Sydney recently after not being there and years. And it's a lot cleaner than what it used to be. I was actually quite impressed.
The thing about the US is it's so variable. I'm from Melbourne but have spent lots of time in Maine over the years as my husband's family is from there. People in Maine are super friendly and we always notice how polite the kids are. Maybe because there's no big cities in Maine, people seem to be really into nature, hiking etc. Absolutely love it there ❤❤❤
I holidayed only in the democratic voting north west and the north east (Maine region) thinking they might be normal. I suppose the gun toting retards are mainly in red states.
Thank you for the interesting comparisons. I too have found when dealing with most Americans that they think everything they do is the gold standard and they can not believe that not only there is a different way, but maybe even a better way of doing things.
Going out on a limb here, but my prediction would be: in Australia there are no frivolous lawsuits, no advertising medication (that usually has a list of horrendous side effects) on TV and no school shootings.
@@shaunmckenzie5509 Melbourne only looks dirty because of the colour of stone they used to build. As for Sydney, its lovely around circular quay but the rest isn't great
My favourite national anthem is the New Zealand one. It brings a tear to this Aussie's eye every time I hear it. Of course you love your own anthem, why wouldn't you. It's not my favourite though. I do like America the Beautiful. Glad to have you back.
@queenslanddiva Who wrote the music and words to the New Zealand National Anthem," E Ihowa Atua" ? The man(John Joseph Woods), who wrote the music, was born in Tasmania. The man(Thomas Bracken), who wrote the English words(poem, God defend New Zealand),was born in Ireland and a long-term resident of Victoria. The Maori wording (Thomas Henry Smith) was written later. Both men had moved to New Zealand permanently 🇳🇿.
That is the thing with spectator sports, even if you're not invested in the sport; it that level of excitement from the spectators that draws you in, the closer the competition the greater the excitement.
I noticed the change after the gun control debate in the US started to point towards Australia as an example of a positive outcome. Before that, Americans seemed a lot more interested to discuss the differences between the countries. After that, they just wanted to tell me that 'Gun control in Australia doesn't really work' and wouldn't discuss anything else.
"After that, they just wanted to tell me that 'Gun control in Australia doesn't really work' and wouldn't discuss anything else." Yeah, they're very much in denial.
Sadly, America is in decline! Poor governance has created this decline. This will happen in Australia if people do not wake up! Increasing homelessness will lead to the total breakdown of society!
I always equate homeless as due to mass immigration. For example homeless was never noticeable in Sydney till about 1999 (well except for 6 months in around 1986 when these old women with tattoos were living at Wynyard & Town Hall railways stations, as obviously some institution must’ve shut down), a couple years after Howard massively increased immigration rates to the point Sydney’s population was going up a million a decade from overseas immigration alone. AFAIC immigration should be limited to no more than the number of residences built the previous year. & I believe there should have been a moratorium declared on new housing releases/developments in 1980. Every new Sydney suburb built since then should be wiped out by earthquakes they are so bad.
It's already well and truly happening in Australia but too many starry-eyed locals prefer to continue living the dream and kidding themselves that we don't have any major issues here. Visible, public homelessness is increasing rapidly in Melbourne .The tragedy is that the nicer families from the nicer suburbs are getting used to this outrageous situation and are starting to accept it which, as you know is the beginning of the end. ...and, yes, I've spent a lot of time on the States....and many other countries.
@@mickvonbornemann3824 Bingo ! Twenty years of rapid and excessive immigration. (three times higher than it was previously) is the main cause of increasing homelessness. As evidenced by the severe shortage of affordable.housing, Australia is now, already, chronically over populated With respect, most Americans don't understand the key differences between the US and Australia...the main one being the nature of population distribution. America and England have major cities across the length and breadth of the country. Australia doesn't have that America has 50 (?) States and fifty Capitol cities. There is always somewhere else that you can move to. Again, that isn't the case in Australia . Almost all of America is capable of sustaining communities due to access to water. Much, if not most of Australia is uninhabitable. Australians simply don't have many options in regard to where they can live. Most of the population is crammed, by necessity, into just three major cities on the East coast So, the pressure on housing is extreme.
Glad you're back Kaitlyn Yes the words to the national anthem are great and quite emotional, a picture is painted for listener/reader. In some ways it's more like a poem, they don't write anthems like that anymore.
@@johnwatters6922 It was a friend of a politician who fancied himself to be a poet that wrote it. Being a poet and being a poet that is liked are two different things. Much as Hitler was a painter, but no one liked his paintings.
Nice to see you again. I lived overseas for over a decade and have travelled extensively all over the world and tbh Australia is pretty great for the standard of living we have x I heard that they are opening a Wendy’s here and am pretty disappointed….
WHAAAAT??? You'd think the US National Anthem would have lyrics about being free (spoiler: that's Australia's) or the opportunities (spoiler: that's Australia's) BUT INSTEAD it's all about war, battle, red rockets and the persistent flag. Of course, the French is all about taking arms, opposing tyranny, soaking the fields in blood. Brrrr. March on!
It was written during the war for Independence against the British. There's a great story on YTube on it's origins. It's called The Star spangled banner as you've never heard it. There's others all tell the same story but this one is powerful. I actually teared up
If you think Sydney is clean, Toyko will blow your mind! We loved it! Tokyo Disney was about 10,000% better than the California or Florida Disney's and most of that was due to the cleanliness, and just how the Japanese seem to conduct themselves in public. As an Aussie we were mind-blown!
9:25 It must have been in the early 90's when I went to the city and was amazed to see people with chains attached to their wallets. My wallet now came from England and it has a place to attach a chain.
Welcome back to OZ. I enjoyed your honesty and comparisons between our countries. Been thinking about going to the US next year, did some you tube research and there's some major road with a rail bridge near a train station in Philly, this is how the homeless has taken over may cities; glad Mark and you ended up being safe. The west coast is the worst I've seen so many beautiful cities now ruined. New York was fine 8 years ago when I last visited but some parts even then were no go zones, others I loved. As for your next video - well firstly, how low the Aussie dollar has fallen behind in respect of the exchange rate. Then possibly the amount you need to tip has gone up again. The inflation rates in both countries have risen so that could be an issue. Will be interested to know what the second part will bring. BTW, I do like baseball, being in the sports capital of Australia, living in Melbourne when I moved interstate for a couple of years I missed our great sporting culture. I've been to the US Open Tennis - grand slam which was easy to get to by train. I also was lucky enough to catch a yankees game too. As far as national anthems go many butcher the song in many countries, I quite like the French one but can understand that you had a culture shock upon returning to your homeland. Spring and better weather will be with us again soon so that should make you happy to enjoy the nature and beaches when we get warm weather. Maybe the weather or how your family reacted upon your return could be a talking point. Looking forward to your next video.
Was the music written by the Englishman John Stafford Smith, born in Gloucester? The tune came a few years before the poem was matched with it? ...Or am I mistaken?
I’ve seen the situation in Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia. Horrendous thanks to fentanyl and crack etc. I loved my time in the USA and saw so much beauty in nature.
