Things in South Africa that would NEVER happen in Australia

Ajouté : 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]Here are some things that happen in South Africa that I don't think would happen in Australia. I've been in South Africa for over a decade now. I am Australian, although you cannot hear it.

[00:00:10]Here are some things that happen in South Africa that I do not think would happen in Australia. There are some things that are completely strange to me still. Things that I'm still learning to adjust to, and some things that I just find totally normal now that I've been here for such a long time. The first one is load shedding. And before you come at me, >> [laughter] >> I know there hasn't currently been load shedding, but this has been a huge part of the last 10 years that I've been here. We actually hired solar panels for our roof because it was just becoming so out of hand. And luckily, thank goodness, this has been something that hasn't happened for a really long time.

[00:00:48]And I honestly hope it stays this way.

[00:00:50]But there are scheduled power outages.

[00:00:53]There isn't enough power, or there are just issues with like the substations.

[00:00:58]Um for so many different reasons that I won't get into now.

[00:01:02]But they are mostly speculation.

[00:01:03]However, um this has been a huge part of my life here in South Africa. It's just it was so foreign to me, and I don't think this would actually ever happen in Australia.

[00:01:13]I grew up there till the age of 18, when I then moved to South Africa, and I think maybe we had a blackout once. And it was like a huge storm. I remember it had been raining for ages. We had a blackout, they came and fixed it. Like everything was fine. But here, people are just like casually checking their like Eskom app to make sure that like they can figure out when load shedding is. They'll be like, "Oh, it's just load shedding at 6:00 p.m., so they just need like prep for this and this and this."

[00:01:40]And I'd be like, "What?" [laughter] Like, what do you mean? They just like schedule your power to turn off. And there are different stages of this.

[00:01:49]Um when it's really bad, your power can be turned off like three times a day for two to three hours at a time.

[00:01:54]Which is a giant uh inconvenience. And if you're a business owner or you work from home, you need internet, you need power, you have little kids, you need lights, you've got to warm the bath, um, you know, to cook dinner and stuff like that as well, it can be like a huge issue. And this was like a really big shock for me because I don't think like I think the infrastructure in Australia is set up in such a way that that's just not something that would like happen nowadays. Um, I really hope and pray, honestly, that this doesn't come back to South Africa and that it stays this way where we haven't had load shedding.

[00:02:25]Um, because it is just it is so inconvenient. Uh, but that is a huge thing that I just don't think would happen in Australia. Also, South Africans are just so resilient. They will just have this whole load shedding thing and just continue on their day. I feel like if it was Australians, they would be like a huge fuss made about this.

[00:02:44]Um, like I don't think they would accept it and they would just be moaning about it the whole time. I do love Australia.

[00:02:50]I am also Australian, but I just think South Africans are just so resilient.

[00:02:53]They just get on with the day and continue on even though there's load shedding three times a day and, um, people are like, "Well, there's nothing you can do about it, so might as well find your systems that work and carry on."

[00:03:03]This next one was a huge one for me and I still can't get over it. If you're filling out a form when you go like to the doctor, they have like race categories in like the little form that you have to fill out and usually it'll be, at least from my experience, it'll say black, white, colored, or Indian.

[00:03:22]And I think the first time I went to the doctor here, I was like, it was it took me so by surprise because this is not something that you would like say in Australia. You don't call people like black and white and like colored. It's not it's feels so wrong.

[00:03:37]Um, you know, in Australia things have to be like politically correct and it's just a little bit more like censored, I guess. I don't know if it's censored is the right word, but I think on forms in Australia it'll say like, um, Caucasian or Torres Strait Islander.

[00:03:56]Um, I don't know what the other categories are, but you would never on a form see black, white, colored, or Indian. And for me, this is something that I still do the forms, I'm like, this is so wrong. This feels so wrong to me.

[00:04:08]Um, which also leads on to my next point, that people here in conversation often will just refer to people as like black, white, colored. Um, I don't actually entirely understand what colored is yet, even though I've been here so long. I would never assume that somebody, um, was colored because I I don't really understand that.

[00:04:36]Uh, and I know this is a very sensitive topic, um, but I just think in Australia, this is not really something that you so easily can just say to people or about people.

