The Australian habits I accidentally brought back to France 🇦🇺

Key lifestyle & mindset changes brought back from Australia (as experienced in France)

• Be friendlier to strangers

  • Keep saying “How are you?” to random people (cashiers, workers, anyone you pass).
  • Smiling becomes automatic—even though in France it can feel “suspicious” or awkward.

• Use more respectful everyday greetings

  • Thank bus drivers every time you get off.
  • Pair it with “goodbye/au revoir” style politeness. The speaker notes French culture is often “bonjour/transaction/goodbye,” but less so “goodbye” when leaving a ride.

• Distance/time expectations: “about 1 hour” is close

  • Australia changed how the speaker perceives travel distance:
    • In Europe: “1 hour away” can feel like a big deal.
    • In Australia: 3 hours can be treated casually as “not far.”

• No free-toilet expectation

  • The speaker felt Europe is more “aggressive” about public toilets—less access than what they became used to.
  • They describe the cost of toilets as a frustration and a cultural adjustment.

• Nature & birds as a daily “alarm clock”

  • Birds are constant in Australia (often loud and ever-present).
  • In France, they feel stuck waiting for spring to hear them again.

• Freeze bread/food to prevent waste

  • They freeze bread and “sacred” French cheeses (e.g., Parmesan, cheddar), and they defend freezing brie/camembert as well.
  • They jokingly say it helps things never go to waste.

• Second-hand culture

  • Australia reshaped what “second-hand” means:
    • Instead of “leftovers from people who don’t want it,” second-hand can be high quality and trustworthy.
  • They cite buying a phone over 4 years ago as an example of confidence in second-hand items.
  • Result: they now struggle to pay full price for anything.

• Apologizing frequently (smoothing interactions)

  • Australians constantly say “sorry” even when nothing serious happened, to soften everyday proximity.
  • In French, they now say “pardon” very often too—without always knowing why.

• Comfort over appearance

  • Less pressure to look perfect all the time.
  • They miss the casualness—grabbing snacks/going to places (e.g., Woolworths) in pajamas, which they say they wouldn’t do in France.
  • Style habit: flip-flops everywhere, including while working in business areas (Sydney CBD workers carrying shoes).

• More respect for practical jobs

  • They appreciate Australia’s respect for trade/labor/handy practical work.
  • They feel it reduces class-style hierarchies and makes it feel more like people can “do everything for themselves” afterward.

• Constant price comparison (in AUD)

  • A “calculator brain” habit: converting everything into AUD automatically.
  • It can make them feel better or worse and even leads to crying at times.
  • Example: wanting a second-hand TV but resisting the price because “in AUD it could have been cheaper.”

• Complain less / stay optimistic

  • Australia ingrains a “glass half full” mentality:
    • More focus on there being “better things to do than complain.”
    • Life goes on—move on.
  • They acknowledge Australians complain too, but overall see a different emotional rhythm.

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What Australia changed most (the “big takeaway”)

• Values shifted toward quality of life
  • Greater emphasis on:
    • Work-life balance
    • Time outdoors
    • Experiences and weekends
    • Simplicity
  • The speaker feels these priorities permanently changed what they notice and value in life.

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Notable locations / products / references

• Sydney (especially CBD workwear with flip-flops carried/worn)
• Woolworths (casual “pajamas” shopping memory)
• Zelda (a cat mentioned during “1 hour is close”/home-life moment)
• France vs. Australia cultural comparison (greetings, toilets, second-hand norms, daily optimism)