My son went over to the USA with som of our local basketball team before covid a few years back and when travelling by coach thru LA he saw a multitude of homeless people everywhere plus other things that left an indelible mark with him as a young kid and when he got back to Melbourne he said he has no interest ever to go back there as the experience was quite the contrary to what he thought the place would be like
We have a limited "fast food" outlets in Australia and it's because we want healthy fit citizens to not only live longer but it takes pressure of our healthcare system
I prolly agree with the Anthem thing. The Star Spangled Banner is superb, maybe 2nd to the Marseillaise. As to the baseball experience, gimme Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field. They compare to the International Cricket experience at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
On thing I noticed was how nervous everyone was about being robbed in the US. Here in Oz I don't worry if I forget to lock the car or house when I leave. I was at my brother's in San Diego and everyone I met had security apps on their phones. My brother would look at it every 10 minutes even when we were at his house. He could tell who was knocking on the front door from the back yard. Boston was just as bad . I felt uncomfortable with the amount of cameras on me at any given time. I grew up outside of Boston so I knew there was crime but wow has it got worse
I have lived and worked in about 7 countries, and I have noticed how much of a huge difference it makes to live in a country where I feel safe and welcome. One reason I wouldn't go to the US for a holiday - the crime, violence and homelessness would make me too uncomfortable.
As a European living in USA with relatives in Australia who we visit every two years (East and West coast) I agree with virtually everything you say. America is dirty (check out the soles of your shoes after a day in a US city), homelessness is rife, people in cities are generally more aggressive than in other countries (with the exception of London, England), Americans hate comparison with other countries etc. Where I might disagree is with sports fans. Baseball fans (or other US sports fans), can’t compare with fans of Cologne or Newcastle United (or many other soccer teams), what about fans of Collingwood Magpies. Also the US national anthem - we often comment about how embarrassing it is. It’s difficult to sing, has strong militaristic overtones and is to a tune based on a British beer drinking song (never mind being about a war which the USA did not win - despite US propaganda to the contrary).
Don't waste your money on California -- try Savannah or Charleston or some of our gorgeous Appalachian mountain towns. We have breathtaking autumns from our mountains and it's much better than anything from sad, poo strewn California. Start by looking up the Biltmore House in an area so lovely that the Vanderbilts built an entire railroad just to get there.
the biggest trip for me when i went to the states was how people work for tips. i loved the customer service obviously cos the better they treat you the more money they get. but as an aussie maybe you should do a vid on where and when you have to tip, cos i accidentally didn't sometimes, and accidentally did when i didn't have to also. i couldn't figure out a rhyme or reason to it
I’m a Yank that lived in Sydney for 5 years from 2011-2016 and really really miss the Eastern Suburbs where I lived. I first visited OZ with my backpack in 1979 and returned many times so besides living there I witnessed the changes in OZ from that first trip in 79 to the current days. I would much rather live in Australia than the US unfortunately OZ does not make it easy to retire down under or that’s where I’d be headed in 20 months when I retire.
Keep trying Chris. It's never too late to improve your life mate, and good luck. I'd also recommend NZ. Even though we pay out on each other, it's only because we're siblings and life over their is as good, for most, and in some cases possibly better, than it is here, and that way you'll increase your odds of getting to life out your life in relative safety and sanity.
I know the US anthem lyrics came from a poem around 1814 inspired by battle defeating British troops in 1812. (hence the voilence) But it always makes me giggle that the music is an old British pub song from the 18th century
I just moved to SF from Sydney and the homelessness and impact of COVID have both definitely been huge shocks. As you note, the Sydney CBD - and a lot of the city east of it - is just so safe and beautiful. We have crime problems and homelessness in Aus as well, but a lot of that is very much at the far edges of suburbia, so it’s kinda weird seeing so much drug abuse and homelessness in what is meant to be your central economic hub and global showcase area of your city. The other thing that has come as a huge shock has been just how much harder hit US cities appear to have been than COVID. Given how much more limited restrictions were in the US during COVID compared with Aus, I had expected that the cities would have been much less impacted, but there are SO MANY more boarded up shops in SF compared with Sydney, which really surprised me.
It is interesting to break this sort of video down into two types of differences /culture shocks. Firstly, of course, how much things have changed in the time since you moved away from home (e.g. post-pandemic). And secondly, things where they have not so much changed 'at home', but where you, or your expectations, have changed due to your exposure to the different environment/culture of your new country of residence.
I work for a large American commercial real estate company here in Oz. Your impression of vacancy isn’t anecdotal. Office space occupancy in Oz is still in the 90 odd percent. The US market is a slow moving bus crash . It’s potentially a big issue for the economy given how much wealth is tied up in that market.
Welcome back home! I loved Houston when I lived there probably before you were born (yikes!) so it was nice you went there. Was it friendlier than Philly? Hope so. Interesting and sad about the closed businesses, I didn’t even think about COVID being the cause. I thought it was the homelessness and crime, but probably everything contributes. Re wallets, I’ve lost mine twice in Brisbane and it was returned both times with money and cards intact.
I remember returning to the States at the end of the 70s (from Australia) and to my mind 3 things stood out then. 1. The pollution in thr skies even over the New Mexico winter desert. This was in comparison to country Australia. 2. The violence of security guards chasing a shop lifter in a department store. 3. My grandmother (in her 60s) being paranoid about security in a town similarly sized & situated to the one we lived in. Back then we didn't lock doors if we were home & sometimes even if we weren't, would walk around freely etc. Later visits in the 1990s & 2000s exposed how much living standards have declined. The town my mother went to school in the 40s & 50s had turned into a run down weed filled collection of mobile homes & few businesses or services left...My father's siblings that were in their 60s & 70s were living in mobile homes, struggling for money, or in run down homes with holes in the floor & toilets that couldn't handle paper, trying to market garden & sell produce when they were physically unwell. These were people who used to be fairly middle-class. Basically scraping by & living much worse than they used to. How much more sugar there was in food. How hard it was to be a pedestrian without a car in many places except New York City. Haven't been back again in over 10 years, not sure I want to, actually.
I've never been but from what I've heard and seen the US appears to be a place of feast or famine. If you have talent, ability and - probably most importantly - the right connections, it seems you can really take off and the sky's the limit. That's the feast part but it's only for a very few handful of select people. It seems it's struggle street for the majority of people, who only probably have modest dreams and expectations but even they fail to be met. Coming from a not so advantageous background I'm so thankful to be born in a country with a decent welfare system and formalized societel expectations like a living wage. Hope things turn around in the US and become a bit more equitable - must be grating for so many people to be always informed they live in the greatest, most prosperous nation in history yet struggle to even keep food on the table.
The part about rude servers... The society that relies on tips are rude while here in Oz where tips are not normal, the servers are less rude... Don't normalize tipping obviously.
Just a little something I’m 58 & I never saw homelessness in Australia before about 1999, except for about 6 months around 1986 when these old women with tattoos seemed to had been living at Sydney’s Wynyard & Town Hall railway stations, obviously due to some institution/s closing down
I haven't carried a wallet for years. I carry two credit cards, cash, drivers licence and meicare and insurance cards in my front pocket. I think that carrying a wallet is asking to be robbed. And the consequences of the Pandemic weren't so bad here because of the Federal and State Governments providing some financial assistance to many businesses and employees. Our national anthem should be I Am Astralian, by The Seekers!
