I lived in Australia for a year and no one warned me about the ‘culture shock’ I would face when I returned to America: ‘Insane’

An American traveler who lived in Australia for a year shared a bizarre experience she had shortly after setting foot back in her home country.

Marli is originally from California, but moved to Sydney in 2023.

The company employee recently returned home and couldn’t believe the extent of “small” coffee and “gross” food in the US.

“I haven’t even been back in America for thirty minutes and I’m already shocked,” she said in an interview video.

“I’m baffled as to what a small coffee is, and I forgot you have to tip here.”

Standard small coffees in Australia are 8 oz (230 ml), while Americans typically start at 12 oz (350 ml) for takeaway drinks.

“This is actually insane,” she said, holding the large cup up to the camera.

Marli added that the food looked “so disgusting” in the US.

Marli is originally from California, but moved to Sydney in 2023

Americans and Australians both shared their thoughts on tipping culture in the US.

“I continue to feel unreliable if I don’t tip while back in Australia,” said one.

“Tip for someone who makes you coffee, what a joke,” wrote another. “If you’re not sitting, you don’t tip.”

On the other hand, an Italian traveler previously criticized Australia for “going too far with coffee culture” after hearing about babycinos and puppuccinos.

Mattia De Nardi used TikTok to express his disgust at the drinks, which aim to make the café experience inclusive for small children and dogs.

‘I absolutely love Australian coffee culture. “I will miss it when I go back to Italy, but I think you guys went a little too far,” he said.

“Not just because of the coffee itself, but also because of the names,” he clarified.

In the video he explained that a babycino is frothed milk with chocolate on top and that a puppuccino is the same thing – without the chocolate.

The video quickly went viral and coffee-loving Aussies joined the debate.

Standard small coffees in Australia are 8 oz, while Americans typically start at 12 oz for takeaway drinks [pictured]

“My two-year-old nephew lives in Sydney’s inner west, Darling, so can say Babycino but can’t recognize the signs of Macca,” one person said.

“You can also buy a babycino for your little friends,” another joked.

Others took the time to explain the reasoning behind the trends.

“Because our mothers got tired of sharing their suds with us when we went to cafes, and puppies just became an extension of that culture,” one woman said.

And many defended the need to extend this to dogs.

“I used to agree with you, and then I got a puppy, which I never thought I would order a puppuccino from – but I can’t help it, it’s the cutest thing.”

“There’s a cafe near me that literally has a whole dog section, it has dog cupcakes and cookies, my three year old wanted some but the lady had to say no,” one woman said.