[00:04:47]Um, but what I've kind of noticed is in Australia, you would say, I grew up in Alice Springs, and there are quite a few indigenous people still living there. It is a much bigger community there than in the rest of Australia. Um, and we were kind of just raised to say like you were indigenous or you are Aboriginal. Um, you would never say black or white. I would never say like I am white.

[00:05:11]Uh, and that person is black. It just, I don't know, to me still it feels wrong, and I don't entirely know why. Because I think here in South Africa, people have a way of making it feel not negative. Like, people are proud to be black or white or colored. Or, it's not there's no like, it's not derogatory.

[00:05:31]Um, of course, there are also some people that probably use it in a derogatory way, but like, from what I've noticed, it's not. But I don't think this would ever happen in Australia, where our forms you would have to fill it out in this way. Um, and the conversations around like color and race are just different. Let me know down below what your experience is with it. I am so open to hearing discussions, but just always remember to keep it kind because I do know that it's a sensitive um Okay, next point.

[00:05:59]The amount of security here in South Africa is like mind-blowing. It took me an incredibly long amount of time to get used to this and something that I don't think would happen in Australia is the fact that schools here have like electric fences around them, at least the ones that I have been exposed to and or am aware of.

[00:06:19]Um and when you enter the school premises, your car has like a little registration sticker on the windshield that like says basically I'm a parent of the school, I can come and go. But if you don't have that on your windshield, you have to sign in with the security guards. They take your license, they scan it and often if you're just a visitor, you actually have to sign out at the front school desk to say that you are leaving and give that ticket to the security guard. So the security is like really really ramped up here at the schools, which also makes me just feel a lot more comfortable and confident with like sending my children off to a school.

[00:06:53]Whereas in Australia, you kind of can come and go as you please into the schools. There's no sort of like security system. At least not that I'm aware of.

[00:07:03]Um you can literally just walk into the school. You might not be able to pick the children up. That's a different That's a different thing. You have to like probably sign them out or like communicate with the teacher etc. Um before they will allow you to actually take a child home. So in that sense, there is a little bit of security, but it would never be in Australia like the fact that you have to sign into the school and out again and give your driver's license and like they know that you are there. Um so that was a pretty big adjustment for me actually. I don't think that happens in Oz.

[00:07:36]The next point, this does not happen in Australia. When you greet people in Oz, at At from my understanding, I know that it might be a bit nuanced depending on where you are in Australia. It's a very big country. But like when you greet someone, you would handshake them if you don't feel comfortable hugging them, but mostly you would then hug them. I guess if they were like the same age as you and you're meeting new friends or something, but you know, people who are maybe older than you or you really don't know, you would handshake them. Um even family members, you would probably just give them a hug just to say hello. But here in South Africa, I have noticed, I don't know if this is an African thing or not, but people will like do like a peck on the lips. You know in France where people greet each other and they do like a like a a slight kiss on the cheek. Some people do that here still in South Africa actually. I mean not still, not that there's any French influence here, but I have noticed that is a thing that people do here, some people.

[00:08:25]Um but uh family members, like an uncle and aunt, will actually do like a peck on the lips to say hello. And this was wild for me. You do not kiss anyone else on the lips unless they are your your partner, your um husband, your wife, your boyfriend, you are not touching lips. I don't think this would happen in Australia and it is like mind-blowing to me still. It's very uncomfortable and I do not make my kids do this. I think it is something that is changing now. I don't think it is as prominent, if I could put it that way.