Unfortunately Kaitlian it seems that the USA has become a very inwards looking country. I have family in the states who have traveled the world with the military and comment on this very subject. Don't be to hard on them, it comes down to many things that I'm not going into.....welcome back home....number 2.
It was some time ago that I read about the origin of the American National Anthem; Written by Francis Scott Key, it was originally a poem, penned by him during and following the battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore in 1814. At the time he had boarded a British warship in the harbour to negotiate the release of an American civilian and was detained for the duration of the battle. At least, that's what I originally read, but in looking at the story for this there appears to be some difference of opinion on the matter for other versions have him aboard an American warship. At any rate, he witnessed the battle whilst on a ship. The lyrics describes the British attempts to take the fort [e.g. by the red rockets glare], which ultimately failed resulting in 4 deaths and 24 casualties on the American side and some 330 British killed, wounded and captured. A large American flag flew above the fort's ramparts before and during the night battle which Key witnessed before darkness fell. During the night, the explosions and the rockets continued to show it still flying and the dawn's early light showed it still gallantly streaming. The victory was a significant one for the USA who retained control of Baltimore, a vital sea port. More importantly, it inspired the creation of the poem, which became then a song and ultimately metamorphosed into the National Anthem. A truly inspiring anthem. And, yes, take the time to read and listen to the FULL lyrics, which are rarely played completely.
The music for the national anthem was composed by an Englishman John Stafford Smith around 1770. He became a member of The Anacreaontic Society that would meet in various taverns around London. Performed at every meeting was the society’s anthem, "To Anacreon in Heaven", whose music was composed by Smith. It’s unknown exactly when the Anacreontic song reached America, but soon enough Smith’s composition became the score for many different songs in the States. It became your national anthem, an old drinking song.
Regarding the American national anthem: a Mexican returning to Mexico for a visit was asked how he liked Americans. Beautiful people, he enthused. I went to a football game and before it started the crowd stood up and sang, "Jose, can you see..."
As an Aussie, the homeless numbers and degradation when we visited San Francisco was heartbreaking. And not just the homelessness, the disregard for humans for each other. I saw an old bloke in a wheelchair trying to pull himself along with one foot, nobody even noticed him. I didn't even ask, just told him I was gonna push him and just slid in behind and started pushing. . He looked stunned, but as soon as he realised I was not gonna hurt him he was so grateful he had tears in his eyes. Wouldn't happen here, someone will always help out an old guy in that situation.
💖👍👍
If anything it just proves how lucky we are here in Australia (Brisbane for me) after living in Washington DC / Dubai / Belgium/ Denmark - super happy to be home again after 6 years
I mean Brussels & DK we’re amazing (we still own homes in both)but living & touristing America = total hell…..
Was kinda ok in LA & NYC on my first time back in 2006
But no matter where I was in the USA it sucked in2019
"Wouldn't happen here, someone will always help out an old guy in that situation" So true, and wouldn't have to be an old guy either, you see anyone who needs help you help them, or at least offer help, the way it should be
Welcome back! Missed your videos
No matter where you are in San Fransisco when you see homeless people, simply walk 4 blocks up hill and you will be in some of the most expensive neighbourhoods on the planet housing some of the richest people in the world. If 1% of Americans own 60% of of the wealth, what you do reckon the bottom 1% own.
I'm Dutch and immigrated to New Zealand, but spent five years working in the USA. Most Americans have no idea how bad it is in their own country when they have never left it, and are constantly told how great it is by their media and politicians...
Spot on.
I knew before I left - I’m from Brooklyn and left in 2013 and also live in Sydney. The U.S. is a “civilisation” in decline if not a failed state.
@@Grimloxz So glad you are here! 💖🌻
yeah. I find it funny how they love to compare their country to any other, saying America is the best in so many categories, but its pretty easy to come to a positive conclusion when you have not actually been to the countries they are making a comparison on. .
Trust me, half of Americans know how terrible it has become. The other half is still on the roller coaster ride. Eventually the ride ends.
From the outside, the US seems like a frog being boiled alive: the country is declining in terms of so many measures of community wellbeing, but things like tradition and hyper-patriotism (and a general lack of awareness of the rest of the world) continue to blind Americans to the reality of their plight. On your return visit you can clearly see the good and the bad, but from here in Australia it appears that most Americans still think they live in the greatest country on earth regardless of how tough life is for so many people.
Americans think America is the world 80% of Americans have never been outside of the country or even outside their state
I watched a video of the history of slavery ,which most young black Americans are shattered by .
Yet still the young man ,visibly affected by what he had learned ,said of course the USA had the most freedoms of any country in the world .
How do they get so blinkered?
USA is not declining. it is slowly being poisoned from within by the graduates of the Frankfurt School of socialist communist international nihilism and anarchism iin alliance with the plantations masters of the democrat party.
Firstly, I wish no ill-will toward Americans. I've travelled there, and I have met some extremely well read and genuinely good people, in the states. But the ignorance and lack of worldliness in the vast majority, is astounding. Frightening, in fact. Americans don't follow foreign media and they don't travel beyond their shores. If they do, it's to be with other Americans. They have absolutely no idea that they're the frog and the country in which they live, is the pot. They are a politician's dream. Abraham Lincoln didn't foresee modern America when he famously stated "you can fool some of the people all of the time, you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool of the people, all of the time".
That has aged like Darwin's theory of evolution.
The legacy of Cold War propaganda and Reaganomics has left a generational deep scar on the American psyche, and it has severed the neural pathways that once led the world in finding simple solutions to complex problems.
And, of course, one of the most pervasive legacy of those times is the propensity for US citizens to avoid paying tax at every turn, unless it's for the Army. "Nearly a trillion dollars for the defence budget?" "Hell yeah!" "A billion to improve the education system?" "That's the devil's communism speaking".
Like I said, I wish no ill-will, but the smartest of smart and the most worldly of worldly Americans have absolutely no idea just how deep that they have already sunk in the quaqmire.
"But that's them damn Democrats for you!" "I told you this country 'd go to hell in a handbasket if the Democrats got in".
I watched the republican debate the other week, and one of the candidates proclaimed proudly that he was going to abolish the national department of education, and it got a massive cheer from the crowd. WTF? I thought education used to be valued in the US
We are Aussies ( emigrated from South Africa in 1979) and have been closely observing the USA from here for the past few years. We never realised that it was such a ‘ broken country’ in so many ways and so many levels. Glad we chose Australia to bring our kids to grow up in !
Totally agree, we came over in 1974 best decision my parents ever made. Grateful every day
Sounds like you've become Australian. Congratulations!
I hope you become an Aussie.
Originally from Vancouver BC, now here for 12 years. No complaints, Australia has been good to me. One important feature of Australia is that there was a living wage. Sure you pay more for a cup of coffee or a restaurant meal. After a while, you simply don't notice and I am confident that the server bringing that meal to my table doesn't have to work three jobs to keep a roof over their head. Americans need a living wage. Business owners be damned. As to fast food- an abundance of choices is not a good thing. One thing I noticed about France- very little choice in fast food. No fat kids. Choice is bad. You haven't heard many national anthems if you say that song is the greatest of them all.
Not having the expense of tipping everyone simply for doing their job not only saves money for the customer, but also have the peace of mind knowing that the people serving you are being paid a living wage and a percentage will go to their retirement. Free health care also helps ensure that you will not be served food by a sick employee who has no choice but to work sick.
