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Kaymie Wuerfel relocated from Florida to Sydney after getting married to her Australian partner and has been learning to live in the Land Down Under.

To pass the extra free time that came with the pandemic, she began documenting the differences between life in the US and Australia in a series of TikTok videos which have grown her audience to 242.8K followers.

In a recent clip, for example, Wuerfel admitted that she realized garbage disposals and ranch dressing were quintessential American symbols only after she moved abroad and saw that other places don't really care about them. Who could've known!

Continue scrolling to check out what other cultural nuances the TikToker has noticed.

More info: TikTok | Instagram

Kaymie Wuerfel left her home in Clearwater, Florida for Sydney to be with her Australian husband

Image credits: kayywuerf

She adjusted to Aussie life quite well and is now working on a TikTok series, naming all the things she realized are super American

@kayywuerf

Come Say Hi On IG: kayywuerf 🌸 #fyp #american #america #usa #cultureshock #travel #australia #straya #expat #traveltiktok #learnontiktok

♬ Castaways - The Backyardigans
#1

Pharmaceutical Ads Everywhere

Pharmaceutical Ads Everywhere

Especially the ones where people look super happy while they list the 25 ways it might kill you

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This! "Live a better life while (and the voice goes into super-speed) risking coma, oily discharge and death. Consult your doctor if you suffer one of those side effects." OK, I'm dead. Do I ouija board the doctor or what?

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"I moved to Australia in November 2019 and I've adapted quite well," Wuerfel told Bored Panda. "The first six months or so were a huge adjustment period as you can tell from my comedic skits. Now it feels like home to me."

The content creator came up with the idea for the series in Spring 2020. "I had just canceled a trip that had been scheduled for that March to visit my family in America (due to Covid) and I was really down and missing home. I decided to make a [sketch] about what it's like being an American in Australia to make light out of the situation. It was my first viral video!"

Interestingly, Kaymie almost didn't post it because she thought it was silly. But now she's glad she did!

#2

Buying Cigarettes At The Pharmacy

Buying Cigarettes At The Pharmacy

"Hi! I'm here to pick up my medication & the cigarettes I shouldn't be smoking while I'm taking it..."

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#3

Doing Math At Check Out To Calculate Sales Tax

Doing Math At Check Out To Calculate Sales Tax

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Vicky Z
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so annoying honestly and pointless! Just put the tax on the price!!!!

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#4

The Ice Obsession

The Ice Obsession

We put TONS of ice in practically everything. We probably get away with this because we have free refills. But before I moved abroad I literally wouldn't drink something unless it had lots of ice

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Robert T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You get free refills because you can get next to none of the drink in the cup with all the ice. McDonalds do this here and we think it is a right rip off.

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Of course, Australia and the USA have many things in common, too. Both are large land masses, both predominantly English speaking, both with an ancient native population, and both relatively recently settled by European cultures. Both are democracies and both are meritocracies. Both cultures tend to be fairly materialistic and both tend to be open to new ideas and risk in business. Besides, Australians, like Americans, are usually hard-working and results-orientated.

But as you can see from Wuerfel's videos, there are also differences between the two. (It's important to note, however, that they don't make one better or worse than the other.)

"Australians can have a dry and perverse sense of humor and will often deliberately say the exact opposite of what they actually mean," Sue Bryant, a writer and editor specializing in global business culture and travel, wrote in Country Navigator. "Americans, on the other hand, have a very explicit communication style and irony can fall flat on its face. Each side should bear these differences in mind."

#5

Halloween

Halloween

"For Halloween!!! It's in 43 days, 7 hours and 2 minutes"
".. are you being serious?"
"Yes. 100%"
"Halloween is for kids.."

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#6

Bathroom Stall Gaps. (We Are The Only Country This Silly)

Bathroom Stall Gaps. (We Are The Only Country This Silly)

I have literally been conditioned to look down the entire time I'm inside

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Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It wouldn't susprise me if someone in the US has been prosecuted for exposing themselves whilst INSIDE a bathroom stall!

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#7

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte

And pumpkin flavored everything...

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"Australians believe firmly in 'mateship', showing loyalty to friends, family and colleagues," Bryant explained.

"Australians working in teams may be more loyal to the team than to their employer. Americans, on the other hand, may be more loyal to the concept of performance and profit and for many, covering their own back, in a culture where hiring and firing can be extremely rapid."

Bryant said the differences between Australians and Americans are visible even in the way they talk. The former, for instance, "are great lovers of abbreviation and informality in speech; much more so than Americans."