[00:08:58]But when I first arrived here a decade ago, this was happening. I I don't know if it's every family. Uh you can let me know down below what your experience is, but I find that so weird and I don't think this would happen in Oz. The next point is >> [laughter] >> I don't know how to say this. It's like urinating in public. Australia has public toilets, but I must actually tell you they are so gross. Many of them are really, really gross and dirty. Um but like if you go to a mall or something, there will always be a public bathroom and usually that's pretty clean, but if you're going to like a public park or something like that, um they're usually pretty dirty, but people will not really urinate in public. Whereas here, it's like a very common thing to see. I could be driving to like 20 minutes down the highway or something, and there will be people just stopping on the side of the road and just like urinating. Mostly men. I don't know if women do this so much. I can understand if it's a long road trip, and you are like driving through to the Karoo or something, and it's a really long stretch of road, and you need to go to the bathroom, you've got to do what you've got to do, right? Um but then it's probably like an open stretch of road, and there aren't that many people passing. You know, no one can really see you. But like here, it's like whipping it out left, right, and center, basically anywhere, and I don't think this is appropriate. I don't think it's appropriate. People do it all the time, and I don't think this would happen in Oz. The next one is just like a small thing I've noticed, but in Australia, when you drive your car, um your hazards are basically reserved for emergencies only. At least this is what I was taught. This is how I was raised. That's how I drove there. I got my license at 16. I lived in the NT, so before you come at me and wonder why I have my license so young, um in the Northern Territory, you can get your L's when you are 16, then you need to do your driving lessons for 6 months, and you can go for your P's test, which means you can drive without somebody else in your car.

[00:10:47]And the hazards were reserved for emergencies only. If you had to pull off, put your hazards on. But here in South Africa, it's like a communication tool. Um if you are overtaking somebody, and um they've kind of moved over for you to overtake, it's the polite thing to do is to put on your hazards a couple say thank you, and they will sometimes like um like blink their lights at you to say you're welcome. And it's kind of just a communication thing. It's not so much like people are not going to be stopping and being like, "Are you okay?" if you put your hazards on. It's not an emergency. It's It's also a form of communication, which is kind of weird. The next one is car guards and like petrol attendants. I have mentioned this in a previous video of mine where I spoke about the culture shocks. Uh put it up here or link below if you want to go have a look. Um I've just gotten so used to this now, but it is not something that Australia has. South Africa is really big on job creation. They try and create jobs in like every industry for people so that they can like you know, create more jobs and give people an opportunity. Um here when you fill up your petrol uh or diesel at the petrol station, you have somebody doing everything for you and they bring you the card machine.

[00:12:01]They even sometimes clean your windscreen and they're a car guard when you [clears throat] go grocery shopping at malls and stuff that will kind of wash your car. I don't know how reliable they always are. Um but they will also help you with parking or carrying your bags.

[00:12:16]I have never seen this in Australia.

[00:12:18]Like never. I know I've been gone for a while. I have been back in between.

[00:12:22]We did live there in 2020 for a year when my son was born there.

[00:12:26]And I I've never seen this and I don't think it would be something that happens. I feel like Australia is becoming a lot more automated with a lot more robots.

[00:12:35]Even when you go grocery shopping in Australia like there's self-service checkouts, there's self-service for almost like everything. I've actually heard in America some people I've seen on Instagram actually have self-service like petrol stations where you can just fill up yourself and then also pay then and there. And I just I don't think this is something that would happen in Oz, honestly. They're not so big on job creation there. The next one is biltong.

[00:12:59]Australia has jerky, it is not biltong.

[00:13:02]Um biltong, if you don't know what it is, is like dried meat and there are so many different varieties of it. Um and it goes with everything. If you're having snacks at home before you do a braai, there's always biltong. Uh you can dip it into cottage cheese or cream cheese or hummus, whatever you want. Go for picnics, there's biltong. Road trips for like pack horse. I'm trying to learn Afrikaans. Um is like a trip food.

[00:13:27]biltong. It's everywhere. Everywhere you go, there is a biltong shop. You will just see meat hanging and drying and you can pick and choose as you want. It is huge here in South Africa.

[00:13:37]Jerky in Australia, I never ate it. I grew up there. I didn't even know anyone that really bought it and ate it. I wonder if it's getting bigger now, but I don't think so.

[00:13:46]And I don't think this is something that will come to Australia.

[00:13:52]South Africans are really big on hunting. There's a lot of game here.

[00:13:55]There's a lot of space and nature reserves. Often you have to cull animals because they do become overpopulated and I think that's kind of how the biltong came about. I don't really know. I don't know the history of it, so don't quote me, but you can educate me in the comments if you like have any info on this, but I don't think this is something Aussies will get into.