Fast food has always been expensive here in Aus, and I'm glad it is, for the reason you said - people being paid what they're worth. It's why we don't tip here. Retail workers aren't relying on those tips just to make a living.
Yep. I puzzle that every time I visit the USA, service providers expect me to pay extra, over and above what's on the price list to give their employees a "living wage". Why don't they fucking include it in the price like everyone else? It's no fun having this awkward confrontation where their employees have to beg followed by "you are uncouth and offensive because you are merely paying what's on the price list" if I forget to tip. When you catch a bus from the airport to a hotel and there's a huge sign at the front saying "PLEASE NOTE! YOUR FARE DOES NOT INCLUDE DRIVER'S TIP", you know you're in the USA.
That’s actually changed now in Australia many people are working 3 or more jobs desperate to make ends meet and others have nothing
I have heard some arguments that the normalisation of gun/war culture in the US starts with the anthem, and truthfully I cannot think of any other national anthems that mentions rockets, bombs, enemies, explosions and war as often as that song.
As an Australian builder I've made a few trips to the US and I was amazed at the lack of maintenance across the board in the cities we visited. It's like they build these amazing new things but then the 20 other things around it are dilapidated. Except Vegas lol
I’ve been cities in US, not many, just the major ones: LA, SF, NY. I enjoyed my stays but probably wouldn’t choose them for living. I much prefer cities in Europe, but my soft spot will always be my own home town at Sydney. We have our own little problems, but they are ridiculously tame compared to cities in other countries.
As an Aussie we are proud to have less fast food places than USA - don’t worry we ain’t offended
Some of us are but at the same time there's massive interest when a new chain opens up eg Taco Bell and now Wendy's.
@@Heroesrules1994 taco bell just opened near my hood and i kinda cringed
@@fatdoi003 Wtf is a "hood"? Are you black?
I can hear that you are subtly starting to gain the Australian accent, congrats and welcome home.
To be honest, the only two places I felt safe and could drop my hypervigilance were....Disneyland and Las Vegas, of all places. First evening in NY I went to a corner store, a person brushed past me and I thought "pickpocket". I reached into my jacket to check my wallet and their eyes went wide and they ran out of the store. When I told the guys in the hostel they said, "they assumed you were reaching for a concealed handgun." Welcome to America 😮
You assumed theft and they assume death :(
reminds me on walking around DC at night, when a young black guy accidentally bumped into me. He turned and said something like 'excuse me sir' - I was like 'wah - so polite' - then I remembered why US people say 'sir' - they never know if you're carrying a gun.
Unless NY has changed drastically in the last six years. I was never scared and I commuted to an air bnb in queens for the duration of my stay. I had a great time found ppl sometimes rude sometimes friendly but in all my travels never felt unsafe. The saddest things I saw were the homeless ppl and the workers returning on the subway so tired they were like zombies getting of the train and on to a bus. Ppl were to tired to attack or bother anyone. Anyway that was my experience and I loved every day in NY it had so much to see and do and overall ppl were nice to me. So unless it has changed I would still recommend ppl visit there.
@@dianacasey6002same y friend another female and I went in 2018 admittedly only 12 days or so.. Had a nice time we walked mostly everywhere. Seemed safe to us
I have lived in rural NSW and in pubs it's normal to leave your wallet on the bar and the bar maid takes the money from your wallet each time you have a drink.
Another place (on King Island) you helped yourself to the pub fridge, kept the bottle caps in front of you and at nights end you presented these to the publican and settled your bill.
I thought the point of the tipping culture was to improve friendly customer service. But it seems tipping is to prevent them from spitting in your food.
Tipping is because they're paid poor wages you don't tip they don't eat
Tipping was brought in to avoid paying employees who were enslaved after The Civil War, and it became prevalent after the prohibition was introduced due to loss of revenue from the absence of alcohol sales.
The government then pushed the propaganda of taking government handouts as having a "lack of pride" where handouts from fellow taxpayers known as "tips" was not only acceptable, but customary.
Tipping is literally a hang over from slavery.
Some jobs it’s the only way you get paid, as there is no wage or it’s so low it’s unliveable.
Loved this video. Well done and thanks for caring about Australia xx
God bless Australia, it is your home now and for ever. and we are glad to have you... You are getting to be a Great Aussie. some times the truth hurts, But.
Correction: fictional god bless
@@phoarey Godless bless
I am Australian and visited NewYork in 1992. I remember seeing a businessman trying to step over about 5 homeless people sleeping on the street trying to get to work. What shocked me was that it just appeared normal to everyone. My own initial thinking was 'how could a society have got itself into such a situation?' From an outsiders perspective it just looked disturbing, what appeared to be a total disregard for other humans.
Unfortunately, the same thing is now happening in Melbourne. Go for a walk up Glenferrie Road, Malvern (probably one of the most affluent areas in Australia) There are people sleeping in doorways all over the street
@@retrothingz Except the homeless in Australia get centrelink benefits and don't need to beg in order to survive. The homeless in the US have nothing.
Love your channel Kaitlyn. Thank you for being so honest
In Australia, I get the impression we don't care much for our Anthem as it is a little boring - we often think 'I am Australian' by the Seekers to be better - now THAT has lyrics to bring tears to the eyes!
I prefer "I still call Australia home" by Peter Allan
The original lyrics to Advance Australia Fair is a true national anthem.
As an American living in Australia for 20 years and having grown up around Philly, Philly has always been a sh!thole. As kids we called it Filthy-delphia. The atititude and rudeness has always been what makes it great but its still a sh!thole. Maybe because the dirty snow from winter never quite washes clean in spring and they never cared to give the place a good scrub. Dunno. The homelessness really took off after 9/11. I remember a homeless person purposely standing in my way until I gave her some money which i didnt have because it was a hard time for everyone then. She got real violent and aggressive but I just moved on.
Australia is such a great place and extremely safe. There is no underlying aggression or violence here and you don't get the sense of threat when walking around most places. People don't realise how good they have it here. I love it and its a great place to raise children.
Most realise how great it is here.
Australia is a complete different world. Love this place
Part 2: how much you missed meat pies? How much you longed for the Aussie sense of humour? How much you miss us correcting you on extremely minor points? 😂
haha I think you may have nailed 3 of them
@@Philmrose nailed to what? The wall? The door?
@@Philmrose Btw . . . did you bring a hammer?
I’ve just arrived in Sydney after 2 months in Texas, Florida and California. Despite walking everywhere (300km in total) and never eating at a single fast food (restaurants and more costly options only), eating regular amount of food I increased weight by a massive 10%.
Australians I know that know and work in US found similar effect and have put it down to large amounts hidden sugar or other additives.
I would add it’s amazing how expensive food was in the US.
Menu items often looked the same, but take tax, tip and exchange rate into account and the price almost doubled.
