Spring doesn’t arrive all at once in Tennessee.
It doesn’t flip like a switch.
It shows up in small signals…
little things you start noticing around you.
And when you’ve lived somewhere long enough, you begin to recognise them.
Every place has its own rhythm to the year.
Spring in the American South definitely has one.
And this week, for me, it started with something I’d never done before.
Reading to a Classroom in America
This week, I walked into a classroom full of first graders and read them a book.
Now I’ve spoken to adults plenty of times—through work, through videos—but for some reason…
a room full of seven-year-olds?
That felt different.
I brought in an Australian classic:
👉 Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French
If you’ve never read Diary of a Wombat, it’s worth it—simple, funny, very Australian.
A Small Cultural Detail You Notice Immediately
Before even getting to the classroom, there’s something that stands out in American schools.
Security.
You don’t just walk in—you buzz through a locked front door.
It’s structured, controlled, visible.
That’s one of those subtle differences you don’t fully grasp until you’re living here.
An Aussie Expat’s Take on Culture Shock, Identity & Life in America
Bringing Australia Into the Room
Once I started reading, something shifted.
The nerves disappeared.
The kids were locked in.
Afterwards, we started talking about Australia:
- Kangaroos
- Wombats
- Koalas
And then came the questions:
- “Do kangaroos really jump everywhere?”
- “Do wombats live in backyards?”
- “Do you have bears?”
(I had to reassure them… no bears. But then I mentioned snakes and spiders—which probably didn’t help.)
What Kids Notice (and What They Don’t)
Here’s what stayed with me:
Not one child mentioned my accent.
Adults always do.
It’s usually the first thing they say.
But kids?
They didn’t care.
They were interested in:
- the story
- the animals
- the idea of somewhere different
That kind of openness… it’s refreshing.
The First Real Sign of Spring in Tennessee
Moments like that made me realise something else:
Spring had arrived.
But not in a big obvious way.
In signals.
1. The Pollen (You’ll Know It When You See It)
If you live in Tennessee, spring announces itself in one very specific way:
Pollen.
Cars turn yellow.
People sneeze constantly.
And you hear the same phrase everywhere:
“Pollen’s bad today.”
Back in Australia, we have hay fever…
but this feels like a shared seasonal event.
2. The Sound of Pressure Washers
Then come the pressure washers.
You hear them everywhere.
Decks.
Driveways.
Siding.
Winter leaves this layer of grime—and spring is when everyone decides to remove it.
It becomes background noise for a few weeks.
If you live in the South, you’ll understand why everyone owns one of these. 👉Home Pressure Washer
3. Spring Break (It’s Actually Real)
Growing up in Australia, Spring Break felt like a movie concept.
But it’s real.
Colleges empty out.
Flights fill up.
Students head south.
It’s a seasonal migration.
4. The Summer Camp Ecosystem
This one surprised me when we first moved here.
Summer camps are… everywhere.
- sports
- dance
- science
- church
- outdoor adventure
And they’re booked months in advance.
This week we’ve been organising:
- Georgia’s dance camps
- Brianna’s options (art, music, taekwondo)
👉 Dance Competitions in America: When the Show Becomes the Focus
5. Evenings Start to Change
Then something shifts in the evenings.
You walk outside…
and you notice it.
Every house has fairy lights.
People are outside again:
- grilling
- talking
- sitting
You don’t always see them…
but you see the lights.
And you know they’re there.
I see these grills in every second backyard here – Weber-style Grill
6. The Moment That Still Feels Like Magic
And then comes the moment that still gets me every year.
Fireflies.
Growing up in Australia, they felt like something from movies.
But they’re real.
You walk outside…
and there they are.
Small flashes of light drifting through the yard.
Not constant.
Just blinking.
The first time I saw them, I just stood there.
Watching.
It’s one of those moments that reminds you:
The world is bigger than where you grew up.
What Living Overseas Teaches You About Seasons
👉Living in America Changes You More Than You Realise
Living overseas teaches you something about seasons.
They’re not just weather.
They’re rhythms.
Patterns of life.
- school events
- neighbourhood sounds
- shared habits
The Quiet Realisation
This week, it looked like:
- reading to a classroom
- hearing pressure washers
- booking summer camps
- standing on the deck at sunset
- watching fireflies drift through the yard
And somewhere in all of that…
you realise something quietly:
You’re learning the rhythm of another place.
And in some way…
it’s starting to feel like home.
Support & Explore More
If you’ve been enjoying these stories, you can explore more here:
- Things Americans Think Are Normal (That Still Confuse Me After 8 Years)
- Why Americans Seem So Polite
- Why American Goodbyes Feel Faster Than Australian Goodbyes
You can find audio versions of this article and more on the Listen page.
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