[00:14:16]This one is related to children. I feel like child-rearing here and just like handling children in general is a lot more communal than it is in Australia.

[00:14:26]For instance, if you're going to the playground and your child has packed a lunch box or you've brought a whole bunch of food. I know there aren't that many playgrounds here, but say for instance for instance you're going to your kids tennis practice or ballet practice or whatever the case may be or you do go to a park and your kid brings food, it will usually always be shared with everyone.

[00:14:49]In Australia, you can't really do this because it's it's so people are so scared of other people touching your kids or handling them or like saying hello to them or like sharing food because of allergies. People are very aware of food allergies in Australia.

[00:15:03]Whereas I feel like it's not that big here. I think it is important to have some awareness. There's a fly. To have some awareness about it.

[00:15:11]Of course, you don't want to be giving another child food, so you should always check with the parents. Normal for your child to share their food for other parents also to kind of parent your children kind of with you out in public, and this was a weird thing for me to get used to. But, um you know, if your child does something wrong that they're not supposed to, uh don't be surprised if another parent comes up to them and sits them down and says, "Listen, that's not the right thing to do. You shouldn't behave like that." Um whereas in Australia, I don't think you can do this to other people's kids.

[00:15:44]Uh you just you just can't. Um and uh I don't think it will ever happen because I feel like Australia's just becoming a bit more I hope I don't offend anyone, but a bit more like sterilized and like in a box.

[00:15:59]I don't think this openness will be a part of the Australian thing, especially when it comes to parenting.

[00:16:05]People are very reserved and very scared of other people just interacting with their kid um for so many different reasons.

[00:16:14]Now, this is one that I honestly hope and pray will come to Australia, but Chris- tianity here and faith in general, um is just something that is very open.

[00:16:26]Um I think, at least from my experience, it kind of runs through schools, in society, in churches. It's okay to talk about it in public. And I I don't know where Australia is going with this. I don't think this is something that will come to us or be like a part of the kind of culture there. Whereas like here, it's quite normal if somebody's going through something and you do know that they're Christian cuz quite a lot, at least our friends and community are Christian. Um and so sometimes when someone's going through a difficult time, you will say like, "I will really I'll pray for you about this." And it will be something that's appreciated. I think if you were to say that in Oz, people would look at you like, "You're crazy." And uh it would not be accepted. I don't think this is something that will change in us, at least not anytime soon.

[00:17:20]I do have hope that it would, but um it's just a big thing in South Africa.

[00:17:23]Um faith is a really big thing here, and it's a it's it's just a part of so many different aspects of life, um which is beautiful. It's one of the reasons why we decided to stay here. If you haven't seen my video on the reasons why we decided to stay in South Africa and you are curious, I will link it below or put it up here, and you can go have a look.

[00:17:41]Um I love learning about other people's perspectives and experiences all over the world. The point of this channel recently for me has just been to share my experience living in South Africa as an Australian and kind of opening up the conversation around um different cultural things and just like breaking the stereotype that I know so many people have about South Africa. I originally kind of just wanted to show my family what South Africa was like and what my life was like here because I think it's incredibly difficult to just explain like over the phone. But to actually have like bring a little bit of South Africa out and um I don't know. I feel like I've just had so many beautiful comments lately about how um you know, my videos have helped them to open their perspective or they wish they had have seen this like earlier on um when they were younger about life in South Africa that it really is a beautiful place, and I think so many people have this understanding or stereotype of South Africa that everyone is trying to leave and escape and move to a different country. It's no secret that there has sort of been an expat re-entrance of people coming back to South Africa after living abroad, and I think there are many reasons why. I love sharing our journey um of life here in South Africa, and when we do go to visit Australia, I will be sure to make a whole bunch of videos there. And when I'm there, you can let me know what you would like to see. But for now, let me know down below what you think um happens in South Africa that you wouldn't see in your own country or something in your country that you don't think would happen in a South Africa. I always find it so interesting just learning more about the world and how people do things and culture and experience. But for now I'm going to say thank you so much for being here and watching this. Give me a thumbs up, subscribe to the channel, and I'll see you in the next video.