For illustration USD $10 on a menu becomes AUD $18 when all of the things are taken into account
In one example I had a very ordinary eggs Benedict, extremely bad cappuccino and a miniature croissant and with tax and 20% tip it came out to $75 USD
There are a lot of ingredients in American foods that can do a lot to alter your weight, such as corn syrup and other corn derived products. These are supported and promoted by the US government even though there is clear evidence that these products can have vastly negative effects on your weight and diabetes/insulin resistance status. They effect the way your body responds to sugars and carbohydrates. It takes a bit of time but eventually your body learns not to respond to carbs in the normal way. Thus, if you do change to a healthier diet, it then can be really hard to shift the weight, which is turn discourages you and makes it hard to keep trying. If you ever buy American products off the shelves in Australia you have to check for these 'extras.' I've found some of those harmful products in cans of apples (for making a pie) or cans of cherries (for making black forest cake). They don't seem to have such bad products in cans of food from other places (including China!).
@@inodesnetOmg YES. Why is food so expensive in the US??? I’m in Dallas now and I live in brisbane.
Just like wow. For AUD10 I can get better food in Aus than in America.
Shocking. Also- I feel weird after eating their food. I miss Australian freshness and the air. Oh god the air in australia.
It’s not about the hidden sugar, it’s about calories. Don’t talk if you don’t know
@@loverlyme lol They said stuff "made in China" was bad . . . what about food "made in the USA" . . .
Welcome HOME Kaitlyn and Mark!!
It takes a big person to criticise one's home town but there's nothing like travel to broaden one's perspective - it certainly helps one to accept a few homes truths about the place you grew up in and love.
Part 2 has to be the tipping culture (which just continues to get more & more out of control in the US)
Is it out of control when that is the only way the staff can afford rent and feeding their children?
I'd be pushy about it too...
@@tsubadaikhan6332 I mean, yeah... It's out of control when tips are the only way staff can afford their rent and to feed their kids.
Raise the basic minimum wage and introduce better policies around working conditions so that tips are no longer a wage subsidy.
You don't tip they don't eat their pay is lousy and many pool their tips
@@tsubadaikhan6332I was shocked when I rfirst realised this. For a modern western country, the minimum wage in the US is insane.
Last year, met an American couple from New York in Munich. The husband described the level of homelessness was so bad that people ‘live’ on trains in the subway as this is the only shelter they can find.
It happens here on the long-distance train trips and the loop around Sydney suburban lines :(
Each successive American government has failed the people in a catastrophic way. They don't care about the betterment of the peoples' daily lives, they only care about their own positions of power and about lining their own pockets! The only man who seems genuinely concerned and enabled to do something about the plight of people is Donald Trump.
I'm afraid you need to take off the rose coloured glasses in regard to your view of Australia. I can assure you that people are living on trains and around railway stations in Melbourne
Jeez Mark, you let the side down. When that guy came at you with the flick knife, you missed the chance to pull the old Crocodile Dundee: "That's not a knife ...".
My daughter went to San Diego, America, as an exchange student 20 years ago, and her first comment about America when prompted was the homelessness and vagrancy in LA, SanFran and San Diego..
I was born in Australia, then left to study and work in the US when I was 18. I’ve only just recently returned to Australia (after 27 years in the US) and considering moving back. I’ve enjoyed your youtube videos and agree with a lot of your comparisions!
The wallet thing caught me off guard when we had a Canadian guy stay with us, and we would go out to get food or go to the pub. I'd put my wallet on the table or on the bar and not even think about it, and he'd always freak out and say I shouldn't do that, he was so uptight about it. 🙂
He must have been from Toronto.😉
When I was younger, you had to pay each time, for your drinks at the bars or pubs (in Halifax, Nova Scotia). Often we would leave our wallets on the table or bar top.. just for the convenience of not having to dig them out everytime, to pay. That was back in the 80' and 90's... not sure if it is done here anymore. If I was in Australia, and someone did that, it wouldn't faze me. 😊
I would be too, that’s just crazy! And I’m an Australian who grew up in the country. I used to robbed walking home from school. Australia is much safer than most countries, but you still have to be careful not to be caught slipping 🤦🏾♂️
I found the homelessness in DC heartbreaking. I think the customer service wonderful, Hi Y'all, they gave us a cake saying Welcome To The USA on our first night in Dallas, and yes we tipped them well. I found the Uber drivers very helpful. When in Boston the tourist director found out we were Australian was very respectful of the Australian Army in the Pacific in WWII. My father served in the Royal Australian Engineers. I do find the open carry thing confronting in states that allow it. When it comes to guns, well, Australia pisses all over the USA with gun control.
Maybe they were being nice to you because . . . you're Australian . . . you're not American, not one of them.
Agreed re customer service. I lived and worked in the US for 2 years and really noticed the difference between American and Australian service. The Aussie’s (commonwealth Bank in particular) were friendly, helpful and chatty. The Yankees were like robots, like they didn’t want to be there but were suffering it to earn a buck. Made me realise how good we have it.
The NZ national anthem is beautiful, a prayer, the lyrics are beautiful, humble and the tune is gorgeous.
What do atheists think of it?
@hiramhackenbacker9096 Well, a prayer isn't harming them in any way, and I know that God answers prayer. If we honour God, He honours us, and Australia and New Zealand ARE two of the most safe, stable (politically and socially), prosperous and peaceful countries on earth. Sure, we each have our problems in a few areas, but there's always hope for a turnaround with those people too. God is far more involved in our lives than we can possibly dream of, both individually and nationally. As for me, I like the national anthems as prayers. I like to stay under God's banner of protection.
@@janined5784 ok that's your belief but you do realise that the % who do not believe in a deity is growing every year in most of the western world including Aus and NZ. I'd have a problem asking for my country to be protected by something I don't believe exists as a central theme of my national anthem. It's a nice tune but I was wondering if people are asking for an update to the words.
@hiramhackenbacker9096
It's entirely your decision to believe, or not. However, people who are so anti a prayer I suspect DO believe that God exists and they're actually anti God. Otherwise why would they object so strongly to a prayer to Him. I think your % figures are out of date. We hear reports of millions of people all over the world coming into a true revelation and relationship with Jesus. It's just not in the mainstream media, but it is happening. Their lives are joyous and changed forever in the best way possible. God very often uses hardships to lead people back to Him. You know the old saying I'm sure - trials make you bitter, or better. Some harden their hearts and blame God, some humble themselves and seek Him and find Him. The scriptures also say that there will be a "falling away" in the last days, and we are definitely in the last days! Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. (i.e. Jesus) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
I sincerely hope you will be one of us who have found the narrow gate. It's the best life (and eternity) we could ever hope for. 🙂
You are so honest . I’m sorry that the differences were so marked for you. Welcome back!
My dad flew me around the world when I finished high school in 1986, My strong recollection of my limited time in the States was of folks living in boxes - like no other country I saw in that travel (ie Asia, USSR etc). It was confronting at the time but must be so much worse now by the sounds..
" It was confronting ..." is an Australianism you don't hear elsewhere!
Hi Amanda great to have you back I've missed your videos and yes the homeless is unbelievable in a lot of the cities in The States but one city that I spent a bit of time in was Salt Lake City with all most no homeliness
Did Your full inner Aussie come out when You were there?! I've heard other Aussie's say when they visited the states they turned into full bogan mode, even though they aren't like that usually 😂
These are some awesome insights, thank you Kaitlin! :)
As an American who has lived abroad for 11 years I agree with most of what you say. There is a startling culture shock when visiting the US, especially after the changes caused by the pandemic.