The traveler said Australians tend to shorten words wherever possible and some regional accents, combined with this, can make people difficult to understand at first.

#8

Root Beer & Dr. Pepper

Root Beer & Dr. Pepper

"Sorry we don't have that"
"Dr.Pepper then?"
"We don't have that either"

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Robert T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They've started selling root beer in the UK, and we've had Dr. Pepper for as long as I can remember.

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#9

Ranch Dressing. Because It's A Salad Dressing.. But We Put It On Everything

Ranch Dressing. Because It's A Salad Dressing.. But We Put It On Everything

We flavor chips with it. Put it on potatoes. Use it as a veggie dip. Chicken wing dip. Some people even put it on pizza

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Scagsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm really desperate to try this North American delicacy. Coming from the UK we don't have it and I feel like I badly need to try it. It's even on my bucket list: try ranch. What does it taste like please? I need to know.

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#10

Currency That's Pretty Much All The Same Color

Currency That's Pretty Much All The Same Color

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AnnaBanana
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much better to have different coloured money - especially when it's dark and you're drunk!

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But even if you get something wrong, an Aussie will probably just say "no worries, mate."

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Maybe it's all the sunshine, the miles of beaches, or the excellent quality of life, but nothing much seems to get under their skin. Even when something does go awry, there's another phrase you'll hear Australians say that keeps things nice and chill: "she'll be right, mate."

#11

Sorority Girls + College Parties/Sports

Sorority Girls + College Parties/Sports

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I *am* American and have never understood the sorority/fraternity/parties thing.

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#12

Garbage Disposals(Other Countries Just Don't Usually Have Them)

Garbage Disposals(Other Countries Just Don't Usually Have Them)

They will never be terrorized by the sound a spoon makes when it's left inside when you turn it on

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Robert T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have enough trouble with fatbergs in our sewers. Add in some rotting food and we could probably solve the current gas crisis with the methane produced. No thank you.

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Marcellus II
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was surprised what fraction of UK households have them. I thought zero, then noticed them for sale in plumbing merchants, then looked up and found double-digit percentage!?!

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Ragnhild Nilsen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They aren't illegal, but I know the disposals firms want them to be. It's much better to compost anything biodegradable, and then you'll have less problems with rats in the sewers

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Marcellus II
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It depends from country to country, and in the US even from county to county whether they want them extinct or standard.

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Nathan Jones
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most people outside of the U.S. really don't grasp the concept at all. We don't throw trash in there and grind it up. We don't even throw food in there and grind it up. It's more for like when you wash your plates off after a meal, or for egg shells, or for when you're chopping vegetables and you throw the end you don't use in there. The way Europeans talk about them, they act like we're using them in place of a trash can. In reality, very little food goes through there. And no trash. Why would anyone eveb think that's a thing?

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Sonja
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because mostly we never seen them in person and just guessing how it works. We have a little "grid" in the sink that can be taken of and shake the "leftovers" from washing to the trash can.

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Jennine Paul
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Canada we just have compost bins under our sinks that the county picks up weekly. Everything from paper towels to meat and veg can pop in - essentially anything that will break down and keep landfill waste down.

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Zaza
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because we know better than to dump our food waste in the sewers...

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Anaïs Grobin
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not how they are used. Have you ever had a sink get clogged after washing the dishes? THAT'S what they are used for. We don't actually put food in them.

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Sonja
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

aaaaaaaaaa I am extremely scared of this thing. In one movie it huuuuurt cutting a lady's hand. Since then I have extreme fear of these. My fiancé's family has this at home. I forbid him to use it when I am arround because I am scared to death about his hands. I guess we would never get one in our home.

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OffKeySinger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have that phobia, too. There's no reason to ever stick your hand in there to use it. If something needs to be retrieved, use tongs to stick in there and grab and not your hand.

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Jonathan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Scotland and literally just used mine an hour ago.

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Roxy Eastland
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have heard that they aren't common in the UK because our whole sewage system wouldn't be able to cope with the increase in mass if everyone got one.

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KatHat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many people think the disposal is ACTIVELY for trash, ie you should put all your food scraps down there. It is not. It's for any small scraps that happen to be washed down the drain; the disposal grinds them and helps them wash away. But you shouldn't be TRYING to put food down there; it clogs pipes and causes problems. I have plenty of friends who didn't know this.