As for Americans not liking comparisons to other countries, I think some people prefer to limit talk about overseas adventures, not just comparisons. The rudest Uber drivers I’ve encountered are in India.
How interesting you mention how clean Sydney CBD is. To me it's a dirty smelly place, being in country NSW. To think it clean compared to some other cities overseas really gets me thinking.
I watch a lot of Americans who are reacting to videos of other countries. All of them exclaimed about how clean Aussie cities are, but they say similar things about Europe and UK also
I also thought this coming from Country QLD, and even compared to Brisbane, Sydney was dirty. But all the foreigners I talked to always remarked how clean it was compared to other cities around the world.
As others have said, Sydney is the least clean and tidy Australian city - it is generally pretty clean , but parts of the CBD are a bit grimy.
@@datfly3034Nah, it's way cleaner than Melbourne
I used to think the same, but then I went to Sydney recently after not being there and years. And it's a lot cleaner than what it used to be. I was actually quite impressed.
So did you or Mark know how to clean a switch blade?
Asking for a friend.
hand dryer in a service station bathroom, but has a tendency to cake on the excessive blood. :)
Hahaha 😂
The thing about the US is it's so variable. I'm from Melbourne but have spent lots of time in Maine over the years as my husband's family is from there. People in Maine are super friendly and we always notice how polite the kids are. Maybe because there's no big cities in Maine, people seem to be really into nature, hiking etc. Absolutely love it there ❤❤❤
I holidayed only in the democratic voting north west and the north east (Maine region) thinking they might be normal. I suppose the gun toting retards are mainly in red states.
That's was so interesting to watch. We sure are still a lucky country. Cheers
I think Whitney Houston is the best I've heard singing the American national anthem and it was so beautiful 💖
I grew up and now live in Bucks County, PA but lived in Townsville QLD for 8 years. I still miss Australia so much!
Thank you for the interesting comparisons. I too have found when dealing with most Americans that they think everything they do is the gold standard and they can not believe that not only there is a different way, but maybe even a better way of doing things.
Going out on a limb here, but my prediction would be: in Australia there are no frivolous lawsuits, no advertising medication (that usually has a list of horrendous side effects) on TV and no school shootings.
😄👍
Great video, thankyou for posting both parts :)
It's strange about the cleanliness comparison Sydney felt pretty grimy compared to other Australian citys
Melbourne is dirtier and grimier
@@shaunmckenzie5509Brisbane is pristine
Sydney is the worst. Melbourne is great to walk through, Brisbane and Adelaide are nice, and I believe there's somewhere called Perth.
@@MrGroganmeister Brisbane is clean yes. But to be fair, it's a lot smaller than Melbourne and Sydney
@@shaunmckenzie5509 Melbourne only looks dirty because of the colour of stone they used to build. As for Sydney, its lovely around circular quay but the rest isn't great
My favourite national anthem is the New Zealand one. It brings a tear to this Aussie's eye every time I hear it. Of course you love your own anthem, why wouldn't you. It's not my favourite though. I do like America the Beautiful. Glad to have you back.
As a fellow West Islander I fully and whole heartedly agree with you regarding those East Islands' National Anthem.
The music and words of New Zealand National Anthem have quite a big Australian link.
Queenslander here and I agree the New Zealand National Anthem is beautiful and so heart-warming so patriotic.
@@robertmurray8763 oh dear - Aussies trying to pinch something else from NZ.
@queenslanddiva Who wrote the music and words to the New Zealand National Anthem," E Ihowa Atua" ? The man(John Joseph Woods), who wrote the music, was born in Tasmania. The man(Thomas Bracken), who wrote the English words(poem, God defend New Zealand),was born in Ireland and a long-term resident of Victoria. The Maori wording (Thomas Henry Smith) was written later. Both men had moved to New Zealand permanently 🇳🇿.
As stated below, welcome back. I have been waiting to hear how you managed during this trip
That is the thing with spectator sports, even if you're not invested in the sport; it that level of excitement from the spectators that draws you in, the closer the competition the greater the excitement.
I noticed the change after the gun control debate in the US started to point towards Australia as an example of a positive outcome. Before that, Americans seemed a lot more interested to discuss the differences between the countries. After that, they just wanted to tell me that 'Gun control in Australia doesn't really work' and wouldn't discuss anything else.
"After that, they just wanted to tell me that 'Gun control in Australia doesn't really work' and wouldn't discuss anything else."
Yeah, they're very much in denial.
Great to have you safely back home. And a new video!
Sadly, America is in decline! Poor governance has created this decline. This will happen in Australia if people do not wake up! Increasing homelessness will lead to the total breakdown of society!
I always equate homeless as due to mass immigration. For example homeless was never noticeable in Sydney till about 1999 (well except for 6 months in around 1986 when these old women with tattoos were living at Wynyard & Town Hall railways stations, as obviously some institution must’ve shut down), a couple years after Howard massively increased immigration rates to the point Sydney’s population was going up a million a decade from overseas immigration alone. AFAIC immigration should be limited to no more than the number of residences built the previous year. & I believe there should have been a moratorium declared on new housing releases/developments in 1980. Every new Sydney suburb built since then should be wiped out by earthquakes they are so bad.
It's already well and truly happening in Australia but too many starry-eyed locals prefer to continue living the dream and kidding themselves that we don't have any major issues here. Visible, public homelessness is increasing rapidly in Melbourne .The tragedy is that the nicer families from the nicer suburbs are getting used to this outrageous situation and are starting to accept it which, as you know is the beginning of the end. ...and, yes, I've spent a lot of time on the States....and many other countries.
@@mickvonbornemann3824 Bingo ! Twenty years of rapid and excessive immigration. (three times higher than it was previously) is the main cause of increasing homelessness. As evidenced by the severe shortage of affordable.housing, Australia is now, already, chronically over populated With respect, most Americans don't understand the key differences between the US and Australia...the main one being the nature of population distribution. America and England have major cities across the length and breadth of the country. Australia doesn't have that America has 50 (?) States and fifty Capitol cities. There is always somewhere else that you can move to. Again, that isn't the case in Australia . Almost all of America is capable of sustaining communities due to access to water. Much, if not most of Australia is uninhabitable. Australians simply don't have many options in regard to where they can live. Most of the population is crammed, by necessity, into just three major cities on the East coast So, the pressure on housing is extreme.
It will never happen in Australia to that extent because we don't hate our citizens
Glad you're back Kaitlyn
Yes the words to the national anthem are great and quite emotional, a picture is painted for listener/reader. In some ways it's more like a poem, they don't write anthems like that anymore.
The US anthem is a poem about their little war with the poms. ( that lead to the "founding" of Oz )
I read somewhere once that the reason the Australian anthem is so bad is that the only word that rhymes with Australia is failure LOL
@@johnwatters6922 It was a friend of a politician who fancied himself to be a poet that wrote it. Being a poet and being a poet that is liked are two different things. Much as Hitler was a painter, but no one liked his paintings.
@@johnwatters6922 🤣 Canadian here.... that gybe literally made me laugh out loud.
Nice to see you again. I lived overseas for over a decade and have travelled extensively all over the world and tbh Australia is pretty great for the standard of living we have x I heard that they are opening a Wendy’s here and am pretty disappointed….
We used to have it didn't we 🤔 or am I trippin!
Yeah we did. Went broke about 10 years ago
It's weird how there's no Wendy's here. There are quite a few of them in NZ. The drinks are jumbo sized just like they are in the US.
We have had Wendy's here for 40 years....but our Aussie Wendy's is an Ice Cream store, milk/thick shakes etc.....@@shaunmckenzie5509
You are awesome. I love your posts. I totally LOVE America. I have been there 5 times. A+++
WHAAAAT??? You'd think the US National Anthem would have lyrics about being free (spoiler: that's Australia's) or the opportunities (spoiler: that's Australia's) BUT INSTEAD it's all about war, battle, red rockets and the persistent flag.
Of course, the French is all about taking arms, opposing tyranny, soaking the fields in blood. Brrrr. March on!
It was written during the war for Independence against the British. There's a great story on YTube on it's origins. It's called The Star spangled banner as you've never heard it. There's others all tell the same story but this one is powerful. I actually teared up
And they have no girt
@@netman26 I am sure we are the only ones on this planet with Girt
We’re stuck with it, can’t dig it up and sell it. Really girted.
@PHILMROSE Girt always makes me roll my eyes. Stupid word. There was a lot better Aussie songs we could have had. But nope, we're Girt by sea.
If you think Sydney is clean, Toyko will blow your mind! We loved it! Tokyo Disney was about 10,000% better than the California or Florida Disney's and most of that was due to the cleanliness, and just how the Japanese seem to conduct themselves in public. As an Aussie we were mind-blown!
9:25 It must have been in the early 90's when I went to the city and was amazed to see people with chains attached to their wallets. My wallet now came from England and it has a place to attach a chain.
The Northern solution would be to keep your cash in your jocks and cut a hole in your pockets ;)
Whitney Huston doing the Star Spangled Banner - just the best ever !!
Welcome back to OZ. I enjoyed your honesty and comparisons between our countries. Been thinking about going to the US next year, did some you tube research and there's some major road with a rail bridge near a train station in Philly, this is how the homeless has taken over may cities; glad Mark and you ended up being safe. The west coast is the worst I've seen so many beautiful cities now ruined.
New York was fine 8 years ago when I last visited but some parts even then were no go zones, others I loved.
As for your next video - well firstly, how low the Aussie dollar has fallen behind in respect of the exchange rate.
Then possibly the amount you need to tip has gone up again. The inflation rates in both countries have risen so that could be an issue. Will be interested to know what the second part will bring. BTW, I do like baseball, being in the sports capital
of Australia, living in Melbourne when I moved interstate for a couple of years I missed our great sporting culture. I've been to the US Open Tennis - grand slam which was easy to get to by train. I also was lucky enough to catch a yankees game too.
As far as national anthems go many butcher the song in many countries, I quite like the French one but can understand that you had a culture shock upon returning to your homeland. Spring and better weather will be with us again soon so that should make you happy to enjoy the nature and beaches when we get warm weather. Maybe the weather or how your family reacted upon your return could be a talking point. Looking forward to your next video.
Was the music written by the Englishman John Stafford Smith, born in Gloucester? The tune came a few years before the poem was matched with it? ...Or am I mistaken?
Glad ya back been wondering when you were going to show . So how was your flights & how did everyone like their gifts you took over .
I’ve seen the situation in Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia. Horrendous thanks to fentanyl and crack etc. I loved my time in the USA and saw so much beauty in nature.
Love the PMG rope on the shelf. if you found it on the side of the road ,it's more Australian than football. Old school awesome.
I think it's less Americans don't like to hear comparisons and more Americans don't like to be reminded the rest of the world exists.
Good to see you back. I went to New York in 2014. Then I caught the train to L.A. Vail Chicago.
My son went over to the USA with som of our local basketball team before covid a few years back and when travelling by coach thru LA he saw a multitude of homeless people everywhere plus other things that left an indelible mark with him as a young kid and when he got back to Melbourne he said he has no interest ever to go back there as the experience was quite the contrary to what he thought the place would be like
Chicago Philly and Baltimore are done turn the lights off and walk away, Must be nice being back in aus.
We have a limited "fast food" outlets in Australia and it's because we want healthy fit citizens to not only live longer but it takes pressure of our healthcare system
I’d like to banish the foreign food outlets we have as they came into our town good local food went out.
I reckon the French and New Zealand national anthems would give the US one a huge run for its money 😁😁😁.
The French national anthem sounds cool, but the lyrics? "let the blood of the invaders quench the thirst of the fields" not so great imao
The US anthem is absolutely hypocritical. A joke ..😂😂😂😂
Actually, one of the most popular national anthems is Italy’s national anthem.
I once stayed in Bala Clywyd in the Phillie burbs and it was nice.
I prolly agree with the Anthem thing. The Star Spangled Banner is superb, maybe 2nd to the Marseillaise. As to the baseball experience, gimme Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field. They compare to the International Cricket experience at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
It’s not great to sing though.
On thing I noticed was how nervous everyone was about being robbed in the US. Here in Oz I don't worry if I forget to lock the car or house when I leave. I was at my brother's in San Diego and everyone I met had security apps on their phones. My brother would look at it every 10 minutes even when we were at his house. He could tell who was knocking on the front door from the back yard. Boston was just as bad . I felt uncomfortable with the amount of cameras on me at any given time.
I grew up outside of Boston so I knew there was crime but wow has it got worse
What about walking into a primary or elimentary school in the States vs NSW
I have lived and worked in about 7 countries, and I have noticed how much of a huge difference it makes to live in a country where I feel safe and welcome. One reason I wouldn't go to the US for a holiday - the crime, violence and homelessness would make me too uncomfortable.
As a European living in USA with relatives in Australia who we visit every two years (East and West coast) I agree with virtually everything you say. America is dirty (check out the soles of your shoes after a day in a US city), homelessness is rife, people in cities are generally more aggressive than in other countries (with the exception of London, England), Americans hate comparison with other countries etc. Where I might disagree is with sports fans. Baseball fans (or other US sports fans), can’t compare with fans of Cologne or Newcastle United (or many other soccer teams), what about fans of Collingwood Magpies. Also the US national anthem - we often comment about how embarrassing it is. It’s difficult to sing, has strong militaristic overtones and is to a tune based on a British beer drinking song (never mind being about a war which the USA did not win - despite US propaganda to the contrary).
Don't waste your money on California -- try Savannah or Charleston or some of our gorgeous Appalachian mountain towns. We have breathtaking autumns from our mountains and it's much better than anything from sad, poo strewn California. Start by looking up the Biltmore House in an area so lovely that the Vanderbilts built an entire railroad just to get there.
the biggest trip for me when i went to the states was how people work for tips. i loved the customer service obviously cos the better they treat you the more money they get. but as an aussie maybe you should do a vid on where and when you have to tip, cos i accidentally didn't sometimes, and accidentally did when i didn't have to also. i couldn't figure out a rhyme or reason to it
I’m a Yank that lived in Sydney for 5 years from 2011-2016 and really really miss the Eastern Suburbs where I lived. I first visited OZ with my backpack in 1979 and returned many times so besides living there I witnessed the changes in OZ from that first trip in 79 to the current days. I would much rather live in Australia than the US unfortunately OZ does not make it easy to retire down under or that’s where I’d be headed in 20 months when I retire.