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Hermien Scholten
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

don't you have little sieve-like things in the drain? I can't flush anything larger than half a pea down my sink

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Unnamed Hooman
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Canadian here, I have one, and only a couple people I know have one as well. And yes I have been terrorized by the sound of a spoon in it. Only, my family calls it a ‘Garberator’

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Randy Klefbeck
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Friends from Ireland had never heard of nor seen one. Amazed at ours when visiting us in the U.S. Called us months later and asked "Do you still have that machine that eats your food in the sink?"

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backatya
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I never had a spoon or anything like that fall in there. But they're a good idea and that's why we have them

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Bobbie Meyers
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As an American who grew up with garbage disposals, I was always confused....why? Where we live now... had one. It died. Did not replace it. We now have a switch that goes to nothing, but not a pointless garbage disposal.

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Faith Hurst-Bilinski
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So if food gets in there you just call a plumber? I see big plumbing behind this!

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ADHD
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

turns out they actually are crap and not too environmentally friendly.

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Ellie Rosser
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Australia has garbage disposals if you want to instal them, we just don't consider them a necessity because we are not too squeamish to pick food scraps up and put them in the trash.

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Anaïs Grobin
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's not how they are used. If you've ever had a sink get slightly clogged after washing dishes, you'd turn on the disposal. We don't actually put food in them.

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Jennifer Norton
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a garbage disposal in our house and we don't use it. It's more trouble than it's worth!

demdan avatar
Dem Dan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is just getting stupid. Another anti-American BS post. I know, my fault for clicking. Again, surprise, different countries are DIFFERENT. I would love for sites like BP and BF and Reddit post articles about people coming to the US from a different country and saying how much better the US is then there own country. People would lose their f*****g minds. Sort of like what I’m doing right now. But it’s all about dissing the US. Oh well

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Crowley The Snake
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bro shes just pointing out differences, if you take that as a sign of inferiority, thats your fault

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Robin Roper
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A disposal should not be used for large quantities of anything. I have one for the purposes of disposing of the little bits of waste that are impossible to catch so they don't go in the septic system.

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Rissie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a sieve integrated in the plug for that. Anything smaller doesn't need to be grinded.

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seems useful to be honest i would like to have it even though I've seen some horror movies were hands are stuck in there and I'm not really sure

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They aren't useful and they are banned in most European countries because they put an extra strain on water recycling. It takes a lot of effort to filter out all the junk that those devices flush into the sewer. And more effort means higher prices for clean water. Why grind and flush stuff when you can throw it in the garbage without polluting the water?

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#13

24 Hours Diners

24 Hours Diners

I could really go for some 2AM pancakes. "Yeah, which of the ten 24 hours places nearby do you want to go to?"

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where in the US did she live? B/c I can't get 2 AM pancakes anywhere I've lived unless I make 'em. :-(

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#14

Red Solo Cups

Red Solo Cups

It's not just a thing in the movies.. You'll see these at almost an American party

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#15

College Sports Being A Huge Deal

College Sports Being A Huge Deal

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

College sport is a way for colleges to earn loads of money and attract more students who will also bring in loads of money. Everything in the US is about money, from religion via education via charity to health care.

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#16

Putting Cheese On Everything

Putting Cheese On Everything

Broccoli, potattoes, salads, eggs, fries

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#17

The 7-Eleven Big Gulp

The 7-Eleven Big Gulp

The big gulp is 3.785 ML (McDonald's Large in Australia is 650ML) And we still get free refills

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Robert T
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's either 3.785 litres or 3,785 ml. 3.785 ml is less than a spoon of cough medicine! (US uses the same separators as the UK - decimal point is a dot - Europe is reversed, so Europeans will wonder what I'm moaning about).

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#18

Calling Everyone Mr. & Mrs.

Calling Everyone Mr. & Mrs.

family, friends, teachers, neighbors,

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Vicky Z
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

?? It's the polite thing to do! Don't everyone do that? OK not to friends but I'm not gonna say to teachers neighbours or older people in family "Hey bro what's up".

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#19

Grocery Shopping At Target

Grocery Shopping At Target

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Vicky Z
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If other countries don't have target it's normal that we cannot do that

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#20

Cheap Breakfast Combos

Cheap Breakfast Combos

That's not to say other places don't have breakfast combos... But in America you'd get all of this for like $12

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Pat Bond
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

$12 for breakfast doesn't strike me as cheap. I can get more than that in my local cafe in the UK for about £7 and that would be considered expensive if bought daily.

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#21

Canned Whipped Cream

Canned Whipped Cream

And canned anything actually

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