Keep trying Chris. It's never too late to improve your life mate, and good luck. I'd also recommend NZ. Even though we pay out on each other, it's only because we're siblings and life over their is as good, for most, and in some cases possibly better, than it is here, and that way you'll increase your odds of getting to life out your life in relative safety and sanity.
I know the US anthem lyrics came from a poem around 1814 inspired by battle defeating British troops in 1812. (hence the voilence) But it always makes me giggle that the music is an old British pub song from the 18th century
I just moved to SF from Sydney and the homelessness and impact of COVID have both definitely been huge shocks. As you note, the Sydney CBD - and a lot of the city east of it - is just so safe and beautiful. We have crime problems and homelessness in Aus as well, but a lot of that is very much at the far edges of suburbia, so it’s kinda weird seeing so much drug abuse and homelessness in what is meant to be your central economic hub and global showcase area of your city. The other thing that has come as a huge shock has been just how much harder hit US cities appear to have been than COVID. Given how much more limited restrictions were in the US during COVID compared with Aus, I had expected that the cities would have been much less impacted, but there are SO MANY more boarded up shops in SF compared with Sydney, which really surprised me.
Australia had jobkeeper which kept a lot of small businesses afloat for a while. Maybe that made the difference.
It is interesting to break this sort of video down into two types of differences /culture shocks.
Firstly, of course, how much things have changed in the time since you moved away from home (e.g. post-pandemic).
And secondly, things where they have not so much changed 'at home', but where you, or your expectations, have changed due to your exposure to the different environment/culture of your new country of residence.
Biggest shock living in the USA was driving a left hand drive car .
I work for a large American commercial real estate company here in Oz. Your impression of vacancy isn’t anecdotal. Office space occupancy in Oz is still in the 90 odd percent. The US market is a slow moving bus crash . It’s potentially a big issue for the economy given how much wealth is tied up in that market.
When people say centerlink should be cut or they are paid too much I feel I should show them the first part of this video.
So glad you are back.
I am guessing you missed seeing the maltidas play. Now that's a crowd.
Welcome back home! I loved Houston when I lived there probably before you were born (yikes!) so it was nice you went there. Was it friendlier than Philly? Hope so. Interesting and sad about the closed businesses, I didn’t even think about COVID being the cause. I thought it was the homelessness and crime, but probably everything contributes. Re wallets, I’ve lost mine twice in Brisbane and it was returned both times with money and cards intact.
I remember returning to the States at the end of the 70s (from Australia) and to my mind 3 things stood out then. 1. The pollution in thr skies even over the New Mexico winter desert. This was in comparison to country Australia. 2. The violence of security guards chasing a shop lifter in a department store. 3. My grandmother (in her 60s) being paranoid about security in a town similarly sized & situated to the one we lived in. Back then we didn't lock doors if we were home & sometimes even if we weren't, would walk around freely etc. Later visits in the 1990s & 2000s exposed how much living standards have declined. The town my mother went to school in the 40s & 50s had turned into a run down weed filled collection of mobile homes & few businesses or services left...My father's siblings that were in their 60s & 70s were living in mobile homes, struggling for money, or in run down homes with holes in the floor & toilets that couldn't handle paper, trying to market garden & sell produce when they were physically unwell. These were people who used to be fairly middle-class. Basically scraping by & living much worse than they used to. How much more sugar there was in food. How hard it was to be a pedestrian without a car in many places except New York City. Haven't been back again in over 10 years, not sure I want to, actually.
I've never been but from what I've heard and seen the US appears to be a place of feast or famine. If you have talent, ability and - probably most importantly - the right connections, it seems you can really take off and the sky's the limit. That's the feast part but it's only for a very few handful of select people. It seems it's struggle street for the majority of people, who only probably have modest dreams and expectations but even they fail to be met. Coming from a not so advantageous background I'm so thankful to be born in a country with a decent welfare system and formalized societel expectations like a living wage. Hope things turn around in the US and become a bit more equitable - must be grating for so many people to be always informed they live in the greatest, most prosperous nation in history yet struggle to even keep food on the table.
The part about rude servers... The society that relies on tips are rude while here in Oz where tips are not normal, the servers are less rude...
Don't normalize tipping obviously.
Just a little something I’m 58 & I never saw homelessness in Australia before about 1999, except for about 6 months around 1986 when these old women with tattoos seemed to had been living at Sydney’s Wynyard & Town Hall railway stations, obviously due to some institution/s closing down
Your an Aussie now for sure....Your humor is coming along nicely......Oh and theres nothing wrong with checking out Marks bulge.....it's yours too 🤣🤣
I haven't carried a wallet for years. I carry two credit cards, cash, drivers licence and meicare and insurance cards in my front pocket. I think that carrying a wallet is asking to be robbed. And the consequences of the Pandemic weren't so bad here because of the Federal and State Governments providing some financial assistance to many businesses and employees. Our national anthem should be I Am Astralian, by The Seekers!
For you, what makes the "best fans" ? I would be interested to know.
what categories are there?
ever been to an afl match? we are fanatical about AFL.
Unfortunately Kaitlian it seems that the USA has become a very inwards looking country. I have family in the states who have traveled the world with the military and comment on this very subject. Don't be to hard on them, it comes down to many things that I'm not going into.....welcome back home....number 2.
Aussie here went to Paris in 2019, guys followed a water truck with a big hose washing the streets.
It was some time ago that I read about the origin of the American National Anthem; Written by Francis Scott Key, it was originally a poem, penned by him during and following the battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore in 1814. At the time he had boarded a British warship in the harbour to negotiate the release of an American civilian and was detained for the duration of the battle. At least, that's what I originally read, but in looking at the story for this there appears to be some difference of opinion on the matter for other versions have him aboard an American warship. At any rate, he witnessed the battle whilst on a ship. The lyrics describes the British attempts to take the fort [e.g. by the red rockets glare], which ultimately failed resulting in 4 deaths and 24 casualties on the American side and some 330 British killed, wounded and captured. A large American flag flew above the fort's ramparts before and during the night battle which Key witnessed before darkness fell. During the night, the explosions and the rockets continued to show it still flying and the dawn's early light showed it still gallantly streaming. The victory was a significant one for the USA who retained control of Baltimore, a vital sea port. More importantly, it inspired the creation of the poem, which became then a song and ultimately metamorphosed into the National Anthem. A truly inspiring anthem. And, yes, take the time to read and listen to the FULL lyrics, which are rarely played completely.
Thanks for the background.
The music for the national anthem was composed by an Englishman John Stafford Smith around 1770. He became a member of The Anacreaontic Society that would meet in various taverns around London.
Performed at every meeting was the society’s anthem, "To Anacreon in Heaven", whose music was composed by Smith.
It’s unknown exactly when the Anacreontic song reached America, but soon enough Smith’s composition became the score for many different songs in the States.
It became your national anthem, an old drinking song.
Regarding the American national anthem: a Mexican returning to Mexico for a visit was asked how he liked Americans. Beautiful people, he enthused. I went to a football game and before it started the crowd stood up and sang, "Jose, can you see..."
I must answer no he can't as José Feliciano remains blind but was blessed with talent so am happy to see they still honor him at ball games